The company syndicated Rankin-Bass's programming and specials that were produced from 1974 to 1988, including new and successful animated series, such as ThunderCats and SilverHawks. Telepictures indeed bought Rankin-Bass outright in 1983. In addition, Telepictures had syndicated numerous television programs such as My Favorite Martian, Here's Lucy, Love Connection, and the original The People's Court with Judge Joseph Wapner. Telepictures also operated a small publishing arm, which published magazines, such as Muppet Magazine and GoBots Magazine. In 1983, Frank Konigsberg's Konigsberg Co. was merged into Telepictures.
In January 1986, the company merged with Merv Adelson and Lee Rich's Lorimar Productions, creating Lorimar-Telepictures and assumed production and distribution of shows like Dallas and Knots Landing. The company also began distribution of first-run episodes of Mama's Family in June 1986. The company briefly dabbled into owning television stations by purchasing charter Fox affiliate WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh and attempted to purchase then-CBS affiliate WTVJ in Miami. However, after CBS made a half-hearted attempt to purchase Fox affiliate WCIX from Taft Broadcasting, Telepictures backed off from purchasing WTVJ. The company would then subsequently sell WPGH-TV to Renaissance Broadcasting after only a year in ownership; WPGH-TV, which went through several owners in the 1980s, would not have stable ownership until current owner Sinclair Broadcast Group bought the station from Renaissance in 1990.
In 1988, Lorimar Television was created as a separate production entity of Lorimar Telepictures. Around this time, the company purchased a 9% stake in Warner Communications, which set off talks about a possible merger between two entertainment entities. In 1989, Warner finally purchased the company. Lorimar Television became a separate subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television until 1993, while Lorimar-Telepictures unit was folded into Warner Bros. Television Distribution. Telepictures became Telepictures Productions in 1990, a producer of syndicated programming that Warner Bros. Television would distribute. Beginning in 1994, certain Telepictures shows, such as Extra, were co-produced by then-sister company Time, Inc., under the name Time-Telepictures Television. Most shows produced by them bore a copyright for "TTT West Coast", while Sports Illustrated videos released during the timeframe bore a copyright for "TTT East Coast" instead. The joint venture ceased in 2003 and TTT productions were brought under the main Telepictures name.
Telepictures Distribution
In 1995, Time Warner Entertainment formed Telepictures Distribution as a spin-off company to Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, running over the oversight of then-EVP Scott Carlin. The company distributed non-Warner Bros. produced programming to which the syndication rights have been licensed to Warner and/or Turner as well as Warner properties. Upon Time Warner's purchase of Turner in 1996, some of the key assets of Turner Program Services was folded into the company. In 2003, Telepictures Distribution was folded into Warner Bros. Television Distribution.
Momlogic – a former American parenting website launched by Telepictures Productions and Warner Bros. Television in November 2007. The website features news and information on topics including Health, Beauty and Fashion. In July 2008, momlogic.com was named the most influential parent-focused blog overall by PR Week.
