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 the 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.
In 1999, Viacom acquired several other TV production firms such as Spelling Entertainment/Republic Pictures (which owned Spelling Television, Worldvision Enterprises and Big Ticket Entertainment) and Rysher Entertainment (or at least its library). As a result, the size of Paramount's TV library more than tripled, giving PDT a slew of new series to distribute. Then the next year, PDT bought syndication rights to Spin City, a sitcom produced by DreamWorks Television - this was a precursor to Viacom buying parent company DreamWorks in 2005.
After Viacom split into two companies - one called Viacom and the other CBS Corporation - Paramount's TV 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 TV 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, as well as most shows from MTV and BET Networks lie with Trifecta Entertainment & Media. There is at least one exception to this: the TV Land original series Hot in Cleveland will be syndicated off-network by CBS Television Distribution in fall 2013 or 2014.
Read more about this topic: Paramount Domestic Television
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