Universal Television (2011-present): Difference between revisions

Universal Television has its roots going back to 1947 when they entered the television market via [[United World Films]]. But after very little success, they shifted into producing TV commercials under Universal International Television, with the United World Name being renamed Universal Television by 1956. The current company of Universal Television was formed in 1962 after MCA bought Decca Records, who was also the owner of [[Universal Pictures|Universal-International Pictures]] and renamed MCA's television production company Revue Studios to the then-current name. They co-produced many shows with Jack Webb's [[Mark VII Limited]] such as ''Adam-12'' and a revival of the 1951 series ''Dragnet'' in 1967. In 1988, Universal Television and [[MCA TV]] formed a sub-division known as [[MTE|MCA Television Entertainment]] (or "MTE").. In 1990, Uni TV began the ''Law & Order'' franchise. The same year, Universal was acquired by the electronics company Mastushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (now "Panasonic Corporation"). In 1995, Universal was acquired by Joseph A. Seagram and Sons and later acquired the USA Networks. In 1996, MCA was reincorporated as "Universal Studios" and acquired [[Multimedia Entertainment]] from Gannett, Inc., and Universal Television's distribution arm, MCA TV, as well as its sub-division, MTE were renamed to Universal Television Enterprises and Universal Television Entertainment respectively. In 1997, Universal sold off its USA Networks and Universal Television to HSN Inc. (a company owned by Barry Diller), who renamed it to [[USA Cable Entertainment|Studios USA Television]]. In 1998, the breakup of [[United International Pictures]]' TV arm led to Universal reforming its own international television distributor, Universal Worldwide Television. It handled international distribution of Studios USA shows, while Studios USA handled domestic distribution of Universal's own library. In 1998, Seagram bought [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (UK)|PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]], which included [[PolyGram Television (UK)|PolyGram Television]]. The deal closed in 1999, and the name PolyGram was soon scrubbed and replaced with the Universal name. However in 1999, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios]] used its debt to acquire most of the pre-1996 films (1,300 titles) by PolyGram from Seagram. In 2001, Vivendi Universal acquired USA Networks and made Diller as CEO of VU Entertainment, fully reforming Universal Television. On May 12, 2004, General Electric (GE) acquired 80% of Universal Studios and merged the studio with NBC to form "NBC Universal, Inc." (now "NBCUniversal Media, LLC") and merged the two television companies to form "NBC Universal Television" (now "[[NBCUniversal Television]]"). However, the company decided to keep the NBC and Universal Television names in the end credits from any series by NBC or Universal. On September 12, 2011, the name "Universal Television" was reinstated, replacing the name "[[Universal Media Studios]]".