| 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(s) | 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.
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In 1955, MGM launched Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, and the division's first program was The MGM Parade. In 1973, MGM closed down its distribution offices and sold the television syndication rights to its library to United Artists. In 1982, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television was renamed MGM/UA Television after the merger with United Artists in 1981.
In 1986, Ted Turner bought MGM/UA from Kirk Kerkorian, including all of the movies and television shows by MGM/UA. However, Turner was forced by a crushing dept to return Kerkorian all of United Artists and the MGM trademark 74 days later, on June 8, but kept the pre-May 1986 MGM television shows, the holdings of Associated Artists Productions, 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 Turner's sale, the television division was renamed 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.
In 1992, MGM/UA Television was reverted back to MGM Television. The television company was reformed as MGM Worldwide Television Group and its distributor MGM/UA Telecommunications Group.
In 1996, the company was reformed for the television brand labels 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.
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