AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

On Friday, October 6, 2000, Cinar Corp. released a letter by company president and CEO Barrie Usher to its investors chronicling the reasons behind their delayed reporting of financial statements dating as far back as 1997. Currently, the Montreal-based production firm is under investigation for allegedly using false Canadian names on scripts, written by Americans, to obtain lucrative Canadian tax credits.

To blur the lines even more between marketing adult themes to children, the animated characters from SOUTH PARK will be appearing on condoms. Comedy Central has signed a deal with the U.K.-based Licensing Company to provide the faces of Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny and Chef for Condomania prophylactics. The condoms will only be available in the U.K. for about US$20.

At MIPCOM, Cosgrove Hall Films has christened its new media division, Cosgrove Hall Digital (CHD) with the launch of its new Website: www.chd.uk.com. CHD will be run by managing director Iain Pelling and day-to-day operations will be overseen by Jon Rashid. The new division will create digital content for Websites, broadcast transmissions and CD-Roms. Currently, CHD is working on a pre-school series entitled WILD AND WONDERFUL, and a children’s series for ITEL entitled ALBIE.

German animation production house and rights buyer, TV Loonland AG has acquired the television production and distribution activities of Sony Wonder, the children’s production arm of Sony Music Entertainment. The deal was worth US$20.5 million in cash and stocks. As part of the deal, TV Loonland also obtains animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, which Sony Wonder bought in 1998. Sony will retain North American home video rights and international audio rights to their catalog of programming, which includes CLIFFORD and GENERATION O!

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

MIPCOM, the International Film and Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable and Satellite, hits Cannes, France on October 2 – 6, 2000. MIPCOM facilitates programme sales, deals, new contacts and joint ventures on a global basis. MIPCOM includes a five-day TV industry tradeshow, including a conference progamme on Television in the New Economy called MIPCOM: The International Trading Floor. MIPCOM brings together producers, distributors, broadcasters, Webcasters, worldwide cable and satellite operators, buyers, co-producers and investors from around the globe.

Due to microchip shortages, Sony has decided to cut its October 26, 2000 U.S. shipment of PlayStation 2 next generation gaming consoles by half. However, Sony states that this delivery change will not affect the projected amount of units in North America by the holiday season. 500,000 consoles will ship to 20,000 stores in North America then Sony will roll out 100,000 units each week thereafter. "We will be able to supply a flow of products, instead of a huge initial spike," said Kaz Hirai, COO of Sony.

German production/rights buyer Helkon Media has acquired a 51% share in Dutch animation and merchandising house Rubinstein Media. Rubinstein founder and CEO Maurits Rubinstein will remain as head of the company. This move comes on the heels of Rubinstein and Helkon subsidiary Peppermint’s formation of a 50-50 joint children's television animation house entitled, Pepperkids.

ZDF Enterprises has announced the creation of a new subsidiary, ZDF.new media. Based in Mainz, Germany, ZDF.new media will be run by recently appointed Peter Lang, president of marketing and sales, and Dirk Max Johns, president of content and multimedia products. The duo, with a staff of ten, will develop and grow the company’s Websites www.zdf.msnbc.de and www.adf.de. "The foundation of ZDF.new media marks an important milestone for the future development of the ZDF-Group," said Alexander Coridass, president of ZDF Enterprises.

Despite a negative recommendation by the negotiating committee, the members of Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists and Affiliated Optical Electronic and Graphic Arts, Local 839 IATSE, have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The contract includes higher increases in minimum rates (8% in the first year, 4% in the second year, 3% in the third), higher health and pension contributions for freelance animation writers and storyboard artists, and a new framework for screen credit arbitration.

Foresight Marketing & Design Ltd., a marketing and consulting firm in Eastern Canada, has recently created a new division, Foresight Animation Studio. The toon house offers traditional animation and graphics as well as other creative services like Website design. Animation director Roger Foucault (also the creative director of Foresight's marketing firm) brings full traditional and classical animation training skills to the studio and hopes to see their company establish long-term business relationships with others. For more information contact Foresight at: P.O.

Alleged plans by Universal to release as many as 65 episodes of the original X-MEN animated series on video has landed them in court. Saban Entertainment Inc. and Fox Children’s Network have filed suit against Universal Studios Home Video in an attempt to block the release of the videos and DVDs. The suit claims that, Universal has the right to produce one video containing three episodes of the X-MEN series per broadcast season in the U.S. and holds only international rights to the entire 65-episode library.

The Writers’ Guild of Canada (WGC) has finalized a new two-year collective bargaining agreement with domestic producers, which now covers animation scribes. This conclusion ends 18-months of negotiation between the WGC, Canadian Film and Television Production Association and its Quebec counterpart, l’Association des Producteurs de Films et de Television du Quebec (APFTQ). The new Independent Production Agreement (IPA) sets out minimum workplace requirements for Canadian film and TV writing. The long unprotected Canadian animation writer is finally covered under the new plan.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

Red Sky, an interactive solutions provider, announced the acquisition of Olive Jar Studios, a Boston and Los Angeles-based animation and film production studio, and White Noise Productions, a Los Angeles-based full service multimedia firm. "A concept we believe strongly in is 'applied entertainment,' which means that our solutions transcend mere functionality and bring emotion to interactive experiences delivered across all media, from narrow to broadband platforms and devices," said Bill Bingham, chairman and CEO of Red Sky.

In conjunction with the Ottawa International Animation Festival, ASIFA held its general assembly and the election of its new executive board. Abi Feijo of Portugal was voted president and said that ASIFA is at a turning point where he hopes to redefine ASIFA`s goals and priorities. Marco de Blois (Canada), Sayoko Kinoshita (Japan), Andy Wyatt (United Kingdom) and Antran Manoogian (USA) were voted in as vice presidents. Vesna Dovnikovic of Croatia will serve as secretary general and Pierre Azuelos of France as treasurer.

DIC Entertainment’s CEO Andy Heyward is set to purchase DIC from owner Walt Disney Co. The deal backed by investment firms Bain Capital and Chase Capital Partners is valued in the nine digits. Disney acquired a majority stake of DIC in 1995 when it purchased ABC/Capital Cities. In 1986, Heyward purchased the toon house from France-based CLT and retained a small minority interest in the firm after ABC/Capital Cities obtained the majority share in 1993. DIC television properties include INSPECTOR GADGET (Disney co-produced a live-action feature version), G.I.

Disney has decided to divide its toy merchandising between rivals Hasbro and Mattel. Disney has had a long licensing relationship with Mattel, which now will only handle their preschool and plush toys, dolls, games and puzzles. Hasbro will handle the more lucrative toys, action figures and games portion of Walt Disney products.

Cologne-based licenser and children's TV producer BKN International has acquired international TV, video and merchandising rights for New York-based children’s animation production company GoodTimes Entertainment’s 51 title library. The deal worth US$13 million includes titles such as RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and MOBY DICK.