4Kids to Refocus

In its third quarter 2008 financial statement released to the public yesterday, 4Kids Entertainment revealed plans to end its broadcasting affiliation with the Fox television network in favor of concentrating programming on The CW Network. 4Kids’ Saturday morning programming block on Fox, which launched in 2002 and presently includes the anime series Kirby: Right Back At Ya! and Sonic X will not continue beyond the end of the year.

4Kids revenue through the first three quarters of 2008 totals $49.4 million, up from $39.1 million during the same time period in 2007. However, while 4Kids lost $6.6 million during the first nine months of 2007, the company has lost $17.2 million during the first nine months of 2008 as a result of, “selling, general and administrative expenses and cost of goods sold in the Trading Card and Game Distribution… business, coupled with decreased licensing and broadcast revenues.”

4Kids has extended its licensing, broadcast, and merchandise rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh anime franchise through 2015, and expects to see profit generated by properties including the anime series Dinosaur King.

Source: Anime News Network