Lionsgate Home Entertainment (formerly Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment and Lions Gate Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution arm of the Canada-based movie studio Lionsgate.
From 2006-2008, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment distributed the home entertainment releases of the children's entertainment company, HIT Entertainment, the company that owned the Barney franchise. In early 2008, Bruce Steinberg, the CEO of HIT at the time, moved the DVD sales contract from Fox to Lionsgate Home Entertainment.[1]
On March 24, 2008, Lionsgate President and Co-Chief Operating Officer Steve Beeks and HIT Entertainment Chief Financial Officer Jim Weight announced publicly that Lionsgate acquired the home entertainment distribution rights to HIT Entertainment's portfolio in the United States and Canada. Lionsgate began distributing HIT's home entertainment releases in May 2008.
Due to this deal, it propelled Lionsgate into the top three family entertainment distributors in North America for non-theatrical product. Due to the emerging digital marketplace the deal also encompassed electronic sell-through to the HIT owned titles as well as DVD distribution rights.[2]
Distribution over HIT Entertainment releases lasted until 2014, where the distribution rights where transferred to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
