9 Story Media Group (formerly known as 9 Story Entertainment) is a Canadian media production, animation studio, and distribution company founded in September 2002 by Vince Commisso and Steven Jarosz.
History As 9 Story Entertainment The company was founded in September 2002 as 9 Story Entertainment by Vince Commisso (an ex-Nelvana producer) and Steven Jarosz so Commisso would be able to 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.
9 Story produced its first live-action series, Survive This, from 2008 until 2010, but ran for two years. On September 20, 2011, 9 Story Entertainment became the co-producer and distributor of the animated series Arthur, replacing WildBrain's predecessor. 9 Story would produce the series from seasons 16 to 19. On April 8, 2013, 9 Story announced that it would acquire the kids & family distribution library of CCI Entertainment; the acquisition was completed on July 24.
As 9 Story Media Group On October 10, 2014, 9 Story Entertainment changed its name to 9 Story Media Group with Neil Court and Zelnick Media Capital becoming majority owners of the company a few months prior. On August 18, 2015, 9 Story Media Group acquired the Dublin-based animation studio Brown Bag Films.
On October 6, 2015, 9 Story announced an agreement with U.S.-based 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. On May 25, 2016, 9 Story acquired the global distribution rights to Garfield and Friends.
On October 21, 2016, 9 Story's distribution arm, 9 Story Enterprises, was rebranded as 9 Story Distribution International and moved operations from Toronto to Dublin. On October 15, 2017, 9 Story rebranded its Toronto 2D animation studio after Brown Bag Films, with the Ireland studio becoming 9 Story's production branch 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.
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 also acquired the rights to the Colorforms brand as part of its purchase with its founder and CEO, Angela C. Santomero joining the company to run its New York offices prior to her promotion as chief creative officer for 9 Story on June 18th of that year. She would exit the company in 2022.. On May 13, 2018, 9 Story unveiled an updated logo and announced the launch of 9 Story Brands, a consumer products division.
On July 10, 2018, 9 Story acquired the kids & family distribution catalog and development slate of Breakthrough Entertainment. On February 4, 2019, 9 Story announced that they had acquired Bali-based animation studio BASE for an undisclosed amount, and rebranded it as Brown Bag Films. On April 1, 2019, 9 Story signed a deal with Scholastic to distribute its library, consisting of 230 half hours of programming, which would bring 9 Story's overall content library at the time to 4,000 half hours of programming. In 2022, Commisso and John Galway won the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's Board of Directors Tribute Award at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards.
On February 5, 2024, 9 Story acquired Portfolio Entertainment, another company in Toronto, including its distribution catalogue, development slates, and production. Portfolio co-founder and CEO Lisa Olfman became an executive producer at 9 Story, where she will report to Commisso. 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, 2024.
Original productions
Original series +TitleCreator(s) / Developer(s)Year(s)Production partner(s) / Co-production(s)NetworkNotesPeep and the Big Wide World Kaj Pindal2004–07, 2010–11WGBH BostonEggbox LLCNational Film Board of CanadaDiscovery Kids Original ProductionsTVOKids (Canada)Discovery Kids/TLC (seasons 1–3)Public television syndication (seasons 4–5) (U.S.)Owned by WGBH Educational FoundationIf the World Were a Village 2005 YTV (Canada)Jacob Two-Two 2005–06NelvanaOwned by NelvanaSkylandEmmanuel GorinsteinAlexandre de La PatellièreMathieu Delaporte2005–07Method FilmsFrance 2 (France)Teletoon (Canada)Postcards from Buster Marc Brown Natatcha Estébanez2006–12Marc Brown StudiosWGBH BostonCookie Jar EntertainmentPBS Kids Go!Owned by WGBH Educational FoundationMax & Ruby Rosemary Wells2007–13NelvanaNick Jr. (U.S.)Treehouse TV (Canada)Owned by NelvanaFutz!Vadim Kapridov2007–08Teletoon (Canada)Best Ed Rick Marshall: J.D. Smith2008–09Teletoon (Canada)Cartoon Network (Europe)Survive This Les Stroud 2009–10YTV (Canada)Wibbly PigWibbly Pig series by Mick InkpenWish FilmsCBeebies (Europe)TVOKids/Knowledge Kids (Canada)Spliced Simon RacioppaRichard ElliottNelvanaTeletoon (Canada)animation only Pound Puppies David Sacks: Wendy Moss KleinNancy SteingardPaul GermainJoe Ansolabehere2010Hasbro StudiosThe Hub/Hub NetworkOwned by Hasbro EntertainmentWild KrattsChris KrattMartin Kratt2011–presentKratt Brothers CompanyTVOKids/Knowledge Network (Canada) PBS Kids (U.S.)Almost Naked AnimalsNoah Z. Jones: Doug HaddersAdam Rotstein2011–13YTV (Canada)Daniel Tiger's NeighborhoodAngela C. Santomero2012–present9 Story USAFred Rogers ProductionsPBS Kids (U.S.)CBC Kids (Canada)Fugget About ItNicholas TabarrokWillem Wennekers: Jeff Abugov2012–16 (original)2024–25 (shorts)Darius Films Teletoon at Night (seasons 1–2)Adult Swim (season 3)YouTube (shorts)First adult animated television series produced by the company.Arthur Marc Brown : Kathy WaughMarc Brown2012–16WGBH BostonPBS Kids (U.S.)CBC Kids (Canada)Owned by WGBH Educational FoundationCache Craze2013–14YTV (Canada)Creative GalaxyAngela C. Santomero2013–199 Story USAAmazon StudiosAmazon VideoCamp Lakebottom Eric JacobsonBetsy McGowen: Meghan DaviesShelley HoffmanRobert Pincombe2013–17Skywriter MediaJam Filled Entertainment Teletoon (Canada)Disney XD (U.S.)Peg + CatJennifer OxleyBilly Aronson2013–189 Ate 7 ProductionsFred Rogers ProductionsPBS Kids (United States)Treehouse TV (Canada)Numb ChucksPhil LaFranceJamie LeClaire2014–16Jam Filled EntertainmentYTV (Canada)Get AceD.J. McPhersonJack Christian2014Galaxy PopFilmology FinanceEleven (Australia)distribution onlyNerds and MonstersJosh MephamKathy Antonsen RocchioGreg SullivanVito Viscomi2014–16Slap Happy Cartoons Inc. YTV (Canada)The Stanley DynamicKen Cuperus2015–17Amaze Film + TelevisionNelvanaanimation only Nature Cat Adam RudmanDavid RudmanTodd Hannert2015–21Spiffy PicturesWTTW ChicagoPBS Kids (U.S.)3 AmigonautsKyle Marshall: Laurie ElliottTerry McGurrin 2017Corus EntertainmentYTV (Canada)Furze World WondersJeff CopelandStephen SlootYouTube RedThe Magic School Bus Rides Again 2017–20Scholastic MediaNetflixTop WingMatthew Fernandes: Scott KraftIndustrial BrothersTreehouse TV (Canada)Let's Go Luna!Joe Murray2018–22 Brown Bag FilmsPBS Kids (U.S.)TVOKids (Canada)Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum2019–presentPBS Kids (U.S.)Blue's Clues & You!Traci Paige JohnsonTodd KesslerAngela C. Santomero: Traci Paige JohnsonAngela C. Santomero2019–24Brown Bag FilmsNickelodeon Animation StudioTreehouse TV (Canada)Nickelodeon (U.S.)(seasons 1–4a)Nick Jr. (U.S.)(season 4b)YouTube (season 5)Owned by Paramount SkydanceClifford the Big Red Dog (2019)2019–21100 Chickens ProductionsBrown Bag FilmsScholastic MediaAmazon StudiosAmazon Prime VideoPBS KidsGet Rolling with Otis2021Brown Bag Films Apple TV+Hello, Jack! The Kindness ShowJack McBrayerAngela C. Santomero 2021–22Jax MediaBrown Bag FilmsKarma's WorldChris Bridges: Wendy HarrisRachel KalbanJennie StaceyKarma's World EntertainmentBrown Bag FilmsNetflix Animation StudiosNetflixRosie's RulesJennifer Hamburg: Karen Fowler2022–presentBrown Bag FilmsPBS Kids (U.S.)TVOKids (Canada) Lu & the Bally Bunch Nicky Phelan: Sarah LonsdaleJennie Stacey 2023 Brown Bag FilmsBhean Productions Limited CartoonitoCBC Kids (Canada)Open Season: Call of Nature: Jennie StaceyKent Redecker2023–24Sony Pictures AnimationBrown Bag Films TorontoFamily Channel (Canada)Owned by Sony PicturesDee & Friends in Oz The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Keion JacksonHalcyon Person2024Brown Bag FilmsNetflixBreaking BearJulien Nitzberg2026–presentEvoke EntertainmentPortfolio Entertainment To The StarsTubiSecond adult animated television series produced by the company; uncredited UpcomingClifford the Big Red Dog (2027)2027Scholastic EntertainmentBrown Bag FilmsDragon Girls
Feature films and specials
TitleYearNetwork(s) / DistributorNotes Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars March 19, 2010 Movie Central/The Movie Network (Canada)Disney Channel (U.S.) Angela's Christmas November 30, 2018 Netflix co-production with Brown Bag Films Angela's Christmas Wish December 1, 2020 Blue's Big City Adventure November 18, 2022 Paramount+ co-production with Nickelodeon Movies, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Brown Bag Films, Boxel Animation and Line by Line Media
References
External links