Cookie Jar Group
Cookie Jar Group was a Canadian children's entertainment company formed from CINAR and later folded into DHX Media.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Cookie Jar Group was a Canadian animation studio, television producer, distributor, and educational-media company. Its corporate history began in 1976, when Micheline Charest and Ronald A. Weinberg established CINAR as a film and television distribution business. The company moved its main operations to Montreal in 1984 and shifted decisively toward producing and distributing family and children's programming. Over the following decades, CINAR became associated with a large catalogue of animated and live-action children's properties, including Arthur, Caillou, Zoboomafoo, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures, Mona the Vampire, The Little Lulu Show, and The Wombles. It also handled dubbing, licensing, educational exploitation, and international distribution, allowing its programming to circulate through broadcasters, schools, home video, and merchandising markets. CINAR expanded through acquisitions and international activity during the 1990s. It purchased the FilmFair programming library and animation unit in 1996, reopened the FilmFair operation, and established CINAR Europe in London in 1997. The company also acquired film and television libraries, including the WonderWorks catalogue, and operated Fandango Studios in Mexico City. By 1999, CINAR reported annual revenue of approximately C$150 million and claimed a significant position in the children's television market. The company became publicly traded in 1993 and changed its corporate name from CINAR Films Inc. to CINAR Corporation in 1998 to reflect activities beyond film production. CINAR's growth was severely damaged by a series of corporate and production controversies that became public around 2000. An internal review identified approximately C$167 million transferred into Bahamian accounts without board approval. The company was also accused of paying United States writers while claiming Canadian production incentives and crediting Canadian individuals for work they had not performed. CINAR settled with Canadian and Quebec authorities and Telefilm Canada, but the affair caused a collapse in investor confidence and contributed to the company's delisting. Later criminal proceedings resulted in convictions and prison sentences involving former executives and associates, although the original regulatory settlement did not include an admission of guilt. In 2004, CINAR was acquired for more than C$190 million by an investment group led by Michael Hirsh, the founder of Nelvana, together with Toper Taylor and TD Capital. The business was taken private, relocated to Toronto, and renamed Cookie Jar Group. Cookie Jar combined the former CINAR and FilmFair entertainment operations with educational publishers Carson-Dellosa Publishing and HighReach Learning. It sought to develop original intellectual property while exploiting its existing catalogue across television, licensing, education, and digital platforms. Its activities included the Cookie Jar TV and Cookie Jar Toons programming blocks, the Cookie Jar Kids Network, and the Jaroo streaming service. Cookie Jar acquired DIC Entertainment in 2008, adding a substantial library, the Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, and a minority interest in KidsCo. The acquisition made Cookie Jar one of the largest independent owners of children's programming and expanded its presence in the United States and international licensing markets. Cookie Jar also pursued, but did not complete, a proposed acquisition of American Greetings properties including Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake, leading to litigation between the companies. DHX Media announced its agreement to acquire Cookie Jar in 2012, and the transaction closed that year. The acquisition made DHX the largest independent owner of children's television programming at the time. Cookie Jar continued to exist as a recognizable corporate and catalogue identity for a period, but DHX ultimately retired the Cookie Jar branding after the sixth season of Johnny Test. The company was folded into DHX Media on December 25, 2014. DHX Media later adopted the name WildBrain in 2019.
History
CINAR began in 1976 when Micheline Charest and Ronald A. Weinberg organized film-distribution activities and established a company that initially worked with foreign films and theatrical distribution. In 1984, the business moved its focus from distribution toward production and relocated its operations to Montreal. It concentrated on family and children's programming, an area supported by Canada's production incentives and by the growing international market for educational and preschool television. During the 1980s and 1990s, CINAR participated in a broad range of productions, adaptations, dubs, and co-productions. Its credits included The Little Lulu Show, A Miss Mallard Mystery, Animal Crackers, Emily of New Moon, Mona the Vampire, The Wombles, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Arthur, Zoboomafoo, Caillou, and The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures. The company also worked on English and French versions of imported programs and maintained an extensive catalogue that could be sold to broadcasters and educational customers. CINAR became a public company in September 1993. It expanded its catalogue through acquisitions, including the FilmFair library and animation unit in 1996. The FilmFair operation was reopened and used as the basis for CINAR Europe, launched in London in 1997 to support European production, distribution, and revivals of properties such as The Wombles and The Adventures of Paddington Bear. CINAR also acquired the Leucadia film library and the WonderWorks catalogue and operated the Mexico City dubbing facility Fandango Studios. The company changed its corporate name to CINAR Corporation in 1998, arguing that its activities had broadened beyond film and television. The company's commercial growth ended abruptly around 2000. An internal audit found that roughly C$167 million had been placed in Bahamian accounts without board authorization. CINAR was also accused of disguising the participation of American writers and assigning Canadian credits to people who had not written episodes, while continuing to receive Canadian production benefits. The resulting controversy damaged the company's reputation, caused its share price to fall, and led to delisting. CINAR paid settlements totaling C$17.8 million to Canadian and Quebec tax authorities and C$2.6 million to Telefilm Canada. In 2001, Charest and Weinberg agreed to regulatory settlements that included payments and temporary bans from serving as directors or officers of publicly traded Canadian companies. Later criminal proceedings produced convictions and prison terms involving Weinberg and other participants. In 2004, an investment group led by Michael Hirsh, with Toper Taylor and TD Capital, bought CINAR for more than C$190 million. The company was taken private, relocated to Toronto, and renamed Cookie Jar Group. The new organization combined the CINAR and FilmFair entertainment assets with Carson-Dellosa Publishing and HighReach Learning, reflecting a strategy that linked entertainment properties with educational products. Cookie Jar pursued original projects such as Dark Oracle and The Doodlebops, while continuing to distribute and license its established library. Cookie Jar expanded again through its 2008 acquisition of DIC Entertainment. The deal brought more than 6,000 half-hours of programming, additional children's brands, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, and a one-third interest in KidsCo. Cookie Jar also operated or supported branded television blocks, including Cookie Jar TV on CBS, Cookie Jar Toons on This TV, and Cookie Jar Kids Network for local American stations. Its Jaroo service, launched in 2009, offered online access to parts of the company's library before being discontinued in 2013. A proposed acquisition of American Greetings' Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake properties was not completed and led to lawsuits in 2009. DHX Media announced its acquisition of Cookie Jar on August 20, 2012, and completed it on October 22 of that year. The transaction substantially enlarged DHX's children's-programming catalogue. Cookie Jar remained visible in some catalogue and programming contexts, but DHX progressively consolidated the operations under its own identity. The Cookie Jar brand was retired after the sixth season of Johnny Test, and the company was folded into DHX Media on December 25, 2014. DHX later became WildBrain in 2019.
- 2014
Cookie Jar is folded into DHX Media
[1]DHX retires the Cookie Jar brand and folds the company into its broader corporate structure.
- 2012
DHX Media acquisition closes
[1]DHX Media completes its acquisition of Cookie Jar Group.
- 2008
DIC Entertainment is acquired
[1]Cookie Jar completes its acquisition of DIC Entertainment and substantially expands its programming and licensing catalogue.
- 2004
CINAR becomes Cookie Jar Group
[1]The company is acquired, taken private, relocated to Toronto, and rebranded as Cookie Jar Group.
- 2000
CINAR financial controversy becomes public
[1]An internal audit reveals unauthorized offshore investments and triggers wider scrutiny of production credits and tax incentives.
- 1997
CINAR Europe launches
[1]A London-based European production and distribution operation is created around the FilmFair assets.
- 1996
FilmFair library and animation unit acquired
[1]CINAR agrees to acquire FilmFair's programming library and animation unit.
- 1993
CINAR becomes publicly traded
[1]CINAR becomes a public company.
- 1984
CINAR shifts to production
[1]The company moves its operations to Montreal and concentrates on family and children's television production.
- 1976
CINAR is established
[1]Micheline Charest and Ronald A. Weinberg establish the business that would become CINAR.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated children's entertainment company combining animation production, television distribution, educational publishing, licensing, and international catalogue management.
Animated television series
Arthur
Arthur was one of CINAR's best-known children's television credits. The property follows an aardvark and his friends through school, family life, and community experiences. CINAR's involvement helped establish the company's reputation for educationally oriented, internationally distributed children's programming.
Preschool animated television series
Caillou
Caillou is a preschool-oriented animated property centered on the everyday experiences of a young child. It formed part of CINAR's prominent family and educational catalogue and became one of the company's most recognizable international programming properties.
Children's live-action and educational television
Zoboomafoo
Zoboomafoo combined children's entertainment with lessons about animals and the natural world. Its inclusion in CINAR's production credits illustrates the company's activity beyond conventional animation and its emphasis on educational programming.
Children's live-action music series · 2005
The Doodlebops
The Doodlebops was announced as a major new preschool property after the Cookie Jar rebrand. The music-led series was developed for children's television and was presented by Cookie Jar as a flagship franchise for its new corporate era.
Animated television series
Johnny Test
Johnny Test is an animated comedy series about a boy whose life is affected by experiments conducted by his scientist sisters. It was among the properties associated with the Cookie Jar period, and its sixth season preceded the retirement of the Cookie Jar corporate branding.
Online streaming service · 2009
Jaroo
Jaroo was a Cookie Jar web-streaming service launched in the United States in 2009. It provided online access to parts of the company's children's catalogue, including Mona the Vampire and Inspector Gadget, before being discontinued in 2013.
Television programming block · 2009
Cookie Jar TV
Cookie Jar TV was a branded weekend children's programming block on CBS. It followed the earlier KEWLopolis block inherited through the DIC acquisition and was later succeeded by CBS Dream Team, which was programmed by Litton Entertainment.
Controversies
2009
American Greetings franchise litigation
Cookie Jar pursued the Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake properties from American Greetings but did not complete the proposed transaction. The companies subsequently filed lawsuits against one another concerning the failed deal.
2000
CINAR offshore-account and tax-credit controversy
An internal audit reported that approximately C$167 million had been invested in Bahamian accounts without board approval. CINAR was also accused of using American writers while presenting Canadian individuals as writers in order to retain access to Canadian production benefits. The company settled with tax authorities and Telefilm Canada, while later criminal proceedings resulted in convictions involving former executives and associates.
Brand decisions
2014
Retirement of the Cookie Jar brandStrategyBackground
Following integration into DHX Media, maintaining a separate Cookie Jar identity was no longer part of the group's branding approach.
Action taken
DHX retired the Cookie Jar name after the sixth season of Johnny Test and folded the company into its unified operations.
Aftermath
Cookie Jar ceased to operate as a standalone branded company on December 25, 2014.
2012
Sale to DHX MediaM&ABackground
DHX Media sought to expand its library and become a major independent owner of children's television programming.
Action taken
DHX Media announced the acquisition of Cookie Jar on August 20 and completed it on October 22.
Aftermath
Cookie Jar became part of DHX Media, with its independent corporate identity eventually retired in favor of DHX branding.
announced acquisition value. C$111 million (2012)
2008
Acquisition of DIC EntertainmentM&ABackground
Cookie Jar wanted to enlarge its children's programming library and strengthen its international licensing operations.
Action taken
Cookie Jar acquired DIC Entertainment, including its programming catalogue, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, and a one-third interest in KidsCo.
Aftermath
The transaction gave Cookie Jar more than 6,000 half-hours of programming and increased its scale in children's television.
2004
Rebrand and combine entertainment with educationStrategyBackground
The new owners sought to rebuild CINAR after its financial and governance crisis and use its entertainment library alongside educational publishing assets.
Action taken
CINAR and FilmFair were combined under the Cookie Jar identity, while Carson-Dellosa Publishing and HighReach Learning formed the educational side of the broader group.
Aftermath
The structure supported new original projects, catalogue exploitation, and cross-sector licensing until the group was acquired by DHX Media.
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