Paramount Domestic Television

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.

Paramount Domestic Television
IndustryBroadcast syndication
FateRebranded as CBS Paramount Domestic Television, then combined with KingWorld to form CBS Television Distribution
Successor
Founded1982 (1982)
DefunctMay 28, 2006 (2006-05-28)
ParentGulf+Western (1982–1989)
Paramount Communications (1989–1994)
Viacom (1994–2006)
CBS Corporation (1997-2000, 2006)

History

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. 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 1997 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.

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.[1]

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.

After Viacom split into two companies – one called Viacom and the other CBS Corporation – 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 retains majority control of both CBS and the new Viacom, CBS programs (including those under the original Paramount Television name) are still distributed under the Paramount Home Entertainment label in conjunction with 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 Television

Off Network Shows

Talk Show

Infotainment

Courtroom shows
  • Judge Judy (1996–present, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2006, co-produced by Big Ticket Entertainment, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
  • Judge Mills Lane (1998–2001, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2001, formerly distributed by Rysher Entertainment)
  • Judge Joe Brown (1998–2013, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2006, co-produced by Big Ticket Entertainment, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)

Scripted comedy/drama

Reality
  • America's Dumbest Criminals (1996–2000, distributed by PDT from 1999 to 2000, formerly distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
  • Sightings (1992–1997), (Aired on Fox from 1992 to 1994, and on Sci-Fi Channel from 1996 to 1997)
  • Real TV (1996–2001)
  • Maximum Exposure (2000–2002)
  • Life Moments (2002–2003)
  • TAG:I: Real Heroes (1999–2002)
  • 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 (2003–2004)

Game shows

Music

References
  1. Stevenson, Richard W. (1989-10-20). "Plan Seen For Another TV Network". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-04-22.
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