DHX Media is Up for Sale

Dudley

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After a disappointing year, but not before buying so many media companies and libraries, DHX Media is putting itself up for sale or for a merger!

DHX not only produces a lot of shows and provides service work for many studios, they also own the rights to the largest independent library of children's content in the world, which includes the libraries of DiC, Cinar, Nerd Corp, shows like Degrassi, and more.

Who do you guys think will buy it? I think if NBCUniversal does, it's content would definitely place it as a serious contender against the major kids channels.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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I'd go with Lionsgate buying it. NBC Universal already owns a library of cartoons as a result of buying Dreamworks Animation, which I'm referring to Dreamworks Classics.

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Red Arrow

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Wikipedia says they own the WildBrain library, which apparantly owns I am Weasel nowadays?! That would explain why season 5 aired on a local channel in the Netherlands a while ago. (together with Ren & Stimpy)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DHX_Media_programs
I personally think their library is total trash... I am not surprised they're up for sale. The best show I could find was George of the Jungle (2007), which isn't exactly a masterpiece either.

Oh my glob, Poochini's Yard. That cartoon was the worst... *shudders*
 

stephane dumas

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I don't know if another Canadian animation have the shoulders solid enough to merge with DHX like Nelvana.

I wonder if an European studio might have an eye on DHX like Gaumont animation to have a foot at the door of the North American market?
 

Red Arrow

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I don't know if another Canadian animation have the shoulders solid enough to merge with DHX like Nelvana.

I wonder if an European studio might have an eye on DHX like Gaumont animation to have a foot at the door of the North American market?
DHX Media owns some (all?) of Gaumont's shows for the North-American market. Wouldn't it be weird if they bought a company that owns their shows? (no idea how it works)
 

PF9

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Time Warner should buy them. They have been falling behind NBCUniversal in trying to build a large animation library. Not to mention all the content they could provide Boomerang with.
 

MegasMilo379

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Wow. This genuinely surprises me.

I guess with so many properties and acquisitions under their belt, the many things that DHX has owned over the years has snapped that belt.

I think they should divest some less lucrative properties to other companies before considering a sale or even a merger, because a full merger is too much to handle.
 

Nexonius

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Wikipedia says they own the WildBrain library, which apparantly owns I am Weasel nowadays?! That would explain why season 5 aired on a local channel in the Netherlands a while ago. (together with Ren & Stimpy)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DHX_Media_programs
I personally think their library is total trash... I am not surprised they're up for sale. The best show I could find was George of the Jungle (2007), which isn't exactly a masterpiece either.

Oh my glob, Poochini's Yard. That cartoon was the worst... *shudders*
I Am Weasel. is owned by Cartoon Network, Wildbrain was just providing animation for the first 13 or so cartoons.


And can NBCUniversal acquire DHX Media, given the differences of laws in Canada? They'll certainly have to shutter those Canadian networks to Corus or at least reserve a brand license, like Turner and Viacom.

Also, they'll have to send off My Little Pony to Hasbro's own studio to avoid competition or making something they have no equity in.

They'll probably cool off on acquiring more majorly kid based companies, but it could certainly boost their library and content for shows.
 

PF9

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Any comment of my suggestion that Time Warner buy DHX?
 

NeoplanDan

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Time Warner should buy them. They have been falling behind NBCUniversal in trying to build a large animation library. Not to mention all the content they could provide Boomerang with.

I doubt if that’s the case of them willing to acquire it despite of AT&T trying to buy Time Warner entirely on all of its properties they currently owned.


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Magmaster12

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How about Sony since one of DiC's two good shows is Real ghostbusters and they can own the full property.
 

Mc123

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I rather see DHX Media being bought by a big company that doesn't have too many kids TV productions or plan to launch a new kids channel

Also, for whoever buy DHX Media's Family channels, it can't be Corus as the last time they own Family, the CRTC complained.
 

PF9

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How about Sony since one of DiC's two good shows is Real ghostbusters and they can own the full property.

Nintendo might object since the Mario animated franchise is part of the DiC library and Nintendo and Sony are rivals
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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Time Warner should buy them. They have been falling behind NBCUniversal in trying to build a large animation library. Not to mention all the content they could provide Boomerang with.

Uh, no and I'm pretty sure Time Warner already has a large animation library as they bought Turner Broadcasting System in 1996, which allowed them to own the Hanna-Barbera library.


How about Sony since one of DiC's two good shows is Real ghostbusters and they can own the full property.

I'm pretty sure Nexonius' comment cast doubt on the possibility of NBC Universal buying DHX, which can also apply to Sony due to differences between American and Canadian laws, let alone the possibility if shutting down Canadian networks or reserve a brand licence to another company. Let me point you out that Marvel doesn't fully own the Hanna-Barbera Fantastic Four TV show and The Spectacular Spider-Man (since it was co-produced by Sony's Culver Animation):
And can NBCUniversal acquire DHX Media, given the differences of laws in Canada? They'll certainly have to shutter those Canadian networks to Corus or at least reserve a brand license, like Turner and Viacom.

Also, they'll have to send off My Little Pony to Hasbro's own studio to avoid competition or making something they have no equity in.

They'll probably cool off on acquiring more majorly kid based companies, but it could certainly boost their library and content for shows.

I'm pretty sure NBC Universal already has a large animation library when they bought Dreamworks Animation, which in turn allowed them to own Dreamworks Classics.

I rather see DHX Media being bought by a big company that doesn't have too many kids TV productions or plan to launch a new kids channel.

Also, for whoever buy DHX Media's Family channels, it can't be Corus as the last time they own Family, the CRTC complained.

Hence, why I think Lionsgate would be a good choice since they don't have a kids channel of their own, let alone they don't have any channels in their native Canada despite buying Starz Media last year. NBC Universal already has a kids channel, which is Universal Kids.

Nintendo might object since the Mario animated franchise is part of the DiC library and Nintendo and Sony are rivals

I think Magmaster was referring to Sony Pictures, not Sony Interactive Entertainment.


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PF9

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Uh, no and I'm pretty sure Time Warner already has a large animation library as they bought Turner Broadcasting System in 1996, which allowed them to own the Hanna-Barbera library.

Time Warner hasn't really bought anything since then, and they have watched as Classic Media built up their library and eventually merged with DreamWorks and later, NBCUniversal. You could say NBCU has a larger animation library than TW does now,
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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Who wants to bet Corus would buy it?

To quote Mc123:
Also, for whoever buy DHX Media's Family channels, it can't be Corus as the last time they own Family, the CRTC complained.

Time Warner hasn't really bought anything since then, and they have watched as Classic Media built up their library and eventually merged with Dreamworks and later, NBCUniversal. You could say NBCU has a larger animation library than TW does now,

They haven't bought anything since acquiring Turner? I beg to differ as they bought a 10.3% stake on SCi Entertainment Group in 2006 until it was bought by Square Enix three years later, the pay television unit of Claxson Interactive Group, Inc. and TT Games in 2007, Snowblind Studios and a 42.8% stake on Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. in 2009, Turbine Inc, the remaining stock of HBO Europe that they didn't own, Shed Media and Chilevision in 2010, Flixster (before bought by NBC Universal subsidiary Fandango in 2016, which in turn allowed Time Warner to own 30% of said subsidiary) and LazyTown Entertaiment in 2011 and Alloy Entertainment and Bleacher Report in 2012.

And Time Warner already has a large animation library as since buying Turner, they now own the Hanna-Barbera library, so they don't need to buy DHX and are currently in the process of a merger with AT&T.

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PF9

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They haven't bought anything since acquiring Turner? I beg to differ as they bought a 10.3% stake on SCi Entertainment Group in 2006 until it was bought by Square Enix three years later, the pay television unit of Claxson Interactive Group, Inc. and TT Games in 2007, Snowblind Studios and a 42.8% stake on Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. in 2009, Turbine Inc, the remaining stock of HBO Europe that they didn't own, Shed Media and Chilevision in 2010, Flixster (before bought by NBC Universal subsidiary Fandango in 2016, which in turn allowed Time Warner to own 30% of said subsidiary) and LazyTown Entertaiment in 2011 and Alloy Entertainment and Bleacher Report in 2012.

And Time Warner already has a large animation library as since buying Turner, they now own the Hanna-Barbera library, so they don't need to buy DHX and are currently in the process of a merger with AT&T.

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I meant in terms of animation library expansion
 

Dudley

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Why should Time Warner buy DHX, they barely make use of the large library they have already.


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