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CNN founder Ted Turner, a brash and outspoken television pioneer, has died at age 87

AM800-News-Ted-Turner Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, a pioneering 24-hour network that revolutionized television news, died May 6, according to a news release from Turner Enterprises. He was 87. ((CNN via CNN Newsource))

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CNN founder Ted Turner, an outspoken and often outrageous television pioneer, has died at age 87. 

The network says Turner died Wednesday, citing a news release from Turner Enterprises. 

Turner transformed an obscure Atlanta television station into the first satellite-based "superstation" and founded Cable News Network, the first 24-hour, all news TV network. 

The brash southerner owned sports teams, was a champion yacht racer and was married to actress Jane Fonda for 10 years. 

He was one of America's most extensive landowners, and became a prolific philanthropist, donating $1 billion to the United Nations.