Vince Commisso


9 Story buys Daniel Tiger prodco

Canada’s 9 Story Media Group remains in acquisitive mood – this time round buying the company behind Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (pictured). The deal for Out of the Blue Enterprises comes after 9 Story’s transformational acquisition of Ireland’s Brown Bag Films in 2016. 9 Story is buying 100% of the shares, with Out of the Blue […]

YouTube Red orders batch of new originals

Subscription video service YouTube Red has ordered a live action kids series featuring YouTube star Colin Furze, a pair of scripted series and a competition format. Production on 9 Story Media Group-produced Furze World Wonders has begun ahead of an autumn launch on the online subscription service. YouTube Red has also ordered a Dwayne Johnson […]

9 Story, Stu Snyder prep Little Critter series

9 Story is making an animated adaptation of the Little Critter kids books. Former Cartoon Network boss Stu Snyder set up the deal between Canada-based kids producer and distributor 9 Story and the Little Critter company, which runs the brand. Little Critter was created by Mercer Mayer and over 200 million books in the series […]

Top Wing to fly around the world on Nick

Nickelodeon has taken global rights to preschool series Top Wing and will launch it on its nets around the world. The animated series is produced and distributed by Canada-based 9 Story Media Group, which scored the Nick deal. The agreement gives the Viacom channel exclusive rights everywhere outside of Canada. The CG action-adventure series follows […]

Brown Bag’s Gaffney named 9 Story COO in rejig

Brown Bag Films CEO Cathal Gaffney has added the COO role at his toon firm’s parent, 9 Story Media Group, as part of a wider management reshuffle. Canada’s 9 Story acquired Ireland-based Brown Bag last year, and Gaffney will now oversee production, technology and HR for the wider group. He will remain at the helm […]

Netflix getting back on The Magic School Bus

Netflix has ordered a reboot of classic animated kids series The Magic School Bus. The streaming service will launch the new version of the show in 2017, with Scholastic and 9 Story Media Group on production duty. The original show, based on the Scholastic book series of the same name, went out on US pubcaster […]

9 Story buys Brown Bag Films

Canadian kids company 9 Story Media Group has bought Irish animation studio Brown Bag Films. The deal is the most significant in the animation sector for some time, though financial details of the agreement were not revealed. Brown Bag, which Cathal Gaffnet leads as co-founder and CEO, has produced popular animated shows such as Octonauts, […]

State of the industry: Canadian kids TV

Digital disruption and an end to regulatory protection has some in the Canadian kids business worried, but while content providers have one less broadcaster to pitch following the sell-off of Astral Media’s assets, they are optimistic that the same new platforms threatening traditional TV will provide them with greater global reach. Mark Dillon reports. The […]

9 Story rebrands after investment

9 Story Entertainment is rebranding as 9 Story Media Group following investment from ZM Capital and Decode co-founder Neil Court. “9 Story Media Group better reflects the new structure of the company and the increasing diversity of the company’s business activities,” said Vince Commisso, president and CEO of 9 Story Media. “While producing and distributing […]

9 Story ups Tanya Green

9 Story Entertainment has promoted Tanya Green to vice president, production . Green has been with the Canada-based kids producer and distributor since 2009, joining as production supervisor before being upped to head of production a year later. The company’s 200-strong studio makes kids’ series including Almost Naked Animals, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood and Wild Kratts, […]