Embassy Television

ELP Communications

Embassy Television logo, used from 1982 to 1984
Type	Joint venture of LEP Holdings, Inc. and PEP Communications. Active In-name-only unit of Sony Pictures Television
Founded	1974
Founder	Norman Lear Jerry Perenchio
Headquarters	USA
Products	Television Production Broadcast syndication
Owner	Sony
Parent	Independent (1974-1982) Embassy Communications, Inc. (1982-1985) The Coca-Cola Company (1985-1987) Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. (1987-1991) Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (1991-present)
Subsidiaries	Tandem Productions

ELP Communications (formerly known as T.A.T. Communications Company, Embassy Television, Embassy Telecommunications, and Embassy Communications) was an American television production company that originally began in 1974. The company remains as an in-name only unit of Sony Pictures Television.

ELP Communications was first known as T.A.T. Communications Company when it was formed in 1974 when Norman Lear joined up with former talent agent Jerry Perenchio, a year before Yorkin ended his partnership with Lear. "T.A.T." stood for a Yiddish phrase pronounced "Tuches Ahfen Tisch", which meant "Putting one's butt on the line" (ass on the table).

The first sitcom to be produced by T.A.T. Communications was The Jeffersons, that was spun off from the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family in 1975.

Television producer Norman Lear and his business partner Jerry Perenchio bought Avco Embassy Pictures Corporation in January 1982 and decided to drop the name "Avco" from the name to bring back the name Embassy Pictures and T.A.T. Communications Co. was renamed to Embassy Communications, Inc.

Lear decided to launch Embassy Television, a division name for his shows by the former T.A.T. Communications such as The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, and The Facts of Life. More shows were produced by Embassy Television such as the first two under the name: Square Pegs and Silver Spoons. The latter show ran five seasons, while the former ran one but developed a cult following. Who's the Boss? was piloted later in 1983 until airing in 1984. Embassy Television also produced Diff'rent Strokes's final season from Tandem Productions, which was eventually operated by Embassy.

Embassy also held the TV rights to a majority of the Embassy theatrical library (see Embassy Pictures for more information). Embassy Telecommunications (formerly P*I*T*S Films), was the television distribution arm of Embassy Television. They distributed off syndicated shows by Embassy Television and those by Tandem Productions and T.A.T. Communications.