Cookie Jar Entertainment



Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as CINAR Productions Inc.) was a Canadian media production and distribution company originally founded in 1976 by Micheline Charest and Ronald A. Weinberg. The company started out in New York City, New York, USA as a distribution company, but later moved operations to Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the mid-1980s, where they also became a media production company.

CINAR produced several childrens' series from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Some of their most notable works include The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Wimzie's House, Arthur, Zoboomafoo, and several episodes of Poochini's Yard.

In early 2004, following a 1999 tax scandal, CINAR was bought by Birch Hill Equity Partners and industry veteran Michael Hirsh. The company rebranded as Cookie Jar Entertainment and relocated operations to Toronto, Ontario, Canada shortly thereafter.

As Cookie Jar, the company continued to make several childrens' series, including Caillou, Johnny Test, Will and Dewitt, Hurray for Huckle!, and no new episodes of Poochini's Yard.

In September 2011, it was announced that 9 Story Media Group would take over co-producing, animating, and distributing new seasons of Arthur starting with season 16, with Cookie Jar continuing to distribute the previous 15 seasons.

In late 2012, Cookie Jar was acquired by fellow Canadian company DHX Media (now known as WildBrain). As a result, the distribution rights to the first 15 seasons of Arthur were transferred from Cookie Jar to DHX Media.