Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
and
distribution studio. Based at the
Sony Pictures Studios
The Sony Pictures Studios is an American television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard (south), Washington Boulevard (north), Overland Avenue (west) and ...
complex in
Culver City
Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...
, it is a division of
Sony Entertainment
Sony Entertainment, Inc. is an American entertainment company established in 2012. It focuses on most of Sony's motion picture, television and music businesses. It is a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony Group Corporation, managed by Sony's Americ ...
's unit
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, ac ...
and a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate
Sony Group Corporation
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
.
History
SPT's history goes back to 1947, when Pioneer Telefilms was founded by Ralph Cohn, whose father Jack and uncle
Harry
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
co-founded
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
. Pioneer was bought by Columbia and renamed
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American brand name used by Sony Pictures' Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, a subsidiary of Japanese multinational conglomerate, Sony Group Corporation. It has served several different purposes for its parent ...
in November 1948, reincorporated as
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CPT) was launched on May 6, 1974, by Columbia Pictures as an American television production and distribution studio. It is the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gem ...
on May 6, 1974,
and merged with sister studio
TriStar Television
TriStar Television, Inc. (first spelled Tri-Star, and abbreviated as TT) is an American television production studio that is a division of Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures Television. TriStar Television was launched in
March 1986 by TriStar Pi ...
(formed in 1986 and relaunched in 1991) to form
Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CTT) was an American television production and distribution company that was active from 1994 to 2002. It was operated as the third name of the early television studio Screen Gems and the fourth ...
on February 21, 1994.
On September 16, 2002,
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, ac ...
renamed the American studio as Sony Pictures Television and its international division as Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI)).
In summer 2007, SPT introduced
The Minisode Network, a digital channel for
MySpace airing shows from the 1960s to early 2000s from four to five minutes. In winter 2007, The Minisode Network was also added to a few more sites including
AOL TV
AOL TV was the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display (rather than a monitor), and the online service that supports it, both of which were launched in June 2000 to compete with WebTV.
The product and service were develop ...
,
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, and its then-sister site
Crackle
Crackle or crackling may refer to:
Foods
* Cracklings, the tissue remaining after lard and tallow have been extracted from animal fats
** Pork rinds in American English, pork scratchings in British English when served in small pieces as a snac ...
.
In 2008, SPT bought
Hilversum
Hilversum () is a city and municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. Located in the heart of the Gooi, it is the largest urban centre in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller towns. Hilvers ...
, Netherlands-based production company
2waytraffic, international holders of the ''
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...
'' franchise.
On January 14, 2009, SPT acquired
Embassy Row
Embassy Row is the informal name for a section of Northwest Washington, D.C. with a high concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions, and diplomatic residences. It spans Massachusetts Avenue N.W. between 18th and 35th street, bounded by ...
, a television and digital production company by British television producer
Michael Davies. Fourteen days later, SPTI acquired a 50% stake in
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
n independent TV production company
Teleset
Teleset is a television production company based in Bogotá, Colombia. It produced '' Metástasis'', the Spanish-language remake of ''Breaking Bad''.
Teleset's portfolio contains popular telenovelas such as La Baby Sister, The Useless One, Love i ...
.
Three months later on April 1, Sony Pictures consolidated its US and international television divisions under one roof under SPT brand. Sony Pictures Television International now operates in-name-only.
On June 23, 2011, SPT formed Victory Television, a London-based television production company jointly owned by Victoria Ashbourne, SPT's senior vice president of creative development for international production (not to be confused with Jim Victory Television, a defunct syndication company previously owned by
MTM Enterprises
MTM Enterprises (also known as MTM Productions) was an American independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore and her then-husband Grant Tinker to produce ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' for CBS. The name for the productio ...
). On September 25, 2011,
Andrea Wong
Andrea Wong is an American businesswoman who serves on the boards of Liberty Media Corporation, Qurate Retail Group, Hudson Pacific Properties, Roblox, and Oaktree Acquisition Corp II. She is also a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts. She forme ...
was tapped to head the international television production division of Sony Pictures Television to oversee all international businesses for the studio.
On January 19, 2012, SPT acquired Dolphin Broadcast Services Ltd. and merged it into its existing UK networks business. SPT also took a majority stake in Dolphin's advertising sales business. On March 1, 2012, SPT acquired a majority stake in UK independent production company Silver River Productions. On May 31, SPT launched Sony Movie Channel and AXN in Canada in partnership with
Hollywood Suite. Two of Hollywood Suite's networks:
Hollywood Festival re-launched as Sony Movie Channel and
Hollywood Storm as
AXN
AXN is a pay television channel owned by Sony Pictures Television, which was first launched in September 1997 in Asia. Local versions have since been launched in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Funded th ...
Movies on September 4, 2012. On August 23, 2012, SPT acquired a majority stake in
Left Bank Pictures
Left Bank Pictures (stylized as LEFT BANK Pictures) is a British film and television production company. It was formed in 2007 and was the first British media company to receive investment from BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC.
Lef ...
, a UK production company founded by Andy Harries, Francis Hopkinson, and Marigo Kehoe.
On August 22, 2013, Sony Pictures Television acquired a majority stake in Simon Andrae's new production company Scarlet Media. However, two months later, Andrae dropped his plans for Scarlet and was tapped to become executive vice-president of alternative entertainment for Fox. On December 16, 2013, Tuvalu Media joined forces with financing firm Karmign and acquired SPT's 60% stakes to regain independence. SPT acquired 60% in Tuvalu in 2008.
On June 26, 2014, SPT announced the decision to acquire
CSC Media Group
CSC Media Group, formerly known as Chart Show Channels (CSC), was a British cable television broadcasting company. It was a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television. The company dissolved on 27 November 2019.
Background
CSC Media Group was named ...
including 16 of its cable channels. the deal closed on August 15, 2014. On November 6, 2014, Daisy Goodwin stepped down from Silver River Productions amid Sony's restructuring. The studio had restructured its operations to SPT's streamline operations. She was less active in her production company and had been focusing on her books. On December 1, 2014, SPT acquired Australian drama production company, Playmaker Media.
On July 26, 2014,
Liberty Global
Liberty Global plc is a British-Dutch-American multinational telecommunications company with headquarters in London, Amsterdam and Denver. Its respective legal names are Liberty Global Plc, Liberty Global B.V. and Liberty Global, Inc., with ...
announced that it had put
Film1
''Film1'' is a Dutch premium television and video on demand service that replaced Canal+ and is owned by SPI International (previously owned by Liberty Global and Sony Pictures Television).
Background
The service launched with three channels a ...
up for sale. Liberty Global agreed to sell Film1 to Sony Pictures Television on March 27, 2015. The sale was completed on July 21, 2015.
On May 28, 2015, TriStar Television was re-launched as a boutique production label for Sony Pictures Television. The first new series was ''
Good Girls Revolt
''Good Girls Revolt'' is an American period drama streaming television series. It is inspired by Lynn Povich's 2013 book ''The Good Girls Revolt'' and based on real-life events. The show was released on October 28, 2016, on Amazon Prime Video.
O ...
'' and was piloted for
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
.
As of September 2015, it was the world's largest television production and distribution company measured by library and revenue (along with
Time Warner
Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States.
It was originally established in 1972 by ...
's
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
).
On March 1, 2016, Sony announced to shut down Victory Television after Managing Director Victoria Ashbourne announced to step down after five years to pursue other opportunities. SPT retained international distribution rights for all of Victory's productions.
On July 25, 2017, SPE's new chairman and CEO,
Tony Vinciquerra
Anthony "Tony" Vinciquerra (born August 30, 1954) is an American film executive who is the current Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Early life
Vinciquerra was born in Albany, New York, and grew up with three sisters in a three b ...
tapped Jeff Frost, Chris Parnell, and Jason Clodfelter as co-presidents of SPT. Frost joined SPT in 2008 from ABC Studios, Parnell in 2003 and Clodfelter in 2006.
The same day, Sony Pictures Television Studios was founded, which later began rolling out for current and future SPT titles starting on January 7, 2020.
On July 31, 2017, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would acquire a 95% controlling stake in anime importer
Funimation
Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...
for $143 million pending approval from the
U.S. Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...
. Sony touted that the deal would allow Funimation to have synergies with its
Animax
, stylized as ANIMAX, is a Japanese animation satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. The channel also dubbed other cartoons in Japanese language. A subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, it is headq ...
and
Kids Station Kids Station (Japanese language, Japanese: キッズステーション, ''Kizzu Sutēshon'') is a Japanese children's television channel showing anime and other cartoon material. Kids Station also airs some anime aimed at teens and adults during the ...
divisions and "direct access to the creative pipeline". The Department of Justice approved the acquisition on August 22, 2017. The deal was closed on October 27, 2017. On September 24, 2019, Sony Pictures Television later announced that it would be consolidating Funimation with
Aniplex
is a Japanese anime, music production and anime licensee company owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Established in September 1995, Aniplex has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime series, such as both ''Fullm ...
's
Madman Anime Group
Crunchyroll Pty. Ltd., trading as Crunchyroll Store Australia, and previously known as Madman Anime, is an Australian distribution company focused on anime and Japanese media. The company handles licensing and distribution of anime in Australia ...
and Wakanim, under a joint-venture between the two Sony businesses.
On December 10, 2019, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would acquire the British studio
Silvergate Media
Silvergate Media Holdings Limited, doing business as Sony Pictures Television - Kids, is a television production and brand licensing company based in New York City and London. The company was founded in 2011 by Waheed Alli and was acquired by Son ...
—creators of ''
The Octonauts
''Octonauts'' is a children's television series, produced by Silvergate Media for the BBC channel CBeebies, and based on the children's books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy.
The show follows an underwater exploring crew made up o ...
'' and the Netflix series ''
Hilda
Hilda is one of several female given names derived from the name ''Hild'', formed from Old Norse , meaning 'battle'. Hild, a Nordic-German Bellona, was a Valkyrie who conveyed fallen warriors to Valhalla. Warfare was often called Hild's Game. Th ...
'', for US$175 million.
Sony had shifted to content licensing as a focus instead of owning the channels, which were previously high-margin earners. Subsequently, the Southeast Asia channels group were identified as potential for sale. Sony Pictures Television agreed in January 2020 to sell its Southeast Asian and Korean television channels, the
AXN
AXN is a pay television channel owned by Sony Pictures Television, which was first launched in September 1997 in Asia. Local versions have since been launched in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Funded th ...
network, Animax and
Sony One
ONE (formerly named Sony ONE) is a Southeast Asian pay television channel owned by KC Global Media Asia. It is available in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia. It was launched on 1 October 2010 at 21:00 SST (20:00 WIB).
T ...
, to KC Global Media, which owned by former SPT executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien. The sale was completed, with the addition of the
Gem
A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...
channel, in May 2020.
On May 14, 2021, SPT sold its UK television channels (including some assets of
CSC Media Group
CSC Media Group, formerly known as Chart Show Channels (CSC), was a British cable television broadcasting company. It was a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television. The company dissolved on 27 November 2019.
Background
CSC Media Group was named ...
) to Narrative Capital.
On October 1, 2021, SPT sold its Central and Eastern Europe television channels and two
OTT services to
Antenna Group.
On December 1, 2021, SPT bought a majority stake in the Welsh production company,
Bad Wolf
"Bad Wolf" is the twelfth episode of the revived first series of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The episode was first broadcast on BBC One on 11 June 2005. It is the first of a two-part story. The concluding episo ...
.
In October 2022,
Banijay
Banijay (formerly Banijay Entertainment and later Banijay Group) is a French television production and distribution company which is the world's largest international content producer and distributor with over 120 production companies across 22 ...
completed its purchase of Sony Pictures Television Germany, which was renamed Noisy Pictures.
Sony Pictures Television networks
These are the channels owned and operated and jointly operated by Sony Pictures Television. For channels owned under CSC Media Group, see
CSC Media Group
CSC Media Group, formerly known as Chart Show Channels (CSC), was a British cable television broadcasting company. It was a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television. The company dissolved on 27 November 2019.
Background
CSC Media Group was named ...
.
*
Sony Channel
Sony Channel is a brand of general entertainment television channels, owned by Sony Pictures Television. It was previously known as Sony Entertainment Television (SET), but many of the channels, except the Indian television channel, were rebrand ...
*
Game Show Network
Game Show Network (GSN) is an American basic cable channel owned by Sony Pictures Television. The channel's programming is primarily dedicated to game shows, including reruns of acquired game shows, along with new, first-run original and revive ...
: Launched on December 1, 1994.
*
Culver Max Entertainment
Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited, doing business as Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN or SPNI), is an Indian media conglomerate owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Culver Max Entertainment manages and operates 26 television channels, ...
: Launched as Set India Private Limited on September 30, 1995.
*
AXN
AXN is a pay television channel owned by Sony Pictures Television, which was first launched in September 1997 in Asia. Local versions have since been launched in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Funded th ...
: Launched on June 22, 1997
*
Animax
, stylized as ANIMAX, is a Japanese animation satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. The channel also dubbed other cartoons in Japanese language. A subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, it is headq ...
: Launched on May 20, 1998
*
Sony Movies: Launched on October 1, 2010. Also operates in the United Kingdom (formerly
Movies4Men 2
Movies4Men2 was a satellite television film channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland, available as a free-to-air service on Freesat, Sky and as in the basic package on Smallworld Cable. Prior to 9 October 2006, Movies4Men2 was previously known a ...
) and Ireland.
*
GetTV
getTV is an American digital multicast television network owned by the Sony Pictures Television Networks subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television. Originally formatted as a movie-oriented service, the network has since transitioned into a genera ...
: A
digital multicast network to air classic films and series by Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, MGM, and CBS Media Ventures that was scheduled to launch in Fall 2013. It was later launched on February 3, 2014.
* Cine Sony Television: A US/Spanish language network launched in August 2012.
Past names
* Pioneer Telefilms (1947–1948)
*
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American brand name used by Sony Pictures' Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, a subsidiary of Japanese multinational conglomerate, Sony Group Corporation. It has served several different purposes for its parent ...
(1948–1974)
*
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CPT) was launched on May 6, 1974, by Columbia Pictures as an American television production and distribution studio. It is the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gem ...
(1974–2001)
*
TriStar Television
TriStar Television, Inc. (first spelled Tri-Star, and abbreviated as TT) is an American television production studio that is a division of Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures Television. TriStar Television was launched in
March 1986 by TriStar Pi ...
(1986–1988, 1991–1999)
*
Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CTT) was an American television production and distribution company that was active from 1994 to 2002. It was operated as the third name of the early television studio Screen Gems and the fourth ...
(1994–2002)
See also
*
List of Sony Pictures Television programs
This is a list of television series produced, distributed or owned by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
Sony Pictures Television
Formerly known as Screen Gems (1948–1974), Columbia Pictures Television (1974–200 ...
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
American brands
2002 establishments in California
American companies established in 2002
Mass media companies established in 2002
Cable network groups in the United States
Broadcasting companies of the United States
Television production companies of the United States
Television syndication distributors
Entertainment companies based in California
Companies based in Culver City, California
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony subsidiaries