Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.[1] (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros.
It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video (for Warner Communications, Inc.). The company launched in the United States with twenty films on Betamax and VHS videocassettes in late 1979. The company later expanded its line to include additional titles throughout 1979 and 1980.[2]
History
The company launched in the United States with twenty films on Betamax and VHS videocassettes in late 1979. The company later expanded its line to include additional titles throughout 1979 and 1980.
Warner Bros. began to branch out into the videodisc market, licensing titles to MCA DiscoVision and RCA's SelectaVisionvideodisc formats, allowing both companies to market and distribute the films under their labels.[3][4] By 1985, Warner was releasing material under their own label in both formats. Titles from Warner Home Video were and continue to be distributed and manufactured by Roadshow Home Video worldwide except for Australia and New Zealand because of its film counterpart's films released by Village Roadshow.[5]
In 1990, Warner Home Video acquired the worldwide home video rights to the MGM/UA catalog. The $125 million purchase was used to finance MGM/UA's acquisition by the Pathé Communications Corporation.[6] The intended 12½-year-long deal was cut short in February 2000, with MGM paying Warner Bros. $225 million to regain video rights to a number of its films. In exchange, Warner Bros. gained full control over the video rights to MGM's pre-1986 library, an asset the studio had acquired outright from Turner, but due to a pre-existing licensing deal with MGM, was originally expected to expire in 2001.[7]
On December 20, 1996, Warner Home Video was one of the first major American distributors for the then-new DVD format, by releasing the films Assassins, Blade Runner: Director's Cut, Eraser, and The Fugitive on DVD in Japan and on March 24, 1997, in the United States with Blade Runner also being a launch title for the region there.[8] Warner Bros. executive Warren Lieberfarb is often seen as "the father of DVD". Lieberfarb's successor, Warner Bros. executive James F. Cardwell was recognized in paving the way for WHV's strategic positioning in next generation technologies such as High Definition DVD (HD DVD), electronic sell-through and portable video. In 2003, Warner Home Video became the first home video releasing company to release movies only on DVD with no VHS equivalent.
In 2009, Warner Home Video introduced the Warner Archive Collection, which allows the public to order custom-made DVDs of rarely seen films and TV series from the Warner and Turner libraries. The films are also available as digital downloads. Warner Archive DVDs and downloads can be ordered online on Warner's website, on Amazon.com or Turner Classic Movies-affiliated DVD website Movies Unlimited.[9]
On January 14, 2020, Universal and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced that they would partner on a 10-year multinational joint-venture, merging their physical operations in North America.[10] On April 7, 2020, the European Commission approved the merger.[11] The company was later named Studio Distribution Services, LLC.[12]
References
^"Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets". Bloomberg. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
^Prince, Stephen (2002). A New Pot of Gold: Hollywood Under the Electronic Rainbow, 1980–1989. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 10. ISBN9780520232662. OCLC 47990049.
^. blam1.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2002.
^"RCA and Warner Home Video in Video Disc Agreements". March 30, 1982.
^Eller, Claudia (December 10, 1997). "Warner, Village Roadshow Plan 20-Movie Joint Venture". Los Angeles Times.
^Lev, Michael (October 24, 1990). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Pathe Settles Time Warner Dispute". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
^Peers, Martin (March 16, 1999). "MGM presses stop on WB homevid deal". Variety. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
^Taylor, Jim (March 21, 1997). . Video Discovery. Archived from the original on March 29, 1997. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
^Burr, Ty (March 28, 2009). "Classic movies made to order in the Warner Archive Collection". The Boston Globe. Boston.com. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
^D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 15, 2020). "Universal & Warner Bros. Form Home Entertainment Joint Venture". Deadline. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^"European Commission Approves Warner, Universal Home Entertainment Joint Venture – Media Play News".
^Hunt, Bill (April 23, 2021). "BILL'S ON THE LATEST HOME THEATER UNITED PODCAST, PLUS AN APPLE DIGITAL PURCHASE LAWSUIT & WARNER AND UNIVERSAL COMBINE THEIR PHYSICAL MEDIA OPERATIONS". thedigitalbits.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
WarnerBros.com | Home Entertainment | Company
February 28, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Warner Bros Home Entertainment news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Warner Bros Home Entertainment Inc 1 formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros Warner Bros Home Entertainment Inc FormerlyWCI Home Video 1978 1980 Warner Home Video 1980 2016 TypeDivisionIndustryHome entertainmentFounded1978 45 years ago 1978 Headquarters4000 Warner Boulevard Burbank California U S Key peopleJim Wuthrich president ProductsHome video releasesBrandsTurner Home Entertainment in name only unit 1996 present ServicesHome videoDigital distributionParentWarner Bros DiscoverySubsidiariesStudio Distribution Services LLC joint venture with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Websitewww wbr warnerbros wbr com wbr company wbr divisions wbr home entertainmentIt was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video for Warner Communications Inc The company launched in the United States with twenty films on Betamax and VHS videocassettes in late 1979 The company later expanded its line to include additional titles throughout 1979 and 1980 2 History EditThe company launched in the United States with twenty films on Betamax and VHS videocassettes in late 1979 The company later expanded its line to include additional titles throughout 1979 and 1980 Warner Bros began to branch out into the videodisc market licensing titles to MCA DiscoVision and RCA s SelectaVision videodisc formats allowing both companies to market and distribute the films under their labels 3 4 By 1985 Warner was releasing material under their own label in both formats Titles from Warner Home Video were and continue to be distributed and manufactured by Roadshow Home Video worldwide except for Australia and New Zealand because of its film counterpart s films released by Village Roadshow 5 Warner also experimented with the rental only market for videos a method also used by 20th Century Fox for their first release of Star Wars in 1982 Two known films released in this manner were Superman II and Excalibur Other films released for rental use include Dirty Harry The Enforcer Prince of the City and Sharky s Machine In 1990 Warner Home Video acquired the worldwide home video rights to the MGM UA catalog The 125 million purchase was used to finance MGM UA s acquisition by the Pathe Communications Corporation 6 The intended 12 year long deal was cut short in February 2000 with MGM paying Warner Bros 225 million to regain video rights to a number of its films In exchange Warner Bros gained full control over the video rights to MGM s pre 1986 library an asset the studio had acquired outright from Turner but due to a pre existing licensing deal with MGM was originally expected to expire in 2001 7 On December 20 1996 Warner Home Video was one of the first major American distributors for the then new DVD format by releasing the films Assassins Blade Runner Director s Cut Eraser and The Fugitive on DVD in Japan and on March 24 1997 in the United States with Blade Runner also being a launch title for the region there 8 Warner Bros executive Warren Lieberfarb is often seen as the father of DVD Lieberfarb s successor Warner Bros executive James F Cardwell was recognized in paving the way for WHV s strategic positioning in next generation technologies such as High Definition DVD HD DVD electronic sell through and portable video In 2003 Warner Home Video became the first home video releasing company to release movies only on DVD with no VHS equivalent In 2009 Warner Home Video introduced the Warner Archive Collection which allows the public to order custom made DVDs of rarely seen films and TV series from the Warner and Turner libraries The films are also available as digital downloads Warner Archive DVDs and downloads can be ordered online on Warner s website on Amazon com or Turner Classic Movies affiliated DVD website Movies Unlimited 9 On January 14 2020 Universal and Warner Bros Home Entertainment announced that they would partner on a 10 year multinational joint venture merging their physical operations in North America 10 On April 7 2020 the European Commission approved the merger 11 The company was later named Studio Distribution Services LLC 12 References Edit Warner Bros Home Entertainment Inc Company Profile and News Bloomberg Markets Bloomberg Retrieved April 18 2022 Prince Stephen 2002 A New Pot of Gold Hollywood Under the Electronic Rainbow 1980 1989 Berkeley University of California Press pp 10 ISBN 9780520232662 OCLC 47990049 MCA Discovision Library blam1 com Archived from the original on July 18 2002 RCA and Warner Home Video in Video Disc Agreements March 30 1982 Eller Claudia December 10 1997 Warner Village Roadshow Plan 20 Movie Joint Venture Los Angeles Times Lev Michael October 24 1990 THE MEDIA BUSINESS Pathe Settles Time Warner Dispute The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved August 30 2019 Peers Martin March 16 1999 MGM presses stop on WB homevid deal Variety Retrieved August 30 2019 Taylor Jim March 21 1997 DVD Frequently Asked Questions with answers Video Discovery Archived from the original on March 29 1997 Retrieved October 17 2019 Burr Ty March 28 2009 Classic movies made to order in the Warner Archive Collection The Boston Globe Boston com Retrieved February 18 2019 D Alessandro Anthony January 15 2020 Universal amp Warner Bros Form Home Entertainment Joint Venture Deadline Retrieved January 15 2020 European Commission Approves Warner Universal Home Entertainment Joint Venture Media Play News Hunt Bill April 23 2021 BILL S ON THE LATEST HOME THEATER UNITED PODCAST PLUS AN APPLE DIGITAL PURCHASE LAWSUIT amp WARNER AND UNIVERSAL COMBINE THEIR PHYSICAL MEDIA OPERATIONS thedigitalbits com Retrieved May 6 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link External links EditWarnerBros com Home Entertainment Company Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Warner Bros Home Entertainment amp oldid 1136499487, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
