# Studio and Pay Cable relationships

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-and-pay-cable-relationships/326473>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 16, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-and-pay-cable-relationships/326473 "2005-10-16T15:40:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-and-pay-cable-relationships/326473/1 "2005-10-16T15:40:25Z")

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I know that the studios choose a pay tv movie channel to partner with. I’d love to know which studios partner with which channels.

I get HBO and Starz, but not Showtime. Specifically, what studios only release their unedited movies to Showtime? Armed with that knowledge, I can rent the movies I otherwise wouldn’t be able to see.

Anyone have a cite? Even anecdotal evidence works for me. For example, I know that _We Were Soldiers_ was shown on Showtime only, and after it’s initial run eventually made it to basic cable (on USA or FX, I think), so I was never able to see its unedited version without renting it. Since _We Were Soldiers_ is a Paramount release, that’s good enough evidence for me that Paramount is partnered with Showtime.

What other studios are partnered with Showtime?

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**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-and-pay-cable-relationships/326473/2 "2005-10-16T16:15:09Z")

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Viacom owns Showtime, so I’m guessing movies made by other Viacom companies make it their way to Showtime. (Paramount is also a Viacom company.)

Generally speaking, there is actually a method to this. Let’s say Paramount, owned by Viacom, makes _The Ellis Dee Story_. It has a respectable theatrical run. It then goes to Showtime, which is Viacom’s premium cable channel. After a run on Showtime, it could then go to another Viacom basic-cable channel like SpikeTV or Comedy Central. If the movie is successful enough, it could make its way to CBS as a Movie of the Week or something, but if it goes to commercial TV, it’ll more likely be offered to UPN.

Basically, Viacom is looking for the biggest possible return on its investment. Showtime pays for the broadcast rights first for the right to air it uncut to a smaller audience who is paying for the privilege. THEN, Comedy Central or SpikeTV gets it on basic cable, once it’s been out for a while and it’s not worth as much. It goes to a broader audience, but it’s also cut and has commercials. Finally, it goes to broadcast TV when it’s worth approximately bupkis. Other companies operate pretty much the same way.

And this, kids, is an example of media synergy. Viacom, Time Warner, Disney, and other media conglomerates want to get their fingers in as many of the entertainment pies as possible. To use Viacom as an example again, they own Simon and Schuster publishing. They can get the rights to a S&S book, turn it into a Paramount movie which will go to Showtime, and so forth.

Viacom outlets aren’t restricted to Viacom products, of course; there is leeway on what they can do. But synergy means that the parent company keeps as much of the pie as they can.

Robin