Ted Turner Dies At 87: How CNN Founder Changed Television News And Kids’ Entertainment In India

3 min readMay 7, 2026 09:16 PM IST

Ted Turner, 87, the founder of CNN (Cable News Network) and the man behind the launch of Cartoon Network India, died on Wednesday. Turner transformed global television by building the world’s first 24-hour English-language news channel and later introducing round-the-clock cartoon broadcasting to Indian audiences.

How Cartoon Network changed children’s television in India

Cartoon Network launched in India on May 1, 1995, becoming the country’s first dedicated children’s television channel. Originally launched by Turner on October 1, 1992, the network was also the first TV channel in the world to air cartoons 24 hours a day.

When Cartoon Network India debuted, it featured classic Hanna-Barbera shows such as The Yogi Bear Show, Top Cat, The Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo. Over the years, the channel expanded its lineup with globally popular animated series including Tom & Jerry, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, and Dragon Ball Z. Many of these shows were later dubbed into regional Indian languages, helping Cartoon Network connect deeply with Indian children and families.

CNN and the rise of 24-hour television news

CNN, short for Cable News Network, is an American news media company and the flagship property of Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN Worldwide division. It was founded on June 1, 1980, by media entrepreneur Ted Turner, along with Reese Schonfeld, and became one of the world’s first television channels to deliver live news coverage 24 hours a day.

How CNN’s Gulf War coverage impacted Indian television

In India, CNN gained massive visibility during its live coverage of the 1991 Gulf War. Its real-time broadcasts from Baghdad introduced many Indian viewers to live international television news and marked a major shift from traditional scheduled broadcasting to satellite-driven, round-the-clock news coverage.

Before the early 1990s, Indian television was largely dominated by state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. CNN’s arrival and live war reporting demonstrated the growing influence and reach of satellite television, changing how audiences consumed breaking news.

From CNN to Star TV: The satellite TV boom in India

CNN’s popularity in India was soon followed by the launch of Star TV in December 1991, a development that significantly reshaped the country’s television and entertainment landscape. For the first time, private international programming began reaching urban Indian households at scale.

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Later, Indian media company Network18, through Global Broadcast News Ltd, partnered with CNN to launch CNN-IBN on December 18, 2005, bringing the global news brand directly to Indian television audiences.

(The author Paramita Datta is an intern with The Indian Express)

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