Bohbot Entertainment

Bohbot Entertainment was an advertising and marketing company specializing in the children's market founded in 1985, and had traded under various different names over the years.[3] The company produced and distributed programming under their operated syndicated block - Amazin' Adventures, later renamed to Bohbot Kids Network (BKN).

For the Australian regional television station, see GTS/BKN.
BKN, Inc.
TypePrivate corporation
Bohbot Communications (November 1985-January 1994)
Bohbot Enterprises Worldwide (January 1994-October 1997)
BKN, Inc. (October 1997-January 2001)
IndustryTV
Genrechildren's animation
FoundedNovember 19, 1985 (November 19, 1985)[1]
FounderAllen J. Bohbot[2]
DefunctJanuary 2001 (2001-01)
FatePurchased out
SuccessorBKN International
SubsidiariesBKN Kids Network
Quantum Media International
Bohbot Entertainment
BKN International

History

Bohbot Communications Inc. was founded on November 19, 1985, as a media planning and buying service. BC added additional services over the following 10 years: animated children’s programming syndicator, program syndication sales distribution, licensing and merchandising. After previous attempts at local promotions and request from promotional agencies at 1995 NATPE, Bohbot entered the national promotions field in 1996.[4]

By 1989 Bohbot Entertainment is starting to enter into the syndication marketplace with the launch of the live-action talk show Girl Talk, which is hosted by Soleil Moon Frye.[5] The company also obtained the rights to distribute the animated cartoon Ring Raiders, produced by DIC Enterprises for syndication. In 1990, Bohbot partnered with producers Saban Entertainment and video game publisher Acclaim Entertainment to launch Video Power in syndication.[6] In 1991, Bohbot entered its fray by signing up as distributor of Saban Entertainment's program Adventures of the Little Mermaid for syndication.[7]

By 1992, Bohbot had picked up distribution agreements with two leading children's producers Saban Entertainment and DiC Entertainment. BE obtained Saban's Around the World in 80 Dreams, which was distributed to syndication starting in 1993.[8] Bohbot Entertainment also distributed 65 episodes of DiC's Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog in syndication starting in 1993.[9][10] BE picked up DiC's Double Dragon for syndication in 1993.[10]

Bohbot Communications Inc. in January 1994 split its operations into two units, Bohbot Media Worldwide (BM) and Bohbot Entertainment Worldwide (BE). Bohbot Media would take over BC's media planning and buying services, while Bohbot Entertainment took over BC's TV distribution, licensing and merchandising, promotions and public relations operations.[3] In 1994, Bohbot Media agreed to distribute A.J.'s Time Travelers for Time Travelers, Inc. to Fox Children's Network for which the various Bohbot entities were sued in 1995 along with the producers.[11]

In March 1997, BE and DIC Entertainment agreed to a three-year output deal for Bohbot Kids Network consisting of five series.[12] BE launched BKN Kids Network in September of that year[13] By October, Bohbot Enterprises Worldwide, Inc., Bohbot Entertainment, Bohbot Media and the International Division were renamed BKN, Inc. (BKN), Bohbot Entertainment & Media Inc. (BEM), Quantum Media International, Inc. (QMI) and BKN International respectively.[11][14] Quantum was later renamed as BKN Media and closed in October 2000.[15]

In April 1998, United Television and Columbia TriStar Television took a minority stake in BEM.[16]

With multiple offers in top 50 markets for the Bohbot Kids Network, Bohbot Entertainment scheduled the launch of a second syndication network, BKN Kids II, for September 1998 to meet the demand. BE also looked for shows from other syndicators to include in BKN Kids II.[13] With financial setbacks that had happened in the past, a consortium of banks gave Bohbot $100 million in new financing in September 1998. Two new blocks were announced at the same time as well as the new chairman/CEO of Bohbot Kids Network, Rick Ungar. BKN also indicated that long-term network affiliation agreements were under close to being finalized with Chris-Craft/United Television, Tribune Broadcasting, Paramount Stations Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group and the WB network's WeB fill-in cable network.[17] BKN also purchased Epoch Ink Animation which was renamed to BKN Studios.[18]

BKNI went public and independent of BKN in 1999 on the Frankfurt Neuer Market stock exchange with BKN retaining 34% ownership.[19]

In January 2000, Bohbot Entertainment & Media Inc. was sued by Sinclair Broadcast Group over a supposed failure of Bohbot to purchase enough advertising on the broadcasting group's TV stations as agreed to in their BKN Network carriage agreement.[20] In July, the A.J.'s Time Travelers case ended in which the various Bohbot entities and Time Travelers entities had to pay damages with BKN paying $10 million, BEM $10 million and QMI, $5 million.[11]

BKN International in January 2001 acquired BKN, Inc.'s operating assets with BKN, Inc. would continue as a holding company with its BKNI holdings.[19]

Original

US Distributed Shows

Acquired/Syndicated
  • The Magical Super Trolls (1992)
  • Battletoads (1992)
  • Nick & Noel (1993)
  • The Bears Who Saved Christmas (1994)
  • A Hollywood Hounds Christmas (1994)
  • Dot and Spot's Magical Christmas Adventure (1996)

Bohbot Kids Network
Bohbot Kids Network
NetworkBroadcast syndication
LaunchedSeptember 13, 1992 (1992-09-13)
ClosedOctober 20, 2000 (2000-10-20)
2001 (2001) (on The WB 100+ Station Group)
Country of originUnited States
OwnerBKN, Inc.
Formerly known asAmazin' Adventures (1992–1997)
Formatanimated series
Running time2 hours per week (1992–1996)
7 hours per week (1996–1997)
12 hours per week (1997–2000)
Original language(s)English

Bohbot Kids Network, BKN Kids Network or BKN (originally known as Amazin' Adventures until 1997), is a defunct children's programming block operated by Bohbot Entertainment that aired in syndication from September 13, 1992 to October 20, 2000.[21]

History

On September 13, 1992, Bohbot Entertainment launched Amazin' Adventures, a syndicated action-oriented block that aired for two hours on Sundays. Byrne Enterprises sold barter for the block.[22] During the 1996–1997 season, Amazin' Adventures also aired for an hour on weekdays.

Amazin' Adventures was re-launched as the BKN Kids Network in September 1997.[13] By 1997, the network had signed up 104 stations reaching 75% of the US, with 65 stations airing BKN in pattern and 35 stations signing on for three years. Stations that aired the BKN block included BHC Communications stations,[9] WCIU-TV,[12] WPGH-TV, and The WB 100+ Station Group. During BKN's first season, its programs were split into three blocks: the "Extreme Block" (Extreme Dinosaurs and Extreme Ghostbusters) and the "Comedy Block" (The Mask: Animated Series and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog) on weekdays, and "Amazin’ Adventures" (Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys) on weekends.[12]

On August 29, 1999, BKN was re-positioned as an action-oriented block; it was referred to internally as "Bulldog TV" because the block's bumpers featured an animated bulldog.

Bulldog TV stopped airing on most stations in 2000, but The WB 100+ Station Group continued to air reruns of BKN shows during the 2000–2001 season. During this time, BKN had their shows aired on the Sci-Fi Channel on weekday mornings.

Programming

BKN Kids II
BKN Kids II
NetworkBroadcast syndication
LaunchedAugust 29, 1999 (1999-08-29)
ClosedOctober 20, 2000 (2000-10-20)
Country of originUnited States
OwnerBohbot Entertainment
Formatanimated series
Running time4 hours (weekdays)
Original language(s)English

BKN Kids II (branded as BKN on-air) is a children's programming block operated by Bohbot Entertainment that aired in syndication from August 29, 1999 to October 20, 2000.[21]

History

With multiple offers in top 50 markets for BKN, Bohbot Entertainment planned to launch a second syndication network, BKN Kids II, in September 1998 to meet the demand. Station groups affiliating with BKN 2 at launch included Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tribune Broadcasting, Clear Channel Communications and ACME Communications. Bohbot planned to use several of its library series, Mighty Max, Highlander: The Animated Series, The Mask: The Animated Series, and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog to fill out the schedule.[13] The block's launch was postponed to August 29, 1999. BKN and BKN Kids II did not initially share programming as to grant the networks Syndex protection.[13]

BKN Kids II ceased to exist in October 2000.

Programming

References
  1. "New York Companies"BOHBOT ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA, INC. nycompaniesindex.com, Retrieved on March 14, 2014
  2. BKN HOME ENTERTAINMENT, INC. bizapedia.com, Retrieved on May 5, 2014
  3. Elliott, Stuart (January 5, 1994). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; Bohbot to Divide Business Into 2 Units". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  4. Kirchdoerffer, Ed (March 1, 1996). "Bohbot expands promos". Kidscreen. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  5. "Talk trial" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1989-08-21. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  6. "For Bohbot, the videogame's afoot" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1990-09-24. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  7. "Syndication Marketplace" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1991-02-11. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  8. "Independent suppliers chase new opportunities" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1992-08-24. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  9. Schlosser, Joe (October 5, 1998). "Bohbot zigs out of syndication". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  10. Lowry, Brian (March 21, 1993). "Sonic' is the top hog on DIC toon slate". Variety. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  11. "'A.J.'s Time Travelers' Distributor Bohbot Media And Producer Gianni Russo Lose $54.2 Million Lawsuit". PR Newswire. Jul 20, 2000. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  12. "Bohbot Star Search". Variety. March 23, 1997. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  13. Issue 3.2. "Bohbot Syndicating Second Kids Net". Animation World Magazine. May 1998. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  14. Issue 2.8. "Bohbot Branches Out". Animation World Magazine. November 1997. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  15. "BKN Inc. Closes Media Unit".
  16. Freeman, Michael (April 13, 1998). "Bohbot financial report discloses Chris-Craft stake". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  17. Freeman, Michael (September 28, 1998). "Bohbot's 2000 Kids Tour". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  18. Littleton, Cynthia (November 3, 1998). "Kidvid syndie taps animator vet Graziano". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  19. DeMott, Rick (January 17, 2001). "BKN International Buys Its Former Parent Company". Animation World Network. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  20. Ribbing, Mark (January 20, 2000). "Sinclair sues ex-executive, rival over his option to buy stations". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  21. "BKN Kids bites dust". Broadcasting. 2000-10-22. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  22. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 26. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  23. Issue 2.11. Kenyon, Heather (February 1998). "NATPE 1998: It's A Tough Market But Someone is Selling..." Animation World Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
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