Prospect Park

Prospect Park is a Hollywood entertainment company established in 2008 by Richard H. Frank, a former Walt Disney Television executive; Jeff Kwatinetz, who had led the talent agency The Firm; and music manager Peter Katsis. The company was structured around several connected entertainment activities rather than a single production label. Its principal areas included scripted television production, music-artist management, and an independent record label operating as Prospect Park Records. The television business became associated with series including Royal Pains for USA Network, Wilfred for FX, and Salem for WGN America. On May 3, 2011, former ABC executive Josh Barry joined Prospect Park to lead its production activities, strengthening the company's television expertise at a time when it was seeking to expand beyond conventional Hollywood production. Prospect Park also operated in music through a management department and Prospect Park Records. The label's roster included Five Finger Death Punch, Korn, and Mindset Evolution, and the company announced additional signings or roster additions involving British rock band You Me at Six and New York rapper Azealia Banks in 2014. These activities placed Prospect Park across both artist representation and music distribution, while its television division focused on producing and reviving established entertainment properties. The company's most ambitious digital initiative was The Online Network, commonly abbreviated as TOLN. Prospect Park created the service to distribute new installments of the long-running ABC daytime soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live after licensing arrangements with ABC. The project was initially announced in 2011, delayed and suspended later that year, and revived in 2012. TOLN formally launched in 2013, with new half-hour episodes of both programs released through Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes beginning April 29, 2013. The network also produced supplementary material, including behind-the-scenes programs and a soap-opera-focused radio program. The digital-soap venture was disrupted by labor problems, disputes over the licensing relationship with ABC, and financial pressure. Prospect Park sued ABC in April 2013, claiming that ABC had failed to comply with aspects of the licensing agreement and had undermined the revival of One Life to Live. Production was halted during a labor dispute in June 2013 and later suspended while the litigation continued. In March 2014, Prospect Park Networks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Online Network was subsequently dissolved, while Prospect Park's production and music operations were described as unaffected by the bankruptcy. ABC's countersuit over unpaid licensing fees was dismissed in October 2016, and Prospect Park's suit was dismissed in December 2016, with rights to the revived soap properties returning to ABC. In 2015, The Firm was reactivated and Prospect Park Productions was positioned as a subordinate entity. Prospect Park therefore represents an entertainment-business model combining traditional television production, music services, and digital distribution, although its current corporate status and active operating scope are not clearly established in the supplied reference material.

Prospect Park was founded in 2008 by Richard H. Frank, Jeff Kwatinetz, and Peter Katsis. The founders brought experience from television, talent representation, and music management, and organized the company around three related business units: television production, music management, and an independent record label. The structure allowed Prospect Park to participate in the development of filmed entertainment while also representing artists and releasing music. The television division produced or was associated with Royal Pains on USA Network, Wilfred on FX, and Salem on WGN America. In May 2011, former ABC executive Josh Barry joined the company to lead production. His arrival was significant because Prospect Park was then preparing a more ambitious move into the distribution of established television properties. In July 2011, ABC announced that it had licensed the daytime soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live to Prospect Park. The proposed business model involved continuing the shows through a paid online television and interactive-media network rather than their former broadcast arrangement. Prospect Park announced in September that new episodes were expected to appear on its planned internet channel in early 2012. The timetable changed repeatedly: the All My Children revival was delayed, the online plans were suspended in November 2011, and the project was later revived. The digital initiative returned under the name The Online Network, or TOLN. In January 2013, Prospect Park confirmed that All My Children and One Life to Live would serve as anchor programs. Production resumed in February, and new half-hour episodes began appearing on Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes on April 29. TOLN also created supplementary programming, including behind-the-scenes features and a talk-oriented radio show devoted to the soap operas. The revival encountered operational and legal difficulties. A labor dispute involving the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees halted production in June 2013. Although the dispute was resolved, Prospect Park later suspended production while pursuing litigation against ABC. In April 2013, the company had filed a $25 million lawsuit alleging that ABC failed to honor portions of its licensing agreement. Prospect Park's claims included allegations that ABC undermined the revival by moving or killing characters associated with One Life to Live, failing to consult Prospect Park on relevant storylines, and disputing the ownership or identity of at least one character. In March 2014, Prospect Park Networks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing concerned the network operation; the production and music divisions were described as continuing without the same disruption. TOLN was dissolved later in 2014. In 2015, The Firm, Inc. was reactivated, with Prospect Park Productions and the music divisions placed as subordinate entities within that arrangement. This preserved a role for Prospect Park's traditional entertainment activities even after the online-soap venture failed. The legal dispute concluded in 2016. ABC's countersuit concerning unpaid licensing fees was dismissed in October, and Prospect Park's lawsuit was dismissed in December. The rights to All My Children and One Life to Live reverted to ABC. Prospect Park's history therefore combines conventional television production and music operations with an early, high-profile attempt to move legacy broadcast soap operas into a digital subscription and online-distribution environment. The supplied references do not establish the company's current headquarters beyond Century City, its present ownership, or whether all of its historic divisions remain active.

• 2016

  ABC dispute concludes

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Both sides' lawsuits are dismissed during 2016, and the rights to the two revived soap operas revert to ABC.

• 2015

  The Firm is reactivated

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  The Firm, Inc. is reactivated, with Prospect Park Productions positioned as a subordinate production entity.

• 2014

  Prospect Park Networks enters Chapter 11

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  The network division files for bankruptcy protection while Prospect Park continues litigation with ABC.

• 2013

  The Online Network begins distribution

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  TOLN launches new episodes of All My Children and One Life to Live through Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes.

• 2011

  Josh Barry takes charge of production

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Former ABC executive Josh Barry joins Prospect Park to lead its television production business.

• 2011

  ABC licenses two daytime soaps to Prospect Park

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  ABC announces a licensing arrangement intended to move All My Children and One Life to Live into a new paid online network.

• 2008

  Prospect Park is founded

  [1]Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Richard H. Frank, Jeff Kwatinetz, and Peter Katsis establish Prospect Park as an entertainment company with television, music management, and record-label activities.

A diversified U.S. entertainment platform combining television production, digital distribution, music management, and an independent record-label business.

• Television production · 2008

  Television production

  Prospect Park's television business produced scripted programming for U.S. cable networks. Associated productions included Royal Pains for USA Network, Wilfred for FX, and Salem for WGN America. The division represented the company's conventional entertainment-production base and continued to operate separately from the later bankruptcy of Prospect Park Networks.

• Digital television network · 2013

  The Online Network

  The Online Network was Prospect Park's web-based television initiative. It was designed to distribute new installments of All My Children and One Life to Live after their licensing transition from ABC. The service premiered new half-hour episodes through Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes in 2013, alongside supplementary behind-the-scenes and talk programming. The network was later dissolved following operational, legal, and financial problems.

• Independent record label

  Prospect Park Records

  Prospect Park Records was the company's independent recorded-music label. Its associated roster included Five Finger Death Punch, Korn, and Mindset Evolution, with You Me at Six and Azealia Banks added to the announced roster in 2014. The label operated alongside Prospect Park's artist-management business.

• Artist management · 2008

  Music management

  Prospect Park's music-management department guided the careers and commercial activities of recording artists. It formed one of the company's core business units alongside television production and the record label, although the supplied references do not provide a complete roster or current operating details.

• 2014

  Prospect Park Networks Chapter 11 filing

  The division operating The Online Network filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid the failed digital-soap venture and continuing litigation with ABC.

  Source

• 2013

  Prospect Park-ABC licensing dispute

  Prospect Park sued ABC over the licensing arrangement for One Life to Live and alleged that ABC interfered with or failed to support the planned revival. ABC later brought a countersuit concerning unpaid licensing fees.

  Source

Read more

• 2013The Online Network soap-opera revival

  United States

  Prospect Park promoted The Online Network as a digital home for new episodes of All My Children and One Life to Live, supported by supplementary behind-the-scenes content and a dedicated talk program.

  Outcome. The programs premiered digitally in April 2013, but production was later suspended and the network was dissolved in 2014.

  Source

• 2015

  Alignment with the reactivated The FirmStrategy

  Background

  Following the bankruptcy of Prospect Park Networks, the surviving entertainment operations required a revised corporate structure.

  Action taken

  The Firm, Inc. was reactivated, with Prospect Park Productions and the music operations placed as subordinate entities.

  Aftermath

  The production and music businesses remained associated with the reconstituted organization, although current operating details are not established in the reference material.

  Source

• 2014

  Separation of network difficulties from production and music operationsStrategy

  Background

  The digital-network business faced financial and legal pressure after the soap-operas initiative encountered production interruptions and litigation.

  Action taken

  Prospect Park Networks filed for Chapter 11 protection while the production and music divisions continued separately.

  Aftermath

  The network was dissolved, while the remaining activities were later positioned under the reactivated The Firm structure.

  Source

• 2013

  Launch of The Online NetworkProduct launch

  Background

  Prospect Park sought to establish a digital distribution platform for continuing television franchises.

  Action taken

  TOLN released new half-hour episodes of All My Children and One Life to Live through Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes.

  Aftermath

  Production was interrupted by a labor dispute and later suspended during litigation with ABC. TOLN was dissolved in 2014.

  Source

• 2011

  Plan to move legacy daytime soaps to online distributionStrategy

  Background

  ABC had announced the end or transition of its long-running daytime-soap programming, creating an opportunity for Prospect Park to continue the properties outside the traditional broadcast schedule.

  Action taken

  Prospect Park licensed All My Children and One Life to Live and planned a paid online television and interactive-media network.

  Aftermath

  The plan was delayed and temporarily suspended before being revived through The Online Network in 2013.

  Source

1. 1Prospect Park (production company)en.wikipedia.org