TV-Loonland AG

Last updated
TV-Loonland AG
FormerlyTMO Film GmbH (1989-1997)
TMO-Loonland Film GmbH (1997-2000)
Company type Private
Industry Animation
Film
Television
Genre Children's animation
Founded1989;35 years ago (1989)
FounderPeter Volkle
DefunctApril 5, 2011;13 years ago (2011-04-05)
FateAcquired by Made 4 Entertainment
Successor Studio 100
Headquarters
Unterföhring
,
Germany
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 programmes. The company's offices were located in Europe (Paris, Munich and London). The company's mascot is a sheep on a blue dome.

Contents

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 its 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 number of programmes being produced. [3]

At the start of 2000, the company was rebranded to TV-Loonland AG. [3] In March 2000, the company announced their plans to go public at the end of the month, and signed a first-look distribution deal with Sony Wonder for German-speaking and certain CEE regions. [4] The company also 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] In April 2000, Alliance Atlantis subsidiary AAC Kids signed a European co-financing and distribution deal with TV-Loonland. [7]

On October 3, 2000, following their initial distribution deal months prior, TV-Loonland announced they had purchased Sony Wonder's television business assets. The deal included full ownership in animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, alongside a programming library that included shows based on Hasbro properties. [8] [9] In exchange for the purchase, Sony Wonder retained North American home video rights to their catalogue and worldwide music rights.

On May 15, 2001, the company shuttered Family Harbour. [1]

In November 2001, Loonland purchased a 29.9% stake in UK distributor Metrodome Distribution. [10] This stake was later increased to a 54.4% operational control within the company by August 2002, [11] and then a 75% stake by January 2003. [12] However, by 2007, this stake was reduced to 61.2%.

In August 2005, Loonland was sued by shareholder group Aktieninvestor.com, after the company deliberately excused them from its AGM in August 2005, following violation of Section 21 of the Securities Trading Act when the latter tried to apply a hostile takeover within Loonland. The lawsuit ended in favour of TV-Loonland. [13] On September 27, 2005, the company launched a feature-film division called Loonland Pictures, and signed deals with the local branch of 20th Century Fox and NFP Marketing as marketing and distribution partners for the companies' movies, the first of which being Heidi , which would be released theatrically in the country at the end of the year. [14]

In October 2007, TV-Loonland announced they would sell off their 61.2% stake in Metrodome Distribution. [15] 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. [16]

On May 14, 2008, Hasbro acquired the Sunbow programs based on its properties, which are now part of the Hasbro Entertainment library. [17] [18] [19] [20]

In December 2009, TV-Loonland announced they would file for bankruptcy protection. [21] On April 5, 2011, most of 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

Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment

Distribution only

Specials

Original

Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment

Movies/Direct-to-Video

Original

Acquired from Sony Wonder/Sunbow Entertainment

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References

  1. 1 2 "TV-Loonland shuts Family Harbour". C21media. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  2. ↑ "Volkle, Peter". Twst.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 "TV-Loonland AG". Archived from the original on 9 March 2001. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2023-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ Blaney, Martin (March 6, 2000). "Germany's Loonland on the prowl for UK sales agent". Screen. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  6. ↑ "TV-Loonland buys UK Telemagination". Broadcast. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  7. ↑ Kelly, Brendan (2000-04-07). "Just kidding around". Variety. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  8. ↑ Meaux, Francoise (2000-10-03). "MIPCOM: TV-Loonland acquires Sony Wonder | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  9. ↑ "TV Loonland buys up Sony Wonder units". Variety. 2000-10-03. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  10. ↑ Blaney, Martin (November 6, 2001). "TV-Loonland takes 29.9% stake in Metrodome". Screen. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  11. ↑ "TV-Loonland takes control of UK's Metrodome". C21media. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  12. ↑ "TV-Loonland builds UK video presence". C21media. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  13. ↑ "Legal victory for Loonland". C21media. Archived from the original on 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  14. ↑ "TV-Loonland Starts Up Loonland Pictures". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  15. ↑ "Significant Interest for TV-Loonland Stake in Metrodome". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  16. ↑ "TV-Loonland to sell Metrodome stake". The Hollywood Reporter . May 16, 2008. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Hasbro Reacquires Sunbow Cartoons". ICv2. 2008-05-14. Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
  18. ↑ Arnold, Thomas K. (2007-03-14). "Kids label Sony Wonder going under: sources". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  19. ↑ Arnold, Thomas K. (2007-03-14). "Sony ceases Wonder label". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2016-04-11. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  20. ↑ Ball, Ryan (2007-03-15). "Sony Wonder Closing Shop?". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  21. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (2009-12-09). "TV Loonland files for bankruptcy protection". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2015-07-26. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
  22. ↑ Getzler, Wendy Goldman (2011-04-05). "m4e acquires TV Loonland content library". Kidscreen.com. Archived from the original on 2021-08-01. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  23. ↑ "Studio 100 Takes Stake in m4e". Licenseglobal.com. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
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  27. ↑ "TV-Loonland's Metalheads Prepare For Battle". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 2021-11-08. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
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