Bob and Betsy Magness started in the cable industry in 1952 and built their first cable system in Memphis, Texas in 1956. In 1958, Bob Magness, Jack Gallivan, George Hatch and Brian Glasmann created a partnership called Western Microwave, Inc. to bring common carrier microwave signals to Montana. This company merged with Community Television, Inc. in 1968 forming American Tele-Communications, Inc. The subsidiaries were renamed Western-telecommunications Inc.(WTCI) and Community Tele-Communications, Inc.(CTCI). The parent company's name was changed to Tele-Communications, Inc.(TCI) and it relocated to Denver, Colo. In 1970, TCI went public. John Malone was named President and Chief Executive Officer in 1972 with Magness as TCI's chairman. TCI expanded in the 1990's acquiring United Artists Entertainment and Viacom Cable. TCI offered channels such as Black Entertainment Television and The Discovery Channel. The Company was one of the founders of Cable in the Classroom and established the J.C. Sparkman Center for Educational Technology to assist educators in using advanced technologies in the classroom. TCI developed international cable operations in Japan and Argentina, founded the National Digital Television Center(NDTC) and pioneered a cable internet service, @Home. Bob Magness died in 1996 and John Malone succeeded him as chairman of TCI. In 1999, AT & T purchased TCI and formed AT & T Broadband.
From the description of Tele-Communications, Inc. records, 1968-1999. (Cable Center, The). WorldCat record id: 48015579
