Former Head of Turner Broadcasting Jamie Kellner Passed Away at Age 77

Former Head of Turner Broadcasting Jamie Kellner passed away on Friday at the age of 77.

Kellner’s passing was first announced by Variety who reported that Kellner had passed away at his home in Motecito, California.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kellner’s passing was due to cancer.

In wrestling, Kellner was most known for being the person who succeeded Ted Turner as the head of Turner Broadcasting following then parent company Time Warner’s merger with AOL in January of 2001. Kellner was also known for being the key person who made the decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling on TNT in March of 2001. This decision would ultimately lead to WCW’s closure and sale to WWE in the same month and cement WWE’s near monopoly afterwards on professional wrestling in the United States. This also led to weekly televised wrestling shows being absent from TNT until 2019 with AEW.

Outside of wrestling, Kellner was most known for being a key person in the launch of FOX and the creation of The WB network, which later merged with UPN to create The CW. Among the iconic television shows Kellner had a influential impact on their creation and success included “The Simpsons,” “Married…With Children,” “Cops,” “In Living Color,” and “21 Jump Street” on FOX and “Dawson’s Creek,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Gilmore Girls,” “7th Heaven,” and “Felicity” on The WB.