montreal: Luxembourg-based publishing giant Editions Dupuis has acquired 100% ownership interest in Mediatoon, buying out Astral Communications’ share of the Montreal-based animation series packager.

The move coincides with a new business plan to expand original series and move into live-action production, says president David Patterson

Mediatoon intends to acquire and develop a larger roster of original series properties, more original production as opposed to third-party projects, as well as expand beyond animation into live-action family and children’s tv production, possibly as early as this year.

‘We’ll be increasing both these levels (original production and live action) both here and in Europe, particularly in France,’ says Patterson.

‘At their annual general meeting Astral made it clear that from an emphasis point of view they would be concentrating on their core business activity, which is the broadcasting business,’ he says.

Patterson and Leon Perahia, head of the entertainment group at Dupuis, plan to meet new partners from Germany at mip-tv (April 11-16) as the company looks to expand bidirectionally beyond its established France/Canada coproduction axis.

Mediatoon is involved in some $50 million worth of animation series coproduction in 1997, largely coproduced series with producing partners in France.