MGM Television
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production Television syndication |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Headquarters |  United States |
Key people | Jim Packer President Gary Marenzi Co-president Gerald Ament Executive Vice President |
| Owner | MGM Holdings, Inc. |
| Parent | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. |
| Website | MGM Television website |
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television (commonly known as MGM Television and later MGM/UA Television among other names) is an American television production/distribution launched in 1955 and a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc.
From 2005–2006, MGM Television programs were distributed by Sony Pictures Television (as a result from a Sony-led consortium buying MGM). Since May 31, 2006, MGM Television has resumed sole production and distribution of its programs on television.
History
In 1955, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. launched Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television as television company with its first program, The MGM Parade. In 1982, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television became MGM/UA Television after the merger with United Artists.
In 1986, Ted Turner bought MGM/UA from Kirk Kerkorian, including all of the movies and television shows by MGM/UA. Turner gave Kerkorian all of United Artists and the MGM trademark 74 days later, on October 17, but kept the pre-May 1986 MGM television shows, the Associated Artists Productions library, and Gilligan's Island and it's two animated spin-offs, The New Adventures of Gilligan and Gilligan's Planet. Thus, when Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting System in October 1996, the pre-May 1986 MGM/UA TV shows became part of Warner Bros. (via its Turner Entertainment unit). After the Turner sale, the television banner was renamed to MGM/UA Television Productions
In 1987, the TV distribution arm MGM/UA Telecommunications was launched under the new company MGM/UA Communications Co. MGM/UA Television still kept producing the television series Fame until 1987, the 1980s version of The Twilight Zone until 1989, and Kids Incorporated until 1993.
On July 2, 1992, MGM/UA was reverted back to "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer". The television company was reformed as MGM Worldwide Television Group and its distributor MGM/UA Telecommunications Group when the company reverted from MGM/UA Television back to MGM Television.
In 1996, the company was reformed for different television brand labels known as MGM Television Entertainment, MGM Domestic Television Distribution, and MGM Worldwide Television when Kerkorian returned to MGM; however, MGM uses other names in the credits of their television shows such as MGM Global Television, Inc., MGM Global Holdings, Inc., and MGM Television Entertainment, Inc.
In 1997, MGM bought Orion Pictures Corporation, The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and Motion Picture Corporation of America from Metromedia (who are best known as the former owners of several TV stations that are now Fox O&O's and for the taping of television programs at Metromedia Square, now Fox Television Center) Now, MGM Television owns the movies/shows originally handled by Filmways, Inc. except The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction. These were distributed by Viacom Enterprises, now CBS Television Distribution), Orion Television, American International Television, Heatter-Quigley Productions and Samuel Goldwyn Television.
In 1997, MGM Television Entertainment was formed by MGM as its network television arm.
In 2005, MGM was purchased by a consortium which includes the Sony Corporation and Providence Equity Partners. As a result, Sony Pictures Television assumed worldwide distribution and certain domestic distribution of the television library from MGM Television. After Sony bought MGM, the company was referred to as MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
On May 31, 2006, MGM announced that it would drop Sony as its TV and home entertainment distributor by shifting its home video output to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, and relaunching its TV production/distribution arm. In October, MGM announced that they will distribute the film and television library from New Line Cinema. In 2008, rights reverted to Warner Bros. after consolidating New Line into WB.
MGM Television operates three television networks: ThisTV (co-owned and operated by Weigel Broadcasting), Epix (co-owned and operated by Viacom and Lions Gate Entertainment), and MGM HD. MGM Television is currently headed by Jim Packer, Gary Marenzi, and Gerald Ament.