President Donald Trump (R-FL) praised media pioneer Ted Turner on Truth Social Wednesday after the CNN founder died at 87 [1].
The tribute highlights the complex relationship between the U.S. president and the network he founded, using the moment to criticize the current state of cable news.
Turner, who revolutionized television news by creating the first 24-hour cable network, died Wednesday [2]. Turner Enterprises released the news of his death, which was reported worldwide [2].
In his post, Trump described Turner as one of the "Greats of All Time" [3]. However, the president used the tribute to attack the current management of the network Turner built. Trump said that Turner was personally devastated by the deal to sell the company because the new ownership took the network, which Trump called Turner's "baby," and destroyed it [3].
Trump said that the network became "woke," adding that this direction was contrary to everything Turner stood for [3]. Turner sold CNN to Time Warner in 1996 [4].
Trump's comments reflect a long-standing conflict between the president and the news organization. While he expressed respect for Turner's role as a founder and a mogul, he maintained his criticism of the network's editorial direction [3].
The loss of Turner marks the end of an era for global media. He is credited with changing how the world consumes breaking news by providing a constant stream of information, a model that defined the industry for decades [2].
“Ted Turner, one of the Greats of All Time, just died.”
Trump's reaction underscores his strategy of decoupling the legacy of individual media pioneers from the current corporate structures of those organizations. By framing the current CNN as a 'woke' entity that betrayed Turner's original vision, Trump aligns himself with the founder's perceived legacy while continuing to delegitimize the network's current reporting.
