TNT Network Launch Oct. 3, 1988

Here is Turner Network Television's (TNT) launch recorded on Oct. 3, 1988.
Mr. Ted Turner appears in the video describing the new network.
The National Anthem (from the CNN launch) is played also, then the first programming is aired (a movie).

[@medusaa6478]

I remember that night -- I was in Programming at TNT and was still working and just made it to a launch party at the GM's house and was able to be there to see this!

[@carvcom1]

MedusaA Thanks for the first-hand account of the TNT launch!

[@nicholasmoose6574]

So awesome! Did you have a hand in their classic programming like Monstervision and 100% Weird!?

[@warnerbrosanddisneyvhsdvdb9015]

I was born in 1992 I remember watching Looney tunes shorts on this channel back in the day

[@JohnHillRSNStudios]

I was a senior in high school and heard about TNT but our local rural cable system took nearly three years before we finally got it.

[@laynebruce627]

Great clip. The original TNT graphics were some of my favorites (space theme). Hold up very well today, IMO.

[@elkinsinboxinc]

TNT was home to WCW Monday Nitro for many years

[@danalong1237]

And from September 4, 1995 until March 26, 2001, it went up against WWE's Monday Night RAW in a war for ratings supremacy; in fact, from June 17, 1996 to April 13, 1998, Nitro 😕 RAW 84 weeks in a row, notably due to the nWo and the Cruiserweight division. Nitro would win only three more times in 1998: the July 11 episode that featured the Goldberg/Hollywood Hogan main event, the September 7 (Labor Day) episode that saw Ric Flair's return to WCW and the October 26 episode that saw the 👻 Havoc main event of Goldberg vs. DDP for the 🌎 Heavyweight Championship in its entirety after the PPV feed was cut off the night before. From November 2 onwards, RAW would dominate the ratings war, leading to Turner Sports to pull all WCW programming from TBS and TNT after nearly 30 years, thus ending a 3-decade tradition of professional 🤼‍♂️ on TBS and Nitro's 6-year 🏃 on TNT.

[@chrisguardiano6143]

As of two days ago TNT is back in the wrestling industry with a new TV deal with the upstart AEW

[@vincesmith2499]

​@@chrisguardiano6143AEW stinks.

[@TomasTigre]

Gone With The Wind is Ted Turner's all time favorite movie, so no surprise that it was the first thing programmed on TNT.

[@MrT8599]

It also was the first movie shown on Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

[@A1collect]

Gone with the Wind was the first program to air on TNT.

[@jtlovescodelyoko]

It's also Ted Turner's favorite movie It was also the first movie played on TCM in 1994

[@dushunalston3806]

4 days before my 6th birthday, and I remember this vividly. And as they say, the rest is history

[@DasNordlicht91]

That TNT logo is iconic.

[@Randomlista12]

TNT now: Entertainment and sports programming.

[@GantzIsSloppy]

i was a kid when this debuted I remember this was the biggest thing on cable at the time

[@MyNameIsUnavailable]

Iconic.. WCW

[@Diskoboy1974]

I remember TNT being the Law & Order channel for a long time in the early 90's. And if that wasn't on, it was either Basketball or Wrestling.

[@bobjersey]

Ted indicated that by 1992 the channel would be chock-full of the juicy stuff he previewed here. Hadn't it actually evolved into the "drama" channel we all know and semi-love today by that point?

[@georgeschlaline6057]

One almost 34 years ago Two before Charmed reruns

[@Nickfan001]

TNT launched the day after I was born. Neat.

[@nicholasmoose6574]

and SO CLOSE to the first airing of MONSTERVISION!!! The first version with the Moon face was around by 1991 I think!

[@Survivor87]

I had just started kindergarten a month before and remember this as we loved TBS...and I remember Gone With the Wind being the first movie..my mom loves that movie

[@jessyleppert2]

TBS' sister station

[@danalong1237]

0:32-0:33 and 1:07-1:08, The Muppet Show, and 1:04-1:05, Fraggle Rock, two favorite series for the kids to watch on TNT from the network's 🚀 in 1988 until 1992.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

and this year 2013, it is 25 years old TNT was good back in the day, but I only watch the NBA and Nascar nowadays

[@danalong1237]

NASCAR ended its 31-year relationship with Turner Broadcasting in 2014.

[@ir10031981]

happy 34th birthday TNT! and happy 41st birthday to me! Monday October 3, 2022. 10/3/2022.

[@ir10031981]

10/3/88 and 10/3/22 both fell on a Monday. :)

[@guykabwe2956]

27 years later .....

[@kascnef]

Happy 30th

[@carvcom1]

That's right, it was exactly 30 years a few days ago. Thanks Justin.

[@youvettelangston3845]

Fun fact Turner broadcast system was after name of its founder Ted Turner

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Happy 25 to TNT-Turner Network Television the home to classic MGM shows from How the West Was Won, Flipper, Daktari, Medical Center, Logan's Run: The Series, Maya, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, "CHiPs" and even the cult favorite 60's Spy Show The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and it is also the home to the NBA on TNT w/Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Craig Sager, Marv Albert, Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Cheryl Miller and Tracy Wolfson and the home to TNT Saturday NITRO

[@danalong1237]

And to NCAA March Madness with hosts/co-lead sideline reporters Tracy Wolfson and Allie LaForce as well!

[@bwc1976]

I remember in college I used to watch CHiPs before going to my first class of the day!

[@MannyMensah94]

Love TNT :)

[@luisagonzalez9729]

Yo también dije de este canal también era lanzado en Latinoamérica el 4 de Febrero de 1991

[@johnnyballenatl]

I know TNT will have something big in store for their 30th anniversary this fall, but they’re tight-lipped about it for now.

[@guykabwe2956]

TNT turned into drama all I watch is sports Lol XD

[@declanhughes4107]

Who's here after the news that they've likely lost the NBA

[@itogi]

Funny thing is that russian channel TV6 used same music as TNT in 90s

[@Joyousmicor]

itogi Да, согласен, но ТВ6 сделан и с Тёрнером.

[@sillygoose635]

well TV6 was owned by Turner, too.

[@Randomlista12]

Stevie As joint-venture. TV6-Moskva went thought as “TV6-Moskva is a TNT channel for Russia.”

[@MikeLutton]

i wish this was kind of Louder

[@georgeschlaline6057]

Dam freaking right

[@codym8897]

Can you upload the launch of Turner Classic Movies (TCM) from 1994? With Ted Turner launching the channel in Times Square in New York City, followed by an introduction by Robert Osborne featuring TCM's first film "Gone With the Wind".👍

[@XavierMedina1996]

Until 1995

[@Launchpad05]

'The Big Picture With Ted Turner'

[@Onenation244888]

Neat TNT

[@SaleGuy]

Techwood

[@XavierMedina1996]

Monday

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

What time do you start activities. What Time did the film enter the TNT premiere shortly after the ceremony.

[@carvcom1]

The first screen shot of the color bars at the beginning says it was at 7:55 PM Eastern time.

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

What time came in October 3, 1988.

[@lukesams2115]

Well, TNT launched on the EXACT SAME DAY that NTV premiered its new anime series, Anpanman. Coincidence?

[@stingsAUTTP]

Where's the Cartoon Network launch?

[@stingsAUTTP]

Can you reupload it?

[@ocass66]

That would be impossible because the only copy of it is probably locked away where nobody would see it.

[@caseyb4425]

It's a shame that now TNT is screwing with some of people's favorite shows. Messing with the music that certain series were built around is a good way to lose viewers. Pay what you have to pay to retain the licensing for the music rights and stop ruining our shows!

[@kascnef]

Soon to be renamed wbtv

[@RickyPaquiot284]

*Nope. Never happened. Thankfully.*