Editing TNT (American TV network) (section)

==History==

===Beginnings===
{{see also|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer#MGM Entertainment}}
Prior to the launch of the channel in 1988, the '''Turner Network Television''' name had been used by the [[Turner Broadcasting System]] for an ad hoc syndication service which produced and distributed various sporting events for carriage on Turner's [[Atlanta]], Georgia, [[superstation]] WTBS (channel 17, now [[WPCH-TV]], which was separated from its national cable feed, [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]], in October 2007) as well as broadcast television stations throughout the United States.

The Turner Network Television syndication service launched in 1982 to produce two exhibition games organized by the [[NFL Players Association]] (NFLPA) during the [[1982 NFL strike|NFL strike]], which were broadcast on WTBS and its national superstation feed. (The agreement with the NFLPA originally called for 18 games to be broadcast by WTBS on Sunday afternoons and Monday nights during the originally proposed strike season, but was reduced to the exhibition games amid lawsuits filed by the [[National Football League]] against Turner Broadcasting and the NFLPA union.)<ref>{{cite web|title=Players, Turner set details for strike league|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-08-23-BC-OCR-Page-0053.pdf|periodical=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=53|date=August 23, 1982|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Strike force|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-09-27-BC-OCR-Page-0032.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=32|date=September 27, 1982|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=It's fourth and a mile for NFL TV|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-10-11-BC-OCR-Page-0028.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=28|date=October 11, 1982|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref> The TNT syndication service also produced and distributed the first [[Goodwill Games]]—organized by [[Ted Turner]] himself, in response to the Olympic boycotts involving the United States and the Soviet Union of the [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] and [[1984 Summer Olympics]]—in [[1986 Goodwill Games|1986]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Turner's sports detente|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-08-12-OCR-Page-0040.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=40|date=August 12, 1985|access-date=September 29, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Turner's sports detente|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-08-12-OCR-Page-0045.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=45|date=August 12, 1985|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref>

On October 6, 1987, Ted Turner announced the launch of Turner Network Television (TNT)—his fifth basic cable network venture, following SuperStation TBS, CNN, Headline News (now [[HLN (TV network)|HLN]]) and the short-lived [[Cable Music Channel]]—in a keynote address at the opening day of the Atlantic Cable Show in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], stating that the channel would center around major television events. Turner originally estimated that TNT would be offered to cable systems at a monthly rate of 10¢ per subscriber at launch (increasing to 20¢ per subscriber per month by March 1989), with 10 minutes of advertising being carried each hour (three to four minutes of which would be given to prospective cable systems for local advertising).<ref>{{cite web|title=Turner's TNT adds spark to Atlantic Cable Show|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-10-12-OCR-Page-0031.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=31|date=October 12, 1987|access-date=September 29, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Turner's TNT adds spark to Atlantic Cable Show|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-10-12-OCR-Page-0032.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=32|date=October 12, 1987|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Cable's interest in 'Hollywood's best'|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-10-26-OCR-Page-0098.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=98|date=October 26, 1987|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> Turner Broadcasting struggled to obtain carriage commitments from various cable providers to commence with the proposed service's launch plans, making TNT's fate uncertain.<ref>{{cite web|title=TNT in limbo|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-11-23-OCR-Page-0039.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=39|date=November 23, 1987|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> Turner also entered into preliminary discussions with [[NBC]] to purchase a 25% stake in the company, with the prospect of using NBC's financial and programming expertise to get TNT off the ground; however, such discussions terminated by January 1988 without a resolution.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBC-Turner talks progressing|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-12-07-OCR-Page-0042.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=42|date=November 23, 1987|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=In Brief|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-01-18-OCR-Page-0110.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=120|date=January 18, 1988|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>

[[File:TNT logo 1988.png|thumb|left|175px|Former logo, used from October 3, 1988, until 1995. A yellow oval background was added in 1992.]]
By February 1988, Turner had disclosed that TNT's programming would focus around movies from the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) film library – which Turner acquired as a result of his 1986 sale of the MGM film studio to Kirk Kerkorian – and major television events, including made-for-cable movies, high-profile specials, sports events, documentaries and miniseries. Cable systems were given the option of substituting a [[superstation]] (other than SuperStation TBS) or other out-of-market television station for TNT upon launch without incurring any copyright liabilities for carriage of the distant signal for the second half of 1988. However, the proposed launch date, originally slated for July 1 of that year, was delayed because it would have presented several issues, including obtaining channel clearances and assembling a programming schedule in such a contracted timespan, and the unfavorability of promoting a service during the summer (when television networks typically programmed reruns).<ref>{{cite web|title=Turner talking TNT|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-02-29-OCR-Page-0034.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=37|date=February 29, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Turner talking TNT|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-02-29-OCR-Page-0035.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=38|date=February 29, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Turner talking TNT|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-02-29-OCR-Page-0090.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=90|date=February 29, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Turner network gets MSO boost|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-03-07-OCR-Page-0031.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=31|date=March 7, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref> On March 7, Turner Broadcasting System's board of directors unanimously approved Ted Turner's plan for Turner Network Television, with October 3 as the channel's proposed launch date. Plans called for TNT to offer 250 nights of original and live sports programming per year within five years of its debut.<ref>{{cite web|title=Turner hoping to jolt cable world with TNT|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-03-14-OCR-Page-0030.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=30|date=March 14, 1988|access-date=October 2, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Turner hoping to jolt cable world with TNT|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-03-14-OCR-Page-0031.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=31|date=March 14, 1988|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>

The channel launched at 7:55&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Time]] on October 3, 1988, with TNT founder Ted Turner delivering a message about the channel's launch and programming, followed by a pre-recorded performance of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]," which traditionally played during the launch of a new Turner-owned network.<ref name="b&c-tntlaunch">{{cite web|title=TNT takes its first step|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-10-03-OCR-Page-0044.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=48|date=October 3, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=TNT takes its first step|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-10-03-OCR-Page-0045.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=49|date=October 3, 1988|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref> Its inaugural telecast (which followed at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. Eastern) was the first half of the 1939 classic film ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'', a film to which Ted Turner had acquired the rights; the second half aired the following night at the same time (both halves were repeated at 11:00&nbsp;p.m. Eastern on their respective nights), with the film then being shown in its entirety that Sunday. It was said that ''Gone with the Wind'' was chosen as the channel's inaugural program because it was Turner's favorite movie.<ref name="b&c-tntlaunch"/> (''Gone with the Wind'' would also serve as the first program aired on sister channel [[Turner Classic Movies]], when it debuted in April 1994). Incidentally, the film was set and had its [[premiere]] held in [[Atlanta]], Turner's hometown and the headquarters of the channel's corporate parent, Turner Broadcasting System.

TNT was initially a vehicle for older movies and television shows to which Turner either already held rights or acquired specifically for the channel; these films made up the majority of TNT's programming during its first six years of operation. The initial schedule also consisted of animated and live-action children's programs (airing Sunday through Fridays from 7:00 to 9:00&nbsp;a.m. Eastern Time and Monday through Saturdays from 6:00 to 8:00&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Time), with [[Western (genre)|western series]] on Saturday mornings and a limited schedule of other classic television series in select other time periods.<ref name="b&c-tntlaunch"/> In its early years, TNT caused controversy among film critics and fans for its airings of [[Film colorization|colorized]] versions of many classics that were originally filmed in [[Black and white|black-and-white]].

The channel launched with an estimated 17 million subscribers, its initial coverage totaling 6.8 times that of the largest previous cable network launch ([[VH1]], which launched on January 1, 1985, with 2.5 million homes estimated to have initially received that channel).<ref name="b&c-tntlaunch"/> The channel's operations were based inside office space at Turner Broadcasting's Techwood Drive complex in midtown Atlanta that formerly served as the facilities for CNN Headline News from its launch as CNN2 in January 1982 until it and parent network [[CNN]] moved their operations into the [[CNN Center]] downtown in 1987. Turner Entertainment Networks president Gerald Hogan stated around the time of its launch that TNT would eventually become "the first cable network to directly challenge the three broadcast networks," through the production of original programming that would be of "a quality level equal to and [..] significantly better" than programs carried on the major American broadcast television networks; as such, the channel slowly began to add original programming and newer reruns within two years of its launch.<ref name="b&c-tntlaunch"/> The channel debuted its first original made-for-TV film on March 8, 1989, when TNT premiered ''[[Nightbreaker (film)|Nightbreaker]]'', an [[Nuclear arms race|Arms Race]]-era drama starring [[Martin Sheen]] (who also co-produced the film) and [[Emilio Estevez]].<ref>{{cite web|title=TNT buys Sheen-produced feature|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/89-OCR/BC-1989-03-06-OCR-Page-0037.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc.|via=American Radio History|page=39|date=March 6, 1989|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>

===Expansion===
{{see also|Monday Night War}}

[[File:Tnt tv logo old.svg|thumb|left|175px|Former logo, used from 1995, until June 12, 2001.]]
In September 1995, TNT debuted ''[[WCW Monday Nitro]]'', which assumed the distinction as the flagship program of the now-defunct [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) from ''[[WCW Saturday Night]]'', ran on TBS until 2000. At one point, ''Monday Nitro'' was regularly the highest-[[Nielsen ratings|rated]] weekly program on cable television. ''Monday Nitro'' beat ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'', the flagship show of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF; now the [[WWE]] or World Wrestling Entertainment), in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks from 1996 to 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=WWE Vs. WCW Ratings|url=http://www.prowrestling.com/almanac/wwe_vs_wcw_ratings/|newspaper=ProWrestling.com|language=en-US|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228221429/http://www.prowrestling.com/almanac/wwe_vs_wcw_ratings/|archive-date=December 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, by early 1999, ''Monday Nitro'' began to lose viewers to ''Raw'', which became the highest-rated wrestling program on television due to its use of [[Attitude Era|more adult-like storylines]]. On March 23, 2001, the WWF acquired most of the assets of WCW, which had been up for sale since late 2000; ''Monday Nitro'' aired its last episode three days later.

On September 22, 1995, [[Time Warner Entertainment]]—a [[New York City]]-based media company formed in 1989 through the merger of [[Time Inc.]] and [[Warner Bros.]] corporate parent [[Warner Communications]]—reached an agreement to acquire the Turner Broadcasting System and its associated properties (including TNT, TBS, CNN, Headline News and Cartoon Network as well as [[Turner Entertainment]]) for $7.5 billion; the deal would also expand Time Warner Entertainment's pay television holdings, as it had owned [[HBO]] and sister premium service [[Cinemax]] as well as cable television provider [[Time Warner Cable]] since the Time-Warner Communications merger six years prior. (Time Warner and predecessor Warner Communications had owned an 18% interest in Turner Broadcasting since 1987, as part of a cable television industry-backed bailout of the company amid severe financial issues.) Under the terms, Turner would acquire an approximate 10% interest in Time Warner Entertainment as well as oversee its subscription network group—comprising the Turner and [[Home Box Office, Inc.|Home Box Office]] units and its minority interests in [[Comedy Central]] and [[E!]]—and hold a position on the company's [[board of directors]] (which he retained until he stepped down from the company in February 2006) upon the merger's closure.<ref>{{cite web|title=It's TBS Time|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/95-OCR/BC-1995-09-25-OCR-Page-0008.pdf|author=Steve McClellan|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=8|date=September 25, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=It's TBS Time|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/95-OCR/BC-1995-09-25-OCR-Page-0010.pdf|author=Steve McClellan|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=10|date=September 25, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Turner to Merge Into Time Warner; a $7.5 Billion Deal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/23/us/turner-to-merge-into-time-warner-a-7.5-billion-deal.html|author=Mark Landler|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 23, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner, TBS Agree on $7.5 Billion Merger|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/09/23/time-warner-tbs-agree-on-75-billion-merger/1453ea45-2e9d-4c75-962a-823ddadb4891/|author=Paul Farhi|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=September 23, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner, Turner agree to merge|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/09/22/Time-Warner-Turner-agree-to-merge/9796811742400/|work=[[United Press International]]|date=September 22, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner-TBS deal widens entertainment vistas|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9509/Time_Turner_Movies/|author=Paul Vercammen|website=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System|date=September 23, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Turner-Time Warner Merger Approved by Shareholders|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-11-fi-52676-story.html|author=Thomas S. Mulligan|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=October 11, 1996|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Turner to head TW cable interests|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-09-23-OCR-Page-0012.pdf|author=Steve McClellan|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=12|date=September 23, 1996|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner Says Goodbye to Ted Turner|url=https://adage.com/article/media/time-warner-goodbye-ted-turner/48652/|author=Abbey Klaassen|periodical=[[Advertising Age]]|publisher=[[Crain Communications]]|date=February 24, 2006|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time-Warner, Turner Approve Merger|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/time-warner-turner-approve-merger/|website=[[CNET]]|date=November 16, 1995|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> The merger received regulatory approval on September 12, 1996; the Turner–Time Warner deal was finalized one month later on October 10, forming what at the time was the largest media company in the world.<ref>{{cite news|title=Time-Turner deal OK'd|url=https://money.cnn.com/1996/09/12/deals/timeturner/|website=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System|date=September 12, 1996|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Merger of Time Warner, Turner OKd|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-11-fi-52676-story.html|author=Sallie Hofmeister|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 11, 1996|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Time-TBS merger closed|url=https://money.cnn.com/1996/10/10/deals/time_warner_a/|website=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System|date=October 10, 1996|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>

The channel was also known for its late night programming. One such program was ''[[MonsterVision]]'', a Saturday night [[B movie]] showcase that aired from 1991 to 2000. Often the series had special themes, such as "Godzilla Bash '94," an all-day marathon of movies from the ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]'' franchise. [[Penn & Teller]] served as occasional guest hosts during its early years; and in 1996, ''MonsterVision'' found a permanent host in cult personality and [[drive-in movie]] aficionado [[Joe Bob Briggs]], who hosted a pair of more contemporary horror films each week, such as ''[[Friday the 13th Part 2]]'' and ''[[Wes Craven's New Nightmare]]''. During the wraparound segments within each film, Briggs provided a running commentary, trivia, off-color jokes, and a drive-in total, as well as jokes at the expense of TNT's [[Standards & Practices]] department regarding the heavy censorship of the featured movies. This running joke culminated in a ''[[Friday the 13th (franchise)|Friday the 13th]]'' all-night [[Halloween]] marathon in 1998, where it was implied that Ted Turner was out to kill him.

Into the 1990s, TNT continued to air cartoons from the Turner library, such as ''[[The Flintstones]]'', ''[[Scooby-Doo]]'', ''[[Dexter's Laboratory]]'', and ''[[The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest]]'' as part of a daily block called ''TNT Toons''; the [[DePatie-Freleng Enterprises|DePatie-Freleng]] ''[[The Pink Panther Show|Pink Panther]]'' cartoons were also featured. ''[[The Rudy and Gogo World Famous Cartoon Show]]'', which ran from 1995 to 1997, was an original children's program on the channel featuring [[Warner Bros.]], [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio|MGM]], and ''[[Popeye the Sailor (film series)|Popeye]]'' shorts, hosted by a titular pair of a [[marionette]] and a nanny goat. In January 1996, the channel began scaling back its children's programming amid competition in that market from [[Nickelodeon]] and Turner-owned sister channel [[Cartoon Network]]; at that time, TNT discontinued its late-afternoon block of animated series in favor of airing acquired drama series such as ''[[Starsky & Hutch]]'' and ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cutting out the kid stuff|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-01-08-OCR-Page-0057.pdf|author=Jim McConville|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|via=American Radio History|page=27|date=January 8, 2001|access-date=October 5, 2018}}<br>{{cite web|title=Cutting out the kid stuff|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-01-08-OCR-Page-0058.pdf|author=Jim McConville|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=60|date=January 8, 2001|access-date=October 5, 2018}}</ref> In 1998, TNT dropped all of its remaining cartoons, relegating those shows to Cartoon Network. Most of the animated series and shorts that were dropped would also serve as the core of [[Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang]], a subscription channel devoted to classic cartoons that launched on April 1, 2000.

During the 1990s, TNT scheduled a weekday afternoon block that included ''[[Due South]]'', ''[[Kung Fu: The Legend Continues]]'', ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' and ''[[Babylon 5]]''. In 1998, TNT made efforts to increase its original programming, bumping its production budget by 146%, with programming production costs running in the range of $175 million to $200 million by 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=TNT revamping its image|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/98-OCR/BC-1998-04-13-OCR-Page-0043.pdf|author=Donna Petrozzello|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=27|date=June 11, 2001|access-date=October 5, 2018}}</ref> That year, TNT took over production of the fifth and final season of ''Babylon 5'' from the [[Prime Time Entertainment Network]] after the ad hoc syndication block ceased operations. The following year, TNT produced the ''Babylon 5'' spinoff series ''[[Crusade (TV series)|Crusade]]'', which was canceled after 13 episodes, as TNT management decided that science fiction did not fit the channel's brand identity. In 2001, TNT debuted what became its most successful original series at the time, ''[[Witchblade (2001 TV series)|Witchblade]]'', which ran for two seasons, ending in 2002.

===Shift towards drama===
[[File:TNT TV logo.svg|thumb|155px|Former TNT logo, used from June 12, 2001, to January 29, 2016, the current logo is loosely based on this design.]]
On June 12, 2001, TNT underwent an extensive [[rebrand]], with the introduction of a new logo designed by Trollbäck + Company as well as a new slogan, "We Know Drama," a repositioning of TNT that Bradley Siegel, then-president of Turner Entertainment Networks, explained had emerged through extensive focus group research with frequent TNT viewers. The slogan emphasized the channel's new focus on dramatic programming, including sports and off-network [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] dramas such as ''[[Law & Order]]'', ''[[NYPD Blue]]'', ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'' and ''[[Judging Amy]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Five Blind Mice: How the Big Cable Nets Lost Their Way|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/01-OCR/BC-2001-06-11-OCR-Page-0033.pdf|author=John M. Higgins|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=27|date=June 11, 2001|access-date=October 5, 2018}}</ref>

On January 1, 2003, TNT launched a substitute feed called ''TNT Plus'', although it does not appear this was ever reflected in the channel's on-air identity. The apparent sole purpose of its establishment was to force renegotiations with subscription providers to increase carriage fees—with some [[Multichannel television in the United States|multiple system operators]] suggesting that Turner was seeking a 10% increase in subscriber fees for the channel—to help pay for TNT's new [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] and [[NASCAR]] contracts well before the channel's distribution agreements with providers were scheduled to come up for renewal. In theory, TNT Plus was to have been the sole carrier of Turner's NBA and NASCAR coverage from that point forward, while any providers still carrying the original TNT would have seen replacement programming instead.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cameras on the court|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/02-OCR/BC-2002-10-28-OCR-Page-0062.pdf|author=Allison Romano|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|page=44|date=October 28, 2002|access-date=October 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TNT to ops: pay up for 'Plus'|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-93460284/tnt-ops-pay-up.html|author=Thomas R. Umstead|periodical=[[Multichannel News]]|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=Access My Library|date=October 21, 2002}}</ref> Although it appears that [[Comcast]] did not immediately sign on to carry TNT Plus, there is no evidence that Turner had actually pulled its sports programming from the "original" TNT.<ref>{{cite web|title=TNT gets in HD game – TCM next?|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/tnt-gets-hd-game-tcm-next-161462|author=Linda Moss|author2=R. Thomas Umstead|periodical=Multichannel News|publisher=Cahners Business Information|date=January 12, 2004}}</ref>

On December 7, 2008, TNT unveiled an update to its logo, displaying it mainly in a silver or sometimes gold [[bevel]]ing. The "We know drama" tagline remained, but the channel added more of a focus on its original series and announced plans to carry three nights of original programming a week during primetime, starting in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/12/new_promo_campaign_touts_tnts.php |title=New Promo Campaign Touts TNT's Dramatic Credentials |publisher=TVWeek |access-date=September 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223222429/http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/12/new_promo_campaign_touts_tnts.php |archive-date=February 23, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2012, TNT rebranded itself with a new slogan: "Drama, Period." (visually displayed as "Drama.," with the TNT logo serving as the [[full stop|period symbol]]), with the logo being recolored to match the themes of its shows.

On May 14, 2014, TNT altered its on-air branding to "TNT Drama" and introduced a new slogan, "Boom." The branding campaign reflects the channel's refocusing towards action-adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, suspense series alongside its slate of crime dramas.<ref>{{cite news|title=TNT Introduces New 'Boom' Tagline; TNT & TBS Unveil 2014-2015 Development Slates|url=https://deadline.com/2014/05/tnt-tbs-upfront-development-projects-2014-2015-vince-vaughan-donnie-wahlberg-729817/|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=May 14, 2014}}</ref> TNT purchased subscription-television rights in September for the next five [[Marvel Studios]] films starting with ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Graser|first1=Marc|title=TNT Locks Down Next Five Marvel Movies Starting With 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron'|url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/tnt-marvel-studios-movies-the-avengers-age-of-ultron-1201307635/|access-date=September 17, 2014|work=Variety|date=September 17, 2014}}</ref> In 2016, TNT changed its logo after 15 years.

===AT&T ownership===
On October 22, 2016, [[AT&T]] announced an offer to acquire Time Warner for $108.7 billion, including debt it would assume from the latter; the merger would bring Time Warner's various media properties, including TBS, under the same corporate umbrella as AT&T's telecommunications holdings, including satellite provider [[DirecTV]].<ref>{{cite news|title=AT&T Reaches Deal to Buy Time Warner for $86 Billion|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084|author=Thomas Gryta|author2=Keach Hagey|author3=Dana Cimmiluca|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=October 22, 2016|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023013659/http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AT&T Sets $85.4 Billion Time Warner Deal, CEOs Talks 'Unique' Potential of Combination|url=https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/att-time-warner-deal-1201897938/|author=Cynthia Littleton|periodical=Variety|date=October 22, 2016|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023204133/http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/att-time-warner-deal-1201897938/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=AT&T agrees to buy Time Warner for more than $80B|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/22/reports-t-agrees-buy-time-warner-more-than-80b/92589816/|author=Roger Yu|newspaper=USA Today |date=October 22, 2016|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023013659/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/22/reports-t-agrees-buy-time-warner-more-than-80b/92589816/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AT&T Reaches Deal to Buy Time Warner for $86 Billion|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084|author=Thomas Gryta|author2=Keach Hagey|author3=Dana Cimmiluca|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|publisher=[[News Corp (2013–present)|News Corp.]]|date=October 22, 2016|access-date=October 22, 2016|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023013659/http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084|url-status=live}}</ref> Time Warner shareholders approved the merger on February 15, 2017; however, on February 28, FCC Chairman [[Ajit Pai]] announced that his agency will not review the deal, leaving the review to the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner shareholders vote to approve AT&T merger|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/02/15/media/time-warner-shareholders-att-merger/|author=Tom Kludt|website=CNNMoney|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System/Time Warner|date=February 15, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=April 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401233504/https://money.cnn.com/2017/02/15/media/time-warner-shareholders-att-merger/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC chief: AT&T-Time Warner deal won't face agency's scrutiny|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/02/27/fcc-chief-t-time-warner-deal-wont-face-agencys-scrutiny/98491670/|newspaper=USA Today |date=February 27, 2017|access-date=September 15, 2017|archive-date=October 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011232315/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/02/27/fcc-chief-t-time-warner-deal-wont-face-agencys-scrutiny/98491670/|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 20, 2017, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against AT&T and Time Warner in an attempt to block the merger, citing [[antitrust]] concerns surrounding the transaction.<ref>{{cite news|title=AT&T Sued by U.S. Seeking to Block Merger With Time Warner|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-20/at-t-is-said-to-face-u-s-antitrust-lawsuit-over-time-warner|author=Sara Foden|author2=David McLaughlin|author3=Scott Moritz|website=Bloomberg News|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=September 22, 2018|archive-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120214748/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-20/at-t-is-said-to-face-u-s-antitrust-lawsuit-over-time-warner|url-status=live}}</ref> The proposed merger—which had already been approved by the [[European Commission]] and Mexican, Chilean and Brazilian regulatory authorities—was affirmed by court ruling on June 12, 2018, after [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia|District of Columbia U.S. District Court]] Judge [[Richard J. Leon]] ruled in favor of AT&T, dismissing the DOJ's antitrust claims in the lawsuit. The merger closed two days later on June 14, with the company becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T under the renamed parent company [[WarnerMedia]]. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington unanimously upheld the lower court's ruling in favor of AT&T on February 26, 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=Judge approves $85 billion AT&T-Time Warner deal|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/12/media/att-time-warner-ruling/index.html|author=Hadas Gold|website=CNNMoney|publisher=Time Warner|date=June 12, 2018|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-date=July 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711204644/https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/12/media/att-time-warner-ruling/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Justice Department Sues to Block AT&T-Time WarnerMerger|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/business/dealbook/att-time-warner-merger.html|author=Cecilia Kang|author2=Michael J. de la Merced|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-date=December 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211123601/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/business/dealbook/att-time-warner-merger.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=AT&T Completes Acquisition of Time Warner Inc.|url=http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_time_warner_inc.html|website=AT&T|date=June 15, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2018|archive-date=June 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615011751/http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_time_warner_inc.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=European Commission Approves AT&T Acquisition of Time Warner|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/european-commission-approves-at-t-acquisition-time-warner-986380|author=Georg Szalai|periodical=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=[[Eldridge Industries|Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group]]|date=March 15, 2017|access-date=April 17, 2020|archive-date=July 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731041841/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/european-commission-approves-at-t-acquisition-time-warner-986380|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AT&T's $85B Time Warner deal gets Mexico's approval|url=https://seekingalpha.com/news/3291126-ts-85b-time-warner-deal-gets-mexicos-approval|author=Jason Aycock|website=[[Seeking Alpha]]|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=September 28, 2017|archive-date=June 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617093602/https://seekingalpha.com/news/3291126-ts-85b-time-warner-deal-gets-mexicos-approval|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AT&T-Time Warner merger approved with conditions by Chilean regulators|url=http://www.fiercecable.com/broadcasting/at-t-time-warner-merger-approved-conditions-by-chilean-regulators|author=Ben Munson|website=FierceCable|publisher=Questex LLC|date=September 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=With consent from Brazil, AT&T has only one regulatory hurdle left before it can gobble Time Warner|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-att-time-warner-approval-20171018-story.html|author=Meg James|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 18, 2017|access-date=October 18, 2017|archive-date=April 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423163909/http://beta.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-att-time-warner-approval-20171018-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. appeals court OKs $81 billion merger of AT&T and Time Warner|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-t-time-warner-merger-approved-by-u-s-appeals-court-81-billion-takeover-wont-harm-competition/|website=[[CBS News]]|publisher=[[CBS Corporation]]|date=February 27, 2019|access-date=March 31, 2019|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331013453/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-t-time-warner-merger-approved-by-u-s-appeals-court-81-billion-takeover-wont-harm-competition/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 4, 2019, WarnerMedia underwent a major reorganization of its broadcasting assets, in which Turner Broadcasting would effectively be dissolved, and WarnerMedia's television properties would be divided among three divisions within the WarnerMedia umbrella, with TNT, along with TBS, truTV and HBO being reassigned to WarnerMedia Entertainment, chaired by [[Bob Greenblatt]]. AT&T did not specify any timetable for the changes to take effect, although WarnerMedia had begun to remove all Turner references in corporate communications and press releases, referring to that unit's networks as "divisions of WarnerMedia."<ref name="cnbc-wmreorganize">{{cite news|title=WarnerMedia reorganizes its leadership team after AT&T acquisition|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/04/warnermedia-reorganizes-its-leadership-team-after-att-acquisition.html|author=Lauren Feiner|website=[[CNBC]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal|NBCUniversal News Group]]|date=March 4, 2019|access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=AT&T to HBO, Turner: No More Fiefdoms|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-readying-overhaul-of-warnermedia-11551483138?mod=article_inline|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=March 1, 2019|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=What the End of the Turner Brand Could Mean for Its Channels|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/turner-brand-time-warner-tnt-tbs-trutv-1203160652/|author=Michael Schneider|website=Variety|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

{{see also|Wednesday Night Wars}}
On May 15, 2019, upstart promotion [[All Elite Wrestling]] (AEW) and WarnerMedia announced a broadcasting agreement to offer a weekly prime-time wrestling program on TNT—later named ''[[AEW Dynamite]]'', which premiered on October 2, 2019, as AEW's flagship program—marking TNT's re-entry into the professional wrestling scene following the aforementioned closure of WCW eighteen years prior.<ref name=CBSTNT>{{cite web|title=AEW TV deal: Weekly show to air live on TNT with Turner also streaming pay-per-views |url=https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/aew-tv-deal-weekly-show-to-air-live-on-tnt-with-turner-also-streaming-pay-per-views/| last1=Adam Silverstein|website=[[CBS Sports]]|publisher=[[CBS Corporation]]|date=May 15, 2019|access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref> On August 13, 2021, AEW premiered a second weekly program on TNT—''[[AEW Rampage|Rampage]]''—which airs on Friday nights. In January 2022, ''Dynamite'' moved to TBS, with ''Rampage'' remaining on TNT.<ref>{{cite web |author=Joe Otterson |date=September 23, 2021 |title='AEW: Dynamite' Sets January Date for TBS Move, 'Rampage' to Remain on TNT |url=https://www.variety.com/2021/tv/news/aew-dynamite-tbs-premiere-date-rampage-tnt-1235072280/ |work=Variety |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}</ref> AEW would add a third weekly program, that being ''[[AEW Collision|Collision]]'', on June 17, 2023; ''Collision'' airs mostly on Saturday nights on TNT.

===Warner Bros. Discovery ownership===
On April 8, 2022, WarnerMedia was divested by AT&T and merged with [[Discovery, Inc.|Discovery Inc.]] to form [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] (WBD).<ref name="wbdlaunch">{{cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=April 8, 2022 |title=Discovery Closes Acquisition of AT&T's WarnerMedia |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/discovery-warnermedia-merger-close-warner-bros-discovery-1235200983/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]}}</ref> On April 26, it was reported that WBD had suspended original scripted series development at TBS and TNT in order to evaluate the channels' strategies moving forward. At this point, TNT only had two original scripted series still airing first-run episodes, ''[[Animal Kingdom (TV series)|Animal Kingdom]]'' and ''[[Snowpiercer (TV series)|Snowpiercer]]'', both of which are preparing for their final seasons.<ref name="renamed_from_1235241348_on_20231108062054">{{Cite web |last1=Maas |first1=Jennifer |last2=Otterson |first2=Joe |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Warner Bros. Discovery Cuts Scripted Programming Development at TBS, TNT (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/tnt-tbs-scripted-programming-development-scrapped-warner-bros-discovery-1235241348/ |access-date=May 12, 2022 |website=Variety}}</ref> On May 11, [[Brett Weitz]] was removed as general manager for TBS, TNT, and TruTV; the channels are now overseen by [[Kathleen Finch]] as head of U.S. Networks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Tom Ascheim Exits As President Of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classic |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/tom-ascheim-exits-warner-bros-president-global-kids-young-adults-and-classics-1235021790/ |access-date=May 12, 2022 |website=Deadline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Johanna Fuentes Departs As Head of Global Communications Studios & Networks Group At Warner Bros. Discovery |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/johanna-fuentes-exit-head-of-global-communications-warner-bros-discovery-1235021818/ |access-date=May 12, 2022 |website=Deadline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 11, 2022 |title=Brett Weitz Exits As General Manager Of TNT, TBS & truTV |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/brett-weitz-exit-general-manager-tnt-tbs-trutv-1235011472/ |access-date=May 12, 2022 |website=Deadline}}</ref>