Subsidiary of Pearson PLC | |
Industry |
Television production Television syndication |
Fate | merged with CLT-UFA and re branded as FremantleMedia |
Successor | FremantleMedia North America |
Founded | 1996 |
Defunct | 2001 |
Headquarters | Culver City, California, USA |
Products | Television |
Owner |
Pearson PLC (1996–2000) RTL Group (2000–2001) |
Pearson Television was the American-based television production and distribution arm of British company Pearson PLC.
In 1994 after a bidding war, Pearson, PLC. bought the production arms of Thames Television, Hill-Fields Entertainment, and ACI Worldwide Distribution, making their way into the television industry. In 1996 Pearson, PLC. bought the production company All American Television, and then re-branded it as Pearson Television. This acquisition gave them the rights to various libraries, including Mark Goodson Productions, LBS Communications and more.
In April 2000, Pearson TV decided to take over Smith & Jones' production company Talkback Productions. Pearson Television ended the same year as Talkback's takeover when Pearson PLC sold the division to CLT-UFA, who later went on to form the RTL Group.
The following year, Pearson Television was re-branded as FremantleMedia.