DIC Entertainment

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Not to be confused with the Japanese chemical company DIC Corporation or DC Entertainment. DiC Entertainment was an international film and television production company that was also known as The Incredible World of DiC, DiC Audiovisuel, DiC Enterprises, DiC Animation City and DiC Productions at various times in its history. In 2008, DiC was acquired by the Cookie Jar Group and was folded into it. Most of the DiC library is currently owned by DHX Media after DHX acquired the Cookie Jar Group on October 22 2012, shortly before The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm, Ltd. for $4 billion.

In addition to animated and live-action television shows, while under Disney, DiC produced live-action feature films, including Meet the Deedles (1998) and Inspector Gadget (1999), and licensed various anime series such as Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya and Speed Racer X.

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DiC Enterprises
Diffusion, Information Communications (DiC) was formed in France in 1971 by Jean Chalopin as the production division of Radio Television Luxembourg, a long existing media company.[4][5]

Former DiC headquarters in Burbank, California

DiC's American arm was founded in April 1982 in Burbank, California by Andy Heyward, a former story writer at Hanna-Barbera,[5] to translate DiC productions into English. The company produced television animation for both network broadcast and syndication, outsourced its non-creative work overseas, enforced anti-union policies and hired staff on a per-program basis to cut costs.[4] For some in the industry, DiC stood for "Do It Cheap".[4] With directors Bruno Bianchi and Bernard Deyriès, Chalopin and Heyward were able to make DiC an effective but restrained animation company.[4]

Soon after joining DiC, Heyward developed Inspector Gadget, which became a successful production out of the American office.[4] DiC partnered with toy makers and greeting card companies for character based product lines that could be made into animated series. Thus DiC productions came with built in advertisers and some time financiers.[5]Between Inspector Gadget and The Littles (the latter produced for ABC), the company became profitable.[6]

As the only non-union animation firm, in 1984 DiC faced a unionization effort which failed.[2] In 1985, DiC opened its own Japan-based animation facility for animation production on their shows in order to bypass overseas animation subcontractors.[citation needed] In April 1986, DiC launched a syndicated block called Kideo TV[4] with LBS Communicationsand Mattel.[7]

From late 1986 to 1987, Heyward, along with investors Bear Stearns & Co. and Prudential Insurance Co, bought Chalopin and Radio Television Luxembourg's 52% stake in DiC in a $70 million leveraged buyout[2][6] and made the US headquarters the company's main base of operations.[8] After the buyout, Chalopin, Bianchi, Deyriès and producer Tetsuo Katayama left the company to be replaced by Robby London and Michael Maliani as key employees.[4] After selling his shares in DiC, Chalopin formed the company C&D (Creativity & Development) in 1987 and continued to make animated shows during the late 1980s and the 1990s.[9]

After the buyout, DiC was heavily in debt and the foreign rights to the DiC library were sold in 1987 to Saban Productions, who then sold the rights to Chalopin's C&D.[1] [4] At the time, Heyward considered Chalopin an enemy because of the purchase and the situation permanently poisoned DiC and Saban's relationship.[1] DIC sued Saban for damages; in 1991, both companies reached a settlement.[1][4]

By 1987, DiC Enterprises' parent company was known as DiC Animation City, Inc.[2][10] DiC also entered the toy industry with the development of the Old MacDonald talking toyline. In December, DiC arranged a deal to merge with Computer Memories Inc., a former computer component manufacturer and then public shell company.[2] A dissident Computer Memories shareholder scuttled the deal in February 1988.[6]

With the buyout debt still a burden, the animation market beginning to soften with the rise of video tape viewing and a glut of new shows & new kids cable channels, Japanese contract animation companies rates increased 40% from 1986 to 1988 due to the yen exchange rate. In 1987, DiC moved production of Dennis the Menace to a Canadian animation firm for grants and tax breaks from the Canadian government. The company started moving some work to Korea and Taiwan. By the 1987-1988 season, DiC had shows on all three major networks Saturday mornings: six half-hours of shows and 50 half-hours per week in syndication.[6]

Prudential Insurance Co. purchased additional equity of DiC Animation City in August 1989 while increasing DiC's debt capacity. For the 1989-1990 season, DiC provided 30% of the networks' Saturday morning schedule with a total 60 hours per week on networks, local stations and cable channels. Four new programs debuted that season on cable and syndication.[10]

On September 11, 1989, DiC launched the 26-hours-a-week Funtown programming block on CBN Family Channel. DIC was also to produce four specials, with the first launching on Funtown with the others, mostly holiday specials, for the fourth quarter of 1989. A special based on The New Archie Show was slated for the first quarter of 1990.[11]

ABC/Disney subsidiary
In 1993, DiC Animation City and Capital Cities/ABC formed a joint venture called DiC Entertainment L.P.[12] with Heyward retaining a small ownership stake.[8] With ABC in 1994, DiC programmed two children's blocks, Dragon Club and Panda Club, in China.[13] In 1995, DiC became part of The Walt Disney Company conglomerate following Disney's acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC.[8]

DiC launched a direct to video division in April 1998 with Riley Katherine Ellis, a Caravan Pictures producer, hired as division head. The first release planned was Madeline in spring 1999, with all the division's DVDs to be released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.[14]In May 1998, DiC signed a deal to provide a children's programming block, Freddy's Firehouse, for the Pax Net television network.[15]

Independent
In 2000, with an investment by Bain Capital and Chase Capital Partners, Heyward re-purchased DiC Enterprises from Disney.[8][16] He purchased Bain Capital's interest in 2004 and took the company public the following year.[citation needed]

In January 2003, DiC announced three syndicated children's programming E/I blocks called DiC Kids Network.[17][18] Later in July, DiC Entertainment signed a television production deal with POW! Entertainment for Stan Lee's Secret Super Six, a series about teens with alien superpowers who are taught about humanity by Lee.[19]

In 2005, Mexico City-based Ánima Estudios considered forming a partnership with DiC, but decided against in order to focus on its own projects.[citation needed]

DiC Entertainment, KOL (AOL's kids online) and CBS Corporation agreed to a new three hour long programming block for Saturday mornings on CBS called KOL Secret Slumber Party, which was launched on September 15, 2006.[20] On September 15, 2007, a new programming block KEWLopolis premiered, a joint venture between DiC, CBS, and American Greetings.[21]

In April 2007, DiC Entertainment, Nelvana and NBC Universal Global Networks announced plans to launch KidsCo, a new international children's entertainment network.[22]

Cookie Jar Group/DHX Media
On June 20, 2008, it was announced that DiC Entertainment would be acquired by Cookie Jar Group.[23] The deal was completed on July 23, 2008 and the company was immediately folded into Cookie Jar Entertainment.[24] Cookie Jar was in turn acquired by DHX Mediaon October 22, 2012.[25]

Programming blocks

 * DiC Kids Network – a set of three syndicated children's programming E/I blocks announced in January 2003.[17][18]
 * Chinese blocks with ABC:[13]
 * Dragon Club (1994–)
 * Panda Club (1994–)
 * CBS broadcast blocks, both with one additional partner:
 * KOL Secret Slumber Party – a three hour long block launched on September 16, 2006, a programming block with partner KOL (AOL's kids online).[20]
 * KEWLopolis – launched on September 15, 2007, a programming block with partner American Greetings.[21]

Freddy's Firehouse
Freddy's Firehouse (FFH) was a children's educational programming block produced by DIC Entertainment and distributed by Buena Vista International, both Disney affiliates in May 1998. At the block's start, most of the programming would be from DiC's library and was planned to air on Pax Net for two years with it running on weekends with three hours on Saturday and two hours on Sunday. Buena Vista would be free to sell to other outlets international.[15][26] However, Pax went with its own Cloud 9 block.[27]

Funtown
Funtown was a programming block on CBN Family Channel. The block was launched on September 11, 1989 with 26-hours-a-week programming. DiC was tasked with the advertising sales while the Family Channel handled distribution and marketing. Funtown ran from 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and from 4 to 6 p.m and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekends. The line up of shows was a mix of formats, from live action-animated hybrids to live action, and programs ranging from original to off-network shows, whether produced by DiC or other companies. In addition, a companion club program was supposed to be developed. DiC was also going to produce four specials each quarter with the launching of Funtown, combined with the others, mostly holiday specials, for the fourth quarter of 1989.[11]

Kideo TV
Kideo TV was a programming block by DiC with LBS Communications and Mattel.[4] Metromedia stations agreed to carry the block by January 1986.[7] Kideo TV was launched in April 1986.[4][7] Series in the block included Rainbow Brite, Popples and Ulysses 31 plus The Get Along Gang reruns.[4]

Productions
Main article: List of DIC programs