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NBCUniversal Syndication Studios

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NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, formerly known as NBCUniversal Television Distribution, is the television syndication division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, in the United States.[2] Its predecessors include NBC Enterprises, Universal Domestic Television, Universal Television Distribution, MCA TV, Multimedia Entertainment (including Avco Program Sales), PolyGram Television, Studios USA Television Distribution and Sky Vision. At some point in its history, it was also known as "NBCUniversal Television & New Media Distribution"[1] and "NBC Universal Television and New Media Distribution.”[3] This unit is possibly the parent for the similarly named "NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution" unit.[4][5]

The company distributes television series produced by NBC (after 1973), Universal Television, Multimedia Entertainment, Studios USA, Revue Studios, PolyGram Television (except the ITC Entertainment library), Universal Media Studios and G4 Media, LLC. The division distributes the film libraries of Universal Pictures, the 1929–49 Paramount Pictures library (owned by EMKA, Ltd.), all 1996–99 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films (as well as PolyGram Visual Programming), USA Films, Focus Features, Universal Animation Studios, and DreamWorks Animation.

The name was changed to reflect the NBCUniversal brand between September 13, 2004, and January 31, 2011. NUTD is considered the third broadcast syndication arm of NBC, with NBC Enterprises being the second and NBC Films (now part of CBS Media Ventures) as the first, dating back to spring 1953. NUTD is also considered the sixth broadcast syndication arm of Universal Television with MCA TV as the first, Universal Television Enterprises as the second, Studios USA Television Distribution as the third, Universal Domestic Television as the fourth, and Universal Television Distribution as the fifth.

Background[]

Logo used as NBCUniversal Television Distribution.

Logo used as NBCUniversal Television Distribution.

NBC Enterprises[]

In 1955, NBC bought out Kagran Corporation,[6] which was then renamed to California National Productions (CNP) for merchandising, syndication and opera stage production.[7] In 1956, NBC Television Films was then migrated to Kagran, which was then renamed to CNP.[8] The subsidiary started producing The Silent Service that year.[9] By 1957, NBC planned to remove the opera department from CNP and Earl Rettig was named president.[9] CNP was also in discussion with MGM Television about handling distribution for the latter's series.[9]

Following the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules in 1971, NBC had to divest the NBC Films unit to National Telefilm Associates, while programs from NBC News continued to be distributed internationally by NBC Enterprises for $7.5 million.[10] In 1991, NBC licensed the syndication rights of Saved by the Bell to Rysher Entertainment.[11]

In 1993, while the Fin-Syn rules were relaxed, NBC had returned to distributing off-net syndicated reruns of their programming.[12] In 2000, NBC Enterprises had officially launched its own syndicated division NBC Enterprises & Syndication, with former Eyemark Entertainment executive Ed WIlson as the head of the division.[13]

In 2001, NBC Enterprises made a deal with Hearst-Argyle Television Productions to deal with their programming alliance to produce first-run syndicated series.[14] In 2002, NBC inked a deal with MGM Television to launch a media sales operation, called MGM-NBC Media Sales.[15]

MCA Television/Studios USA Domestic Television[]

MCA TV (also known as MCA Television Limited) was founded in 1948, several years before parent MCA Inc.'s purchase of Decca Records (in 1959) and Universal Pictures (in 1962). For more than four decades, it was one of the most active syndicators of television programming. In 1954, it formed an alliance with producer Don Fedderson, through his Don Fedderson Productions company, and the first show to be formed under the alliance was The Millionaire, which spawned a five-year run on the air.[16]

In 1957, it bought out the rights to the pre-1950 Paramount sound library and created a shell holding company, EMKA, Ltd.

During the 1980s, it distributed both off-network reruns of shows like Kate & Allie and Gimme a Break!, as well as original syndication product like the animated action series Bionic Six (co-produced with TMS Entertainment), The Morton Downey Jr. Show (taped at then-MCA owned WWOR-TV in Secaucus, New Jersey), The Munsters Today (a revival of the Universal sitcom), and Pictionary, based on the popular board game.

MCA Television attempted several branded TV packages from 1985 to 2001, including an ad-hoc film network, a broadcast network and a few syndicated programming blocks. The company launched the Universal Pictures Debut Network, an ad-hoc film network with plans to launch in two stages beginning in September 1985.[17] In September 1989, MCA TV and Paramount Domestic Television had formed Premier Advertiser Sales, a joint venture created for the sale of advertising for their existing syndicated programs. As a possible outgrowth of this sales joint venture, MCA and Paramount began plans for a new network, the Premier Program Service.[18] However, plans for the service halted thanks to objections from Fox, annoyed that MCA and Paramount were soliciting some of their affiliates for PPS. In the meantime, MCA teamed up with BHC Communications for a syndicated block; the Hollywood Premiere Network, that only lasted for the 1990–1991 season.[19] The Universal Family Network syndicated programming block was launched by the company in the fall of 1993 with a single weekly half hour show, Exosquad, as a counter to The Disney Afternoon.[20] The Action Pack was also launched by MCA to syndicate action-adventure programming.[21]

In 1989, MCA TV was signed on as syndicator of Inside Story, which was produced by Sunbeam Television-owned Fox affiliate WSVN, and went nationwide as their new title Inside Report, but it only lasted one season on the air.[22]

In 1993, MCA Television had launched a joint effort with Brandon Tartikoff and his new Moving Target Productions company for a development of a late night talk show.[23]

In 1996, MCA TV was renamed Universal Television Enterprises; at this time they also assumed production and distribution of several daytime talk shows previously produced by Multimedia Entertainment (which Universal had acquired), including The Jerry Springer Show. In 1997, it was sold again, along with the network unit, to USA Networks, which was renamed as Studios USA Domestic Television in 1998.[24]

EMKA, Ltd. is the holding company responsible for a majority of the pre-1950 Paramount Pictures sound library. As an official part of the Universal Pictures library, they are part of the company's television unit, Universal Television.

PolyGram Television/Universal Worldwide Television[]

In 1997, PolyGram created a television division to distribute first-run syndicated and network series, hiring Bob Sanitsky from ICM Partners to be president of the division. The new unit absorbed the domestic syndication unit of ITC Entertainment (acquired by PolyGram in 1995), including its domestic sales president Matt Cooperstein.[25] This company called PolyGram Television, is unrelated to an earlier domestic syndication television distribution arm of the same name that PolyGram also owned that was formed in 1981 and it was closed in 1983, and sold its assets to King Features Entertainment.[26]

The division's first project was the syndication of new episodes of Alliance Atlantis' Due South, distributing 22 new episodes for primetime or weekend afternoon slots. It was distributed in conjunction with Worldvision Enterprises for ad sales.[27] The unit also syndicated action hour series such as The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (based on the Miramax film with Brandon Lee. The Walt Disney Company, its owner at the time had passed on the series) and Total Recall 2070, as well as the music variety program Motown Live.[28]

In early 1999, Shortly after Seagram and Universal completed their deal to acquire PolyGram. PolyGram TV was absorbed into Universal's TV and Networks division (which consisted of Universal's international TV operations). Universal would sell the ITC film and TV library to Carlton Communications, and the pre-1996 film library to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Following this, PolyGram TV was renamed Universal Worldwide Television, and in the fall of that year, UWT launched a successful realty strip, Blind Date (which gained a sister program from the same producers, The 5th Wheel).[29] At the same time, Universal launched Universal Studios Network Programming to inherit the Brillstein-Grey productions, such as the upcoming Work with Me, and the existing Brillstein-Grey shows Just Shoot Me! and The Steve Harvey Show.[30]

By 2001, rumors began circulating about the closure of the division (and its two series would have been sold off to another syndicator). However, by October, UWT's head of sales said the closure would not happen.[31]

In June 2002, after Vivendi Universal re-acquired the entertainment arm of USA Networks. Universal Worldwide Television was merged with Studios USA Domestic Television to form Universal Television Enterprises, with Universal Domestic Television and Universal Television Distribution acting as subsidiaries of the company. Lori Shackel immediately left it as vice president of the company[32]

History[]

NBC Universal Television Distribution was formed in 2004 from a merger between NBC Enterprises and Universal Television Distribution. In 2004, it broke their ties with MGM Television to launch a standalone distribution operation.[33] In 2011, NBC Universal dropped its space from all of its television divisions, becoming the CamelCase style format NBCUniversal.[34][35]

In 2014, Hulu Plus reached an agreement with the company to allow streaming of television programs from NBCUniversal's series aired the previous year.[3]

On October 5, 2020, NBCUniversal Television Distribution was renamed to NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, in an effort to drop "Television" from its branding.[36][37] On December 2, 2020, NBCUniversal Syndication Studios announced that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit would air on a daily strip for syndication.[38]

Current and former programming[]

  • Access Hollywood (1996–present, co-produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios (former name Television Distribution) and NBC Enterprises)[39]
    • Access Daily (2010–present)[39]
    • All Access (2019–2021)
  • Jerry Springer (1991–2018; reruns)[40]
  • Judge Jerry (2019–present)[41][42]
  • The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019–present)[4]
  • Maury (1998–present)[40]
  • The Meredith Vieira Show (2014–2016)[5][43]
  • Steve Harvey (2012–2017)[44]
  • The Steve Wilkos Show (2007–present)[40]
  • American Ninja Warrior (2009–present)
  • The Trisha Goddard Show (2012–2014)[45]

Off-net[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Min, Janice (December 18, 2015). "Women in Entertainment Power 100". The Hollywood Reporter. p. 31. Retrieved January 15, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ↑ "NBCUniversal Television Distribution". nbcuniversal.com. http://www.nbcuniversal.com/business/nbcuniversal-international-television.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Template:Cite report
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "NBC-owned stations to air Clarkson show", Daily Press, Daily Press LLC, September 20, 2018, p. 2. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Vieira to launch talk show", Victoria Advocate, July 10, 2013, p. A2. 
  6. ↑ "Kagran Corp Takes Over NBC Licensing Activities", Broadcasting, 1955-05-30. 
  7. ↑ "NBC Subsidiary Changes Name As Result of Expansion", Broadcasting Magazine, 1956-07-30. 
  8. ↑ "NBC Television Films", Broadcasting, 1956-04-09. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "MGM Plan Eight for Next Year", Billboard, December 16, 1957, p. 6. 
  10. ↑ "Sale of NBC Films completes exodus of networks from syndication", Broadcasting, 1973-02-12. 
  11. ↑ "Off-net kid's show being stripped for fall", Broadcasting, 1991-05-06. 
  12. ↑ "Coming to the end of the fin-syn road?", Broadcasting, 1993-10-25. 
  13. ↑ Ault, Susanne. "The Peacock wins Ed", Broadcasting, 2000-09-11. 
  14. ↑ Grego, Melissa (2001-01-25). "NBC, Hearst-Argyle in programming alliance" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2001/tv/markets-festivals/nbc-hearst-argyle-in-programming-alliance-1117792627/.
  15. ↑ "MGM, NBC link sales efforts" (in en-US). 2002-02-26. https://variety.com/2002/tv/news/mgm-nbc-link-sales-efforts-1117861378/.
  16. ↑ "C-P Buys 'The Millionaire' To Replace 'Strike It Rich'", Broadcasting, 1954-12-13. 
  17. ↑ Kerry Segrave (January 1, 1999). Movies at Home: How Hollywood Came to Television. McFarland. p. 147. ISBN 9780786406548. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  18. ↑ Richard W. Stevenson. "Plan Seen For Another TV Network", October 20, 1989. 
  19. ↑ "MCA TV Spins The Bottle", Variety, April 10, 1995. 
  20. ↑ Brown, Rich (January 25, 1993). West, Donald V. (ed.). "New Faces, Familiar Ones Vie For Kids Audience" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 123 no. 4. p. 72. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  21. ↑ Benson, Jim; Dempsey, John; Lowry, Brian (1993-01-29). "Syndie fever at MCA, Col" (in en-US). https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/syndie-fever-at-mca-col-103504/.
  22. ↑ "In Brief", Broadcasting, 1989-04-03. 
  23. ↑ "Tartikoff's back, and MCA's got him", Broadcasting, 1993-10-18. 
  24. ↑ Guider, Elizabeth (1997-12-02). "Westlake’s village" (in en-US). https://variety.com/1997/scene/news/westlake-s-village-1116678079/.
  25. ↑ "P'GRAM PUSHES TV". 
  26. ↑ "PolyGram to fold", Broadcasting, 1983-05-09. 
  27. ↑ "Due South gets U.S. syndie deal". 
  28. ↑ "NAPTE '98". 
  29. ↑ "Polygram TV unit stays at U". 
  30. ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (1999-03-25). "U ponders TV biz return" (in en-US). https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/u-ponders-tv-biz-return-1117492673/.
  31. ↑ "Universal Worldwide plans to stay the syndie course". 
  32. ↑ "Shackel exits U Worldwide TV". 
  33. ↑ Dempsey, John (2004-07-15). "Peacock, Lion split" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/peacock-lion-split-1117907775/.
  34. ↑ Stelter, Brian (2011-01-27). "Lost in the Comcast Takeover? A Logo's Peacock" (in en-US). https://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/lost-in-the-comcast-takeover-a-logos-peacock/.
  35. ↑ Nakashima, Ryan. "Comcast to buy GE's 49 pct stake in NBCUniversal", MSN, February 12, 2013. 
  36. ↑ Low, Elaine (2020-10-05). "As Susan Rovner Joins NBCU as TV and Streaming Programming Chief, Four Challenges Await" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/challenges-susan-rovner-nbcuniversal-programming-chief-1234761719/.
  37. ↑ Petski, Denise (2020-12-15). "‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ Renewed Through 2023 By NBCUniversal" (in en-US). https://deadline.com/2020/12/the-kelly-clarkson-show-renewed-through-2023-nbcuniversal-1234656913/.
  38. ↑ Hayes, Dade (2020-12-02). "‘Law & Order: SVU’ Sets Broadcast Syndication Return As ‘Dateline’ Clears 75% Of U.S. Markets" (in en-US). https://deadline.com/2020/12/law-and-order-svu-dateline-broadcast-syndication-nbcuniversal-1234636726/.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Miller, Mark K.. "NBCU TV Distribution Names Programming VP", TVNewsCheck, June 4, 2019. 
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 Miller, Mark K.. "Tribune May Nix Long-Time Conflict Talkers", TVNewsCheck, July 18, 2014. 
  41. ↑ Hill, Libby. "Get ready for 'Judge Jerry'", Tampa Bay Times, November 27, 2018, p. 2B. 
  42. ↑ Miller, Mark K.. "'Judge Jerry' Clearances Hit 99% For Fall", TVNewsCheck, April 8, 2019. 
  43. ↑ "Daytime talk show gets a second season", The Spokesman-Review, Cowles Publishing Company, November 15, 2014, p. 5. 
  44. ↑ Boedeker, Hal. "Steve Harvey to get soap slot on WFTV", Orlando Sentinel, November 8, 2011, p. A2. 
  45. ↑ "TV Buzz", Kenosha News, United Communications, February 16, 2013, p. 5. 
  46. ↑ Miller, Mark K.. "Syndicated 'Dateline' Tops 85% For Season 3", TVNewsCheck, February 26, 2019. 



NBCUniversal
Part of Comcast

Film studios:
Universal Pictures (Others | Trailer variants | Closing variants | Logo Variations) | DreamWorks Pictures (Others | Trailer variants | Closing variants | Logo Variations) | DreamWorks Animation (Others | Trailer variants | Closing variants | Logo Variations) | Universal 1440 Entertainment | Universal Studios Family Productions | Universal Animation Studios | Focus Features (Others) | Focus World | Working Title Films | Illumination (Illumination Mac Guff) (Others | Logo Variations) | United International Pictures8 | NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan | NBC Sports Films | OTL Releasing

NBCUniversal Television Group:
Universal Television (Others) | Universal Television Alternative Studios | NBCUniversal Television Distribution | Universal Cable Productions | Peacock Productions | NBCUniversal International Studios | LXTV | DreamWorks Animation Television (Others) | Working Title Television | Bravo Originals | Syfy Originals

U.S. broadcast networks:
NBC (HD) | Telemundo (HD) | Cozi TV | Telexitos

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations:
NBC O&Os: KNBC | KNSD | KNTV | KXAS-TV | WBTS-LD/WYCN-CD | WCAU | WMAQ-TV | WNBC | WRC-TV | WTVJ | WVIT
 Telemundo O&Os: KBLR | KDEN-TV | KEJT-CD | KHRR | KNSO1 | KSTS | KTAZ | KTDO | KTLM | KTMD | KVDA | KVEA | KXTX-TV | WDMR-CD | WKAQ-TV | WNEU | WNJU | WRDM-CD | WRIW-CD | WRMD-CD | WRTD-CD | WSCV | WSNS-TV | WTMO-CD | WWSI | WWDT-CD | WZDC-CD | WZTD-LD
 Other: K15CU-D

NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment:
Bravo | CNBC (World) | E! | Golf Channel | MSNBC | NBCSN | Universo | NHL Network | Olympic Channel14 | Oxygen | Syfy (HD | Other) | Universal Kids (Others) | USA Network (HD) | New England Cable News

NBCUniversal International Networks:
Universal TV (UK | Latin America | Africa) | Syfy (Latin America) | DreamWorks Channel | 13th Street Universal (Calle 13 Universal | 13ème Rue Universal) | Diva | Studio Universal (Italy | Latin America | Africa) | E! (Canada | Latin America) | Telemundo Internacional | Golf Channel (Latin America)10 | CNBC (Africa | Arabia | Asia | Australia | Europe | India 15 (CNBC-TV18 (HD), CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar) | Indonesia16 | Latin America | Pakistan) | Movies 24 | Movies 24+ | EuronewsNBC13

NBC Sports Regional Networks:
Bay Area | Boston | California | Chicago | Northwest | Philadelphia | Washington | SportsNet New York

Universal Parks & Resorts:
Universal Studios Hollywood | Universal Orlando Resort | (Cabana Bay Beach Resort | Hard Rock Hotel | Loews Portofino Bay Hotel | Loews Royal Pacific Resort | Loews Sapphire Falls Resort | Universal Studios Florida | Universal's Islands of Adventure | Volcano Bay) | Universal Studios Japan | Universal Studios Singapore | Universal Studios Dubailand | Universal CityWalk | Universal Creative

Other assets:
Fandango | Movieclips | Flixster | Rotten Tomatoes | Movies.com | Hulu (30%) | NBC Sports Group | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment | Green is Universal | NBC News | NBC Sports | NBC Olympics | NBC Kids | NBC On Demand | NBCUniversal News Group | NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises | NBCUniversal International Distribution | Universal Brand Development | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment10 | NBC Sports Digital | PictureBox Films | Hayu | SportsEngine | Telemundo Deportes | RTI Producciones (40%) | Amblin Partners 12 | Craftsy | Movies Anywhere | Dark Universe | NBCi | Bluprint

Defunct/Dissolved:
Universal Cartoons | MCA Family Entertainment | Walter Lantz Productions | Revue Studios | Kayro-UTV Productions | MCA | MCA TV | MCA Television Entertainment | MCA DiscoVision | Seagram's | Universal Eight | NBC Films | NBC Studios | NBC Enterprises | NBC International | NBC Home Video | Castle Films | Universal Pay Television | Multimedia Entertainment | Universal Worldwide Television | Universal Television Entertainment | USA Network Originals | Studios USA | International Pictures | Island Pictures | October Films | Universal Focus | USA Films | NBC Plus | NBC Nonstop | Diva TV | Exercise TV | Hallmark Channel (International) | MountainWest Sports Network | Good Machine | Cinema International Corporation8 | CIC Video8 | Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast | Comcast Sports Southwest | KidsCo5 | Fearnet2 | ITC Entertainment Group6 | ITC Film Distributors6 | Multimedia Motion Pictures | Associated Film Distribution7 | PolyGram Filmed Entertainment | PolyGram Television | PolyGram Video | Interscope Communications | USA Home Entertainment | USA Cartoon Express | NBC Universal Television Studio | Universal Media Studios | Universal Network Television | Propaganda Films | G4 (HD) | MSNBC Canada | Universal Sports4 | Qubo9 | CBS Telenoticias | FilmDistrict | Cloo | Esquire Network3 | Universal HD | Gramercy Pictures | Comcast Network | Wet 'n Wild Orlando | iVillage | DailyCandy | Chiller | Chiller Films | Seeso | FlixMix

Notes
1NBCUniversal owns the station, but it is operated by Serestar Communications.
2Co-owned with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation.
3Co-owned with Hearst Corporation.
4Owns a minority share, InterMedia Partners owns a majority share.
5Co-owned with Corus Entertainment.
6NBCUniversal acquired some of ITC's assets when Universal Pictures merged with PolyGram, but ITV plc still owns ITC's films and shows.
7NBCUniversal has some of AFD's assets, but Vivendi now owns EMI's films and ITV plc owns ITC's films.
8Co-owned with Paramount Pictures.
9Joint venture with Ion Media Networks, DreamWorks Classics, Corus Entertainment and Scholastic.
10Joint venture with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
11Owned by Simple Networks and Inversiones Bahía and operated by Imagina US, under brand license
12Co-owned with The Amblin Group, Participant Media, Entertainment One, Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, and Alibaba Group.
13Co-owned with Media Globe Networks and European public broadcasters.
14Co-owned with the United States Olympic Committee.
15Co-owned with TV18.
16Co-owned with Trans Corp.

NBCUniversal 2011
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