Turner Program Services was the syndication arm ofTurner Broadcasting. It served the same purpose asTurner Entertainment Co.'s distribution unit, with the exception that TPS was more involved in distributing television series rather than films.
Founded in 1982, the company was originally responsible for syndicating Turner-produced programs (such as the syndicated game showStarcade) as well as developing programming forTBS such asNight Tracks. TPS expanded its distribution into other networks' series in the 1990s, syndicating series such asThe Wonder Years (which is now owned by20th Television since 2011). When Turner bought the rights to theHanna-Barbera library of cartoons, TPS became their distributor to local stations. TPS was also responsible for handling distribution and sales forCNN Newsource.
One of the more notable series TPS was responsible for developing wasCaptain Planet and the Planeteers, which was a co-production withDiC Entertainment and centered on a character created by Turner Broadcasting founderTed Turner. DiC and Turner combined on the development of the series while TPS was responsible for the distribution of the series, which aired on both TBS and in syndication. (When the series' sequel,The New Adventures of Captain Planet, debuted in 1993, Turner Entertainment Co., through Hanna-Barbera, developed and produced the series on its own, and neither TPS nor DiC was involved.)
UponTime Warner's purchase of Turner Entertainment Co. in 1996, TPS was absorbed intoTelepictures, which is also now part ofWarner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (Telepictures still exists as a production company).[2] CNN Newsource began to handle its own distribution and ad sales from then on.
