Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. It was established in 1978 as Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment.
It is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures library for home entertainment, mainly releases from Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures, but also releases product from Sony Pictures Classics, Screen Gems, Triumph Films, Destination Films and Revolution Studios. Since June 21, 2007, SPHE now handles its former Sony BMG kids label, Sony Wonder.
They are also responsible for their television shows from the Sony Pictures Television library from Screen Gems, Columbia Pictures Television, TriStar Television, Tandem Productions, ELP Communications (shows include from TAT Communications to ELP Communications), Columbia TriStar Television and Sony Pictures Television.
Since 2005, when Sony and four partners acquired MGM from Kirk Kerkorian, SPHE held the domestic home entertainment rights to MGM's 4,000 film and 10,400 TV episode library, although those releases are still being distributed under the MGM DVD label. In autumn 2006, MGM shifted most of its home entertainment output to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, which had already been distributing MGM's catalog internationally. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment continues to handle video distribution of MGM/UA/Sony co-releases (i.e. through Columbia, TriStar, and Sony Pictures Classics) (such as the 2006 version of Casino Royale) in which the latter studio is majority partner and distributor. SPHE is also distributing Blood and Chocolate on DVD despite the fact that MGM distributed the film on its own in theaters.
The company was formerly known as Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1978-1982), RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (a joint venture with RCA, 1983-1991), Columbia TriStar Home Video (1991-2001), and finally Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001-2004), before taking on its current name in fall 2004. In some territories, it still goes by its previous identity, however this may not be the case for much longer. In the United Kingdom (and other foreign countries, mainly in Europe), it was known as RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video during the 1980s and early '90s.
As RCA-Columbia Pictures Home Video, the company distributed many films from New Line Cinema on VHS.
