Leading kids and family entertainment specialist DECODE Ent. and Canadian independent The Halifax Film Co. have joined forces to create DHX Media.
The new entertainment ventures shares launched on both the AIM in London and the Toronto stock exchange, the TSX, with trading starting on May 19. 2006.
Key shareholders in the new company are Michael Donovan and Charles Bishop of Halifax and DECODE's Neil Court, Steven DeNure, Beth Stevenson and John Delmage. Donovan is chairman/ceo of the new entity and Bishop, Court and DeNure will also sit on the DHX Media board.
While both DECODE and Halifax will retain their individual identities and brands, the combined catalogs create a strong portfolio of childrens and family programming, more than 1,150 half hours, which DECODE will exploit internationally.
DECODEs titles include PLANET SKETCH (co-produced with Aardman), ANGELA ANACONDA, FRANNYS FEET and NATURALLY SADIE, while Halifax is in production on preschool series POKO, BO ON THE GO and MIGHTY JUNGLE. Halifaxs preschool series LUNAR JIM is a co-production with Alliance Atlantis and the company is also a leading prime time comedy producer in Canada.
This is an exciting time for us to go public under the DHX Media banner," said Court, DHX board member and president of DECODE Enterprises Ltd. "The DECODE and Halifax businesses are highly complementary and our combined program catalogs create a strong proposition for television sales, licensing and new media. We are looking forward to taking both our new and existing properties to the international marketplace, and to pursuing new business opportunities.
Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in London, DECODE Ent. Inc. (www.decode-ent.com) is one of the worlds leading producers and distributors of television programming and interactive content for the children, family and youth markets.
The Halifax Film Co. (www.halifaxfilm.com) develops and produces original film and television programming. Located in Halifax, Canada, the company manages and co-ordinates all aspects of a program's life, including developing original ideas, purchasing literary rights, arranging production financing, carrying out production and post-production, as well as exploiting worldwide distribution rights.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
