Universal Studios And PolyGram Home Video Units To Be Integrated

According to a report in the trade journal Video Business, Universal parent Seagram Co. finalized its acqusition of PolyGram Holdings on December 10, 1998 and immediately took steps toward integrating the operations of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, which includes PolyGram Video, into Universal Studios.While no final decision has been made PolyGram executives would prefer to have Universal keep PolyGram Video as a standalone unit, possibly within Universal Studios Home Video.Both PolyGramís and Universalís product lines are similiar in areas of specialized feature films. Gramercy Pictures titles are marketed by PolyGram and October Films are under contract with Universal. Universal has a much larger feature-film library and video rental business but PolyGram is strong in special-interest collections, an area which Universal has viturally no presence. Seagram recently sold PolyGramís library of pre-1996 movies to MGM, thus limiting PolyGramís feature-film library.