NBC Universal Television Group

NBC Universal Television Group is an American and global television production/distribution company and a subsidiary of NBC Universal.

The company is composed of five divisions: Universal Media Studios (formerly NBC Universal Television Studio), NBC Universal Television Stations, NBC Universal Television Distribution, NBC Universal International Television and the recently-established Universal Cable Productions^[1].

The company was previously known as Revue Studios, NBC Studios, Universal Television, and MCA TV. The name was changed to NBC Universal Television on May 12, 2004 from the merger of NBC's production/distribution arm and Universal's television division to reflect the NBC Universal brand.

The previous name took syndication until September 20, 2004, which was also the date launch of the NBC Uni TV Distribution logo, even though the copyright to the NBC Universal TV shows are now credited to either NBC Studios, Inc., NBC Enterprises, Inc., Universal Network Television LLC, Universal Talk TV Productions, LLC, or otherwise NBC Universal, Inc. (all NBC Universal TV's alternate monikers).

On Thursday, June 14, 2007, NBC Universal announced that NBC Universal Television Studio would be renamed, effective immediately, to Universal Media Studios. The parent company, NBC Universal, explained that the reason for the name change of NBC Universal Television was because "the new name fully describes the company's mission to be the premier content provider for television and digital platforms, spanning all television dayparts and creative genres."^[2]

DVD releases for most shows owned by the group are handled by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, while others are licensed to other companies such as Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Arts Alliance America and Shout! Factory.

History

Universal Media Studios

Universal Media Studios (formerly NBC Productions,NBC Studios, Universal Network Television and NBC Universal Television Studios) is the television production arm of NBC Universal that produces network programs.

NBC Universal Television Stations

NBC Universal Television Stations is another production company that handles series that are aired on NBC owned stations.

NBC Universal Television Stations Division (TVSD) is an operation division of NBC Universal's owned and operated NBC stations and the following Telemundo Stations:

• KNBC, KVEA, and KWHY-TV, Los Angeles
• KNSD, San Diego
• KNTV and KSTS, San Jose-San Francisco
• KXAS-TV and KXTX-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth
• WCAU, Philadelphia
• WMAQ-TV and WSNS-TV, Chicago
• WNBC and WNJU, New York City
• WRC-TV, Washington, D.C.
• WTVJ and WSCV, Miami-Fort Lauderdale
• WVIT, New Britain-Hartford
• KBLR, Las Vegas
• KHRR, Tucson, Arizona
• KDEN, Denver
• KNSO, Fresno, California
• KTAZ, Phoenix
• KTMD, Galveston-Houston
• KVDA, San Antonio
• WKAQ-TV, San Juan
• WNEU, Merrimack, N.H.-Boston

NBC Universal Television Distribution

NBC Universal Television Distribution (formerly NBC Enterprises and Universal Domestic Television among other distributor incarnations) is the television distribution arm of NBC Universal that distributes programs across the nation.

NBC Universal International Television

NBC Universal International Television or NBC Universal International Television Distribution (formerly Universal Worldwide Television) is the worldwide television production/distribution arm of NBC Universal, syndicating NBC Uni's programs across the globe. Prior to NUIT's formation, for several years MGM International Television Distribution handled worldwide distribution of shows from NBC Studios.

American shows owned stateside by other companies

These shows are distributed by other companies in the USA, but by NUIT internationally

• Little House on the Prairie
  • US TV rights are owned by CBS Television Distribution (originally Worldvision Enterprises, Paramount Domestic Television, and CBS Paramount Domestic Television), while US video rights are owned by Lions Gate Home Entertainment. However, NBC (and now NBC Universal) has always owned the ancillary rights (the sale of US TV syndication rights in 1979 to Worldvision was due to fin-syn laws then in place).
• Punky Brewster (1984-88) and It's Punky Brewster (1985-86)
  • US TV rights are owned by Sony Pictures Television, and DVD rights by Shout! Factory. Sony's rights (inherited from Columbia Pictures Television) were also a result of the fin-syn laws. NBC produced the seasons airing on that network as well as the entire animated series, while CPT produced the syndicated seasons of the live-action series. NBC Universal owns ancillary rights.
• Several titles by Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, such as Just Shoot Me! (1997-2003), The Steve Harvey Show (1996-2002), and The Dana Carvey Show (1996)
  • US rights to all shows are with Sony Pictures Television. Brillstein-Grey had sold some of their library to Universal in the late 1990s.
• The Pretender (1996-2000)
  • US rights are with 20th Television (successor-in-interest to MTM Enterprises, which co-produced the first two seasons)
• Will & Grace (1998-2006)
  • Warner Bros. Television owns US TV rights to this series, while US video rights rest with Lions Gate. NBC Universal owns ancillary rights.
• Ed (2000-04)
  • CBS Television Distribution (successor-in-interest to co-producer Viacom Productions) owns the US rights to the series.
• Medical Investigation (2004-05)
  • CBS Television Distribution (successor-in-interest to co-producer Paramount Television) owns the US rights to the series.

References

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