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9 Story Media Group

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9 Story Media Group Inc.
Formerly9 Story Entertainment (2002–2014)
Company typeSubsidiary
Industry
FoundedSeptember 2002; 22 years ago (2002-09)
Founders
  • Vince Commisso
  • Steven Jarosz
  • Blake Tohana
Headquarters23 Fraser Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Vince Commisso (president, CEO)
Cathal Gaffney (COO)
Angela C. Santomero (2019–2023) (CCO)[2]
Lisa Olfman (executive producer)
Neil Court (executive chairman)
Number of employees
1,100 (2019)
ParentScholastic Corporation (2024–present)
Divisions
  • 9 Story Brands
  • 9 Story Creative Affairs
  • 9 Story Distribution International
  • Brown Bag Films
Subsidiaries
Website9story.com

9 Story Media Group Inc. (formerly known as 9 Story Entertainment Inc.) is a Canadian media production, animation studio, and distribution company founded in September 2002 by Vince Commisso, Steve Jarosz, and Blake Tohana.

History

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As 9 Story Entertainment

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The company was founded in September 2002 as 9 Story Entertainment by Vince Commisso and Steven Jarosz so Vince could work on Peep and the Big Wide World.

On September 21, 2006, 9 Story launched an international distribution division headed by former Universal Studios executive, Natalie Osborne, known as 9 Story Enterprises.[4]

9 Story produced its first live-action series, Survive This, from 2008 to 2010.

On September 20, 2011, 9 Story Entertainment became the co-producer and distributor of the animated series Arthur. 9 Story would produce the series from seasons 16 to 19.[5][6]

On April 8, 2013, 9 Story announced that it would acquire the children's and family distribution library of CCI Entertainment;[7] the acquisition was completed on July 24.[8]

As 9 Story Media Group

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On October 10, 2014, 9 Story Entertainment rebranded as 9 Story Media Group, following Neil Court and Zelnick Media Capital becoming majority owners a few months prior.[9][10]

On August 18, 2015, 9 Story Media Group acquired the Dublin-based animation studio Brown Bag Films.[11][12]

On October 6, 2015, 9 Story announced an agreement with American toy manufacturer Mattel to relaunch/reboot Barney & Friends and Angelina Ballerina under license from HIT Entertainment for planned releases in 2017, but nothing was heard from them in terms of either production or release since then.[13][14]

On May 25, 2016, 9 Story acquired the global distribution rights to Garfield and Friends.[15][16]

On October 21, 2016, 9 Story's distribution arm, 9 Story Enterprises, was rebranded as 9 Story Distribution International and relocated operations from Toronto to Dublin.[17]

On October 15, 2017, 9 Story rebranded its Toronto 2D animation studio after Brown Bag Films, with the Irish studio becoming 9 Story's production arm for both 2D and 3D animation across Dublin, Manchester, and Toronto. At the same time, Brown Bag Films became one of 9 Story's main divisions, alongside 9 Story Distribution International.[18][19]

On January 12, 2018, 9 Story announced that they had acquired production company, Out of the Blue Enterprises, for an undisclosed amount and rebranded them to 9 Story USA. 9 Story would also acquire the rights to the Colorforms brand.[20][21]

On May 13, 2018, 9 Story unveiled an updated logo and announced the launch of 9 Story Brands, a consumer products division.[22]

On July 10, 2018, 9 Story acquired the children's and family distribution catalog and development slate of Breakthrough Entertainment.[23] On February 4, 2019, 9 Story announced that they had acquired Bali-based animation studio BASE for an undisclosed amount, and rebranded it after Brown Bag Films.[24][25]

On April 1, 2019, 9 Story signed a deal with Scholastic Corporation to distribute 230 half hours of programming, which would bring 9 Story's overall content library at the time to 4,000 half hours of programming.[26] In 2022, Vince Commisso was named alongside John Galway as a winner of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's Board of Directors Tribute Award at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards.[27]

On February 5, 2024, 9 Story acquired fellow Canadian company Portfolio Entertainment, including its distribution catalogue, development slates, and production. Portfolio CEO Lisa Olfman became an executive producer at 9 Story, where she will report to Commisso.[3]

On March 12, 2024, Scholastic announced that they would acquire complete economic interest and minority voting rights in 9 Story for $186 million; the transaction closed on June 21 of that year.[28][29][30]

Programming

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References

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  1. ^ "Contact". 9 Story. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "9 Story Appoints Angela C. Santomero as Chief Creative Officer". 9 Story. June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Layton, Mark (February 5, 2024). "9 Story Media acquires Toronto-based producer & distributor Portfolio Entertainment". TBI Vision. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "9 Story Launches New Distribution Division Led by Former Universal Studios Executive". September 21, 2006. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  5. ^ "9 Story becomes the Co-Producer and Distributor of new season of WGBH children's series ARTHUR®". 9 Story. September 20, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  6. ^ Wolfe, Jennifer (September 29, 2015). "Oasis Animation Tapped for New Seasons of 'Arthur'". Animation World Network. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  7. ^ "9 Story Entertainment to acquire CCI Entertainment's extensive Children's and Family Catalogue" (Press release). 9 Story. April 8, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  8. ^ "9 Story completes acquisition of CCI Entertainment's Children's and Family Catalogue". 9 Story. July 24, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  9. ^ "ZM Capital and Neil Court make equity investment in 9 Story Limited". Zelnick Media Capital. July 13, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  10. ^ Wolfe, Jennifer (October 10, 2014). "9 Story Entertainment Rebrands as 9 Story Media Group". Animation World Network. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  11. ^ "9 Story Media Group Acquires Award-Winning Animation Studio Brown Bag Films" (Press release). 9 Story. August 18, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  12. ^ "Irish Producer Brown Bag Acquired". The Hollywood Reporter. August 18, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  13. ^ Vlessing, Etan (October 6, 2015). "MIPCOM: 'Barney & Friends' Set for Relaunch by Mattel, 9 Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Mattel Inc Together with 9 Story Announce New Partnership to Relaunch Iconic Pre-School Brands 'Barney & Friends' and 'Angelina Ballerina'" (Press release). 9 Story. October 6, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "9 Story Media Group Acquires Worldwide Rights to Iconic Series Garfield and Friends" (Press release). 9 Story. May 25, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  16. ^ "9 Story acquires global rights to Garfield toon". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. May 25, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  17. ^ "9 Story Media Group Launches International Distribution Operation in Dublin, Ireland" (Press release). 9 Story. October 21, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  18. ^ "9 Story Media Group Rebrands Toronto Studio To Brown Bag Films" (Press release). 9 Story. October 15, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  19. ^ "Mipcom: 9 Story Media Group's Toronto Animation Studio Rebranding as Brown Bag Films (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. October 15, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  20. ^ "9 Story Media Group Acquires Out of the Blue Enterprises". 9 Story (Press release). Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  21. ^ "9 Story bolsters US presence with Out of the Blue buy". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  22. ^ "9 Story gets a New Look!" (Press release). 9 Story. May 13, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  23. ^ Dickson, Jeremy (July 10, 2018). "9 Story buys Breakthrough's kids library and slate". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  24. ^ "9 Story Media Group Acquires Asian Animation Studio" (Press release). 9 Story. February 4, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  25. ^ "9 Story Media Group Acquires BASE Animation Studio in Indonesia". Animation Magazine. February 4, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  26. ^ Dickson, Jeremy (April 1, 2019). "9 Story to distribute 230 hours of Scholastic content". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  27. ^ Atad, Corey (January 18, 2022). "Canadian Screen Award Academy Announces 2022 Special Award Honourees And Changemakers". ET Canada. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "Scholastic to Invest in 9 Story Media Group, Expanding Opportunities for Production and Global Licensing of Scholastic IP". Scholastic, Inc. (Press release). March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  29. ^ Vlessing, Etan (March 12, 2024). "Scholastic to Invest $186M in Animation Studio 9 Story Media". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  30. ^ "Scholastic Closes Investment in 9 Story Media Group, Award-Winning Creator, Producer and Distributor of Premium Children's Content". 9 Story Media Group. June 21, 2024.
  31. ^ Schwarz, John (August 16, 2022). "Tubi Gets Adult Animated Series Breaking Bear". Bubbleblabber. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  32. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 1, 2023). "New 'Open Season' Series in the Works at 9 Story".
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