( CNN ) -- Burt Reinhardt , a television pioneer who helped lead the evolution of 24-hour news coverage as president of CNN , died Tuesday at 91 , according to family members . Reinhardt died in Georgia , according to his daughter , Cheryl Reinhardt . She said he had been suffering complications following a series of strokes earlier this year . Cable News Network founder Ted Turner remembered Reinhardt , who stayed away from the limelight , as an influential , if taciturn , executive . `` We both wanted to run a great news organization , '' Turner said . `` He just did a masterful job . He got the stories covered , but he did it within the budget . '' After a stint as a vice president , Reinhardt served as CNN president from 1983 to 1990 . He later was vice chairman of the organization until his retirement in 2000 . Former CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour said Reinhardt was a leader who made the trains run on time . `` He had a steely demeanor , but had a heart of gold , '' said Amanpour , who said Reinhardt hired her as a producer-reporter in New York after she pleaded her case . `` I 'm not sure CNN would be here without him , '' said Turner , who launched CNN in 1980 . His colleague was an `` integral part of getting the whole operation going and keeping it going . He ran it close to 20 years . '' A native of New York , Reinhardt filmed U.S. Army Signal Corps combat footage during World War II , including Gen. Douglas MacArthur 's historic return to the Philippines . Reinhardt later served as news editor for Fox Movietone News , according to his daughter . He also was vice president for United Press International Television News and executive vice president at Paramount Pictures , where he nurtured the development of home video . `` I tell people that in my opinion , he 's probably the most important and powerful news executive you 've never heard of , '' said nephew Harlan Reinhardt . Amanpour said Reinhardt 's past as a World War II photographer helped . `` I realized there and then that this was n't just an executive in a suit . It 's a man who 's been there . This is a man who 's one of us . This is a man who was in the field who covered the wars and so he knew what it took to run a news operation like CNN and keep it afloat when everybody was digging its grave . '' Reese Schoenfeld , who was the first president of CNN and was replaced by Reinhardt , said Reinhardt 's work was pivotal to the growth of the network . `` He was a person of integrity and a great newsman , '' said Schoenfeld . `` I 'm not sure that I would 've had the financial discipline or the capability of doing that nearly as well as Burt did and it really saved the company -- it 's the only reason CNN exists today . '' Tom Johnson , who replaced Reinhardt as CNN 's third president , said he developed an unusual relationship with him over the years . `` I will never forget that after Ted Turner and I reached an agreement that I would become the new president of CNN in 1990 , I asked Ted , could I retain Burt Reinhardt as vice chairman of the company , '' Johnson said . `` Most new CEO 's coming in do not wish to have the former CEO around . But I just felt I needed - I needed Burt . '' Johnson also credited Reinhardt for steering the news organization through trying financial times . `` I 'm sure a lot of people will talk about Burt 's fiscal responsibility . but I think what set Burt apart from everyone else who has been at CNN was that he was quietly strong , '' said Jim Walton , president of CNN Worldwide . `` And behind the scenes , this man has integrity and he 's very competitive , but he wants to do things the right way . He 's fair , but firm and he treated everyone with respect . '' Reinhardt helped solidify the CNN logo as a strong symbol . The logo , now commonly known as a `` bug '' in broadcast jargon , is almost always on the television screen during CNN 's news coverage . This idea was the brainchild of Reinhardt . Reinhardt , who grew up in the Bronx , is survived by his wife , Diana Shaw ; children , Cheryl Reinhardt of Chapel Hill , North Carolina ; Gary Reinhardt of Provincetown , Massachusetts ; and one grandchild . He was predeceased by son , Barry , and his identical twin , Sheldon . CNN 's Richard Roth , Katie Silver and Brian Vitagliano contributed to this report .
Burt Reinhardt was a key CNN executive during the network 's crucial early years . He was a World War II combat photographer . Reinhardt worked for several organizations before CNN . One of his assignments, in 1943, involved documenting Nazi atrocities against Jews and others.