This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it/discuss these issues on the: talk page. (Learn how and whenββto remove these template messages)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Final PDT logo used from 2002 to 2006, taken from that of theββfilm studio | |
Company type | Division |
---|---|
Industry |
|
Predecessor | Paramount Television Domestic Syndication |
Founded | 1982; 42 years ago (1982) |
Defunct | May 28, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-05-28) |
Fate | Rebranded as CBS Paramount Domestic Television, then combined with King World to form CBS Television Distribution, which later rebranded as CBS Media Ventures |
Successor | |
Parent | Gulf+Western (1982β89) Paramount Communications (1989β94) Viacom (1994β2005) CBS Corporation (2005β06) |
Paramount Domestic Television (PDT) was the television distribution arm of American television production company Paramount Television, once the TV arm of Paramount Pictures. It was formed in 1982 originally as Paramount Domestic Television and Video Programming, the successor to Paramount Television Domestic Distribution, Paramount Television Sales, and Desilu Sales.
Historyβ»
Initially, it distributed the back library of Paramount Television and "the post-1960 shows by Desilu," and several first-run syndicated shows. Originally, the company (like other sister companies sharing the Paramount name) was owned by Gulf+Western, which was reincorporated as Paramount Communications in 1989.
In 1987, it entered into an agreement with Tribune Entertainment Company whereby Paramount would distribute Geraldo, with Tribune producing. In 1989, both Tribune and Paramount worked again on The Joan Rivers Show, Paramount distributing the "program and Tribune producing the series." Also that year, Paramount Domestic Television made its first foray into late-night television with the debut of The Arsenio Hall Show, hosted by Arsenio Hall himself. In 1990, "Tribune and Paramount parted ways," with Tribune handling sales of the show in-house. In 1990, Maury Povich signed them to an exclusive pact with the studio. He then developed the talk show, which was aired from 1991 to 1998.
After that company was sold to Viacom in 1994, it absorbed the distribution functions of Viacom Enterprises the next year. Viacom had distributed the classic CBS library which included the pre-1960 Desilu library, alongside series from Viacom Productions and Carsey-Werner Productions library (Paramount lost the rights to the latter library in late 1994 when Carsey-Werner formed its own in-house distribution unit).
PDT also gained syndication rights to series from MTV Networks with the Viacom merger, though these have rarely been seen in syndication. Shortly after The Arsenio Hall Show was cancelled following the acquisition of Viacom, Paramount began distributing and producing MTV's The Jon Stewart Show for the syndication market. In 1987, Coca-Cola Telecommunications teamed up with Paramount Domestic Television (PDT), and Orbis Communications to form International Advertising Sales, which handled advertising of such programs produced by PDT, Orbis and Coca-Cola Telecommunications, including future programming for Merv Griffin Enterprises.
MCA Television and Paramount Domestic Television (PDT) had formed Premier Advertiser Sales, a joint venture created for the sale of advertising for their existing syndicated programs in September 1989. As a possible outgrowth of this sales joint venture, MCA and Paramount began plans for a new network, Premier Program Service.
In 1999, Viacom acquired several other television production firms such as Spelling Entertainment Group (which owned Spelling Television, Worldvision Enterprises, Republic Pictures Television, and Big Ticket Entertainment) and Rysher Entertainment (or at least its library). As a result, the size of Paramount's television library more than tripled, giving PDT a slew of new series to distribute, and included was the distribution rights to Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown. In 2002, it struck a deal with HDNet to distribute content that was meant to be short for HDTV.
After Viacom split into two companies β one called Viacom and the other CBS Corporation β Paramount's television operations became part of the latter company. As a result, Paramount Domestic Television became CBS Paramount Domestic Television. That was in turn merged with King World Productions in 2007 to become CBS Television Distribution (CTD). However, because National Amusements retained majority control of both CBS and the new Viacom, CBS programs (including those under the original Paramount Television name) are still distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment; starting in 2005, they have been released through CBS DVD/Blu-ray. However, some former Paramount programs, such as Entertainment Tonight, then moved from being produced at the Paramount lot to CBS facilities.
Currently, syndication rights to Paramount's theatrical film library lie with Trifecta Entertainment & Media.
List of first-run syndicated series from Paramount Domestic Televisionβ»
Originalβ»
Off-network showsβ»
- America (1985β1986) (co-production with Post-Newsweek Television)
- The Party Machine (1991) (co-produced by Peeples Productions and Arsenio Hall Communications)
- The Montel Williams Show (1991β2008, PDT succeeded Viacom as distributor in 1994)
- The Maury Povich Show (1991β2022, distributed by PDT from 1991 to 1998, now known as Maury, now owned by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios)
- Leeza (1994β2000, aired on NBC from 1994 to 1999 under Paramount Network Television)
- The Jon Stewart Show (1994β1995, a previous version aired on MTV)
- The Howie Mandel Show (1998β1999)
- Rendez-View (2001β2002)
Talk showsβ»
- Geraldo (1987-1991, distribution only, produced by Tribune Entertainment Company and Investigate News Group)
- The Arsenio Hall Show (1989β1994, produced by Arsenio Hall Communications; 2013β2014 revival co-produced by Tribune Broadcasting and distributed by successor CBS Television Distribution)
- The Joan Rivers Show (1989-1991, distribution only, produced by Tribune Entertainment Company and PMGH Productions)
- Dr. Phil (2002β2023, produced by PDT from 2002 to 2006 and Harpo Productions and distributed by King World Productions from 2002 to 2007)
Infotainmentβ»
- Entertainment Tonight (1981βpresent, distributed by PDT from 1981 to 2006)
- Hard Copy (1989β1999)
- The Insider (2004β2017) (distributed by PDT from 2004 to 2006)
Courtroom showsβ»
- Judge Judy (1996β2021, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2006, co-produced by Big Ticket Entertainment, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
- Judge Mills Lane (1998β2001, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2001, formerly distributed by Rysher Entertainment)
- Judge Joe Brown (1998β2013, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2006, co-produced by Big Ticket Entertainment, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
Scripted comedy/drama showsβ»
- Madame's Place (1982β1983)
- Webster (1983β1989, aired on ABC from 1983 to 1987)
- Marblehead Manor (1987β1988)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987β1994)
- Friday the 13th: The Series (1987β1990)
- War of the Worlds (1988β1990)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993β1999)
- Viper (1994 then 1996β1999, aired on NBC in 1994)
Reality showsβ»
- America's Dumbest Criminals (1996β2000, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2000, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
- Sightings (1992β1997, aired on Fox from 1992 to 1994, and on Sci-Fi Channel from 1996 to 1997)
- Real TV (1996β2001)
- Maximum Exposure (2000β2002)
- Life Moments (2002β2003)
- TAG:I: Real Heroes (1999β2002)
- America's Diaries (mini-series) (2002) (distributed by PDT and co-produced by True Entertainment and Bunim/Murray Productions)
- The Princess Girl Diaries (mini-series) (2003) (distributed by PDT and co-produced by Banyan Productions)
- Unexplained Mysteries (2003β2004)
- Girl was loving (NovemberβDecember 2005) (produced by Bunim-Murray Productions and distributed by PDT)
Game showsβ»
- Make Me Laugh (1979β1980)
- Anything for Money (1984β1985)
- Wipeout (1988β1989)
- The New Price Is Right (1994β1995)
- Dance 360 (2004β2005)
Music showsβ»
- Solid Gold (1980β1988)
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Development of new syndicated shows underway" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 24, 1988. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Paramount readies late night show with Arsenio Hall" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 15, 1988. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Tribune, Paramount part company" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 1, 1990. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Povich to end Fox 'Affair'" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 21, 1990. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Carsey-Werner arms for syndication" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 19, 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Paramount folds Arsenio Hall Show" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 25, 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Coke & Paramount Name Barter Unit". Variety. March 18, 1987. pp. 39, 64.
- ^ Stevenson, Richard W. (October 20, 1989). "Plan Seen For Another TV Network". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ^ Schlosser, Joe (June 28, 1999). "Paramount bulks up" (PDF). Broadcasting. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ Bloom, David (December 15, 2002). "HDNet channels Par fare". Variety. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ "HDNet Scores HD Rights To Paramount TV Series". TWICE. December 13, 2002. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- Paramount Television
- Television syndication distributors
- Entertainment companies based in California
- Mass media companies established in 1982
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2006
- 1982 establishments in California
- 2006 disestablishments in California
- Paramount Global subsidiaries
- CBS Media Ventures
- American companies established in 1982
- American companies disestablished in 2006
- Paramount Pictures