Warner Communications
Encyclopedia
Warner Communications or Warner Communications, Inc. (Warner) was established in 1971 when Kinney National Company
spun off its non-entertainment assets, due to a financial scandal over its parking operations and changed its name.
It was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures
and Warner Music Group
during the 1970s and 1980s. It also owned DC Comics
and Mad. Warner made (and later lost) considerable profits with Atari, Inc., which it owned from 1976 to 1984.
In the 1970s, Warner formed a joint venture with credit card company American Express
, named Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment
, which held cable channels like MTV
, Nickelodeon
and Showtime. 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.
In 1987, it was announced that Warner Communications and Time Inc.
were to merge, though it took two years for the merger to take place. Before the merger closed in 1989, Warner purchased Lorimar-Telepictures
. In early 1990, the combined companies were named Time Warner
.
The Warner Communications name was still credited on releases from Elektra Records
and its sister labels until 2004. Warner Music Group also continues to use WCI's old "Circle W" logo, even after being spun off by Time Warner.
Kinney National Company
Kinney National Services, Inc. was formed in 1966 when the Kinney Parking Company and the National Cleaning Company merged. The new company was headed by Steve Ross....
spun off its non-entertainment assets, due to a financial scandal over its parking operations and changed its name.
It was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
during the 1970s and 1980s. It also owned DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and Mad. Warner made (and later lost) considerable profits with Atari, Inc., which it owned from 1976 to 1984.
In the 1970s, Warner formed a joint venture with credit card company American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, named Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment
Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment
Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company was a joint venture owned and operated by Warner Communications and American Express that developed and worked on interactive television systems in the late 1970s and initiated several successful cable...
, which held cable channels like MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
and Showtime. Warner bought out American Express's half in 1984, and sold the venture a year later to Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
, which renamed it MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
.
In 1982, Warner purchased Popular Library
Popular Library
Popular Library was a New York paperback book company established in 1942 by Leo Margulies and Ned Pines, who at the time was a major pulp magazine, newspapers and magazine publishers...
from CBS Publications.
In 1987, it was announced that Warner Communications and Time Inc.
Time Inc.
Time Inc. is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner, the company formed by the 1990 merger of the original Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It publishes 130 magazines, most notably its namesake, Time...
were to merge, though it took two years for the merger to take place. Before the merger closed in 1989, Warner purchased Lorimar-Telepictures
Telepictures
Telepictures is an American production company, currently operating as a label of Warner Bros. Television, with Hilary Estey McLoughlin currently serving as President...
. In early 1990, the combined companies were named Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
.
The Warner Communications name was still credited on releases from Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and its sister labels until 2004. Warner Music Group also continues to use WCI's old "Circle W" logo, even after being spun off by Time Warner.