Media entrepreneur Ted Turner, the visionary behind CNN and the Turner Network, has died at the age of 87. His passing was announced Wednesday by his family, citing a prolonged battle with Lewy body dementia.
Turner founded Cartoon Network in 1991 following his acquisition of the iconic Hanna-Barbera animation studio. The network initially focused on airing the extensive library of cartoons from its newly acquired studio. Over the years, Cartoon Network became home to popular programming blocks such as Adult Swim, which notably features anime through blocks like Toonami and Toonami Rewind.
Beyond Cartoon Network, Turner's influence extended to channels like TNT and TCM. His career also saw him serve as vice chairman and director on the board of Time Warner after the Turner Broadcasting System merged with the company in 1996.
Turner was also recognized for his significant philanthropic efforts. He established the Turner Foundation, dedicated to environmental conservation, and contributed US$1 billion to the creation of the United Nations Foundation. Additionally, he co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative in 2001, an organization focused on global security threats. Source: Anime News Network(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-05-06/cartoon-network-founder-ted-turner-dies-at-87/.237125)
