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Turner Broadcasting history
Turner Broadcasting company history timeline
Turner Broadcasting System as a formal entity was incorporated in Georgia in May 1965.
Founded in 1965 by the colorful Robert E. "Ted" Turner III, Turner Broadcasting has grown from a single independent television station in Atlanta into an international cable broadcasting giant.
In 1967 Jack Warner sold his remaining stake in the company…
In 1970, Ted Turner purchased WJRJ-Atlanta, Channel 17, a small, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) station, and renamed it WTCG, for parent company Turner Communications Group.
By its second year the station had become the leading independent television station in the South. It was from this that in 1970 he began amassing interest in broadcasting companies.
HBO had gone to satellite transmissions to distribute its signal nationally in 1975, but that was a service that cable subscribers were made to pay extra to receive.
During December 1976, WTCG originated the "superstation" concept, transmitting via satellite to cable systems.
Turner Communications bought the right to broadcast the Atlanta Braves major league baseball games, then bought the team in 1976.
Turner increased his sports presence in 1977 by acquiring the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks.
To reflect the business’s shift from billboards, Turner renamed it Turner Communications Company, and in 1979 the venture became known as Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
In 1979, the company changed its name to Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and the call letters of its main entertainment channel to WTBS.
Meanwhile, Robert J. Wussler, a 21-year veteran of CBS, joined TBS in April of 1980 as executive vice-president, an office he would held for several years.
After four years in development, CNN signed on the air June 1, 1980, with a news telecast anchored by the husband-and-wife team of Dave Walker and Lois Hart.
On June 1, 1980, Cable News Network (CNN) was launched at 5:00pm EDT becoming the first 24-hour news cable channel.
In January of 1981, shortly after CNN began operation, another subsidiary, Turner Program Services, was created to serve as the syndication arm of TBS.
In 1981, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Brut Productions from Faberge Inc. "Turner Time" begins June 1981.
Just months later, in April of 1982, CNN Radio commenced operations, offering a 24-hour, all-news format on a network basis in the radio market.
1982: Turner launches CNN2, which would later become Headline News, then HLN.
In 1984, Turner initiated Cable Music Channel, his competition for WASEC's MTV. The channel was short-lived but helped influence the original format of VH1.
Turner contended with Kirk Kerkorian, the 50.1 percent owner of MGM/UA, which was losing money and valued on Wall Street at about $825 million in August of 1985.
1985: CNN International launches.
He helped found the Better World Society in 1985, a nonprofit organization that produced documentaries on ecological and environmental issues.
Turner Entertainment Co. was founded on August 4, 1986.
The first was a necessary payment of $600 million of notes in September of 1986.
1986: CNN moves downtown from original Midtown HQ.
In 1986, after a failed attempt to acquire CBS, Turner purchased the film studio MGM/UA Entertainment Co. from Kirk Kerkorian for $1.5 billion.
CNN had occupied CNN Center since 1987.
In 1987 Turner called on the support of the cable industry to deal with the preferred stock problem created as a result of the MGM deal.
On October 3, 1988, the company launched Turner Network Television (TNT).
In 1989 Turner Broadcasting made several important moves, including a $1.6 billion refinancing of its debt.
1991: CNN is the network to watch as Persian Gulf War begins.
Turner continued to create specialized networks for particular markets in 1991, launching the Airport Channel and the Checkout Channel.
Late in 1991 TBS purchased Hanna-Barbera Productions for $320 million.
With this impressive animation array in hand, Turner announced in early 1992 the creation of the Cartoon Network, a 24-hour animation channel for basic cable systems that was scheduled to begin broadcasting in October of 1992.
On December 22, 1993, Turner acquired Castle Rock Entertainment.
1994: Turner launches Turner Classic Movies.
What happened to the other $20 million? He put that much worth of Turner Broadcasting shares in a charitable trust in 1994.
"oversight sought." broadcasting & cable, 9 december 1996.
In 1996 CNN, along with the rest of the Turner Broadcasting System, was absorbed by entertainment conglomerate Time Warner Inc. (later called WarnerMedia).
For all of 1997 Turner's cable networks posted operating earnings of $660 million, while the Filmed Entertainment division reported operating earnings of $207 million.
In a move that quieted most of his critics, at least about the extent of his philanthropy, Turner in 1997 announced that over the next decade he would donate $1 billion—about one-third of his estimated personal wealth—to the United Nations.
Starting in the fall of 1997 Cartoon Network Japan went on the air, putting characters like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd on Japanese television screens.
In 1997 the Japanese units of Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner teamed up with Japan's Itochu Corp. to launch the first 24-hour cartoon channel in Japan.
saporta, maria. "turner to expand atlanta facilities." atlanta journal and constitution, 5 february 1998.
In early 1998 Turner Broadcasting announced plans for a significant expansion of its facilities in Atlanta, its home base.
In just the first four months of 1998, Turner spent more than $45 billion to outbid the networks to the television rights to such films as Austin Powers, Wag the Dog, Lost in Space, and As Good as It Gets.
According to the Journal and Constitution, Turner's TNT cable station nearly doubled its production of original movies in 1998 to 17.
2000: Time Warner merges with AOL. The Boomerang channel -- a spin-off from Cartoon Network -- is launched.
2001: Adult Swim -- an adult block of programming on Cartoon Network -- debuts.
2002: Fox News surpasses CNN in ratings.
In 2003, Philip I. Kent succeeded Jamie Kellner as chairman.
2005: TNT launches “The Closer,” breaking records for most viewers for a basic cable show.
On February 23, 2006, the company agreed to sell the regional entertainment channel Turner South to Fox Entertainment Group.
Also in May 2006, Ted Turner attended his last meeting as a board member of Time Warner and officially parted with the company.
On October 5, 2007, Turner Broadcasting System completed the acquisition of Claxson Interactive Pay Television Networks in Latin America.
The channel was relaunched as TruTV on January 1, 2008.
2010: TBS launches "Conan" hosted by former "Tonight Show' host Conan O'Brien.
On September 8, 2011, Turner Broadcasting System acquired LazyTown Entertainment, the producer of the TV series LazyTown.
2012: Turner Sports acquires Bleacher Report.
2013: Atlanta-based CEO Phil Kent turns leadership over to New York-based John Martin.
On January 1, 2014, John K. Martin succeeded Phil Kent as chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting.
2014: Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox offers to buy Time Warner, which rejects the deal.
In October 2015, Turner launched a streaming-video network named Great Big Story.
2017: WPCH-TV sold to Meredith Corporation.
On March 22, 2018, Six Flags and Riverside Group announced a partnership with Turner Asia Pacific to bring attractions based on Tuzki and other Turner-owned IPs to its theme parks in China.
2018: John Martin exits as CEO after AT&T acquires Time Warner.
On March 4, 2019, AT&T announced a major reorganization of its broadcasting assets to effectively dissolve Turner Broadcasting System.
2019: Turner Broadcasting will be splintered off as part of AT&T's WarnerMedia restructuring plans, which will retire the Turner brand.
On August 10, 2020, WarnerMedia restructured several of its units in a major corporate revamp that resulted in TBS, TNT and TruTV being brought back under the same umbrella as Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM, under a consolidation of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Warner Bros.
2021: AT&T sells the CNN Center building to CP Group, a Florida-based real estate company.
"Turner Broadcasting System Inc. ." Company Profiles for Students. . Retrieved June 21, 2022 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/economics/economics-magazines/turner-broadcasting-system-inc
2022: The subscription streaming service CNN+ launches just before WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery.
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Turner Broadcasting competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Networks Interactive | 2008 | $3.6B | 3,600 | 110 |
| Sony Pictures | 1987 | $7.1B | 9,500 | 111 |
| HBO | 1972 | $5.9B | 2,050 | - |
| A+E Networks | 1984 | $890.0M | 1,047 | 19 |
| American Public Media Group | 1987 | $50.0M | 909 | 25 |
| Warner Bros. | 1923 | $39.3B | 8,000 | 625 |
| Branded Entertainment Network | 2016 | $21.4M | 330 | - |
| Lucasfilm | 1971 | $450.0M | 2,000 | - |
| Condé Nast | 1909 | $1.7B | 7,718 | 59 |
| NBCUniversal | 1926 | $33.0B | 65,000 | 1,181 |
Turner Broadcasting history FAQs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Turner Broadcasting, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Turner Broadcasting. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Turner Broadcasting. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Turner Broadcasting. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Turner Broadcasting and its employees or that of Zippia.
Turner Broadcasting may also be known as or be related to TURNER SPORTS INC, Turner Broadcasting, Turner Broadcasting System, Turner Broadcasting System Inc, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Turner International Latin America, Inc.