NBCUniversal Television Distribution

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Type	Subsidiary
Founded	2004
Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Manhattan, New York
Owner(s)	Comcast
Parent	NBCUniversal Television Group (NBCUniversal, LLC)

NBCUniversal Television Distribution (NUTD) is the television distribution arm of the NBCUniversal Television Group in the United States, and is a subsidiary of Comcast. It was previously known as NBC Enterprises and Universal Domestic Television (MCA TV, Avco Embassy Television, Multimedia Entertainment, PolyGram Television, USA Cable Entertainment, etc.)

The company currently distributes television series produced by NBC (post-1973), Universal Television, Multimedia Entertainment, Studios USA, Revue Studios, PolyGram Television, Universal Media Studios, and its own series. The division distributes the film libraries of Universal Pictures, most pre-1950 Paramount Pictures theatrical sound features, all 1996-99 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films plus some from before 1996, USA Films, and Focus Features, among others.

The name was changed to reflect the NBCUniversal brand in 2004. NUTD is considered the third broadcast syndication arm of NBC, with NBC Enterprises was the second and NBC Films (now part of CBS Television Distribution) as the first, dating back to Spring 1953. NUTD is also considered the sixth broadcast syndication arm of Universal Television with MCA TV as the first, Universal Television Enterprises as the second, Studios USA Television Distribution as the third, Universal Domestic Television as the fourth, and Universal Television Distribution as the fifth.

Shows produced and/or distributed by NUTD and its predecessors [edit]

NOTE: This is only a partial list. Not all these television shows were originally produced by this unit, but unless otherwise noted, they are now under the control of NBCUniversal, through a series of mergers and acquisitions.

Current programming [edit]

Note: Some series by Universal with names such as Universal Network Television LLC in the credits are currently by Universal Media Studios formerly NBC Universal Television Studio or by Universal Television Enterprises LLC for NBCUniversal Television Distribution

• The Jerry Springer Show (1991–Present) (1991-1997 Mutlimedia Entertainment, 1997-1998 Universal Television Enterprises, Inc., 1998-2002 Studios USA Television Distribution, 2002-2004 Universal Domestic Television, 2004-2011 NBC Universal Television Distribution, 2011–present NBCUniversal Television Distribution)
• Maury (1991–Present, acquired from Viacom and Paramount Domestic Television in 1998) (Produced by MoPo Productions and Faulhaber Media)
• Access Hollywood (1996–present)
• The Wall Street Journal Report (1997–Present)
• The Chris Matthews Show (2002–Present)
• Storm Stories (2003–Present) (Co-Produced by Tower Productions and Distributed By Litton Entertainment)
• The Steve Wilkos Show (2007–Present)
• Steve Harvey (2012–present)
• The Trisha Goddard Show (2012–present)

Off-net syndication [edit]

• Law & Order (1990-2010)
• New York Undercover (1994-1998)
• Will & Grace⁵ (1998-2006)
• Blind Date (1999-2006)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present)
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001-2011)
• Monk (2002-2009)
• Las Vegas⁶ (2003-2008)
• Starting Over (2003-2006)
• Home Delievery (2004-2005)
• Your Total Health (2004-2008)
• Deal or No Deal (2005-2009 NBC; 2008-2010 syndicated)
• The Office (2005–2013)
• 30 Rock (2006–2013)
• Heroes (2006-2010)
• The Martha Stewart Show ¹¹(2008-2012) (co-produced by Mark Burnett Productions)
• The Brian McKnight Show (2009-2010)

Library programming [edit]

Revue Studios [edit]

• Crusader (1955-1956)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962 and 1985-1989) (1955-1962 Revue Studios, 1985-1989 Universal Television)
• Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
• Wagon Train (1957-1965) (Revue Studios 1957-1963, Universal Television 1963-1965)
• Shotgun Slade (1959-1960)
• Laramie (1959-1963)
• The Virginian (1962-1971) (Revue Studios 1962-1963, Universal Television 1963-1971)
• McHale's Navy (1962-1966) (Revue Studios 1962-1963, Universal Television 1963-1966)
• Bachelor Father (1957-1962) (Revue Studios & Bachelor Productions 1957-1962)

Universal Television [edit]

• The Munsters (1964-1966)
• The John Forsythe Show (1965-1966)
• Dragnet (1967-1970)
• Ironside (1967-1975)
• Adam-12 (1968-1975)
• The Name of the Game (1968-1971)
• McCloud (1970-1977)
• NBC Mystery Movie (1971-1977)
• Columbo (1971-1979, and then sporadically from 1989 to 2003)
• McMillan & Wife (1971-1977)
• The Sixth Sense (1972)
• Emergency! (1972-1977)
• Kojak (1973-1978)
• The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
• Baretta (1975-1978)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
• Battlestar Galactica (1978-1981 & 2003–present)
• The Incredible Hulk (1978-1982)
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1981)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
• Simon & Simon (1981-1988)
• The Krypton Factor (1981)
• The A-Team (1982-1987, co-produced with Stephen J. Cannell Productions)
• Knight Rider (1982-1986)
• Charles in Charge (1984-1985 & 1986-1990, produced by Scholastic Productions and Al Burton Productions)
• Miami Vice (1984-1989)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
• Airwolf (1984-1987) (1984-1986 Universal Television, 1987 MCA TV final season)
• Misfits of Science (1985-1986)
• The Equalizer (1985-1989)
• Coach (1989-1997)
• Major Dad (1989-1993)
• Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
• Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
• Family Dog (1993, with Nelvana, Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television)¹⁰
• Sitting Ducks (2000-2004)
• American Dreams (2002-2005) (co-produced with Once A Frog, Dick Clark Productions and NBC Studios (2002-2004), NBC Universal Television Studio (2004-2005))
• House (2004-2012)
• 30 Rock (2006–2013) (co-production with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.)
• Next Caller (2013, but never air)

Universal Animation Studios [edit]

Note: Previously known as Universal Cartoon Studios

• Back to the Future: The Animated Series (1991–92, with Amblin Entertainment, Zaloom-Mayfield, and Big Pictures)
• Fievel's American Tails (1992, with Amblimation and Nelvana)
• Exosquad (1993–95)
• Problem Child (1993, with Lacewood Productions)
• Monster Force (1994, with Lacewood Productions)
• Beethoven (1994, with Northern Lights Entertainment])
• Earthworm Jim (1995–96, with Akom Production Company, Flextech Television Limited, and Shiny Entertainment)
• Vortech: Undercover Conversion Squad (1996, with Lacewood Productions)
• The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (1996, with Amblin Entertainment and Harvey Comics)
• The Savage Dragon (1996, with Lacewood Productions)
• Wing Commander Academy (1996, with Origin Systems Inc.)
• The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999-2003, with Rough Draft Studios)
• Wheel Squad (2000)
• The Mummy: The Animated Series (2001-2003, with Rough Draft Studios)
• Curious George (2006-, with Imagine Entertainment and WGBH)
• The Land Before Time (2007-2008), with Amblin Entertainment)

MCA Television [edit]

Includes shows by MCA TV and MCA Television Entertainment (MTE)

• The Big Showdown (1974-1975, produced by Don Lipp Productions, Ron Greenberg Productions in association with MCA TV)
• Gimme a Break! (1981-1987, produced by Reeves Entertainment, US distribution only)
• Puttin' On the Hits (1984-1988, produced by Chris Bearde Productions and Dick Clark Productions)
• Kate & Allie (1984-1989, produced by Reeves Entertainment, US distribution only)
• Amen (1986-1991, produced by Carson Productions)
• Bionic Six (1987, produced by TMS Entertainment)
• Out of this World (1987-1991, produced by Bob Booker Productions)
• The Munsters Today (1988-1991)
• My Secret Identity (1988-1991, produced by Scholastic, Sunrise Films, and CTV; US distribution only)
• Pictionary (1989) (produced by Barry & Enright Productions and QMI Television)
• Dream On (1990-1996) (MTE)
• They Came from Outer Space (1990) (Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions in association with MTE)
• She Wolf of London (later renamed Love & Curses) (1990) (Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions and HTV International in association with MTE)
• Fudge (1995) (Amblin Entertainment in association with MTE)
• Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001) (1995-1997 MCA TV, 1997-1998 Universal Television Enterprises, 1998-2001 Studios USA Television/Universal Worldwide Television)
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995-1999) (1995-1997 MCA TV, 1997-1998 Universal Television Enterprises, 1998-1999 Studios USA Television/Universal Worldwide Television)

NBC Studios [edit]

• Bonanza¹ (1959-1973)
• Little House on the Prairie² (1974-1983)
• The George Michael Sports Machine (1984-2007, acquired from ITC Entertainment and CBS Enterprises.)
• Punky Brewster³ (1984-1988)
• It's Punky Brewster (1985-1986) (co-produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises)
• Saved by the Bell⁴ (1989-1993, produced by NBC Productions)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996, produced by NBC Productions and Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution)
• Gravedale High (1990-1991) (Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions)
• Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999, season 1 produced by Reeves Entertainment Group, NBC Studios from season 2 until the end)
• In the House (1995-1999, produced by NBC Productions and Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution)
• The Pretender (1996-2000, co-production with MTM Enterprises (20th Century Fox Television from 1997-2000); distributed by 20th Television in North America and NUTD/MGMITD overseas)

Multimedia Entertainment [edit]

• The Phil Donahue Show (1970-1996)
• The Sally Jessy Raphael Show (1983-2002)
• The Rush Limbaugh Show (1992-1996) (co-production with Rush Limbaugh Productions)

PolyGram Television [edit]

• The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (1998-1999) (Based on the 1994 film The Crow by Miramax Films/Dimension Films)
• Maisy (1998-2000) (1998-1999 PolyGram Visual Programming, Ltd., 1999-2000 Universal Visual Programming, Ltd.)
• Barney's First Adventures (TV special; 1998) (Based on the 1998 film Barney's Great Adventure by PolyGram Films, known direct-to-video rights by Lyons Group)

Endemol USA (distribution only) [edit]

• Fear Factor (2001-2006)
• 1 vs. 100 (2006-2008)

Barry & Enright Productions [edit]

• Juvenile Jury (1947–1955)
• Life Begins at Eighty (1950–1956)
• The Joe DiMaggio Show (1950)
• Wisdom of the Ages (1952–1953)
• Back That Fact (1953)
• You're On Your Own (1956–1957)
• Tic-Tac-Dough (1956–1959, 1990-1991) (the 1990 version is formerly owned by Granada International through their acquisition of the ITC library.)
• Twenty One (1956–1958, 1982 unsold pilot)
• High-Low (1957)
• Dough Re Mi (1958–1960)

Other series [edit]

• Concentration (1973-1978), Classic Concentration⁸ (1987-1991)
• Merv Griffin's Crosswords⁹ (2007-2008) (In association with Yani-Brune Entertainment and Merv Griffin Entertainment)
• Judge Karen's Court (2010-2011, ad-sales only. Distributed by Litton Entertainment)

Notes [edit]

1. Bonanza: The ownership of the show was later acquired by Republic Pictures and passed through to Worldvision Enterprises/Paramount Domestic Television and now CBS Television Distribution.

2. Little House on the Prairie: NBCUniversal owns the underlying rights, but CTD is responsible for domestic syndication (as successor-in-interest to former distributor Worldvision Enterprises). NUTD handles global rights

3. Punky Brewster: Produced by NBC Productions for the first two seasons, while the first-run syndicated episodes were produced by Columbia Pictures Television due to fin-syn laws then in place. Sony Pictures Television handles domestic syndication, while NBCU handles international syndication. Shout! Factory has DVD rights;

4. Saved By The Bell: Formerly distributed by Paramount Domestic Television (through then-corporate sibling Paramount Television's acquisition of Rysher Entertainment) until NBC Enterprises reacquired distribution rights. Lions Gate handles DVD releases and CBS Studios International handles international television rights.

5. Will & Grace: Distributed by Warner Bros. Television (for television release) and Lions Gate Home Entertainment (for home video);

6. Las Vegas: The TV show was co-distributed with CBS Television Distribution after Viacom acquired co-producer DreamWorks, which is independent again; now the series is co-distributed with Disney-ABC Domestic Television

7. Multimedia Entertainment: Universal Television assumed the rights to that company's active programming in 1996.

8. Concentration & Classic Concentration: Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Productions (now owned by FremantleMedia) handled production (Goodson solo on "CC"), however NBC retains the rights to these series and any future revivals. The original 1958-1973 version resides with CBS Television Distribution.

9. Merv Griffin's Crosswords: Distributed by Program Partners, a division of Sony Pictures Television. NUTD handles ads and sales rights.

10. Family Dog: NUTD only owns North American rights to the series, Warner Bros. International Television Distribution distributes outside the US.

11. The Martha Stewart Show: NBCUniversal has distribution rights. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia owns this show.

External links [edit]

• NBC Universal Television
• Syndicated Network Television Association - NBC Universal Television Distribution
• NUTD Client Site