Why Rocky and Bullwinkle Was Pulled from MeTV Toons - a Sam Valentino Caper

Summary

In this video, Sam Valentino, a private tune detective, delves into the mystery behind MTV2's sudden stop of airing the classic 'Rocky and Bullwinkle' show in February 2022. He uncovers how a distribution deal between the descendants of Jay Ward and WildBrain in Canada led to this change, along with the complexities of various media companies' involvement with the show over the years. Through a detailed exploration of past media rights, remasters, and syndication history, Sam sheds light on the show's uncertain future and the corporate shifts affecting its broadcast.

Takeaways

• 😀 MTV2 stopped airing *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle* in early 2022 due to a request from the show's distributor.
• 😀 Wild Brain, a company based in Canada, acquired the distribution rights to *Rocky and Bullwinkle* from Jay Ward's descendants in 2012.
• 😀 The deal with Wild Brain may have been influenced by earlier agreements, including DreamWorks Animation's ownership of the show in 2015 and its partnership with DHX Media.
• 😀 The 2015 *Mr. Peabody and Sherman* animated series co-produced by DreamWorks and DHX Media was part of a broader media strategy involving *Rocky and Bullwinkle*.
• 😀 In 2018, Universal and DreamWorks Animation co-produced a *Rocky and Bullwinkle* reboot for Amazon Prime Video, which lasted only one season.
• 😀 Wild Brain rebranded in 2019, merging with DHX Media and becoming the primary company responsible for distributing *Rocky and Bullwinkle*.
• 😀 Wild Brain also owns several popular franchises like *Peanuts*, *Teletubbies*, and *My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic*.
• 😀 The rights to *Rocky and Bullwinkle* expired in February 2022, resulting in MTV2 discontinuing the show’s reruns.
• 😀 Despite the expiration of the rights, some bumpers with clips from *Rocky and Bullwinkle* were still shown on MTV2.
• 😀 The version of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* aired on MTV2 used remasters from the late 1990s that included a Universal logo, due to Universal’s previous ownership of the show’s rights.
• 😀 The future of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* remains uncertain as negotiations between Wild Brain and the Ward family continue, with no clear resolution in sight.

Q & A

Why did MTV2 stop rerunning *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle* in February?

MTV2 stopped rerunning *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle* because the distributor of the show requested a pause in its airing. This was related to changes in the show's distribution rights and the expiration of certain licensing agreements.

What happened between Jay Ward's descendants and WildBrain in 2022?

In 2022, the descendants of Jay Ward struck a deal with WildBrain in Canada to distribute *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle*. This deal also involved the potential creation of new content related to the show.

How did DreamWorks Animation's involvement with *Rocky and Bullwinkle* influence its distribution?

DreamWorks Animation's involvement with *Rocky and Bullwinkle* began in 2015 when they acquired the rights to the show. They co-produced a *Mr. Peabody & Sherman* animated series with DHX Media in Canada, and later, DreamWorks Animation continued to work with the show under Comcast's ownership, including producing a reboot of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* for Amazon Prime Video.

What changes occurred after DHX Media merged with WildBrain in 2019?

After DHX Media merged with WildBrain in 2019, the company rebranded under the WildBrain name and continued managing various properties, including *Rocky and Bullwinkle*. They also had distribution rights to properties like *Peanuts* and *Teletubbies*.

Why did MTV2 use different versions of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* episodes, and what was the impact?

MTV2 used late 1990s remastered versions of *Rocky and Bullwinkle*, which were originally intended for international airings. These versions included a Universal logo at the end of episodes due to Universal's involvement in the show's distribution at that time, but the logo was removed from DVD releases after Classic Media acquired the rights.

What was the significance of the Universal logo in *Rocky and Bullwinkle* broadcasts on MTV2?

The Universal logo appeared at the end of many *Rocky and Bullwinkle* episodes on MTV2 because the late 1990s remasters, which were used for these airings, were produced when Universal had distribution rights to the show. This logo did not appear on DVD releases after Classic Media took over the rights in 2002.

How did *Rocky and Bullwinkle* reruns continue after DreamWorks Animation was acquired by Comcast?

After Comcast acquired DreamWorks Animation, *Rocky and Bullwinkle* reruns continued through syndication and on networks like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang, but eventually, the program exchange came to an end in 2016, marking the conclusion of the show's long-running syndication.

What role did WildBrain play in *Rocky and Bullwinkle* reruns before the distribution rights expired?

WildBrain was responsible for distributing *Rocky and Bullwinkle* reruns on channels like MTV2 and YouTube. They also provided the show for various platforms as part of their deal with the network, but their distribution rights expired in February 2023, leading to a halt in the reruns.

Why did some *Rocky and Bullwinkle* episodes have altered theme music?

Some episodes of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* featured altered theme music because the original music by Frank Comstock was replaced with Fred Steiner's music. This change occurred due to rights issues with DFS Sachi and Zachi, who had partial ownership of the original theme music.

What was the impact of the program exchange that DFS formed in 1979?

DFS's program exchange, formed in 1979, allowed for the widespread syndication of *Rocky and Bullwinkle* on local TV stations. This arrangement enabled the show to remain in reruns for decades, even after networks like Cartoon Network and Boomerang stopped airing it. The exchange continued until 2016 when DreamWorks Animation's acquisition of Classic Media ended the program exchange.