Editing Metromedia (section)

==History==
===Origins===
The company arose from the ashes of the [[DuMont Television Network]], the world's first commercial [[television network]].<ref name="BTO">{{cite book|last=Goldenson|first=Leonard H.|author-link=Leonard Goldenson|author2=Wolf, Marvin J.|title=Beating the Odds|url=https://archive.org/details/beatingoddsun00gold|url-access=registration|publisher=Macmillan|location=New York|year=1991|page=[https://archive.org/details/beatingoddsun00gold/page/105 105]|isbn=9780684190556}}</ref> DuMont had been in economic trouble throughout its existence, and was seriously undermined when [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] accepted a buyout offer from [[United Paramount Theaters]] in 1953. The ABC-UPT deal gave ABC the resources to operate a national television service along the lines of [[CBS]] and [[NBC]]. DuMont officials quickly realized the ABC-UPT deal put their network on life support, and agreed in principle to merge with ABC. However, it was forced to back out of the deal when minority owner [[Paramount Pictures]] raised antitrust concerns. UPT had only spun off from Paramount four years earlier, and there were still doubts about whether the two companies were really separate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.r-vcr.com/~television/TV/TV11.htm |title=DuMont TV |access-date=December 31, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231105843/http://www.r-vcr.com/~television/TV/TV11.htm |archive-date=December 31, 2006 }}</ref>

By 1955, DuMont realized it could not compete against the other three networks and decided to wind down its operations. Soon after DuMont formally shut down network service in 1956, the parent firm [[DuMont Laboratories]] spun off the network's two remaining [[owned and operated station]]s, [[WNYW|WABD]] in New York City and [[WTTG]] in Washington, D.C., to shareholders as the '''DuMont Broadcasting Corporation.'''<ref>"DuMont network to quit in telecasting 'spin-off.'" ''[[Broadcasting and Cable|Broadcasting - Telecasting]]'', August 15, 1955, pg. 64. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/55-OCR/1955-08-15-BC-0064.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>"DuMont completes spin-off, separates broadcasting, labs.'" ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', December 5, 1955, pg. 7. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/55-OCR/1955-12-05-BC-0007.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The company's headquarters were co-located with WABD in the former DuMont Tele-Centre (which was later renamed the Metromedia Telecenter) in New York.

In 1957, DuMont Broadcasting purchased two New York area radio stations, WNEW (now [[WBBR]])<ref>"DuMont pays $7.5 million for WNEW." ''Broadcasting'', March 25, 1957, pp. 31-32. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/57-OCR/1957-03-25-BC-0031.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/57-OCR/1957-03-25-BC-0032.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and WHFI (later [[WNEW-FM]] and WWFS),<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/57-OCR/1957-11-18-BC-0096.pdf "Changing Hands." ''Broadcasting'', November 18, 1957, pg. 96]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>"For the Record." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', January 6, 1958, p. 108. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/58-OCR/1958-01-06-BC-0095.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and later that year changed its name to the '''Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation''' to distance itself from its former parent company.<ref>"DuMont revenue grows, name change approved." ''Broadcasting'', May 19, 1958, pg. 84. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/58-OCR/1958-05-19-BC-0084.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The following year, Paramount sold its shares in Metropolitan Broadcasting to Washington-based investor [[John Kluge]], enough to give Kluge controlling interest. Kluge installed himself as chairman, and later increased his holdings to 75 percent.<ref>"Kluge buying Paramount's 21% of Metropolitan Broadcasting." ''Broadcasting'', December 1, 1958, pg. 9. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/58-OCR/1958-12-01-BC-0011.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> WABD's [[call letters]] were later changed to WNEW-TV to match its new radio sisters.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/58-OCR/1958-09-08-BC-0084.pdf "Name change." ''Broadcasting'', September 8, 1958, pg. 84]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Expansion===
[[Image:WTCN.jpg|200px|right|thumb|1970s logo for WTCN-TV (now [[KARE (TV)|KARE]]) in [[Minneapolis]], which included the corporate logo for Metromedia; this logo was also used by [[KTTV]] in Los Angeles, [[WXIX]] in Cincinnati, and [[WTTG]] in Washington D.C.]]
Metropolitan Broadcasting's first acquisitions included [[WHK (AM)|WHK-AM]]-[[WMMS|FM]] in [[Cleveland]] (in 1958);<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 21, 1958 |title=Changing Hands |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1958/1958-04-21-BC.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=54 |issue=16 |page=58 |access-date=September 5, 2022 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> the Foster & Kleiser outdoor advertising firm<ref>Spielvogel, Carl. "Advertising: an acquisition set." ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 20, 1959.</ref> (in 1959); and [[KOVR]] in [[Stockton, California]], [[Benedict Gimbel Jr.]]-owned WIP-[[WTEL (AM)|AM]]-[[WMMR|FM]] in [[Philadelphia]], WTVH-TV (now [[WHOI (TV)|WHOI]]) in [[Peoria, Illinois]], and WTVP television (now [[WAND (TV)|WAND]]) in [[Decatur, Illinois]] (all in 1960).<ref>"3 blessings with 2 rebukes." ''Broadcasting'', January 4, 1960, pg. 40. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/60-OCR/1960-01-04.BC-0040.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/60-OCR/1960-01-18.BC-0095.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/60-OCR/1960-01-18.BC-0096.pdf "Changing hands." ''Broadcasting'', January 18, 1960, pp. 95-96]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> In 1961 Metropolitan purchased KMBC-[[KMBZ (AM)|AM]]-[[KMBC-TV|TV]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref>"Metropolitan buying KMBC." ''Broadcasting'', December 26, 1960, pp. 51-52. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/60-OCR/1960-12-26.BC-0045.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/60-OCR/1960-12-26.BC-0046.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Later that year the company's name was changed to '''Metromedia''';<ref>"It's Metromedia." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', April 3, 1961, pg. 56. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-04-03-BC-0056.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> the Metropolitan Broadcasting name was retained for its broadcasting division until 1967.<ref name=Typesetting>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-03-25-BC.pdf#page=62 Metromedia gets its TV team in uniform]''Broadcasting'', March 25, 1968, pp. 56-57.</ref>

In separate 1963 deals the company expanded into [[Los Angeles]], buying first [[KTTV]]<ref>"KTTV to Metromedia for $10 million plus." ''Broadcasting'', January 14, 1963, pg. 9. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/63-OCR/1963-01-14-BC-0009.pdf]{{dead link|date=June 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and later [[KLAC (AM)|KLAC]] and the original KLAC-FM (now [[KIIS-FM]]).<ref>"Metromedia adds KLAC in $4.5 million deal." ''Broadcasting'', March 18, 1963, pp. 9-10. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/63-OCR/1963-03-18-BC-0009.pdf]{{dead link|date=June 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/63-OCR/1963-03-18-BC-0010.pdf]{{dead link|date=June 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The company would later engineer a swap of FM facilities; the second KLAC-FM (later [[KMET (FM)|KMET]] and now [[KTWV]]) was established in 1965.<ref>"Changing hands." ''Broadcasting'', March 22, 1965, pp. 110-111: Metromedia acquires KRHM (94.7 FM) and sells KLAC-FM (102.7 FM); the FCC allows both facilities to exchange call letters. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/65-OCR/1965-03-22-BC-0108.pdf]{{dead link|date=June 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/65-OCR/1965-03-22-BC-0109.pdf]{{dead link|date=June 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Metromedia also entered the realm of live entertainment by purchasing the [[Ice Capades]] (in 1963)<ref>"Ice Capades Acquired By Metromedia, Inc." ''The New York Times'', May 14, 1963.</ref> and the [[Harlem Globetrotters]] (in 1967).<ref>Gent, George. "Metromedia buys Globetrotters; TV chain will add team to Ice Capades operation." ''The New York Times'', May 24, 1967.</ref> Later in the decade Metromedia opened a television production center in Los Angeles, known as [[Metromedia Square]], which served as the studio facility for numerous network programs. Metromedia also owned a TV production and distribution company called '''Metromedia Producers Corporation''' (MPC), established in 1968 from [[David L. Wolper|Wolper Productions]]. MPC produced and syndicated various programs and TV movies, most notably the [[game show]] ''[[Truth or Consequences]]'' and the 1972-86 version of ''[[The Merv Griffin Show]]''. Metromedia spent the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s increasing its television and radio station portfolio, and continued to expand its syndication business.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} In 1976, it teamed up with [[MTM Enterprises]] to launch a first-run syndicated variety show.<ref>{{Cite news|date=June 14, 1976|title=Programming Briefs|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/76-OCR/1976-06-14-BC-OCR-Page-0051.pdf|access-date=August 27, 2021}}</ref>

Metromedia entered the [[Record industry|record business]] in 1969 with the launch of the '''Metromedia Records''' label, whose biggest-selling artist was [[Bobby Sherman]]. The label was also notable as having issued the first two studio albums of [[Peter Allen (musician)|Peter Allen]], ''Peter Allen'' (1971) and ''Tenterfield Saddler'' (1972).<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-allen-p14854/discography Peter Allen discography]; www.allmusic.com.</ref> The label was closed in 1974. Allen's ''Tenterfield Saddler'', the title song of which has become an [[George Woolnough|Australian standard]], was acquired and reissued by [[A&M Records]] in 1978.<ref>[http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~ktabloid/paoriginalalbums.htm Peter Allen discography]; www5d.biglobe.ne.jp.</ref>

In 1976, similar to the more successful [[SFM Holiday Network]] of syndicated stations launched two years later, Metromedia teamed up with [[Ogilvy and Mather]] for a proposed linking of independent TV stations termed ''MetroNet''. The proposed programming would consist of several Sunday night family dramas, on weeknights a half-hour serial and a gothic series similar to ''[[Dark Shadows]]'', and on Saturdays a variety program hosted by [[Charo]]. The plans for MetroNet failed when advertisers balked at Metromedia's advertising rate, which was only slightly lower than the Big Three's and low national coverage, leaving for another similar operation, [[Operation Prime Time]].<ref name="Nadel">{{cite journal|last=Nadel|first=Gerry|date=May 30, 1977|title=Who Owns Prime Time? The Threat of the 'Occasional' Networks|journal=New York Magazine|location=New York|pages=34–35|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YeMCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22MetroNet%22%2B%22Metromedia%22&pg=PA35|access-date=October 4, 2009}}</ref> In 1979, Metromedia Producers Corporation had also reached a deal with [[Stewart Television|Bob Stewart Productions]] for an exclusive co-producing agreement.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 17, 1979|title=Monitor|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/BC-1979-12-17-OCR-Page-0071.pdf|access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref>

In 1982, Metromedia made its biggest broadcasting purchase when it acquired [[WCVB-TV]] in [[Boston]] for $220 million, which at the time was the largest amount ever spent on a single television station property.<ref>Schwartz, Tony. "Metromedia seeks TV station." ''The New York Times'', July 23, 1981.</ref> Two years later, John Kluge bought out Metromedia's shareholders and took the company private.<ref>Cuff, Daniel F. "Business people; Metromedia's founder begins new challenge." ''The New York Times'', December 14, 1983.</ref>

Also around this time, Metromedia attempted to bring to the air a national newscast for independent stations (much as the rival [[Tribune Media|Tribune Company]] had created ''[[Independent Network News (TV program)|Independent Network News]]'' in 1980), planned for launch in the fall of 1983. Unlike ''INN'', the program was planned to be offered as a hybrid, hour-long local/national newscast, fed to affiliates by satellite as a headlines block and three other segments, which could be aired by local stations in whatever order the stations deemed alongside locally produced news content. Also as part of this plan, Metromedia established full news departments for [[KRIV (TV)|KRIV]] in Houston and what was then [[KDAF|KRLD-TV]] in Dallas (another news department was planned for [[WFLD]] in Chicago, but that department ultimately didn't launch until 1987, after the Murdoch buyout). Metromedia attempted to hire [[Charles Kuralt]] away from [[CBS News]] to serve as anchor. Kuralt chose to stay to with CBS; [[John Hart (journalist)|John Hart]] was also considered as an anchor, but ultimately the planned newscast never came to fruition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KURALT WOOED |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/09/15/KURALT-WOOED/5000754950140/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hodges |first=Ann |date=October 1, 1982 |title=Ch. 26 to carry Turner's All-Star NFL package |page=5:13 |work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Shales |first=Tom |date=June 26, 1983 |title=Ode to the Road Of Charles Kuralt |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1983/06/26/ode-to-the-road-of-charles-kuralt/301c1c68-1958-471d-b0e4-27cb7f431b8c/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Alridge |first=Ron |date=October 13, 1982 |title=WFLD is planning some big news for Chicago |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>

In 1985, it made an attempt to revive the comedy ''[[Oh Madeline|Oh, Madeline]]'' as ''The Madeline Kahn Show'' for first-run syndication, but the deal never came to fruition.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 7, 1985 |title=Madeline's back |pages=194 |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]] |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-01-07-OCR-Page-0194.pdf |access-date=October 24, 2023}}</ref>

===1985-86 divestitures===
On May 4, 1985, Kluge announced the sale of Metromedia's television stations, and Metromedia Producers Corp., to [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] (owned by Australian newspaper publisher [[Rupert Murdoch]]) and [[20th Century Fox|20th Century Fox Film Corporation]] (owned jointly by Murdoch and [[Marvin Davis]]) for $3.5 billion. With the exception of WCVB-TV (which was subsequently sold to the [[Hearst Corporation]]), all of the former Metromedia stations formed the nucleus of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]] (which began operations on October 9, 1986), while MPC was folded into [[20th Century Fox Television]]. The transactions became official on March 6, 1986.<ref>Cole, Robert J.. "Murdoch to buy & TV stations; cost $2 billion." ''The New York Times'', May 7, 1985.</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |title=Rupert Murdoch buys Metromedia |series=The 10 O'Clock News |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IgwfnUG3cM&t=19s  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/4IgwfnUG3cM| archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=November 5, 2017 |station=WNEW-TV |location=New York, NY |date=May 4, 1985 |minutes=00:00 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Because of these transactions, and the fact that Metromedia was originally spun off from the DuMont Television Network, radio personality [[Clarke Ingram]] has suggested that the Fox network is a revival or at least a linear descendant of DuMont.<ref>{{cite web|title=The DuMont Television Network: Channel Nine|url=https://dumonthistory.com/9.html|author=Clarke Ingram|author-link=Clarke Ingram|website=Dumont History}}</ref>

Kluge also sold Metromedia's outdoor advertising firm, the Harlem Globetrotters, and the Ice Capades in 1985, its cellular phone and yellow pages divisions to the [[AT&T|Southwestern Bell Corporation]] (now known as the second incarnation of AT&T,  due to SBC's acquisition of [[AT&T Corporation]] in 2005) under the leadership of Zane Barnes,  Robert G. Pope, and J.B. Ellis. They also spun off the radio stations into a separate company (which took on the Metropolitan Broadcasting name)<ref>Stevenson, Richard W. "Metromedia ad business sale". ''The New York Times'', January 21, 1986.</ref><ref>Fabrikant, Geraldine. "Metromedia set to sell Globetrotters, ice show." ''The New York Times'', March 5, 1986.</ref><ref>"Metromedia, Katz radio groups sold in LBO's." ''Broadcasting'', March 31, 1986, pp. 33-34. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-03-31-Page-0033.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-03-31-Page-0034.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-11-17-Page-0120.pdf "In brief." ''Broadcasting'', November 17, 1986, pg. 120]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} before they were sold to various other owners by the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-01-fi-773-story.html|title=Metromedia Will Sell Its Cellular Units|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 1, 1986|accessdate=November 23, 2022}}</ref>

===Legal battles===
In retaliation for a lawsuit brought by [[Paul Winchell]], who sought the rights to his children's television program ''Winchell-Mahoney Time'', which was produced at KTTV in Los Angeles during the mid-1960s, it is believed that KTTV management [[Lost television broadcast#Wiping|destroyed]] the program's video tapes. In 1989 Winchell was awarded nearly $18 million as compensation for Metromedia's capricious behavior.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/89-OCR/1989-07-03-BC-0115.pdf "Victory for ventriloquist." ''Broadcasting'', July 3, 1989, pg. 37]{{dead link|date=August 2015}}</ref><ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-03-mn-917-story.html "Paul Winchell Gets Last Word and $17.8 Million." "LA Times", July 3, 1986]</ref>

In 1983, [[Christine Craft]], a former evening news co-anchor at KMBC-TV in Kansas City, sued Metromedia on claims of fraud and [[sexual discrimination]]. After spending eight months at KMBC-TV in 1981, she was demoted to reporting assignment after a [[focus group]] study claimed Craft was "too old, too unattractive and not deferential to men" in the eyes of viewers. Craft declined the reassignment and subsequently resigned from the station. Craft initially won her case, though she lost on appeal at the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]].<ref>"Newsroom issue goes to court." ''Broadcasting'', August 1, 1983, pp. 24-25. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-08-01-Page-0024.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-08-01-Page-0025.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>"Craft decision leaves questions." ''Broadcasting'', August 15, 1983, pp. 28-30. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-08-15-Page-0028.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-08-15-Page-0029.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-08-15-Page-0030.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-12-23-Page-0069.pdf "Craft case continues." ''Broadcasting'', December 23, 1985, pg. 69]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>"Christine Craft wins two, loses big one." ''Broadcasting'', March 10, 1986, pp. 74-75. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-03-10-Page-0074.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-03-10-Page-0075.pdf]{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

===Ownership of film studios===
On May 22, 1986, Metromedia acquired a 6.5% stake in [[Orion Pictures|Orion Pictures Corporation]]; a movie and television production studio.<ref name="Chicago Tribune 1986-6-3">[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/06/03/metromedias-orion-stake/ Metromedia's Orion Stake], chicagotribune.com</ref> By December, the stake in Orion's ownership was increased from 9.3% to 12.6% and on April 12, 1988, to 44.1%<ref name="New York Times 1988-4-12">[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/12/business/company-news-metromedia-s-orion-stake.html Metromedia's Orion Stake], newyorktimes.com</ref> On May 20, 1988, Metromedia acquired [[Sumner Redstone]]'s share for $78 million, holding a majority stake in Orion Pictures worth nearly 67%. In 1995, Kluge merged Orion, MCEG Sterling Entertainment (producer of the ''[[Look Who's Talking]]'' series), the holding company Actava, and Metromedia into a new Metromedia International Group.<ref>{{Cite news| issn = 0458-3035| last = BATES| first = JAMES| title = Orion to Be Folded Into Global Media Concern : Entertainment: Billionaire John Kluge's expanded Metromedia International would be formed via a four-way stock swap worth $1 billion.| work = Los Angeles Times| access-date = January 27, 2019| date = September 1, 1994| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-01-fi-33634-story.html}}</ref> In November 1995, Metromedia announced that it would acquire [[Motion Picture Corporation of America]] (MPCA) for $32 million, followed by [[The Samuel Goldwyn Company]] for $115 million in February 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/ee5af2c2cc86a7665ef416eb8523a9da|title=Metromedia to Acquire Motion Picture Corporation of America|agency=[[Associated Press|AP]]|date=November 28, 1995|accessdate=November 9, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/01/business/company-news-at-115-million-a-buyer-for-samuel-goldwyn.html|title=COMPANY NEWS;AT $115 MILLION, A BUYER FOR SAMUEL GOLDWYN|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 1, 1996|accessdate=November 9, 2022}}</ref> On April 11, 1997, Metromedia sold Orion/Goldwyn and MPCA to [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) for $573 million and was closed on July 10 of the same year.<ref name="Metromedia">Bates, James. [https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/29/business/metromedia-to-sell-film-units-to-mgm-for-573-million.html "Metromedia to Sell Film Units to MGM for $573&nbsp;million."] ''[[The New York Times]].'' April 29, 1997.</ref><ref>"Years of Hits, Misses Comes to Close." ''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]].'' July 10, 1997; Bates, James. "MGM Lays Off 85 in Metromedia Film, TV Units." ''Los Angeles Times.'' July 11, 1997.</ref> In 1998, MPCA broke apart from MGM becoming independent again.

===Activities following film sale===
Following the sale of the film business to MGM, Metromedia still owned [[Metromedia Restaurant Group]] (which it had renamed from S&A Restaurant Group, which was acquired from [[Grand Metropolitan]]) in 1990<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Charles |title=Conglomerate menace stalks chains |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n33_v23/ai_7865531 |website=bnet |access-date=September 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313235745/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n33_v23/ai_7865531 |archive-date=March 13, 2009 |date=August 14, 1989 |url-status=dead}}</ref> as well as Metromedia Fiber Network. The latter went bankrupt a few years later and became [[AboveNet]], while the former went bankrupt in 2008. Metromedia International operated subscription television operators ([[Kosmos-TV]], [[Alma TV]], Ala TV, [[Kamalak TV]]) and private radio stations in Eastern Europe and CIS countries; by 2006 following the sale of most assets, it bought [[Magticom]] in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] to ease financial burden from filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Heidi |title=The Incredible Shrinking Metromedia |url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/10/09/metromedia-kluge-putin-bankruptcy-biz-cz_hb_1010metromedia.html |website=Forbes |access-date=September 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013024706/https://www.forbes.com/2006/10/09/metromedia-kluge-putin-bankruptcy-biz-cz_hb_1010metromedia.html |archive-date=October 13, 2006 |date=October 10, 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> Most assets were joint-ventures with government-linked companies.<ref name="KTVscandal">[https://web.archive.org/web/20240909101534/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/180985 Битвы за "Космос ТВ"]</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Interflo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vGBnAAAAMAAJ |access-date=10 September 2024 |date=2002 | publisher=ABREES Limited }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Interflo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdNaAAAAYAAJ |access-date=9 September 2024 |date=1996 | publisher=BP.R. Surovell }}</ref> Its [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] operations were put in a state of limbo in 2002 due to regulatory issues.<ref>[https://www.rferl.org/a/1343365.html Kazakh Report: March 7, 2002]</ref>