Viacom Enterprises

Viacom Enterprises was a television distribution company formed in 1971 as the successor to CBS Enterprises, and spun off in 1973 due to now-repealed FCC bylaws prohibiting networks from syndicating their own shows.

Its purpose upon formation was to distribute the classic CBS library, which also included the pre-1960 library of Desilu Productions.

It distributed other series as well, among them All in the Family until 1991, the Carsey-Werner Productions library, and for a number of years distributed the MTM Enterprises library until MTM acquired Jim Victory Television in 1980. It also distributed the first 4 seasons of The Montel Williams Show, the pre-1984 New World Pictures library, most of the Cannon Films library, a majority of the Elvis Presley films originally released by Paramount Pictures, the FNN-produced program, Business This Morning and the CNBC-produced program, This Morning's Business.

In 1974, it formed Viacom Productions to produce first-run television series airing on the major television networks.

In 1986, the company became a subsidiary of the newly-reincorporated Viacom Inc., after a takeover by National Amusements.

In 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Pictures. As a result, Viacom Enterprises was merged into Paramount Television's distribution arm, Paramount Domestic Television.