Disney–ABC Domestic Television

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**Buena Vista Television LLC** (operating under the names **Disney–ABC Domestic Television** and **Disney–ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution** and also operating as **ABC Syndication**; formerly known as **Buena Vista Television, Inc.** and **Disney Domestic Television**) is the in-home sales and content distribution firm of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, 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.

## 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in July 1953), was spun off as Worldvision Enterprises in March 1973 due to fin-syn laws (which have since been repealed).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 two syndicated shows, *The Mickey Mouse Club* and *The Mouse Factory*, prior to the formation of this unit.

## History

### Buena Vista Television, Inc.

 File:Buena Vista Television Logo.jpg
Disney 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. The division was incorporated as **Buena Vista Television, Inc.** on November 5, 1985, with its first release in the first-run syndication market called *Siskel & Ebert*. The company produced the business-oriented morning 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. In 1990, the company offered its first game show, *Challengers*, into first-run syndication.

In late 1986, Buena Vista was shopping *DuckTales* for a 1987 debut, with a 4–6 p.m. placement and a 2.5/3.5 syndicator/station ad split. 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.

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.

In April 1996, due to the ongoing post Disney–Capital Cities/ABC merger realignment and the retirement of its president, Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications' divisions were reassigned to other groups. Therefore, Buena Vista TV, as a part of Walt Disney Television International, was transferred to Capital Cities/ABC.

In March 2007, Starz Entertainment sued Buena Vista TV for breaching their agreement by allowing films to be 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.

### Disney–ABC Domestic Television

In May 2007, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to semi-retire the use of the Buena Vista brand in favor of focusing on the three core brands of Disney, ABC, and ESPN instead. As a result, Buena Vista Television was rebranded as Disney–ABC Domestic Television (DADT). Buena Vista TV converted to a limited liability business form on April 10, 2009.

By July 2008, Disney–ABC Domestic TV signed additional carriage agreements with Vudu and CinemaNow, which was then added to the Starz lawsuit. On December 2, 2008, Disney–ABC Domestic TV and Starz Entertainment settled their online distribution lawsuit with the terms undisclosed.

Distribution units were transfer to Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) as part of The Walt Disney Company’s March 14, 2018 strategic reorganization in anticipation of integrating 21st Century Fox's assets. In February 2020, Disney licensed 21 TV series, from *Ally McBeal* to *Witches of East End* including *Lost* and *Desperate Housewives*, to Amazon-owned IMDb TV ad supported streaming service.

## First-run programming

### Current

* *Live with Kelly and Ryan* (1988–present) produced by WABC-TV
* *Right This Minute* (2016–present) produced by MagicDust Television, Cox Media Group, Gray Television and E. W. Scripps Company
* *Tamron Hall* (2019–present) produced by Summerdale Productions and May Avenue Productions
* *Litton's Weekend Adventure* (2011–present) E/I programming block from Litton Entertainment; exclusively for ABC affiliates

### Former

* *At the Movies* (1986–2010), originally *Siskel & Ebert & the Movies*/*At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper*
* *Bill Nye the Science Guy* (1993–1998), with KCTS of Seattle and Rabbit Ears Productions
* *Debt* (1996–1998), with Faded Denim Productions and Lifetime
* *Ellen* (1994–1998), with The Black/Marlens Company and Touchstone Television
* *FABLife* (2015–2016), with Summerdale Productions and The Tyra Banks Company
* *Legend of the Seeker* (2008–2010)
* *Iyanla* (2001–2002)
* *Katie* (2012–2014)
* *On the Red Carpet* (2013–2014)
* *Pickler & Ben* (2017–2019), with The E. W. Scripps Company, Happy Street Entertainment and Sandbox Entertainment
* *Teen Win, Lose or Draw* (1989–1992), with Burt & Bert Productions, Kline & Friends and Stone Stanley Entertainment
* *The Challengers* (1990–1991), with Dick Clark Productions and Ron Greenberg Productions
* *The Disney Afternoon* (1990–1997)
* *DuckTales* (1987–1990)
* *Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers* (1989–1990)
* *TaleSpin* (1990–1991)
* *Darkwing Duck* (1991–1992)
* *Goof Troop* (1992)
* *Bonkers* (1993–1994)
* *The Tony Danza Show* (2004–2006)
* *The Wayne Brady Show* (2001–2004)
* *Who Wants to Be a Millionaire* (1999–2019), with Valleycrest Productions, Times Square Studios and 2waytraffic
* *Win Ben Stein's Money* (1997–2003), with Valleycrest Productions and Comedy Central
* *Today's Business* (August 1986 – April 1987), a business-oriented morning show that cost $500,000 a month to make
* *Your Big Break* (1999–2001)

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ABC Syndication Members Profiles". Syndicated Network Television Association. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203064953/http://www.snta.com/php/display.php?p=PR\_SP\_syndicator&s\_id=4. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
2. ↑ "Disney–ABC Domestic Television Company Profile". Yahoo Finance. http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/143/143802.html. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Disney Creates TV syndication Unit", *The New York Times* (March 6, 1985). Retrieved on September 13, 2017.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Buena Vista Television (C1356512)". California Secretary of State. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "The Media Business: Television; Syndicators Find a Winner: The Successful Game Show", *The New York Times* (January 22, 1990). Retrieved on September 11, 2017.
6. ↑ "A Push for All-Business Radio", *The New York Times* (November 27, 1987). Retrieved on September 13, 2017.
7. ↑ Template:Cite journal
8. ↑ Template:Cite journal
9. ↑ Weinraub, Bernard (August 25, 1994). "Chairman of Disney Studios Resigns". Retrieved on April 28, 2014.
10. ↑ "Roth, Iger Assume Expanded Responsibilities at the Walt Disney Company", PR Newswire (April 16, 1996). Retrieved on March 11, 2013.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Spangler, Todd (December 15, 2008). "Coda. (a lawsuit between Starz Entertainment and Disney-ABC Domestic Television)". Multichannel News. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-190612064.html.
12. ↑ Fixmer, Fixmer (April 25, 2007). "Disney to Drop Buena Vista Brand Name, People Say (Update1)". Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a0MG17nO.PG8&refer=home. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
13. ↑ "Buena Vista Television LLC (200910010281)". California Secretary of State. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=200910010281-831852. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
14. ↑ "Disney Announces Reorganization, Names Kevin Mayer Head Of New Direct-To-Consumer Unit, Adds Consumer Products To Bob Chapek’s Portfolio", *Deadline* (March 14, 2018). Retrieved on March 16, 2018.
15. ↑ "Amazon’s IMDb TV Inks Disney Pact for Free Streaming of ‘Lost,’ ‘Desperate Housewives,’ More" (in en), *Variety* (February 5, 2020). Retrieved on February 18, 2020.
16. ↑ "‘FABLife’ Officially Canceled Following Tyra Banks’ Departure, Disney/ABC Picks Up ‘Right This Minute’" (in en), *Variety* (January 20, 2016). Retrieved on August 7, 2019.
17. ↑ "‘Tamron Hall’ Syndicated Daytime Talk Show Gets Fall Premiere Date" (in en), *Deadline* (March 4, 2019). Retrieved on March 4, 2019.
18. ↑ "ABC stations pick up Tyra Banks-led daytime talk show for 2015", *Los Angeles Times* (October 20, 2014). Retrieved on December 11, 2014.
19. ↑ Thielman, Sam (August 1, 2008). "Sam Raimi banks on Disney's 'Seeker'". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989925.html. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
20. ↑ Carter, Bill (December 19, 2013). "*Katie* to End Production in June After Two Seasons". *The New York Times*. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/business/media/katie-to-end-production-in-june-after-two-seasons.html. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
21. ↑ Albiniak, Paige (April 29, 2013). "Disney-ABC Goes Wall-to-Wall With 'On the Red Carpet'". *Broadcasting & Cable*. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/disney-abc-goes-wall-wall-red-carpet/114409. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
22. ↑ "Faith Hill-Produced ‘Pickler & Ben’ Talk Show Launching in September". Taste of Country. http://tasteofcountry.com/pickler-and-ben-talk-show-premiere/. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Wayne Friedman (April 15, 1990). "Syndicated TV: Hardball With the Big Guys", *The New York Times*. Retrieved on September 13, 2017.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Template:Cite journal
25. ↑ "Low ratings spell end of Brady show". *Los Angeles Times*. January 13, 2004. http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jan/13/entertainment/et-quick13.2. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
26. ↑ "Disney moves filming of 'Millionaire' to Stamford", *CT Post*, Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC (July 3, 2014). Retrieved on May 22, 2015.
27. ↑ Stelter, Brian (December 2, 2011). "Head of ABC’s Daytime Programming Is Leaving". Retrieved on 11 January 2013.

## External links

* Template:IMDb company
* Disney–ABC Domestic Television Company Profile at Yahoo Finance

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