Paramount Home Entertainment
FormerlyParamount Home Video (1976–1999)
Paramount Home Media Distribution (2011–2019)
TypeDivision
IndustryHome media
PredecessorsCIC Video
DreamWorks Home Entertainment
Miramax Home Entertainment
Founded1976; 46 years ago (1976)
Headquarters
Hollywood, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Bob Buchi (President)
ProductsHome video releases
ServicesHome video
Digital distribution
ParentParamount Pictures
(Paramount Global)
Footnotes / references
[1]

Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global. The division oversees PPC's home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. PHE additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.[2]

History

When the video distribution unit was formed, Paramount released its video library through Fotomat.[3] The relationship ended and Paramount soon formed its own video arm in 1980.

In the United Kingdom and other countries, the Paramount Pictures film library were released on VHS by CIC Video alongside Universal Pictures until 1999 before CIC was renamed to Paramount Home Entertainment UK and PolyGram Video was renamed to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment UK.

In 2008, PHE launched a direct-to-video label, Paramount Famous Productions (with the "Famous" part of the name a throwback to the days when the company was called Famous Players).

In 2011, due to a company restructure, PHE was renamed Paramount Home Media Distribution.[4]

In June 2016, PHMD started releasing Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, starting with the first two installments of the Star Trek reboot trilogy.

In May 2019, PHMD reverted its name back to Paramount Home Entertainment.[5]

HD DVD and Blu-ray support

In October 2005, Paramount announced that it would be supporting the HD video format Blu-ray in addition to rival format HD DVD, becoming the first studio to release on both formats.[6] Its first four HD DVD releases came in July 2006,[7] and it released four titles on Blu-ray two months later.[8] In August 2007, Paramount (along with DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation) announced their exclusive support for HD DVD.[9] However, when other studios eventually dropped HD DVD and players for the technology stopped being manufactured, Paramount switched to Blu-ray. In May 2008, it released three titles on Blu-ray and continues to release its high-definition discs in that format exclusively.[10]

References

  1. ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (May 6, 2019). "Home Entertainment Divisions Change Names". Media Play News. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  2. ^ "Cinnabon & Paramount Home Media are Treating Fans to Ultimate Valentine's Night In" (Press release). Cinnabon. February 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  3. ^ "Fotomat in Deal with Paramount". The New York Times. April 5, 1979.
  4. ^ "Paramount links distribution arms". Variety. September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (May 6, 2019). "Home Entertainment Divisions Change Names". Media Play News. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Rojas, Peter (October 3, 2005). "Paramount says yes to both Blu-ray and HD DVD – Engadget". Engadget. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  7. ^ "Historical HD DVD Release Dates". High Def Digest. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  8. ^ "Historical Blu-ray Release Dates". High Def Digest. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  9. ^ Barnes, Brooks (August 21, 2007). "Two Studios to Support HD DVD Over Rival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  10. ^ Drawbaugh, Ben (May 19, 2008). "Blu-ray releases on May 20th, 2008". Engadget. Archived from the original on July 31, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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