COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 515210

Cable and Other Subscription Programming

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

14companies1861–1999founding years13still active1no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedTribune Company
1861
FoundedAT&T Corporation
1885
FoundedThe E.W. Scripps Company
1890
FoundedElectrabel N.V.FoundedGeneral Electric Company
1892
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedNaspers Ltd.
1915
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedTurner Broadcasting System, Inc.
1965
FoundedCox Enterprises, Inc.
1968
FoundedViacom Inc.
1971
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedNTL Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedPortugal Telecom SGPS S.A.
1994
FoundedTelenor ASA
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedGrupo Clarín S.A.
1999
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

TDC A/S →
Active · Denmark
TDC A/S--formerly Tele Danmark, itself created from the former state-owned telephone monopoly--is Denmark's top…
Tribune Company →
Active · founded 1861
Tribune Company is one of the largest media companies in the United States.
AT&T Corporation →
Active · founded 1885
AT&T Corporation organizes its business into two segments, business services and consumer services.
The E.W. Scripps Company →
Active · founded 1890
The E.W.
Electrabel N.V. →
Active · founded 1892 · Belgium
Electrabel N.V.
General Electric Company →
Active · founded 1892
The history of General Electric Company is a significant part of the history of technology in the United States.
Naspers Ltd. →
Active · founded 1915 · South Africa
Naspers Ltd.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
As a subsidiary of media giant Time Warner Inc., Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Cox Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Cox Enterprises, Inc.
Viacom Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1971
One of the largest media companies in the world, Viacom Inc.
NTL Inc. →
Active · founded 1993 · United Kingdom
NTL Inc., based in London but registered in the United States and listed on the NASDAQ, has survived the global telecom…
Portugal Telecom SGPS S.A. →
Active · founded 1994 · Portugal
Portugal Telecom SGPS S.A.
Telenor ASA →
Active · founded 1995 · Norway
Telenor ASA is Norway's leading telecommunications group.
Grupo Clarín S.A. →
Active · founded 1999 · Argentina
Grupo Clarín S.A., a privately owned Argentine holding company, is the leading media group in the Spanish-speaking…
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