Sony Wonder

Sony Wonder
Subsidiary
Industry Family films
Founded July 26, 1991 (1991-07-26)
Headquarters New York City
Products Children's and family entertainment
Owner Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(Sony)
Parent Sony Music Entertainment (1991–2007)
Sony Pictures Entertainment (2007–present)
Website www.sonypictures.com/familyfun

Sony Wonder (founded as Sony Kids’ Music) is the kids and family entertainment label of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the former record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

History

It was founded in 1991 by Sony Music Entertainment as its children and family music and home video division. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop, Lyrick Studios (from 1992 to 1996) and Classic Media, and from Random House's home video division from 1995 to 2007.

On July 6, 1993, Sony Wonder acquired video distribution rights to Nickelodeon's series and re-released early Nick Jr. videos (including Eureeka's Castle) by Hi-Tops Video.[1][2]

On July 21, 1995, Sony Wonder and Sony Pictures Entertainment joined forces with The Jim Henson Company by releasing new movies with Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures through the joint venture Jim Henson Pictures[3][4] and new sing-along-songs on videocassette and DVD. The next day, Nickelodeon and Sony Wonder launched Nick Jr. Video after the deal with Hi-Tops Video expired in 1992.[5] In 1996, the deal with Nickelodeon expired.[6]

On May 4, 1998, Sony Wonder bought Sunbow Productions[7] and it was later bought by TV-Loonland on October 3, 2000 along with Sony Wonder's television business assets.[8][9][10]

On March 13, 2007, Sony BMG announced that it was shutting down Sony Wonder to focus on its core music business.[11][12][13] However, on June 20, 2007, it was announced that Sony Wonder became a division of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment as its kids’- and family-entertainment label.[14][15] Classic Media's, Sesame Workshop's and Random House's video deals were sold to Genius Products for an undisclosed amount, and later to Vivendi Entertainment.[15]

Despite the similarity in name, Sony Wonder is not directly related to the former Sony Wonder Technology Lab, an interactive technology and entertainment museum, although the museum was also owned by Sony.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "The Free Library" SONY WONDER ANNOUNCES EAGERLY AWAITED DEBUT OF NICKELODEON'S PREMIER PROGRAMMING ON HOME VIDEO & AUDIO WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE NICK COLLECTION thefreelibrary.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  2. ↑ "Variety" Sony Wonder to issue Nick fare on vid/audio variety.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  3. ↑ Brian Henson and Stephanie Allain to Chat on Entertainment Tonight Online thefreelibrary.com, Retrieved on August 28, 2013
  4. ↑ CLAUDIA ELLER The Los Angeles Times July 21, 1995 Company Town : Muppets Cut Deal With Sony Pictures articles.latimes.com, Retrieved on August 28, 2013
  5. ↑ "EBSCO Host" 7/22/95 Sony Wonder, Nickelodeon launch Nick Junior video connection.ebscohost.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  6. ↑ Matzer, Marla "EBSCO Host" 6/03/96 Sony, Nick are quits connection.ebscohost.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  7. ↑ Schneider, Michael "EBSCO Host" 05/04/98 Sony Wonder gets animated connection.ebscohost.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  8. ↑ "Screen Daily" MIPCOM: TV-Loonland acquires Sony Wonder screendaily.com "Retrieved on May 22, 2012"
  9. ↑ "Variety" OCTOBER 3, 2000 TV Loonland buys up Sony Wonder units variety.com, Retrieved on August 29, 2013
  10. ↑ "Broadcast" 6 October 2000 TV-Loonland takes on Sony's Sunbow broadcastnow.co.uk, Retrieved on August 30, 2013
  11. ↑ Thomas K. Arnold "Reuters" Kids label Sony Wonder going under: sources reuters.com, Retrieved on August 30, 2013
  12. ↑ Thomas K. Arnold "The Hollywood Reporter" 3/14/2007 Sony ceases Wonder label hollywoodreporter.com, Retrieved on August 30, 2013
  13. ↑ Ryan Ball "Animation Magazine" Mar 15th, 2007 Sony Wonder Closing Shop? animationmagazine.net, Retrieved on August 30, 2013
  14. ↑ "Variety" absorbs Wonder label variety.com, Retrieved on December 8, 2013
  15. 1 2 Sony Home Ent. Takes Over Sony Wonder Rick DeMott awn.com, Retrieved on August 28, 2013
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