# Time Life Television

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Time_Life_Television
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Time_Life_Television.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Life_Television
> Source revision: 1353713013
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Television division of Time Inc.

This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Time Life Television" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Time Life Television Formerly Peter M. Robeck & Co. (1958–1969)[1] Type Broadcast Syndication Industry Entertainment Founded 1958; 68 years ago (1958)[2] Founder Peter M. Robeck Defunct 1981; 45 years ago (1981) Successors HBO Films Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Headquarters New York City, New York , U.S. Area served International Products Pay television Television production Limited Markets Owner Time Inc. (1969–1981) Parent Time Life Films (Time Life, Inc.) Divisions Home Box Office, Inc.

**Time Life Television** was a division of **Time Life Films** and was the television production and distribution arm of [Time Inc.](/source/Time_Inc.) With [CBS](/source/CBS), they led a partnership to export their shows overseas.

## Broadcasting

Time Life also owned several radio and TV stations in the United States beginning in the 1950s through to 1983.

By 1970, Time decided to sell its broadcasting operations and to concentrate in cable development.

Time-Life's television stations were sold to [McGraw-Hill](/source/S%26P_Global) in early 1972 following [FCC](/source/FCC) approval.[3] Those stations included the following:

- [KLZ-TV](/source/KMGH-TV) in [Denver](/source/Denver), [Colorado](/source/Colorado) from 1954[4][5] to 1972.

- [WFBM-TV](/source/WRTV) in [Indianapolis](/source/Indianapolis), [Indiana](/source/Indiana) from 1957 to 1972.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [WOOD-TV](/source/WOOD-TV) in [Grand Rapids](/source/Grand_Rapids), [Michigan](/source/Michigan) from 1957[6] to 1983 when it was sold to [LIN Broadcasting](/source/LIN_Broadcasting).

- [KERO-TV](/source/KERO-TV) in [Bakersfield](/source/Bakersfield), [California](/source/California) from 1964 to 1972.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [KOGO-TV](/source/KGTV) in [San Diego](/source/San_Diego), [California](/source/California) from 1962 to 1972. Except for WOOD-TV, the [E. W. Scripps Company](/source/E._W._Scripps_Company) owns the former Time-Life television stations today, following a 2011 deal enabling Scripps to acquire McGraw-Hill's television operations. WOOD-TV is owned today by [Nexstar Media Group](/source/Nexstar_Media_Group)

Except for KERO-TV, each of these television stations also had AM and FM radio operations; when most of its television stations were sold to McGraw-Hill in 1972, FCC regulations at the time required Time-Life to sell its radio stations to different parties. KERO's then-owners sold off its radio station in 1955, years before Time-Life acquired KERO-TV.

Time Life joined Sterling Manhattan Cable, owned by [Charles Dolan](/source/Charles_Dolan) and launched [Home Box Office](/source/HBO) in November 1972, which eventually became the largest premium television service in the United States. But due to an early financial loss, Dolan eventually sold his stake of HBO to Time Inc. Time merged with [Warner Communications, Inc.](/source/Warner_Communications%2C_Inc.) in 1989 to form [Time Warner](/source/Time_Warner), but the Time-Life Television assets were sold to [Columbia Pictures Television](/source/Columbia_Pictures_Television) in 1981,[7] while HBO currently holds of its library.

### International operations

Time Life was also a financial backer for commercial TV broadcasting outside the United States, mostly in Middle and South America. With a joint venture between CBS and [Goar Mestre](/source/Goar_Mestre) they backed [Proartel](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proartel&action=edit&redlink=1) [[es](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proartel)] in Argentina, PROVENTEL in Venezuela (now [VTV](/source/Venezolana_de_Televisi%C3%B3n)) and [Panamericana Televisión](/source/Panamericana_Televisi%C3%B3n) in Peru. In Brazil, they backed [Rede Globo](/source/Rede_Globo), owned by the [Marinho family](/source/Marinho_family).

Time Life's investments in the United States, Middle and South America in the 1950s and 1960s were largely unsuccessful, due to the stations' owners unhappy with their agreements. The only exception was [TV Globo](/source/TV_Globo) in Brazil, owned by the Marinho family, which was financially backed by Time Life until 1970.

## Television syndication and co-production

Time Life Television was most notable as the U.S. distributor of television programming produced by the [BBC](/source/BBC), including *[Doctor Who](/source/Doctor_Who)* and *[Monty Python's Flying Circus](/source/Monty_Python's_Flying_Circus)*, taken from Peter M. Robeck & Company. Time-Life's deal with the BBC expired on April 30, 1981. The U.S. rights to *Monty Python's Flying Circus* would be transferred to [Devillier Donegan Enterprises](/source/Devillier_Donegan_Enterprises) (in a deal that followed the [Monty Python](/source/Monty_Python) troupe gaining ownership of the series months before), while the rest of BBC's output would be spun off to Lionheart Television, a distributor that would later be absorbed by [BBC Worldwide](/source/BBC_Worldwide).

Non-BBC-related programming distributed or produced by Time Life Television, including most of the [Talent Associates](/source/Talent_Associates) library, would later be transferred to HBO; these programs today would be owned by HBO Entertainment and [Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution](/source/Warner_Bros._Pictures_Distribution), both units of Warner Bros. Discovery.

In 1973, Time-Life Television co-produced *[The Ascent of Man](/source/The_Ascent_of_Man)* with the [BBC](/source/BBC). In 1980, this collaboration was repeated with *[The Shock of the New](/source/The_Shock_of_the_New)*. Later in the 1980s, the two co-produced the [BBC Television Shakespeare](/source/BBC_Television_Shakespeare) series.

In 1978, the company produced an adapted and expanded version of the popular *[People](/source/People_(magazine))* magazine on [CBS](/source/CBS) for a few months.[8][9][10] Later that year, it partnered with [Telepictures Corporation](/source/Telepictures) to distribute its programming to the Middle East.[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Time Inc. sets up new film division"](https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/69-OCR/1969-09-29-BC-OCR-Page-0075.pdf) (PDF). *Broadcasting*. Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 29 September 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 19 May 2023 – via World Radio History.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["United States 1963-1969"](https://broadwcast.org/index.php/United_States--1965-1969). *Broadcasting*. Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 29 September 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 19 May 2023 – via World Radio History.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["McGraw-Hill's $69 million purchase of five Time-Life TV stations is approved by FCC"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-10-19-BC-OCR-Page-0216.pdf) (PDF). *Broadcasting*. 13 March 1972. p. 192.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Six stations being sold for nearly $15 million"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/54-OCR/1954-03-08-BC-OCR-Page-0027.pdf) (PDF). [Broadcasting - Telecasting](/source/Broadcasting_and_Cable). 8 March 1954. pp. 27–28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Six stations sold for $15 million"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/54-OCR/1954-03-08-BC-OCR-Page-0028.pdf) (PDF). 8 March 1953.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["32,000 Hours a Year"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/Time-Life-Broadcast-32,000-Hours-a-Year.pdf) (PDF). *www.americanradiohistory.com*. Time Life Broadcast.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Time's Film Unit Sold to Columbia"](https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/13/business/time-s-film-unit-sold-to-columbia.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 13 August 1981.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Makisan, George (16 March 1978). "Phyllis being groomed for new 'People' series". *[New York Daily News](/source/New_York_Daily_News)*. p. 433.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Shepard, Richard F. (3 May 1978). ["CBS-TV Adds 8, Drops"](https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/03/archives/cbstv-adds-8-drops-7-people-with-phylls-george.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 14 September 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Shepard, Richard F. (9 November 1978). ["2 CBS-TV Shows Are Off"](https://www.nytimes.com/1978/11/09/archives/2-cbstv-shows-are-off.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 14 September 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Telepictures bursts out of the starting gate"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/BC-1979-02-19-OCR-Page-0056.pdf) (PDF). *[Broadcasting](/source/Broadcasting_%26_Cable)*. 19 February 1979. p. 56. Retrieved 24 October 2023.

v t e Home Box Office, Inc. Part of Warner Bros. Discovery Networks and OTT platforms U.S. services Linear TV HBO (Multiplex) Cinemax (Multiplex) International HBO Asia HBO Family HBO Hits HBO Signature Brazil Canada Europe Cinemax Cinemax Asia Cinemax Central Europe Ventures HBO Films HBO Documentary Films Defunct and former ventures Bad Wolf Ltd BET Holdings, Inc. (1985–96) Comedy Central (1991–2004) Festival (1986–88) HBO Boxing Pay-Per-View (1990–2018) Selecciones en Español de HBO y Cinemax / HBO en Español (1989–99) HBO Defined (India; 2013–15) HBO Downtown Productions (1989–2001) HBO Hits (India; 2013–16) HBO Home Entertainment HBO Independent Productions (1990–2006) HBO Korea (2000–2002) HBO Netherlands (2012–16) HBO NYC Productions (1986–99) Take 2 (1979–81) Time Life Television (1968–81) TriStar Pictures (1983–86) HBO Nordic (2012–21) HBO España (2016–2021) Red by HBO (2010–21) HBO Now (2015–20) HBO Latin America Group (1991–2018) HBO Portugal (2012–22) HBO Go (2010–26) HBO New Zealand (2011–26) Miscellaneous History Programming HBO Kids Latin America original series Canada original series HBO Sundays Emmy Awards

v t e Members of the European Broadcasting Union Active members Current ARD BR DLR DW HR MDR NDR RB RBB SR SWR WDR ARMR ARMTV Arte BBC BHRT BNR BNT CBC/Radio-Canada ČRo ČT CyBC DR ENRS EPTV ERR ER ETV ERT ERA GPB GRF FMM FTV RF HRT HR İCTI İR İTV JRTV KAN LNC LRT LSM LR LTV MMD MRT MSP MTVA Duna NPO AVROTROS BNNVARA EO KRO-NCRV Max NOS NTR VPRO NRK NTU ORF PBS PR RAI ROR RTBF RTCG RTÉ RTL RTP RTS RTSH RTT RT TT RTVA RTVE RNE TVE RTVSLO RÚV SMRTV SNRT SRG SSR SRT SR SVT UR STVR SU TDA TG4 TL TRM TRT TV 2 (DK) TV 2 (NO) TVM (MC) TVP TVR UKIB C4 ITV S4C STV VR VRT Yle ZDF Suspended BTRC C1R RDO MK OP VGTRK Former A3R C+ C1O COPE CRCA ČST DRTU Duna E1 ERTT GRMC RMC TMC IBA (GB) IBA (IL) INR-NIR ITA ITCA JRT LJBC MBA MR MTV (FI) MTV (HU) NERIT NRU OFRT ORTF RTF RTVS SER SRo STV TDF TF1 TMC TV4 UJRT Ancillary member Current CCMA Associate members Current ABC (AU) ABC (US) APM C13 (CL) CBS CMG CCTV CGTN CNR CRI FPA GART ICRT IRIB KA KBS MBC (MU) NBAB NBC (US) NHK NPR PART RB RNZ RTHK RTM (MY) SBS SMG TBS TEME TVNZ WFMT Former 4TA ABERT ACORAB AFMN AIR AMÉRICA ANB ATEC ATV BCB BTV C7 C12 C13 (AR) CBC (BB) CBC/Radio-Canada CBC (LK) CMRT CNN CPB CTV DA EBC EMI EURT Free FTN GBC GBS GLOBO GRTS IBB IRV JBC JCC IBTE KBTS KNR LBC MBC (MW) MBC (KR) MBS MPR NACB NAEB NBC (NG) NBC (PNG) NET NTV NTVC NYPR ORTN PANTEL PBC PTV QR QTBC RCR RCTV RD REI RN RNT RP RRI RTC RTG RTI RTM (MG) RTS RTV SABC SABTVS SLBC STS T2 TBC TCM TFM/JOAU-FM TH TIM TIME TSM TSN TVA TVB TVM (MR) TVN TVRI UAERTVD USIA VK VV VZ WGBH ZBC Approved participants Current CAT Cellnex Euronews INA JPMRD RTV TV5Monde Former Abertis AH IETV MEBC RETE RTRN SNTC URTI

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Time Life Television](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Life_Television) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Life_Television?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.