Viacom Enterprises

Infobox Defunct Company
company_name = Viacom Enterprises
company_
defunct = 1995
slogan =
fate = Merged into Paramount Domestic Television
successor = Paramount Domestic Television
foundation = 1971
1973 (spun-off)
closed = (1995)| location = Los Angeles, California, USA
industry =
key_people =
products = Television Production
num_employees =
parent = Viacom (now CBS Corporation) (1986-1995)

Viacom Enterprises was a television distribution company formed in 1971 as the successor to CBS Films, and spun off in 1973 due to now-repealed FCC bylaws prohibiting networks from syndicating their own shows.

Its purpose upon formation was to distribute the classic CBS library, which also included the pre-1960 library of Desilu Productions (including "I Love Lucy").

It distributed other series as well, among them "All in the Family" (now owned by Sony Pictures Television), the Carsey-Werner Productions library (including "Roseanne" and "The Cosby Show"), and for a number of years distributed the MTM Enterprises (now owned by 20th Television) library (including "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") until MTM formed Victory Television to distribute its library in 1980. It also distributed the first 4 seasons of "The Montel Williams Show", and the pre-1984 New World Pictures library.

In 1974, it formed Viacom Productions to produce first-run television series airing on the major television networks.

In 1986, the company became a subsidiary of the newly-reincorporated Viacom Inc., after a takeover by National Amusements.

In 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Pictures. As a result, Viacom Enterprises was merged into Paramount Television's distribution arm, Paramount Domestic Television.

Today, many of the shows distributed by Viacom Enterprises are now distributed by CBS Television Distribution.

ee also

*Viacom Productions
*CBS
*Paramount Television
*CBS Paramount Television
*CBS Television Distribution
*Viacom (1971-2005)