COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 4841

Cable & Other Pay Television Stations

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

20companies1884–1989founding years20still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Times Mirror Company
1884
FoundedThe Washington Post Company
1889
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedCommonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc.
1907
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedCable and Wireless plcFoundedTractebel S.A.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedGranada Group PLCFoundedMuzak, Inc.
1934
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedBouygues S.A.
1952
FoundedPlayboy Enterprises, Inc.
1953
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedContinental Cablevision, Inc.
1963
FoundedGroupe Videotron Ltée.
1964
FoundedUnited Video Satellite Group
1965
FoundedComcast Corporation
1969
FoundedJones Intercable, Inc.
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedHome Box Office Inc.
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedBET Holdings, Inc.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedU.S. Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedTélévision Fran&ccedilse 1
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
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

The Times Mirror Company →
Active · founded 1884
The Times Mirror Company ranks among the top five newspaper companies in the United States.
The Washington Post Company →
Active · founded 1889
The Washington Post Company and its subsidiaries are leaders in the news and communications media industry.
Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc.
Cable and Wireless plc →
Active · founded 1929 · United Kingdom
As a provider of telecommunications services in more than 50 countries around the globe, Cable and Wireless plc is a…
Tractebel S.A. →
Active · founded 1929 · Belgium
Tractebel S.A.
Granada Group PLC →
Active · founded 1934 · United Kingdom
Granada Group PLC is a leading U.K.
Muzak, Inc. →
Active · founded 1934
A fixture of the American soundscape, Muzak, Inc.
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1953
Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Univision Communications Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Univision Communications Inc.
Continental Cablevision, Inc. →
Active · founded 1963 · United States
Continental Cablevision is a leader in the cable television industry and is renowned for its enlightened community…
Groupe Videotron Ltée. →
Active · founded 1964 · Canada
Groupe Videotron Ltée.
United Video Satellite Group →
Active · founded 1965
Look up in the sky--or on your television, your web browser, or your company's intranet--and there is a good chance one…
Comcast Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
Comcast Corporation is a leading cable, telecommunications, and entertainment firm.
Jones Intercable, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
Jones Intercable, Inc.
Home Box Office Inc. →
Active · founded 1972
Home Box Office Inc.
BET Holdings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
BET Holdings, Inc., with its centerpiece Black Entertainment Television cable television network, is well on its way to…
U.S. Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
U.S.
Télévision Fran&ccedilse 1 →
Active · founded 1987 · France
Télévision Fran&ccedilse 1 is a diversified multimedia producer and broadcaster, centered around TF1, France's oldest…
E! Entertainment Television Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
E!
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