DHX Media

**DHX Media** is a Canadian multinational media production, distribution and broadcasting company. Formed in 2006 by the merger of Decode Entertainment and the Halifax Film Company, the company is the world's largest content production and distribution company and owner of children's television in the industry.

Following a number of acquisitions, its library grew to include those of Cookie Jar Entertainment (which, in turn, consisted of the libraries of Cinar, DIC Entertainment, Coliseum and FilmFair), Epitome Pictures, Ragdoll Productions, Studio B Productions, WildBrain, Nerd Corps Entertainment, Colossal Pictures, Tinopolis, and Nine Films and Television, along with those of DHX's two predecessors, Decode Entertainment and Halifax Film Company. In 2017, DHX also acquired a stake in the *Peanuts* franchise following its purchase of Iconix Brand Group's entertainment division.

In 2013, DHX entered the broadcasting industry with its acquisition of the Canadian specialty television channel Family Channel, and its three spin-off services, from Astral Media as part of Astral's acquisition by Bell Media.

## History

In 2006, Decode Entertainment and Halifax Film Company merged to form a public company known as DHX Media; the name derives from the combination of the names ***D**ecode* and ***H**alifa**x*** from the 2006 merger between Decode Entertainment and Halifax Film Company. Studio B Productions was acquired by and became a subsidiary of DHX Media on December 4, 2007.

A reverse merger deal with Entertainment One was considered in 2008, but was dropped. On March 25, 2008, DHX Media acquired Bulldog Interactive Fitness. On September 8, 2010, all related subsidiaries and divisions were rebranded under the label DHX Media. On September 14, 2010, DHX Media acquired WildBrain.

On August 20, 2012, it was announced that DHX Media would acquire Cookie Jar Group for $111 million, a deal which would make DHX the world's largest independent owner of children's television programming. The acquisition was completed on October 22, 2012.

In May 2013, DHX introduced three premium, subscription-based channels on YouTube; DHX Junior, DHX Kids, and DHX Retro. DHX executive Michael Hirsh explained that the offerings were meant to leverage the company's library and the growth of digital distribution in the children's television market. DHX was among the first 30 content partners for YouTube's premium channel platform.

On September 16, 2021, DHX acquired Disney Television Animation- A-Joint Venture Between Disney Worldwide, Playhouse Disney And an Investment group that managed And Licensed Walt Disney Television Animation Properties [Such As Mickey Mouse Clubhouse] Inside The United States And Ragdoll Worldwide—a joint venture between Ragdoll Productions, BBC Worldwide and an investment group that managed and licensed Ragdoll Productions' properties (such as *Teletubbies*) outside the United Kingdom.

### Expansion into broadcasting, subsequent partnerships

On November 28, 2013, DHX announced that it would acquire four children's specialty television channels from the former Astral Media for $170 million, consisting of Family Channel, Disney Junior (English), Disney Junior (French), and Disney XD. The networks were being sold as a condition of Bell Media's 2013 acquisition of the remainder of Astral Media's assets; its purchase of the networks marked DHX's first foray into television broadcasting. The deal was approved by the CRTC on July 24, 2014, and closed on July 31, 2014. The channels were incorporated into a new unit, DHX Television.

In early 2014, DHX Media acquired Epitome Pictures, the producers of *Degrassi*, but Epitome did not own international distribution rights. In November, DHX purchased the rights to 117 titles from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment, the US distributor that owned the international distribution rights to *Degrassi*, *Instant Star* and *The L.A. Complex*, two other Epitome productions plus 117 children’s and family series consisting of about 1,200 half-hours and another 34 series' distribution rights. Other shows in the purchase included *Lunar Jim*, *Beast Wars: Transformers* and *Emily of New Moon*. Nerd Corps Entertainment, a Canadian animation studio founded by former Mainframe Entertainment producers Asaph Fipke and Chuck Johnson, also the makers of *Slugterra*, was acquired by DHX Media on December 24.

In April 2015, Corus Entertainment announced that it had acquired Canadian rights to the program library of Disney Channel and its associated brands as part of a deal with the Disney–ABC Television Group; DHX's existing deal with Disney, which covered programming across the four DHX Television services, ended in January 2016. DHX's Disney-branded channels were re-branded as Family Jr., Family Chrgd, and Télémagino.

In August 2015, DHX reached an output deal with AwesomenessTV; the deal includes rights to its programming for Family Channel, along with plans to co-develop new, original content for DHX to distribute and merchandise internationally. In December 2015, DHX reached an output deal with DreamWorks Animation, which included Canadian rights to its original animated television series, and a pact to co-produce 130 episodes of animated programming for the Family networks, with DHX handling Canadian distribution and DreamWorks handling international distribution. Also that month, DHX established a development deal with Mattel to co-develop and handle global sales for content in the *Little People* and *Polly Pocket*, franchises, as well as HiT Entertainment properties owned by them such as the *Bob the Builder*, *Fireman Sam*, franchises, including television and digital video programming.

On September 21, 2016, DHX cut a deal with Air Bud Entertainment (founded by Robert Vince) distribute the Air Bud library of 15 films, including the newest Air Bud production Pup Star.

### Peanuts acquisition, change in focus

On May 10, 2017, DHX announced that it had acquired the entertainment division of Iconix Brand Group for $345 million. The purchase gave DHX rights to the *Strawberry Shortcake* franchise and, more prominently, an 80% majority stake in Peanuts Worldwide.
On October 2, 2017, the company announced that it was evaluating strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, following a strategic review of its finances. DHX's debt had increased following the Iconix acquisition, and the company reported a net loss of $18.3 million during its fiscal fourth quarter.

On May 14, 2018, DHX announced that it would sell a 39% stake (approximately 49% of its total ownership) in Peanuts Worldwide to its Japanese licensee Sony Music Entertainment Japan for $185 million. The sale will be used to help cover DHX's debt. In July 2018, DHX was also listed as several companies expressing interest in buying Endemol Shine Group.

In October 2018, DHX announced that it had decided against selling the company, and that it planned to prioritize investments into digital content (including short-form digital content, and premium long-form content intended for platforms such as Amazon Video and Netflix), rather than television, to reflect changes in viewing habits. The company reported a year-over-year revenue of $434.4 million (up from $298.7 million in 2017).

## Businesses

DHX Media's businesses are divided into four areas:

* **DHX Brands**: This division handles brand development, management and licensing, with offices in Toronto, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles and New York. As a part of the business, DHX Media maintains Copyright Promotions Licensing Group (CPLG), a licensing agency headquartered in London, United Kingdom, which became DHX's subsidiary in the process of the acquisition of Cookie Jar Entertainment, as well as a 80% stake in Peanuts Worldwide, LLC.
* DHX Studios: DHX Media maintains four production studios in three locations within Canada: one (the former Halifax Film Company) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, another one (the former Decode Entertainment) in Toronto, Ontario, and the other two (2D animation — formerly Studio B Productions — and 3D animation — formerly Nerd Corps Entertainment) in Vancouver, British Columbia. The studios handle animated, live action and interactive media production, both original and commissioned.
* **DHX Networks** (formerly **DHX Television**): DHX Media operates three English-language television channels (Family Channel, Family Chrgd and Family Jr.) and one French-language channel (Télémagino) in Canada. Previously under Astral Media, DHX purchased the channels in 2013 as a result of Bell Media's acquisition of Astral in the same year.
* **DHX Distribution**: DHX Media distributes television shows and specials within their library to various media platforms (including television and online), territory-by-territory. The company maintains distribution offices in Toronto, Beijing, Los Angeles and Paris, and a support team in Toronto.

## External Links

* Official website

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