 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Direct-to-consumer distributor of DVDs and Blu-ray and LaserDisc |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Columbia Records |
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States |
Area served | United States Canada (until December 2010) Mexico (until April 2001) |
| Products | Movies Music (formerly) |
| Parent | Edge Line Ventures |
| Website | columbiahouse.com |
Columbia House was an umbrella brand for Columbia Records' mail-order music clubs, the primary iteration of which was the Columbia Record Club, established in 1955. The Columbia House brand was introduced in the early 1970s by Columbia Records (a division of CBS, Inc.), and had a significant market presence in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.[1]
In 2005, longtime competitor BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. (formerly the RCA Music Service or RCA Victor Record Club) purchased Columbia House and consolidated operations. In 2008, the company (as well as book club operator Bookspan) was acquired by private investment group Najafi Companies, and its name was changed to Direct Brands, Inc.
Although Direct Brands shut down music mail-order operations in mid-2009, it continued to use the Columbia House brand to market videos in the U.S. and Canada, selling DVDs and Blu-rays via the controversial practice of negative option billing. DB Media's Canadian assets ceased operating on December 10, 2010, and all staff were dismissed,[2] while U.S. operations continued as usual. In December 2012, the company was sold to Pride Tree Holdings, Inc. In 2013, the company changed its name to Filmed Entertainment Inc.[3] The sale of the DVD division at bankruptcy auction was announced August 10, 2015.[4]
- ^
- "The rise and fall of the Columbia House record club — and how we learned to steal music (page 1)". Boston Phoenix. 2011-11-18. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- "The rise and fall of the Columbia House record club — and how we learned to steal music (page 2)". Boston Phoenix. 2011-11-18. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- "The rise and fall of the Columbia House record club — and how we learned to steal music (page 3)". Boston Phoenix. 2011-11-18. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- "The rise and fall of the Columbia House record club — and how we learned to steal music (page 4)". Boston Phoenix. 2011-11-18. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- "The rise and fall of the Columbia House record club — and how we learned to steal music (page 5)". Boston Phoenix. 2011-11-18. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- ^ "Alvarez & Marsal". Alvarezandmarsal.com. December 10, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ http://listings.findthecompany.com/l/6589969/Filmed-Entertainment-Inc-in-New-York-NY[permanent dead link]
- ^ Jay, Marley (August 10, 2015). "Columbia House owner files for bankruptcy". Toronto Sun. Associated Press (AP). Retrieved August 13, 2015.