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. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Players, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, Showtime, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount+, and applicable licensing and servicing of certain pre-2010 DreamWorks Pictures, Miramax, pre-2005 Dimension Films titles, and DreamWorks Animation films from 2006 to 2012, as well as select IFC Films titles and Saban Films titles. 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 UK 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 May 2019, PHMD reverted its name back to Paramount Home Entertainment, which is the name they carried from 1999 to 2011.[5]

HD DVD and Blu-ray support

Paramount brands the majority of its HD content under the label 'Paramount High Definition' which is seen both on the title box cover and as an in-movie opening. Films from Paramount subsidiaries such as Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films as well as from former sister studio DreamWorks use no special branding, Paramount Vantage (another subsidiary) releases only select titles under the Paramount High Definition banner.

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]

Sub-labels

Paramount Famous Productions

Main article: Paramount Famous Productions

Paramount Famous Productions was a sub-label of PHE, handling films released exclusively to home video formats without a theatrical release. The label was closed in 2011.

Paramount DVD

Paramount DVD is a sub-label of PHE exclusively found on DVD releases, generally noted by a logo animation with a DVD flying into the Paramount mountain and taking the shape of the outline created by the mountain.

Paramount High Definition

Paramount High Definition is a sub-label focusing on home media releases of Paramount's film and television library in high definition video formats.

Peanuts Home Video

Peanuts Home Video was a sub-label used under licence from United Feature Syndicate to distributed episodes of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show and Peanuts specials, including Snoopy! The Musical, It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown (marketing) and many more.

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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