Cartoon Network Founder Ted Turner Dies at 87

One of the most colorful and influential figures in the media world, Ted Turner, founder of giant channels like CNN and Cartoon Network, passed away at the age of 87. Turner, who died peacefully at his Florida home on May 6, 2026, surrounded by his family, went down in history as the person who closed an era in television broadcasting. The famous businessman, who had been battling Lewy body dementia since his diagnosis in 2018, forever changed not only the news world but also animation and anime culture.

For anime fans, the name Ted Turner represents the gateway through which many of the productions we love today entered the Western world. Founded in 1992, Cartoon Network was at the time the first channel to broadcast 24 hours of uninterrupted cartoons exclusively for children. However, the real revolution came with the launch of the Toonami block within the channel in 1997. This move, which brought legendary series like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing to mainstream television, ignited the great anime boom of the late 90s and early 2000s.

Turner's vision was not limited to children; he also recognized the potential of animation for adults early on. The Adult Swim block, launched in 2001, proved that the genre could appeal to viewers of all ages by featuring darker and more mature anime productions. By acquiring the Hanna-Barbera and MGM libraries, Turner created a massive content pool, and he was also one of the creators of the environmental hero character Captain Planet. Due to his bold moves and outspokenness in the industry, he was nicknamed "Sun