#Barney logo by lyons partnership series#

10, 2001, when Britain's HIT Entertainment bought Lyrick Studios, owners of Barney, the dinosaur for $275 million. The show went on a short hiatus after the sixth season.īob the Builder, left, Peter Orton, CEO of HIT Entertainment, center, and Barney, pose for pictures in New York Feb. In 1997, it's status as the #1 children's show on PBS was taken by newcomer, Arthur, and by 1998, was ranked down to third place, due in part to the breakout success of Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues. See: Barney & Friends Family Marathon 2000sīy the mid-1990s, Barney & Friends was facing increasing competition from other children's television shows, and networks. Īfter the decision was made to keep Barney on the air and renew it for a second season, the program became a phenomenon and became a huge source of revenue during pledge drives Based on the success of earlier pledge drives in 1992, Connecticut Public Television decided to produce a pledge drive event at their studio featuring Barney and others. PBS decided to pay $1.75 million for the renewal package, which extended the stations' exclusive rights to broadcast both seasons through April 1998. After PBS decided to cancel the show, members of local PBS stations across the US and Canada, and parents called to object, with PBS reversing their decision. The cast and crew found out about this news during the show's wrap party, and did a letter-writing campaign to all the affiliates and questioned if they knew Barney was being defunded. Earlier, the executives had said that Barney & Friends was the loser in a competition for scarce programming dollars between it and two other children’s series- Lamb Chop’s Play-Along and Shining Time Station.

#Barney logo by lyons partnership series#

Unimpressed by Barney & Friends, PBS decided to cancel the series in June 1992 as it couldn't afford it. After the television series debuted on April 6, 1992, Barney was a smash hit, exceeding many of PBS' and audiences' expectations. In 1991, production began on thirty episodes of the first season of Barney & Friends. Her company, The Lyons Group, developed a proposal with Connecticut Public Television to produce Barney & Friends. Knowing that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) were searching for new, quality children’s programming, Rifkin contacted Sheryl. She was entranced with Barney's character and her father liked the concept. As the Backyard Gang video series was becoming only a moderate success outside of Texas (where it was considered successful for a local video series), Leora Rifkin, the daughter of Larry Rifkin (former head of Connecticut Public Television), got a Barney video from a video store in Prospect, Connecticut. The first three videos of the series starred actress Sandy Duncan. The show originated from the home video series, Barney & The Backyard Gang, which was produced by The Lyons Group from 1988 to 1991. The series is currently owned under Mattel since the franchise's acquisition in 2011 with distribution rights currently under 9 Story Media Group since 2015. Barney & Friends became a Daytime Emmy Award winner in 2001, and has been nominated for eleven Emmy Awards during its run on television. It was one of the most watched television programs and was the first show on public television to be aimed primarily at toddlers as Leach recognized a void in the market for video programming directed at preschoolers. He is joined by his other dino pals Baby Bop, BJ, and Riff, as well as a diverse cast of children. The main character of the show is a friendly, stuffed, purple Tyrannosaurus rex named Barney, who comes to life through a child's imagination, whenever he is needed for something. Aimed at children from the ages two to seven years, the show is based on to the video series titled Barney & The Backyard Gang which was created by Sheryl Leach and co-developed by Kathy Parker and Dennis DeShazer.

The series ended on November 2, 2010, although new home videos were still released on various dates after the last episode aired as production of new content ceased in early 2011. Barney's World Barney & Friends is an American live-action educational children's television series that premiered on the Public Broadcasting Service on April 6, 1992.