Buena Vista Home Video

Carole Black has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president-marketing at Buena Vista Television, Burbank. Black previously served as vice president-worldwide marketing, video, for Buena Vista Home Video.

Hollywood-based Jim Henson Co. has signed a five-year pact with Sony Corp.'s Columbia TriStar Home Video, bringing Henson's video and theatrical distribution deals under the same roof. The company's previous five-year deal with Walt Disney Co.'s Buena Vista Home Video expired in December 1997.

A Video With Soul: Disney's Buena Vista Home Video is putting together a video retrospective on soul brother James Brown that will cover "the man and his music." Brown was scheduled to announce the video Monday night during an appearance on the "Arsenio Hall Show." The video is due out this fall.

Pia Merchandising Co. Inc. has landed a five-year contract to distribute new releases from Walt Disney Co.'s Buena Vista Home Video division, the companies said Monday. The contract's dollar value was not released, but industry analysts have described the contract as having a value of about $15 million. Pia had hoped to sign the Disney agreement and a second, unnamed contract, several months ago, but negotiations only recently were concluded, said Clint Owens, Pia chairman and chief executive.

'Beauty and The Beast' Coming on Video: Walt Disney Studios, which enjoyed a windfall from its "Fantasia" video last year, plans to release "Beauty and the Beast" on videocassette Oct. 30. The Academy Award-nominated film will be priced at $24.99. Disney's Buena Vista Home Video unit, which already controls 30% of the video sell-through market, hopes to enlarge its share this year with the release of "Beauty" and several other titles.

Hollywood-based Jim Henson Co. has signed a five-year pact with Sony Corp.'s Columbia TriStar Home Video, bringing Henson's video and theatrical distribution deals under the same roof. The company's previous five-year deal with Walt Disney Co.'s Buena Vista Home Video expired in December 1997.

Pia Merchandising Co. Inc. has landed a five-year contract to distribute new releases from Walt Disney Co.'s Buena Vista Home Video division, the companies said Monday. The contract's dollar value was not released, but industry analysts have described the contract as having a value of about $15 million. Pia had hoped to sign the Disney agreement and a second, unnamed contract, several months ago, but negotiations only recently were concluded, said Clint Owens, Pia chairman and chief executive.

Image Entertainment Inc., a licensee and distributor of optical-disc programming, has relocated its distribution operations from Chatsworth to Las Vegas. The company's corporate offices will remain in Chatsworth. Image has exclusive DVD license and distribution agreements with companies, including Universal, Orion and Playboy, and laserdisc distribution rights with Disney's Buena Vista Home Video, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and other suppliers.

Shape Up With Barbie: Move over Jane, Angela, Cher and Kathy. Barbie is entering the exercise/dance video market. "Dance! Workout With Barbie" will find Mattel's famous doll helping a live-action aerobic instructor teach jam and aerobic dance steps. Barbie is being animated by the Will Vinton Studios, the folks who created the Claymation California Raisins. The video will be distributed by Buena Vista Home Video on April 10.

Sounds like an evil sorcerer at work. Walt Disney Co. this week began selling "The Return of Jafar," its highly publicized video sequel to the hit film "Aladdin." No sooner did the hot-selling cassette go on sale than police and investigators for the Motion Picture Assn. of America raided an illegal duplication operation in Los Angeles where they found 73 videocassette recorders busily copying "Jafar."

'Beauty and The Beast' Coming on Video: Walt Disney Studios, which enjoyed a windfall from its "Fantasia" video last year, plans to release "Beauty and the Beast" on videocassette Oct. 30. The Academy Award-nominated film will be priced at $24.99. Disney's Buena Vista Home Video unit, which already controls 30% of the video sell-through market, hopes to enlarge its share this year with the release of "Beauty" and several other titles.

A Video With Soul: Disney's Buena Vista Home Video is putting together a video retrospective on soul brother James Brown that will cover "the man and his music." Brown was scheduled to announce the video Monday night during an appearance on the "Arsenio Hall Show." The video is due out this fall.

Carole Black has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president-marketing at Buena Vista Television, Burbank. Black previously served as vice president-worldwide marketing, video, for Buena Vista Home Video.

Pediatric Aides: The Disney Channel, Walt Disney Records and Buena Vista Home Video are uniting for their first joint charity effort, a benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. "For Our Children" Sept. 26 at Universal Amphitheater will be an afternoon family concert of children's music, with Paula Abdul, Michael Bolton, Woody Harrelson, Bobby McFerrin, Randy Newman and Salt 'n Pepa, among the many performers.