Warner Communications
 | |
| Industry | Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Fate | Merged with Time Inc. |
| Predecessor | Kinney National Company |
| Successor | Time-Warner |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Defunct | January 10, 1990 |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
Key people | Steve Ross (CEO) |
| Divisions |
Warner Bros. Inc. DC Comics Lorimar Television |
Warner Communications, Inc. was established in 1972 when Kinney National Company spun off its non-entertainment assets due to a financial scandal over its parking operations[1] (as National Kinney Corporation) and changed its name.
History
It was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Music Group and, though Warner Cable, Dimension Pictures. It also owned DC Comics and Mad magazine. Warner made (and later lost) considerable profits with Atari, Inc., which it owned from 1976 to 1984.
In 1979, Warner formed a joint venture with credit card company American Express, Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, which owned such cable channels as MTV, Nickelodeon, and The Movie Channel. Warner bought out American Express's half in 1984, and sold the venture a year later to Viacom, which renamed it MTV Networks.
In 1982, Warner purchased Popular Library from CBS Publications.[2]
In 1987, it was announced that Warner Communications and Time Inc. were to merge, although it took two years for the merger to take place. The merged company, Time Warner, was acquired by AT&T in 2018 and renamed WarnerMedia.
The Warner Communications name was still credited on releases from Elektra Records and its sister labels until 2004. The Warner Music Group continues to use the "Big W" logo, designed by Saul Bass in 1972.
See also
References
- ↑ "List of corporate scandals". Financial Analyses. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
- ↑ "Copyrights of Golden-Age Comics". Golden-Age Comic book Superheroes & Villains Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
