TBS

TBS is the flagship cable network of Turner Broadcasting System. It is currently a general entertainment network with a focus on comedy. It originated from Turner's local television station in Atlanta, WTBS, which he uplinked to satellite on December 17, 1976. It was the first basic cable network and the original "superstation", a term TBS has used frequently in advertising. It is worth noting that in 1997, the national TBS feed and the local WTBS feed were separated. WTBS carried on as a simulcast of the national TBS until 2007, when Turner turned WTBS into locally-focused WPCH "Peachtree TV".

WTCG Update

In 1975, the FCC mandated that Turner produce a 20 minute news bulletin every weekday. True to form, Turner placed his new main bulletin at three in the morning, and the result was a very strange, very funny newscast that predated Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show". This also meant that short news updates would appear on the station throughout the day, although these didn't contain the comedic highlights. The late night news ended in 1979. It wasn't cancelled because it was unsuccessful, but because Turner was about to launch his Cable News Network, and a comedic newscast would present credibility issues. The short news updates did continue through the 1980s, however, using CNN staffers.

WTCG Becomes Superstation WTBS

In 1979, Turner changed his superstation's call letters from WTCG to WTBS, as his company's corporate name became Turner Broadcasting System. The "Channel 17" references became more sparse at this point before finally being dropped. Under creative services director John Christopher Burns, WTBS moved to a presentational style that took full advantage of the capabilities of the then-new Chyron character generator.