SFM Entertainment explained

SFM Media
Type:	Private
Fate:	Former parent company SFM Media Corporation acquired by Havas in 1998
Founder:	Walter Staab Robert Frank Stanley Moger
Location City:	Rye Brook, New York
Key People:	Stanley Moger, CEO Michael Maizes, SVP, Counsel, CFO
Industry:	Television syndication Licensing^[1]
Products:	TV shows
Services:	Ad hoc TV networks
Owner:	Stanley Moger
Parent:	SFM Media Corporation (1969-1998)
Divisions:	SFM Holiday Network

SFM Entertainment, LLC is an American television syndicator, film distributor, production company, and licensing firm established on September 29, 1969, originally as a division of SFM Media Corporation.^[2] SFM Entertainment is known for setting up 'occasional' networks.^[3] The name comes from the initials of the company's founders: Walter Staab, Robert Frank, and Stanley Moger.

History

SFM Media Services Corporation was founded on September 29,^[2] 1969 as an independent advertising agency by Stanley Moger, Bob Frank and Walt Staab. SFM Media started a division, SFM Entertainment (SFME), to enter the strip-programming business. SFME's first program was The Mickey Mouse Club.^[4]

During the winter of 1976-77, SFM Media Service assisted Mobil Oil in running and launching the Mobil Showcase Network. This led to three additional companies approaching SFM on setting up their own 'occasional' networks.^[3] In 1978, SFM launched its own network, SFM Holiday Network.^[5] SFM subsequently launched the General Foods Golden Showcase Network^[4] in 1980.^[6] In 1983, SFM worked with Del Monte Foods to form an ad hoc TV network to broadcast the special Believe You Can . . . And You Can! over 100 stations on April 21, 1983 at 8 PM EST.^[7]

In 1994, SFM started up a sports marketing unit in its media services division with the hiring of Jerry Solomon as executive vice president.^[8]

In 1998, media holding company Havas purchased SFM Media Corporation; its SFM Entertainment division was not included in the sale.^[9]

Shows distributed by SFM

Some shows distributed by SFM (past or present) include:

• The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin^[4]
• Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
• The Mickey Mouse Club (the 1977-1978 version, including the 1975-1977 syndication of the black-and-white original series)^[4]
• The Flip Wilson Show
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
• The Smothers Brothers Show
• The Adventures of Jim Bowie
• The Danny Thomas Show
• The Real McCoys
• The West Point Story (along with MGM Television)
• The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961)
• the AFI 100 Years... series of TV specials
• Zoobilee Zoo (with DIC Entertainment) live action pre-school program^[10]
• Care Bears (syndicated version from 1988)
• Rainbow Brite
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
• Make Room for Daddy
• The Joey Bishop Show
• Death Valley Days^[11]
• Mister Peepers
• Help! I'm a Fish
• The Doctors
• Edward the Seventh (British miniseries distributed in U.S. in 1979)
• Deal (a 1978 behind-the-scenes look at Let's Make a Deal)
• Good Morning World
• Lotsa Luck
• Roseanne (produced by Carsey-Werner Productions)
• The Jerry Lewis Show (1967–1969 NBC series; sketches edited from original hour-long shows into half-hour reruns)
• The Toys That Rescued Christmas (2004)
• Superstars^[9]
  • Battle of the Network Stars^[9]
  • Female Superstars^[9]
• SFM I movie and documentary package^[12]
  • The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt
  • Pinocchio in Outer Space
• Stamp of Greatness – weekly half-hour program profile those on the postage stamps^[10]
• Directions – weekly half-hour program on fashion^[10]
• The George Steinbrenner Show – half-hour weekly sports series moderated by Steinbrenner as two well-known sports figures debate sports related issue in front of an audience^[10]
• Faces of Love – first-run anthology series from major authors feature romance^[10]
• The Hugga Bunch – 5-part limited series^[10]
• The Texas 150th Birthday Celebration – 3-hour live special featuring top Texan stars mark the 150th anniversary of Texas^[10]
• The March of Time – award-winning British documentary series^[10]
• The Dione Lucas Cooking Show

Units

• SFM Entertainment
  • SFM Holiday Network

See also

• Fourth television network
  • Mobil Showcase Network Operation Prime Time

Notes and References

1. Web site: SFM Entertainment, LLC: Private Company Information - Businessweek. https://archive.today/20141001095206/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=50239102. dead. October 1, 2014. businessweek.com. Bloomberg Businessweek. 1 October 2014.
2. http://sfment.dreamhosters.com/dox/sfm_at_30.pdf SFM at 30
3. Nadel. Gerry. 1977-05-30. Who Owns Prime Time? The Threat of the 'Occasional' Networks. New York Magazine. New York. 33–36. 2009-10-04.
4. Brokaw. Kurt. My Days and Nights with Moger. Madison Avenue Journal. September 11, 2006. 1 September 2012.
5. News: Dougherty. Philip H.. Advertising; Holiday Success At SFM. 4 September 2012. The New York Times. December 22, 1981.
6. News: Key. Janet. Despite Mega-budget, Att Sees Real Bargain In 'The Final Days'. April 25, 2015. Chicago Tribune. November 1, 1989.
7. News: Jory. Tom. Stan Moger and the ad hoc networks. 29 May 2012. The Gettysburg Times. March 21, 1983. AP. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101118022457/http://heatherorourke.net/forum/topic/1113-stan-moger-and-the-ad-hoc-networks/. 18 November 2010.
8. News: Ramirez. Anthony. THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; SFM Media Names Head of Sports Unit. 29 May 2012. New York Times. September 19, 1994.
9. Frank. Bob. Bob to Stanley: "What's a Media Service?". Madison Avenue Journal. September 14, 2006. 4 September 2012.
10. News: The SFM Explosion (ad). May 19, 2016. SFM Entertainment . January 6, 1986 . 18.
11. Web site: SFM Entertainment :: Death Valley Days.
12. News: The SFM Explosion (ad). May 19, 2016. SFM Entertainment . January 6, 1986 . 18.