Warner Music Group

History

In the early 1980s, Warner Communications Inc. formed Warner Music Video, initially as a production company. It was a vehicle for home video distribution of titles related to acts on the various labels part of or distributed by Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation, such as Warner Bros., Sire, Elektra and Atlantic. Prior to 1984, all titles produced by Warner Music Video were released by Warner Home Video. In 1984, Warner Music Video spun off into its own label, with Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation serving as distributor.

It was expanded in 1985, when Atlantic Records got its own home video label, Atlantic Video, primarily releasing Atlantic Records content, and a year later, when Elektra Records formed Elektra Entertainment to release Elektra Records music videos content. Also that year, Warner Music Video became Warner Reprise Video, and became the mass-market distributor for Kidsongs titles.

Although it initially released music-related titles exclusively, it soon began to release titles unrelated to music, particularly after generating three distinct division labels that it would operate alongside its own company: Warner Reprise Video, Atlantic Video (which was soon renamed to A*Vision Entertainment) and Elektra Entertainment. At first, Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation secured a deal with MTV Networks for the home video rights to Nickelodeon titles in June 1989 under the Elektra Entertainment label (to reflect the change, the Elektra Records name was changed to Elektra Entertainment). The first general entertainment videos released in 1989 used the Elektra branding, all subsequent videos used Atlantic's branding.

In 1990, Atlantic Video changed its name to A*Vision Entertainment after hiring Stuart Hersch as president. In 1991, WMG launched a subsidiary, Warner Music Vision to produce music videos. The first of the general entertainment videos with Atlantic's branding were the NASCAR Video magazine series. A*Vision secured the distribution rights to Penthouse Video's releases for the mass-market starting in 1991. The following year, the company acquired home video rights to the Shining Time Station series, as well as taking the Jane Fonda franchise from Warner Home Video. In mid 1992, WEA had secured the distribution rights to Live Home Video's titles from Uni Distribution Corporation.

In late 1992, the A*Vision group was split. The A*Vision name was used for general entertainment releases, Penthouse and Jane Fonda titles, the KidVision name for children's releases, and the NightVision name was used for erotic releases. In 1993, it began marketing the Rhino Home Video library. That year, A*Vision picked up the rights to the Kathy Smith workout videos from Media Home Entertainment and started the BodyVision label for workout releases. Additionally, the company launched the film label Atlantic Group Films for feature films. In 1994, the company begin distributing titles from Saban Home Entertainment and Libra Home Entertainment, outbidding PolyGram Video, such as Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Also that year, the company purchased The Maier Group, who produced the Buns of Steel videos.

In 1995, the company was shifted to Warner Bros. Records and it was renamed to WarnerVision Entertainment to reflect the move. Also, the film unit changed its name to WarnerVision Films. Also that year, the company picked up the sell-through distribution rights to Coliseum Video's titles. Shortly afterwards, the Atlantic Video label was quickly reinstated. Following the move, the company picked up the Kidsongs license from View-Master Video and former mass-market distributor Warner Reprise Video. Also, WarnerVision picked up the rights to the Dualstar Video titles from the defunct BMG Kidz, as well as Lightyear Entertainment from BMG Video.

Later that year, Time Warner Entertainment announced its plan to spin-off the company to president Stuart Hersch, who is planning on to revert to the A*Vision Entertainment name. The following year, the plans were cancelled, and distribution of the WarnerVision library, and its contracts with Rhino Home Video and Lightyear Entertainment, moved from Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation to Warner Home Video, and laid off staff.

WarnerVision would soon lose its contracts of the Coliseum titles to GoodTimes Home Video and the Saban titles to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in late 1996, the Kidsongs titles to Sony Music Entertainment in 1997, and the Penthouse titles to Image Entertainment in 1999. The company became an in-name only unit of WMG in order to continue producing Real Wheels and The Magic School Bus videos. The company shifted its focus on only doing music titles again.

In 1998, WMG purchased Rhino Entertainment, and soon afterwards, WEA reclaimed the home video distribution rights to Rhino's titles within a few years. In 2001, WEA secured the distribution rights to Q Video's titles, such as the license for Major League Baseball. In 2002, WMG purchased Word Entertainment, and as a result, for two years, before Big Idea was sold to Classic Media, WEA and Warner Home Video shared distribution of Big Idea's titles. Also that year, WEA had picked up distribution of Palm Pictures' titles.

In 2004, Warner Music Group was split from AOL Time Warner. Also that year, the company had secured a deal with Central Park Media in order to distribute the titles. In 2006, the label became Warner Music Entertainment, consolidating together Atlantic and Elektra's labels together, alongside DVD producer The Rights Company. In late 2006, the company secured deals with City Lights Home Entertainment and Hart Sharp Video. In 2007, WEA reentered general entertainment distribution with the distribution of Scripps Networks titles on DVD, mostly the Food Network.

Eventually, WEA stopped distributing general entertainment titles with the combined losses of its affiliated distributors like Rhino Home Video, Palm Pictures, City Lights Home Entertainment and Hart Sharp Video, and the loss of the home video license for the Scripps Networks amidst the financial crisis, and returned to distributing music titles.

Releases

1989

Catalog number	Title	Country of origin	Original year	Length	Version	MPAA rating	Film format	Tape count	Tape break placement (if applicable)	Color	Released
49001-3	How to Throw a Double Dare Party	USA	1989	34 min	TBD	NR	Academy	1	TBD	Color	October 17, 1989
49003-3	Don't Just Sit There! Survival Guide	USA	1989	32 min	TBD	NR	Academy	1	TBD	Color	October 17, 1989
49004-3	The Worst of You Can't Do That on Television	USA	1989	29 min	TBD	NR	Academy	1	TBD	Color	October 17, 1989

1991

Catalog number	Title	Country of origin	Original year	Length	Version	MPAA rating	Film format	Tape count	Tape break placement (if applicable)	Color	Released	Note(s)
50184-3	NASCAR Video: Volume 1: The Daytona Challenge	USA	1991	60 min	TBD	NR	Academy	1	TBD	Color	July 1, 1991