Disney-ABC Domestic Television

Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Formerly called	Walt Disney Domestic Television Distribution; Buena Vista Television
Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Television syndication
Founded	March 1985; 39 years ago
Headquarters	Burbank, California, U.S.
Area served	North America
Key people	Janice Marinelli (President)
Parent	Disney–ABC Television Group; (The Walt Disney Company)
Website	disneyabc.tv

Disney–ABC Domestic Television, also operating as ABC Syndication^[1] (formerly known as Buena Vista Television, Inc., also known as Disney Domestic Television and currently known as Disney–ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution), is the in-home sales and content distribution firm of the Disney–ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company. Content distribution responsibilities include domestic television syndication, domestic pay TV, Internet and cable video-on-demand (VOD), and pay-per-view outlets.^[2]

Background[]

ABC's first syndication arm, ABC Films (established in July 1953), was spun off as Worldvision Enterprises in March 1973 due to fin-syn laws (which have since been repealed).

Despite having some TV shows and feature films, Disney only had one syndicated show, The Mickey Mouse Club, prior to the formation of this unit.^[3]

History[]

Buena Vista Television, Inc.[]

File:Buena Vista Television Logo.jpg

Buena Vista Television 1997 logo

Walt Disney Pictures established a television syndication unit in 1985, with Robert Jacquemin as senior vice president of domestic television distribution. None of its animated feature films were planned to enter syndication at the time.^[3] The division was incorporated as Buena Vista Television, Inc. on November 5, 1985.^[4] with its first release in the first run syndication market with Siskel & Ebert.^[5] In 1990, the company offered its first game show, Challengers, into first-run syndication.^[5] The company produced the morning business show, Today's Business, in August 1986, only to put an end to the show in April 1987, indicating that they were unable to get enough advertisers.^[6]

In late 1986, Buena Vista was shopping Duck Tales for a 1987 debut, with a 4-6 p.m. placement and a 2.5/3.5 syndicator/station ad split.^[7] In 1990, the company offered its first game show, Challengers, for first run syndication.^[5] In late 1990 and early 1991, after launching the Disney Afternoon syndicated block, Buena Vista had considered starting a new one-hour morning block to start in 1992.^[8]

On August 24, 1994, a reorganization of Disney took place in which Richard H. Frank became head of a newly formed Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications, which was split from The Walt Disney Studios and included Buena Vista TV.^[9]

In April 1996, due to ongoing post Disney–Capital Cities/ABC merger realignment and retirement of its president, Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications's divisions were reassigned to other groups. Therefore, BVTV, as a part of Walt Disney Television International, was transferred to Capital Cities/ABC.^[10]

In March 2007, Starz Entertainment sued BVTV for breaching their agreement by allowing movies available online through Apple's iTunes Store and other outlets. The introduction of the Apple TV device forced Starz to file suit which hinged on the "contractual definition of 'television'" and whether complete TV exclusivity was granted, as Starz then had a secondary distribution deal with Netflix.^[11]