CINCINNATI -- Great American Communications Co. reported Tuesday it plans to sell Hanna-Barbera Productions to the Turner Broadcasting System Inc.
Officials of Great American said they have written a letter of intent and started formal and exclusive negotiations with Turner for the sale.
'We are extremely excited about the prospect of adding the resources of Hanna-Barbera to the company's programming assets,' said Turner Chairman R.E. Turner. 'The Hanna-Barbera programs have provided thousands of hours of family viewing enjoyment and we look forward to this tradition continuing through the resources of TBS.'
'We are pleased to be working with TBS in connection with the sale of Hanna-Barbera,' said Great American Chairman Carl Lindner. 'The quality of the TBS organization will assure the continued success of Hanna-Barbera's excellent programming.'
Hanna-Barbera is the creator of the 'Flintstones,' 'The Jetsons,' 'Yogi Bear,' 'Scooby-Doo' and other popular characters. Hanna- Barbera produces
theatrical movies, television programs for broadcast and cable networks and local stations. It also creates and distributes home video programs and licenses its characters for a wide variety of consumer products.
In addition to its entertainment operations conducted through Hanna- Barbera, Great American and its subsidiaries own and operate five network affiliated television stations, 12 FM and six AM radio stations in the top 50 markets.
Turner is a leading supplier of entertainment and news programming for the basic cable television industry in the United States and a major distributor of programming to broadcasters throughout the world.
