History
Sony Pictures Television's history goes back to 1947, when Ralph Cohn, whose father Jack and uncle Harry co-founded Columbia Pictures, founded Pioneer Telefilms. It was bought by Columbia and renamed Screen Gems in November 1948, reincorporated as Columbia Pictures Television on May 6, 1974, [4] and merged with sister studio TriStar Television (formed in 1986 and relaunched in 1991) to form Columbia TriStar Television on February 21, 1994. [5]
On September 16, 2002, Sony Pictures Entertainment renamed the American studio as Sony Pictures Television and its international division as Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI). [6]
On June 7, 2004, Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired Starling from Vivendi and it was made part of Sony Pictures Television International until April 1, 2009, when all SPT's companies and joint ventures were combined under one roof.
In November 2004, Sony Pictures Television under their international television arm Sony Pictures Television International had announced that they've entered a Chinese film and television production joint venture with China Film Group's division Hua Long Film Digital Production to launch a new company which was named Huaso, marking Sony Pictures Television first entry into the Chinese market and to increase Sony Pictures Television's Asian television production with Dandan Zhang leading the joint venture company. [7] [8]
In summer 2007, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they've 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, YouTube, and its then-sister site Crackle.
In March 2008, Sony Pictures Television's international television division, Sony Pictures Television International, announced it had acquired a minority stake in the then-recently launched London-based British television production company founded by former Lion Television executive producers Mat Steiner and Adam Wood named Gogglebox Entertainment, expanding Sony Pictures Television's British television operations with Sony Pictures Television International obtaining international distribution rights to Gogglebox's formats. [9] [10]
In June 2008, Sony Pictures Television and their parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment had announced that they've bought Hilversum, Netherlands-based Dutch independent television production company 2waytraffic, international holders of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise in order for Sony Pictures Television to expand their reality television portfolio outside the US with the CEO of 2waytraffic Kees Abrahams continuing to lead the acquired company. [11] [12] [13]
On January 14, 2009, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've acquired New York-based American independent television and digital production company Embassy Row following their success of their three-year deal with Embassy Row back in 2006 thrust expanding their American non-scripted television production operations with British reality television producer and former ABC executive.
Fourteen days later in January of that same year, Sony Pictures Television under their international television production division Sony Pictures Television International had announced that they've acquired a 50% stake in Colombian largest independent TV production company Teleset, thrust expanding Sony Pictures Television's international television production operations and increasing their US Hispanic and Latin American television production business. [14] [15]
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. [16] [17]
In July 2010, Sony Pictures Television announced that it had expanded its television production operations intro Brazil by launching a joint venture script and non-script production company based in São Paulo named Floriesta, with Brazilian producer and former Rede Bandeirantes programme executive Elisabetta Zenatti heading Sony's joint venture production company, expanding Sony Pictures Television's international production operations, its first entry into the Brazilian television market. [18] [19]
On June 23, 2011, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've 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 [20] (not to be confused with Jim Victory Television, a defunct syndication company previously owned by MTM Enterprises). On September 25, 2011, Andrea Wong was tapped to head the international television production division of Sony Pictures Television to oversee all international businesses for the studio. [21]
On January 19, 2012, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they've acquired Dolphin Broadcast Services Ltd. and merged it into its existing UK networks business. Sony Pictures Television also took a majority stake in Dolphin's advertising sales business. [22] [23] On March 1, 2012, Sony Pictures Television acquired a majority stake in UK independent production company Silver River Productions. [24] 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 Movies on September 4, 2012. [25]
In August 2012, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they had acquired a majority stake of British independent television production company Left Bank Pictures, a UK production company founded by Andy Harries, Francis Hopkinson, and Marigo Kehoe thrust expanding Sony Pictures Television's British television production operations and their first entry into the British scripted television production industry with Sony Pictures Television distributing Left Bank Pictures' future television content. [26] [27] [28]
On August 22, 2013, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they had acquired a majority stake in Simon Andrae's new production company Scarlet Media. [29] However, two months later, Andrae dropped his plans for Scarlet and was tapped to become executive vice-president of alternative entertainment for Fox. [30] 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. [31]
On June 26, 2014, Sony Pictures Television announced the decision to acquire CSC Media Group including 16 of its cable channels. [32] the deal closed on August 15, 2014. [33] 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. [34]
On December 1, 2014, Sony Pictures Television announced that it had acquired Sydney-based Australian independent drama production company Playmaker Media, expanding Sony Pictures Television's international television production operations into Australia with Playmaker Media co-founders and managing directors David Taylor and David Maher continuing to lead the acquired scripted programming production company. Sony Pictures Television's distribution arm had also taken over Playmaker Media's programmes internationally. [35] [36] [37]
On July 26, 2014, Liberty Global announced that it had put Film1 up for sale. [38] Liberty Global agreed to sell Film1 to Sony Pictures Television on March 27, 2015. [39] The sale was completed on July 21, 2015. [40]
On May 28 2015, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've relaunched the TriStar Television brand as a boutique production label after being an in-name-only notice for fifteen years with Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs running the relaunched production label. [41] The first new series was Good Girls Revolt and was piloted for Amazon Prime Video. [42]
As of September 2015, it was the world's largest television production and distribution company measured by library and revenue (along with Warner Bros. Television). [43] [44]
On March 1 2016, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they've shutting down their British unscripted television production company Victory Television after Managing Director Victoria Ashbourne announced to step down after five years to pursue other opportunities. Sony Pictures Television's distribution division had retained international distribution rights for all of Victory's productions. [45]
In July 2016, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've acquired a minority stake in Swedish production company Palladium Fiction, expanding Sony Pictures Television's international television operation and marked the first time Sony Pictures Television had entered the Swedish television production industry with Palladium Fiction founders Henrik Bjorn, Filip Hammarstrom and Johan Rudolphie continued to lead the acquired company under Sony. [46] [47] [48]
On July 25, 2017, Sony Pictures Television's parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that their new chairman and CEO, Tony Vinciquerra had tapped Jeff Frost, Chris Parnell, and Jason Clodfelter as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Television. Frost joined Sony Pictures Television 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. [49] [50] It would soon be phasing out starting in 2022.
On July 31, 2017, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would acquire a 95% controlling stake in anime importer Funimation for $143 million pending approval from the U.S. Department of Justice. [51] Sony touted that the deal would allow Funimation to have synergies with its Animax and Kids Station divisions and "direct access to the creative pipeline". The Department of Justice approved the acquisition on August 22, 2017. [52] The deal was closed on October 27, 2017. [53] On September 24, 2019, Sony Pictures Television later announced that it would be consolidating Funimation with Aniplex's Madman Anime Group and Wakanim, under a joint-venture between the two Sony businesses. [54]
In September 2018, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've acquired a minority stake in British independent scripted production company Eleventh Hour Films after the television studio's partnership with the British company back in November 2017. The new deal would give Sony Pictures Television's access to Eleventh Hour Films productions and will distribute them internationally around the world. [55] [56] [57]
On December 10, 2019, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would acquire the British studio Silvergate Media—creators of The Octonauts and the Netflix series Hilda , for US$175 million. [58]
In April 2020, Sony Pictures Television announced it had acquired a significant stake in London-based British television production company Eleven Film. The deal to acquire a stake of Eleven Film included Channel 4's 20% stake in the company and expansion of Sony Pictures Television's drama production output and its British television operations. [59] [60] Two months later in June, Sony Pictures Television announced that it had acquired a majority stake in London-based British television production company Eleven Film, expanding Sony Pictures Television's drama television production operations and its British television production output with Channel 4 dropping its 20% stake in Eleven Film. [61] [62] [63]
In July 2020, Sony Pictures Television had announced that they've sold their French unscripted television production division Sony Pictures Television France along with their production company Starling to Paris-based French reality production company Satisfaction Group and renamed the company as Satisfy with Sony Pictures Television taking a 20% stake in Satisfaction Group in return and had signed an exclusive joint venture deal with them as their international distribution partner outside of France. [64] [65] [66]
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 network, Animax and Sony One, to KC Global Media, which was owned by former SPT executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien. [67] The sale was completed, with the addition of the Gem channel, in May 2020. [68]
On May 14, 2021, SPT sold its UK television channels (including some assets of CSC Media Group) to Narrative Capital. [69]
On October 1, 2021, SPT sold its Central and Eastern Europe television channels and two OTT services to Antenna Group. [70]
On December 1, 2021, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've bought a majority stake in the Welsh production company, Bad Wolf. [71]
In July 2022, Sony Pictures Television announced that they've struck a deal with French international television production and distribution company Banijay to acquire Sony Pictures Television's German television division Sony Pictures Film und Fernseh Produktions GmbH (Sony Pictures Television Germany) to expand Banijay's German operations and will go under a different name with Sony Pictures Television Germany bosses Astrid Quentell and Mirek Nitsch will continue to lead the company. [72] [73]
Two months later in October of that same year, Banijay completed its purchase of Sony Pictures Television Germany, which was renamed Noisy Pictures. [74]
On May 31, 2024, Sony announced it was shutting down its TriStar Television boutique label and was folded into its drama department. The move was announced after the departures of Nicole Norwood and Jennifer Turner. Newer projects in development were taken over by Sony Pictures Television. [75]
In October 2024, Sony Pictures Television announced that they're launching a new production company based in Belfast named Hot Sauce Pictures with Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, marking Sony Pictures Television's second Irish production company and expanded their UK television operations with Hot Sauce Pictures joining Sony Picture Television's international production activities. [76]
