BBC World reports: He began his career by taking over the successful family billboard company when his father took his own life, then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia.Within a decade, that station had become the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and its boss was one of the United States' biggest media moguls.Getty ImagesTurner was married to actress Jane Fonda for a decadeHis television empire also included the TBS and TNT channels, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network.He made a short-lived, ill-fated $1.5bn (£1.1bn) acquisition of the MGM film studios in 1985. He went on to buy film and TV companies Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema in the 1990s, before his company merged with Time Warner.Beyond the media, Turner was a world-class yachtsman, winning the America's Cup in 1977, and owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team, Atlanta Hawks basketball team and Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team.He was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 until 2001.Former BBC boss Mark Thompson named head of CNNTelevision
Originally reported by BBC World. This story has been edited and re-presented by BRIC Team.
