DHX Media Ltd. is spending $111 million to acquire Cookie Jar Entertainment to create what it says will be Canada’s largest children’s entertainment company, with shows like Caillou and Inspector Gadget.
Halifax-based DHX Media said the transaction will be paid through a combination of approximately 36 million in DHX shares, $5 million in cash, and the assumption of $66 million of debt.
DHX said the combined company will create an extensive independent library of children’s entertainment worldwide and the acquisition of Toronto’s Cookie Jar will broaden its relationship with distributors such as Amazon, Comcast, DISH, Hulu and Netflix.
The acquisition will increase DHX’s current library of children’s programming from about 2,550 half-hour episodes to more than 8,550 half-hour episodes and also will expand merchandising opportunities.
DHX media has offices in Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver and Los Angeles and the company is the producer or co-producer of more than 60 original TV series.
TV series include That’s So Weird, How to be Indie, and Grandpa in My Pocket.
