T.C.B Starring Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations

[LoveSupreme]

Who currently owns the rights to this landmark television special? Is it NBC, Motown Productions or George Schlatter/Ed Friendly Productions?

The 50th anniversary of the special will be on December 2, 2018 and still it has not seen the light of day in any home video format. Thank God for YouTube where it can be enjoyed by the masses and a whole generation who weren't alive to see it when it was first aired.

I have a feeling that the music rights for the non-Motown songs that were performed on the special is what is keeping it from being released. The music publishers licensing fees are probably too expensive to justify even trying to get this released commercially.

[LoveSupreme]

I know somewhere down the road when Motown [[the label) changed hands it was separated from it's music publishing arm. Motown Productions, the Motown record label and it's music publishing company [[Jobete) were all under the same corporate entity but they are not anymore.

I don't know who owns the rights to Motown Productions' filmed specials, but Motown is owned by Universal Music Group and the music publishing rights to all the songs are now owned and administered by Sony/ATV Songs so it truly makes the possibility of this show even getting released more complicated as rights to the visuals and music are now owned by different corporate entities.

[Motown Eddie]

I know somewhere down the road when Motown [[the label) changed hands it was separated from it's music publishing arm. Motown Productions, the Motown record label and it's music publishing company [[Jobete) were all under the same corporate entity but they are not anymore.

I don't know who owns the rights to Motown Productions' filmed specials, but Motown is owned by Universal Music Group and the music publishing rights to all the songs are now owned and administered by Sony/ATV Songs so it truly makes the possibility of this show even getting released more complicated as rights to the visuals and music are now owned by different corporate entities.

Well that explains why we may never see a DVD/Blu-Ray release for TCB [[or the other Supremes/Temptations NBC Special, On Broadway). Thank goodness we can watch the show on YouTube.

[nathanj06]

Last I heard Gordy owns the rights to TCB / GIT and probably others under West Grand Media. This is quoted from one source:

West Grand Media LLC operates as an intellectual property management firm. The Company manages a catalog of Motown legacy media assets. West Grand Media also operates post-production facilities.

[LoveSupreme]

Last I heard Gordy owns the rights to TCB / GIT and probably others under West Grand Media. This is quoted from one source:

West Grand Media LLC operates as an intellectual property management firm. The Company manages a catalog of Motown legacy media assets. West Grand Media also operates post-production facilities.

Okay that makes sense. They licensed footage from "Diana!", "Jackson 5: Goin' Back to Indiana" and "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" for the 2009 Michael Jackson concert documentary "This is It".

Now the other piece would be the music which is wholly owned by the music publishers.

[nathanj06]

The soundtracks could be easily reissued perhaps as gate fold digipaks, and a booklet in a slipcase for both CDs. Just my instincts since GIT didn't do as well as TCB packaging them together would be very nice. I just don't get it...TCB being a #1 TV soundtrack let alone it's historical significance lying in a vault serving no purpose.