On May 7, 1946, Ibuka partnered with Akio Morita to co-found a firm that would eventually become Sony.
(東京通信工業, Tōkyō Tsūshin Kōgyō, Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation) pioneered Japan’s inaugural tape recorder, the Type-G. By 1958, then rebranded itself using the Roman letters “Sony,” an unusual name for a Japanese multi-national conglomerate. Among other things, Sony would later go on to revolutionize the music, gaming and electronics industries with both innovative hardware, software and signing some the most iconic artist in the world.
Sony Music Entertainment, often referred to as SME or Sony Music, is the largest global recorded music company among the “big three” record companies. Established in 1991 after Sony acquired CBS Record Group, it gained access to the ATV catalog of Michael Jackson. In Japan, Sony Music operates independently as Sony Music Entertainment Japan (SMEJ), having absorbed CBS/Sony Group in 1988. Sony Music has undergone significant changes, including a joint venture with Bertelsmann AG to create Sony BMG in 2004 and subsequent restructurings. Besides its record label, Sony operates Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which boasts an extensive catalogue including The Beatles’ Lennon-McCartney compositions. In 2012, Sony/ATV acquired a majority stake in EMI Music Publishing, solidifying its position as the world’s largest music publishing company.
Morita and Ibuka, recognized the necessity of global expansion for their business’s success thereby adopting a concise and easily recognizable brand name. Initially, they contemplated using their initials, TTK, but refrained due to the association with the railway company Tokyo Kyuko according to the company website. Despite occasionally using the acronym “Totsuko” in Japan, Morita discovered during a visit to the United States that it was challenging for Americans to pronounce. “Tokyo Teletech” was another trial name until Morita learned of an American company already using the brand Teletech.
The name “Sony” emerged as a blend of two words: “sonus,” Latin for sound, and “sonny,” a slang term common in 1950s America for a young boy. In 1950s Japan, “sonny boys” denoted smart and presentable young men, a description fitting Morita and Ibuka. The first Sony-branded product, the TR-55 transistor radio, debuted in 1955, according to the book Sony vs Samsung, with the official company name change occurring in January 1958.
TTK’s principal bank, Mitsui, had proposed alternative names like Sony Electronic Industries or Sony Teletech. However, Morita insisted on a name not tied to any specific industry, ultimately gaining approval from Ibuka and Mitsui Bank’s chairman.
Sony’s TR-63 radio significantly impacted the U.S. market, heralding the era of consumer microelectronics. Morita’s founding of Sony Corporation of America in 1960 highlighted the company’s global ambitions. Sony’s contributions to Japan’s export prowess during the 1960s-1980s, including supplying the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War, enhanced its reputation for quality and innovation. Despite economic challenges in the early 1980s, Sony persisted, with leadership transitions leading to developments like the compact disc and PlayStation.
Under Morita’s and subsequent leaders’ vision, Sony diversified into various sectors, aiming for convergence between film, music, and digital electronics. However, this expansion was not always profitable, necessitating restructuring under leaders like Howard Stringer, who focused on revitalizing Sony’s core electronics business and fostering collaboration among its divisions
Sony Entertainment comprises two main divisions: Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Group, which includes Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing. Previously, Sony USA also operated Sony Trans Com, an in-flight entertainment programming and audio-video playback firm which provided equipment for airlines. However, Sony sold this business to Rockwell Collins in 2000 after acquiring it from Sundstrand Corp. in 1989.
In 2012, Sony consolidated most of its consumer content services, including video, music, and gaming, into the Sony Entertainment Network, which served as the precursor to the PlayStation Network.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is responsible for television and film production and distribution with box office franchises such as Spider-Man, The Karate Kid, Men in Black, and television game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Sony entered the entertainment industry in 1989 with the acquisition of Columbia Pictures Entertainment for $3.4 billion. Columbia Pictures remains a part of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, which also encompasses TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, and Sony Pictures Classics, among others. Additionally, SPE oversees Sony Pictures Television.
