Ted Turner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ted Turner
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Turner in 2015
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| Born |
Robert Edward Turner III
November 19, 1938 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Brown University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) |
Julia Gale Nye
(m. 1960; div. 1964)Jane Shirley Smith
(m. 1965; div. 1988) |
| Children | 5 |
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Robert Edward Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American businessman, television producer, and philanthropist. He is famous for creating the Cable News Network (CNN). CNN was the first TV channel to show news 24 hours a day.
Turner also started WTBS, which was a "superstation." This meant it broadcast its shows to many cable TV systems across the country. He also founded other TV networks like TBS and TNT.
As a philanthropist, Turner gave $1 billion to start the United Nations Foundation. This charity helps support the United Nations. He also co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) in 2001. NTI works to reduce dangerous weapons around the world.
Turner bought an Atlanta TV station in 1970. This led to the creation of the Turner Broadcasting System. In 1980, he launched CNN, which is now a major news network. He also owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Under his ownership, the Braves won the 1995 World Series. He also started the Goodwill Games, a sports event.
Turner was known for speaking his mind. People sometimes called him "The Mouth of the South." He also cares a lot about the environment. He used to be the largest private landowner in the United States. He uses his land to raise bison for his restaurant chain, Ted's Montana Grill. He also created the environmental cartoon Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ted Turner was born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Robert Edward Turner II, owned a billboard business. When Ted was nine, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia.
He went to The McCallie School, a private school for boys in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Later, he attended Brown University. At Brown, he was the vice-president of the debating team. He was also the captain of the sailing team. Ted studied classics at first, but later changed to economics. He left Brown before getting his degree. In 1989, Brown University gave him an honorary degree.
After college, Turner joined the United States Coast Guard Reserve. He served his time before the Vietnam War draft. He said he enjoyed being deployed to places like Charleston and Fort Lauderdale.
Building a Media Empire
Starting with WTBS
After leaving Brown University in 1960, Turner went back to Georgia. He became the general manager of his father's billboard business in Macon, Georgia. His business grew, especially during the Vietnam War era. It became the largest outdoor advertising company in the Southeast.
In the late 1960s, Turner bought several radio stations. In 1969, he sold his radio stations to buy a struggling TV station in Atlanta. This was UHF Channel 17 WJRJ (now WPCH). He changed the station's name to WTCG. This stood for Turner Communications Group.
WTCG first showed old movies, cartoons, and classic TV shows. Turner bought these shows cheaply. Popular shows like Gilligan's Island and Star Trek were shown. By 1972, WTCG also began showing games for the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team.
In 1976, a big change happened. The Federal Communications Commission allowed WTCG to send its shows by satellite. This meant local cable TV companies across the country could carry WTCG. On December 17, 1976, WTCG became a "Super-Station." It broadcast old movies, comedies, cartoons, and sports nationwide. As more people got cable, WTCG gained many viewers. Turner's wealth grew to $100 million.
To provide more content for his station, Turner bought the Atlanta Braves in 1976. In 1977, he bought the Atlanta Hawks. Broadcasting Braves games on WTBS made the team famous across North America. In 1978, WTCG was renamed WTBS. This strengthened its brand as the "Super-Station."
In 1986, Turner started the Goodwill Games. These games aimed to ease tensions between different countries. Broadcasting these events also gave his superstation more sports programming. Turner Field, the Braves' former home stadium, was named after him.
Creating CNN
In 1978, Ted Turner decided to launch a 24-hour news channel. He worked with media executive Reese Schonfeld. They planned to use an all-electronic newsroom and satellites. This would allow them to broadcast news all the time.
To fund this new idea, Turner sold his North Carolina TV station in 1979. He set up the headquarters in Atlanta to save money. The new channel was called the Cable News Network (CNN). CNN hired many experienced news professionals. On June 1, 1980, CNN officially launched. It became the first 24-hour cable news channel.
Other Business Ventures
In 1986, Turner bought the film studio MGM/UA Entertainment Co. He later sold parts of it because of the large debt. But he kept MGM's film and TV library made before May 1986.
Turner Entertainment was created in 1986 to manage these films. Turner started showing these older films on his TV stations. He even showed colorized versions of black-and-white movies. Some people, like film critic Roger Ebert, did not like this. They felt it changed the original art. Because of this, the Library of Congress created the National Film Registry. Its goal is to preserve American films in their original form.
In 1988, Turner bought Jim Crockett Promotions. He renamed it World Championship Wrestling (WCW). WCW became a major competitor to Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF). This rivalry was known as the "Monday Night War."
Also in 1988, Turner launched Turner Network Television (TNT). TNT started by showing older movies and TV shows. Later, it added original programs. In 1994, Turner created Turner Classic Movies (TCM). TCM shows classic films from Turner's library and other studios.
In 1990, Turner created the Turner Foundation. This foundation gives money to environmental causes and helps with issues like overpopulation. In the same year, he created Captain Planet, an environmental superhero. Turner produced the TV series Captain Planet and the Planeteers about this character.
In 1992, the old MGM film library became the core of Cartoon Network. This channel also included early Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. A year before, Turner's companies bought Hanna-Barbera Productions, known for cartoons like The Flintstones.
Time Warner Merger
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On October 10, 1996, Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner Entertainment. Turner became the vice chairman of the new company. Later, in 2001, Time Warner merged with America Online (AOL). This created AOL Time Warner.
Turner was the biggest individual shareholder in Time Warner. He lost a lot of money when the stock price dropped after the AOL merger. He resigned from the AOL Time Warner board in 2006.
Atlanta Braves Ownership
Ted Turner was a very involved owner of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. In 1977, he even tried to manage the team himself for one game! He was the first owner to manage a team since Connie Mack. However, the baseball league stopped him because owners are not allowed to manage.
In the mid-1980s, Turner let the baseball staff handle daily operations. Under his ownership, the Braves won the 1995 World Series. This was a huge achievement for the team. The Atlanta Braves were later sold by Time Warner in 2007.
Awards and Recognition
Ted Turner has received many awards for his work in media and philanthropy.
Emmy Awards
- Lifetime Achievement – Sports (2014)
- Lifetime Achievement – News & Documentary (2015)
Sports Honors
- 1995: World Series champion (as owner of the Atlanta Braves)
- 1996: The Braves' home stadium was named Turner Field
- 2004: Honored at State Farm Arena for his time as owner of the Atlanta Hawks
Media Awards
- 1989: Paul White Award (for journalism)
- 1990: Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism
- 1991: Time magazine's Man of the Year
- 1997: Peabody Award winner (for excellence in broadcasting)
- 1999: Edison Achievement Award (for innovation)
- 2000: Edward R. Murrow Award (for lifetime achievement in communication)
Halls of Fame
- 1991: Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame
- 2004: Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Other Honors
- 1991: Audubon medal from the National Audubon Society (for conservation)
- 2001: Albert Schweitzer Gold Medal for Humanitarianism
- 2013: Lone Sailor Award (for distinguished Coast Guard veterans)
Environmental Work and Philanthropy
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Ted Turner is a strong supporter of environmental causes. He has used his wealth and land to help protect nature. He was the largest private landowner in the United States for many years. He uses much of his land for ranches. On these ranches, he helps bring back bison meat. He has the largest private herd of bison in the world.
He also created the environmental cartoon series Captain Planet and the Planeteers. This show teaches kids about protecting the Earth. Turner has also spoken about the importance of clean water and taking care of the land.
He established the Turner Foundation to help with environmental issues. He has put a lot of his own money into this foundation.
Turner Enterprises
Turner Enterprises, Inc. (TEI) is a private company founded by Ted Turner in 1976. It manages his business interests, land, and investments. Turner owns 24 properties across the United States and Argentina. He is one of the largest individual landowners in North America.
TEI ranches are mainly used for raising bison. His bison herd has about 51,000 animals. This is the largest private herd in the world. The company's goal is to manage Turner's lands in a way that is good for both business and the environment. They also work to protect native wildlife.
Besides bison ranching, TEI ranches are used for fishing, hunting, and sustainable timber harvesting. Some ranches in New Mexico also offer eco-tourism. His biggest ranch is Vermejo Park Ranch in New Mexico. It is the largest privately owned piece of land in the United States.
TEI works closely with Turner's charities. These include the United Nations Foundation, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and the Turner Foundation. Turner Enterprises is in Atlanta, Georgia. It is also home to the Ted's Montana Grill restaurant chain. In 2011, TEI built a solar panel system at its headquarters. This provides solar power to the building.
Personal Life
Ted Turner has been married three times. His wives were Judy Nye (1960–1964), Jane Shirley Smith (1965–1988), and actress Jane Fonda (1991–2001). He has five children.
In 2010, Turner joined Warren Buffett and Bill Gates in The Giving Pledge. This means he has promised to donate most of his money to charity after his death.
In 2008, Turner wrote a book called Call Me Ted. It tells the story of his career and personal life. In 2018, he shared that he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.
Sailing Achievements
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| Club |  Savannah Yacht Club |
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| College team |  Brown University |
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Medal record
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Ted Turner loved sailing. When he was 26, he started competing in sailing races. He even tried out for the Olympics in 1964.
He first tried to win the America's Cup in 1974. This is a very famous sailing race. He didn't win that year. But in the 1977 America's Cup, Turner was the skipper of the yacht Courageous. His team won the race, beating the challenger from Australia in four straight races.
In 1979, he won the 1979 Fastnet Race during a big storm. This was a very difficult race where many boats faced trouble.
Turner was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 1977 after his America's Cup win. He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2011, he was also inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.
Legacy and Impact
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Ted Turner is remembered as a visionary leader. Bob Hope, who worked for Turner's networks, said that Turner's "vision and his determination and his unwillingness to quit were infectious." He also said that Turner had "great passion for doing what was right for the world."
Turner dreamed of using communication to bring peace. He believed that if people understood each other, there would be no wars. His ideas, like the Goodwill Games and the creation of the UN Foundation, showed his passion for peace.
Professional wrestling promoter Eric Bischoff, who worked for Turner's WCW, praised him. Bischoff said Turner was "an inspirational leader" and "a risk taker." He added that Turner was "not afraid of failure."
In 2010, Ted Turner was named a Georgia Trustee. This honor is given to people whose achievements and community service reflect the ideals of Georgia's founders.
Images for kids
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Turner in 2015
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Ted Turner's signature
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Turner around 1976
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Turner in 1981
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Turner speaking at an industry event in 2000
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The Commissioner's Trophy given to the Atlanta Braves for winning the 1995 World Series
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Ted Turner meeting the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi, 2005
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Turner and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in December 2015
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With wife Jane Fonda in 1992
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Turner Building Solar Array
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Turner and his third wife, Jane Fonda, in Washington, D.C., 2002
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Turner in 1999
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The LBJ Foundation honors entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner with the 2015 Lady Bird Johnson Environmental Award
See also
In Spanish: Ted Turner para niños
