A Turner Broadcasting timeline

A timeline of the Turner media empire

The Channel 17 WTCG logo as it appeared in the 1970s before it was rebranded as the TBS "Super Station." (Logopedia)

1970: Ted Turner buys Atlanta's Channel 17, a struggling UHF station.

1976: Turner transmits nationally via satellite to cable systems.

The WTBS "Super Station" logo as it appeared in 1979-81. The station was later rebranded as TBS. (Logopedia)

The Turner Broadcasting System logo, as it appeared when the company was created in 1979. The logo is almost the same as the Turner Advertising Company logo used throughout the 1960s and 1970s. (Logopedia)

1979: Turner renames the business Turner Broadcasting System.

The CNN logo as it appeared when it launched in 1980. (Logopedia)

1980: Turner launches Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour cable new channel.

TBS Sports logo as it appeared when the division was created in 1981. It would later be rebranded as Turner Sports. (Logopedia)

1981: Turner creates the TBS Sports division, which would later be called Turner Sports.

The CNN2 logo as it appeared in 1982. It was renamed "Headline News" in 1983 and "HLN" in 2008. (Logopedia)

1982: Turner launches CNN2, which would later become Headline News, then HLN.

The CNN International logo as it appeared when it launched in 1985. (Logopedia)

1985: CNN International launches. CNN turns first profit.

1986: CNN is only channel showing live coverage of space shuttle Challenger when it explodes in flight.

1986: CNN moves downtown from original Midtown HQ.

The Metro Goldwyn Mayer logo as it appeared when Turner Broadcasting acquired it in 1986. (Logopedia)

1986: Turner buys legacy film properties such as early Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer library, Gilligan’s Island, Bugs Bunny and others. Turner Entertainment starts.

The Turner Network Television (TNT) logo as it appeared when it launced in 1988. (Logopedia)

1988: Turner Network Television (TNT) is launched with an airing of "Gone With the Wind."

The Court TV logo as it appeared when it launced in 1991. It was rebranded as truTV in 2008. (Logopedia)

1991: CNN is the network to watch as Persian Gulf War begins. CourtTV is launched.

The Cartoon Network logo as it appeared when it launched in 1992. (Logopedia)

1992: Turner starts Cartoon Network.

The Turner Classic Movies channel launched in 1994 with a group of "character" logo variations. This variation represented noir and mystery films. The logo was rebranded as TMC in 2006. (Logopedia)

1994: Turner launches Turner Classic Movies.

1995: CNN.com launches.

The Time Warner logo, as it appeared when it purchased Turner Broadcasting in 1996. (Logopedia)

1996: Turner Broadcasting sold to Time Warner. Fox News Channel launches.

The AOL logo, as it appeared when it merged with Time Warner in 2000. (Logopedia)

The Boomerang logo when the channel launched in 2000. Boomerang began as a block of programming on Cartoon Network in 1992. (Logopedia)

2000: Time Warner merges with AOL. The Boomerang channel -- a spin-off from Cartoon Network -- is launched.

The logo for Adult Swim when it debuted as a block of programming on the Cartoon Network in 2001. (Logopedia)

2001: Adult Swim -- an adult block of programming on Cartoon Network -- debuts.

2002: Fox News surpasses CNN in ratings.

2005: TNT launches “The Closer,” breaking records for most viewers for a basic cable show.

2006: The company sells Turner South to Fox Cable Networks, creating Fox Sports South.

2006: Ted Turner resigns from Time Warner board.

2008: Court TV becomes truTV and veers away from court programming in favor of reality shows.

2010: TBS launches "Conan" hosted by former "Tonight Show' host Conan O'Brien.

The logo for Bleacher Report as it appeared when Turner Sports acquired it in 2012. (Logopedia)

2012: Turner Sports acquires Bleacher Report.

2013: Atlanta-based CEO Phil Kent turns leadership over to New York-based John Martin. Jeff Zucker takes over CNN, begins pushing more reality programming such as “Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown.”

2014: Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox offers to buy Time Warner, which rejects the deal.

2015: Turner launches Great Big Story, a streaming-video network.

2017: WPCH-TV sold to Meredith Corporation.

2018: John Martin exits as CEO after AT&T acquires Time Warner. Turner Broadcasting sells Court TV brand, programming to Katz.

The WarnerMedia logo, as it looks in 2019. (Logopedia)

2019: Turner Broadcasting will be splintered off as part of AT&T's WarnerMedia restructuring plans, which will retire the Turner brand.

2021: AT&T sells the CNN Center building to CP Group, a Florida-based real estate company. AT&T announces plans to move CNN employees to the Turner midtown campus. CNN had occupied CNN Center since 1987.