Editing Pearson plc (section)

=== Entertainment media businesses 1981 to 2002 ===
in 1981 Pearson's publishing subsidiary [[Pearson Longman]] established Goldcrest Films and Television in 1981, led by the founder of [[Goldcrest Films]], John Eberts, and chaired by James Lee, chief executive of Pearson Longman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Dennis |date=3 July 1981 |title=Pearson builds on Trident deal |page=15 |website=newspapers.com |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |publication-place=United Kingdom |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58551234/the-guardian/ |access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref> At its inception, the new concern owned 40% of Goldcrest Films.<ref name=":0"/>

In 1986, Pearson invested in the [[British Satellite Broadcasting]] consortium, which a few years later merged with [[Sky Television (1984–1990)|Sky Television]] to form a new company, [[Sky UK|British Sky Broadcasting]] (BSkyB).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/237074.stm |title=Granada and Pearson sell BSB stake |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=17 December 1998 |access-date=18 April 2011}}</ref>

During the 1990s, the company acquired a number of TV production and broadcasting assets, including former [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] franchisee [[Thames Television]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pearson-looks-for-foreign-tv-station-agreed-bid-for-thames-values-the-programme-maker-at-pounds-99m-1457057.html |title=Pearson looks for foreign TV stations Agreed bid for Thames values the programme maker at 99m |first=Patrick |last=Hosking |publisher=[[The Independent]] |date=23 April 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/media-how-thames-turned-the-tide-from-failed-franchisee-to-thriving-indie-producer-there-can-be-life-1392970.html |title=How Thames turned the tide: From failed franchisee to thriving "indie" producer: there can be life after broadcasting death, as Richard Last witnessed |first=Richard |last=Last |publisher=[[The Independent]] |date=9 February 1994 |access-date=11 April 2018}}</ref> Australian production company [[Reg Grundy Organisation|Grundy Television]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Dawdtrey |first=Adam |url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/pearson-goes-global-via-grundy-purchase-99127863 |title=Pearson goes global via Grundy purchase |periodical=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=3 April 1995 |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=de Logu |first=Simona |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/03/29/Pearson-buys-Aussie-TV-production-firm/5979796453200 |title=Pearson buys Aussie TV production firm |agency=[[United Press International|UPI]] |date=29 March 1995 |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/30/business/international-briefs-pearson-to-expand-in-tv.html |title=International Briefs; Pearson to Expand in TV |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=30 March 1995 |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> U.S. television company All American Communications Inc.,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/aanews.htm |title=ACQUISITION OF ALL AMERICAN BY PEARSON TO CREATE THE WORLD'S LARGEST INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCER |publisher=Pearson Television |date=1 October 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000902080204/http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/aanews.htm |archive-date=2 September 2000}}</ref> Italian drama production company Mastrofilm,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/article21.htm |title=PEARSON TELEVISION ACQUIRES ITALIAN PRODUCTION COMPANY |publisher=[[Fremantle (company)|Pearson Television]] |date=3 November 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000902075255/http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/article21.htm |archive-date=2 September 2000}}</ref> European animation financer and distributor EVA Entertainment,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/article27.htm |title=PEARSON TELEVISION ACCELERATES ANIMATION BUSINESS |publisher=[[Fremantle (company)|Pearson Television]] |date=2 February 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000528130535/http://www.pearsontv.com/pages/article27.htm |archive-date=28 May 2000}}</ref> and UK production company [[Talkback (production company)|Talkback Productions]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/pearson-close-to-talkback-acquisition/402103.article |title=Pearson close to Talkback acquisition |periodical=[[Screen International]] |date=14 April 2000 |access-date=29 May 2022}}</ref>

In 1994, Pearson acquired software publisher [[The Software Toolworks]] for US$462{{nbsp}}million,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/01/business/pearson-enters-multimedia-software-arena.html |title=Pearson Enters Multimedia Software Arena |first=Steve |last=Lohr |date=1 April 1994 |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=29 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626222253/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/01/business/pearson-enters-multimedia-software-arena.html |archive-date=26 June 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and rebranded it [[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aAgEAAAAMBAJ |title=TOP OF MIND |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |volume=106 |issue=46 |publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media]] |date=12 November 1994 |page=90}}</ref> In 1998, Pearson sold Mindscape to [[The Learning Company (formerly SoftKey)|The Learning Company]] for US$150{{nbsp}}million, taking a $346 million loss on the sale.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pearson loses Mindscape |url=https://money.cnn.com/1998/03/06/deals/mindscape/ |website=money.cnn.com |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=6 March 1998 |access-date=13 December 2021}}</ref>

In 2000, Pearson merged its television holdings with [[CLT-UFA]] to form the [[RTL Group]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |title=RTL chief defends Pearson TV acquisition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/sep/19/rtl.pearson |access-date=9 February 2024 |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 September 2001}}</ref> In 2002 it exited the industry entirely by selling its 22% stake in RTL to [[Bertelsmann]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pearson Completes Sale Of RTL Stake To Bertelsman |url=https://the-media-leader.com/pearson-completes-sale-of-rtl-stake-to-bertelsman/ |website=the-media-leader.com |access-date=9 February 2024 |date=1 February 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2001_Dec_24/ai_81087547 |title=Pearson agrees to sell 22% stake in RTL Group |publisher=[[FindArticles]] |website=findarticles.com |access-date=18 April 2011 |date=2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104183852/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2001_Dec_24/ai_81087547 |archive-date=4 January 2009}}</ref>