The death of the media mogul who transformed TV news was confirmed by his family and reported by CNN

In today’s “wait, they were still alive?” news:

Ted Turner, the media mogul who founded CNN, has died aged 87, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing a news release from Turner Enterprises.

In a statement, Mark Thompson, the chair and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said that “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless, and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgment.”

“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” Thompson said. “Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”

Turner transformed television news by launching CNN, and went on to also become a prolific philanthropist, founding the United Nations Foundation in 1998 and donating a record $1bn to the UN.