TV-Loonland AG
Company type | Private corporation |
---|---|
TMO Film GmbH (1989-1997) TMO-Loonland Film GmbH (1997-2000) | |
Industry | TV |
Genre | children's animation |
Founded | 1989 |
Defunct | December 2009 |
Fate | Bankruptcy |
Successor | Made 4 Entertainment |
Divisions | Loonland Merchandising Loonland UK Loonland Home Entertainment Loonland Films Loonland Online GmbH[1] |
Subsidiaries | Loonland Animation Ltd. RG Prince Films Salsa Entertainment SRE Corporation Sunbow Entertainment Telemagination Metrodome Distribution |
TV-Loonland AG was a German branding and management company that specialized in the production of children's programs.
History
TMO Film GmbH was founded by Peter Volkle in 1989.[2] The company first began working on animated content within this time, and by 1993 began to produce popular animated content. The company then released it's first film - Die Schelme von Schelm, in 1995. In the same year, the company opened up an animation studio in Hungary called Loonland Animation in Hungary which TMO later purchased a stake in. The company then rebranded as TMO-Loonland Film GmbH in 1997. The company later purchased a stake in RG Prince Films in Korea, and increased the amount of programmes being produced.[3]
At the start of 2000, the company was rebranded to TV-Loonland AG.[4] In March 2000, the company began to search for a UK sales agent for a planned expansion to the United Kingdom.[5] In September 2000, the company purchased British animation studio Telemagination.[6]
On October 3, 2000, the company purchased the television business assets of Sony Wonder, which included full ownership in animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, alongside a programming library that included shows based on Hasbro properties.[7][8] In exchange for the purchase, Sony Wonder retained US distribution rights to the Sunbow catalogue and the European music rights.
In November 2001, Loonland purchased a 29.9% stake in UK distributor Metrodome Distribution.[9]. This stake was later increased to a 54.4% operational control within the company by August 2002[10], and then a 75% stake by January 2003.[11] However by 2007, this stake was reduced to 61.2%.
In October 2007, TV-Loonland announced they would sell off their 61.2% stake in Metrodome Distribution.[12] In May 2008, Romanian company MediaPro purchased 50.1% of Loonland's shares in Metrodome for £3.2 Million, leaving them with 11.6% which MediaPro could purchase out in the future.[13]
On October 3, 2000, German based company TV-Loonland AG acquired the Sunbow library along with Sony Wonder's other television business assets. As part of the deal, Sony kept the North American home video and international audio rights to its library.[14][15][16] On May 14, 2008, Hasbro acquired the Sunbow programs based on its properties, which are now part of the Hasbro Studios library.[17][18][19][20]
In December 2009, TV-Loonland announced they would flle for bankruptcy protection.[21] In 2011, Loonland's catalogue and remaining assets were sold to a fellow German entertainment company called m4e AG.[22]
In February 2017, Studio 100 acquired a majority stake in m4e AG.[23] Currently, Studio 100 owns the rights to most of the Loonland catalogue.
Programmes
Original
- Ned's Newt (1997, as TMO Film (Series 1) and TMO-Loonland Film (Series 2-3), co-production with Nelvana and Studio B Productions (Series 2). Also held European distribution rights)
- Fat Dog Mendoza (2000-2001, as TMO-Loonland, co-production with Sunbow Entertainment and Cartoon Network Europe. Also held German distribution rights)
- Pettson and Findus (2000)
- The Cramp Twins (2001-2006, co-production with Sunbow Entertainment and Cartoon Network Europe)
- Henry's World (2002-2005, Series 1 only, produced by Alliance Atlantis, also held European distribution rights)
Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983)
- The Transformers (1985)
- Super Sunday (1986)
- Jem and the Holograms (1985)
- Inhumanoids (1985)
- Robotix (1985)
- Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines (1985)
- My Little Pony 'n Friends (1986)
- The Glo Friends (1986)
- MoonDreamers (1986)
- Potato Head Kids (1986)
- My Little Pony Tales (1992)
- Conan the Adventurer (1992)
- Conan and the Young Warriors (1994)
- Sgt. Savage and his Screaming Eagles (1994)
- G.I. Joe Extreme (1995)
- Salty's Lighthouse (1997)
- The Brothers Flub (1999)
- Mega Babies (1999)
- Rainbow Fish (1999)
- Generation O! (2000)
Distribution only
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000)[24]
- In a Heartbeat
- Yvon of the Yukon
- Clifford's Puppy Days (2003)[25]
Specials
Original
- Donner (2001, co-produced with Sunbow Entertainment and Rainbow Studios)
===Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment
- G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra (1984)
- Transformers: Five Faces of Darkness (1986)
- Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light(1987)
- Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime (1986)
- Transformers: The Rebirth (1987)
- The GloFriends Save Christmas
- Santa's Special Delivery
- Dorothy in the Land of Oz
Movies
Original
- The Real Shlemiel (1994, as TMO Film)
- Kiss My Blood (1998, as TMO Film)
- Pettson and Findus (2000)
- Babar: King of the Elephants (1999, as TMO-Loonland, co-production with Nelvana)
Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment
- My Little Pony: The Movie (1986)
- The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
- G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987)
- Sony Wonder Enchanted Tales (1994-1999)
- Tarzan of the Apes (1999)
- ^ https://www.c21media.net/news/tv-loonland-shuts-family-harbour/
- ^ https://www.twst.com/bio/peter-volkle/
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20010309190200fw_/http://www.tvloonland.de/noflash/english/loon.html
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20010309190200fw_/http://www.tvloonland.de/noflash/english/loon.html
- ^ https://www.screendaily.com/germanys-loonland-on-the-prowl-for-uk-sales-agent/401615.article
- ^ https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tv-loonland-buys-uk-telemagination/1201058.article
- ^ Meaux, Francoise (2000-10-03). "MIPCOM: TV-Loonland acquires Sony Wonder | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ^ Variety Staff (2000-10-03). "TV Loonland buys up Sony Wonder units". Variety. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ^ https://www.screendaily.com/tv-loonland-takes-299-stake-in-metrodome/407429.article
- ^ https://www.c21media.net/news/tv-loonland-takes-control-of-uks-metrodome/
- ^ https://www.c21media.net/news/tv-loonland-builds-uk-video-presence/
- ^ https://www.awn.com/news/significant-interest-tv-loonland-stake-metrodome
- ^ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tv-loonland-sell-metrodome-stake-111911/
- ^ Saint Marc, Francoise Meaux (2000-10-03). "MIPCOM: TV-Loonland acquires Sony Wonder". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
- ^ "TV Loonland buys up Sony Wonder units". Variety. 2000-10-03. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
- ^ "Broadcast" 6 October 2000 TV-Loonland takes on Sony's Sunbow broadcastnow.co.uk, Retrieved on August 30, 2013
- ^ "Hasbro Reacquires Sunbow Cartoons". ICv2. 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
- ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (2007-03-14). "Kids label Sony Wonder going under: sources". Reuters. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (2007-03-14). "Sony ceases Wonder label". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ^ Ball, Ryan (2007-03-15). "Sony Wonder Closing Shop?". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (2009-12-09). "TV Loonland files for bankruptcy protection". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ^ Getzler, Wendy Goldman (2011-04-05). "m4e acquires TV Loonland content library". Kidscreen.
- ^ "Studio 100 Takes Stake in m4e". 25 January 2017.
- ^ Blaney, Martin (2001-03-06). "TV-Loonland signs first big deal with BBC". Screen.
- ^ Grant, Jules (February 27, 2007). "Spanish networks reach for Skyland". C21Media.