1
 
                                                                      EXHIBIT 24
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned officers and
directors of TIME WARNER COMPANIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Corporation"), hereby constitutes and appoints RICHARD J. BRESSLER, PETER R.
HAJE, JOHN A. LABARCA, GERALD M. LEVIN, PHILIP R. LOCHNER, JR. and RICHARD D.
PARSONS, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power to act without the others, for him or her and in his or
her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign one or more
Registration Statements on Form S-3 or other appropriate form and any and all
amendments to any such Registration Statements (including post-effective
amendments), to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection with the registration under the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, of guarantees of up to $750 million aggregate principal amount
of debt securities of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., with power where
appropriate to affix thereto the corporate seal of the Corporation and to attest
said seal, and to file such Registration Statements, including in each case a
form of prospectus, and any and all amendments and post-effective amendments to
such Registration Statements, with all exhibits thereto, and any and all
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
hereby granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full
power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
 
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has hereunto set his or her
name as of the 23rd day of October, 1997.
 
(i) Principal Executive Officer:
 
     /s/ GERALD M. LEVIN
     ---------------------------------
     Gerald M. Levin
     Chairman and Chief Executive
     Officer
 
(ii) Principal Financial Officer:
 
     /s/ RICHARD J. BRESSLER
     ---------------------------------
     Richard J. Bressler
     Director, Senior Vice President
     and Chief Financial Officer
 
(iii) Principal Accounting Officer:
 
     /s/ JOHN A. LABARCA
     ---------------------------------
     John A. LaBarca
     Senior Vice President and
     Controller
 
(iv) Directors:
 
     /s/ PETER R. HAJE
     ---------------------------------
     Peter R. Haje
     Director
 
     /s/ RICHARD D. PARSONS
     ---------------------------------
     Richard D. Parsons
     Director