Image Entertainment

Founded in 1981, Image Entertainment began as a distributor of LaserDiscs, whose sound and picture quality surpassed that of VHS and Beta, the dominant tape formats of the time. In its earlier years, the company originally distributed X-rated titles in addition to mainstream titles. In August 1994, Image entered the CD-ROM market, releasing movies on the CD-ROM format. As the 1990s came to a close and Laserdiscs gave way to DVDs, Image re-focused on the fledgling format that quickly came to dominate the home video marketplace. While studios were busy managing the transition from VHS to DVD, Image began to acquire DVD rights to long-form music concert programs, television programming, foreign films and a broad array of special interest programming. 

On April 2, 2012, it was announced that RLJ Acquisition, Inc. had entered into an agreement to acquire Image Entertainment as well as Acorn Media and planned to merge the two companies. The two companies operate under the banner "RLJ Entertainment". The company was then renamed RLJ Entertainment.

Founded in 1981, Image Entertainment began as a distributor of LaserDiscs, whose sound and picture quality surpassed that of VHS and Beta, the dominant tape formats of the time. In its earlier years, the company originally distributed X-rated titles in addition to mainstream titles. In August 1994, Image entered the CD-ROM market, releasing movies on the CD-ROM format. As the 1990s came to a close and Laserdiscs gave way to DVDs, Image re-focused on the fledgling format that quickly came to dominate the home video marketplace. While studios were busy managing the transition from VHS to DVD, Image began to acquire DVD rights to long-form music concert programs, television programming, foreign films and a broad array of special interest programming. 

On April 2, 2012, it was announced that RLJ Acquisition, Inc. had entered into an agreement to acquire Image Entertainment as well as Acorn Media and planned to merge the two companies. The two companies operate under the banner "RLJ Entertainment". The company was then renamed RLJ Entertainment.