Legacy

Ted Turner (Born November 19th, 1938) was one of the most influential entrepreneurs, philanthropists, conservationists, and environmentalists in modern history. While he is best known for transforming the media landscape by building Turner Broadcasting into a global powerhouse, launching TBS as America’s first superstation, founding CNN – the world’s first 24-hour cable news network, and creating Carton Network, it was his commitment to the planet and its people that defined his deepest legacy. 

Turner believed that those who have resources should use them boldly. To that end, he established the Turner Foundation in 1990 to support global environmental causes, and in 1997 made a historic $1 billion pledge to the United Nations – the largest charitable gift in history at the time – which led to the creation of the UN Foundation to help address some of the world’s most pressing global challenges. He also co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative with Senator Sam Nunn to reduce the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. In addition, he placed nearly two million acres of land into permanent conservation, and established the Turner Endangered Species Fund to protect and restore imperiled wildlife across his properties. Most notably, his stewardship of vast western ranchlands played a pivotal role in bringing the American bison back from the brink of extinction – creating the largest privately-owned bison herd in the world, helping to ensure its long-term survival.

Turner also believed deeply in the power of young people to save the planet and the necessity of investing to create successive generations of environmental stewards. 

In 1990, along with executive producer, Barbara Pyle, Turner co-created Captain Planet and the Planeteers – an animated television series that inspired millions of children to become environmental stewards. Airing for six seasons, it became one of the most successful and influential Saturday morning cartoons of its time. Broadcast in more than 110 countries and translated into over 40 languages, the television series carried Ted’s message of environmental responsibility to a global audience. The superhero Captain Planet was summoned through the combined powers of five young Planeteers from different parts of the world, reflecting Ted’s belief that people of all nations could work together to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. Decades later, the series continues to resonate with audiences and remains an enduring symbol of Ted’s commitment to education, conservation, and global citizenship. 

The following year, in 1991, Turner and Pyle co-founded the Captain Planet Foundation to support environmental education and youth-led conservation projects. In 2002, the Foundation became an independent public charity and an award-winning NGO. For the next 22 years, the Foundation was chaired by Turner’s eldest daughter, Laura Turner Seydel. Today, as Chair Emeritus, Laura and the Foundation continue to champion its mission of engaging and empowering young people to become informed environmental leaders and problem-solvers for the planet – a mission that has endured for 35 years. 

Ted’s philanthropy helped inspire Warren Buffet and Bill Gates to create the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes – during their lifetimes. Turner was among the initiative’s earliest signers in 2010, and by the time of his passing, he had fulfilled that promise by giving away most of his fortune in support of environmental conservation, global health, world peace, and humanitarian efforts. 

Despite his global fame and many achievements, Ted remained approachable and unpretentious. He famously brushed off formal addresses with a smile, simply saying, “call me Ted.” He passed away peacefully on May 6, 2026 in Lamont, Florida, surrounded by his family.

His legacy lives on through the institutions he built, the landscapes and wildlife he helped preserve, and the countless lives he inspired. To learn more about Ted’s business and personal legacies, please visit Turner Enterprises.

November 19, 1938 – May 6, 2026

Remembering Ted Turner

More images available at Turner Enterprises and Captain Planet Foundation SmugMug.