Editing DIC Entertainment (section)

=== 1993–2000: Limited partnerships===
During the early 1990s, DIC attracted attention within the industry. The company engaged in discussions regarding a potential merger and buyout with [[PolyGram]] and [[Capital Cities/ABC]], but no agreements materialized with either entity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-04-21 |title=Down but Not Out: Cartoons: Insiders say the growth of cable, syndication and home video can help DIC Enterprises survive NBC's pullout from animated fare. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-21-fi-729-story.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 1993, DIC Animation City began the establishment of a limited partnership with Capital Cities/ABC Video Enterprises, Inc., forming a joint venture named DIC Entertainment, L.P.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Brian |last=Lowry |url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/dic-ent-formed-for-kids-tv-fare-108945/ |title=DiC Ent. formed for kids TV fare |magazine=Variety |date=July 26, 1993 |access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref> This venture aimed to oversee DIC's production library and supply content for international distribution through CAVE. DIC Animation City held 95% of the shares, while CAVE held the remaining 5%. At the end of the year, the two companies formed another Delaware limited partnership called DIC Productions, L.P., with Capital Cities/ABC holding a 95% majority stake and Heyward retaining the remaining 5%. Both limited partnerships became the successor to the former parent company DIC Animation City,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sec.report/Document/0000950130-94-000530/|title = Capital Cities ABC Inc /Ny/ 1993 10-K Annual report}}</ref> coinciding with the relocation of DIC's headquarters to a larger facility in Burbank, California.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://businessprofiles.com/details/dic-entertainment-l-p/DE-2342781|title=DIC ENTERTAINMENT, L.P. Delaware - THE CORPORATION TRUST COMPANY - Business Profiles}}</ref>

DIC continued its expansion and diversification efforts throughout the early 1990s. In November 1993, it established DIC Interactive, a multimedia unit.<ref>{{cite news |title=DIC's getting interactive |url=https://variety.com/1993/scene/people-news/dic-s-getting-interactive-116006/ |access-date=February 11, 2021|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=November 21, 1993}}</ref> Subsequently, the company ventured into live-action television production in 1994. In response to the success of Saban's ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'', DIC collaborated with [[Tsuburaya Productions]] to adapt the Japanese series ''[[Gridman the Hyper Agent]]'' into ''[[Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad]]''. DIC also initiated partnerships in China and engaged in syndication agreements with SeaGull Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 20, 1993|title=More 'Power' to them|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-12-20-Page-0038.pdf|access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=February 7, 1994|title=In Brief|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-07-Page-0064.pdf|access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref><ref name="hb">{{cite web|url=http://business.highbeam.com/3610/article-1G1-15738642/abc-dic-target-children-china-twoform-programing-venture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113153508/http://business.highbeam.com/3610/article-1G1-15738642/abc-dic-target-children-china-twoform-programing-venture |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 13, 2014 |title=ABC, DiC target children in China; two-form programing venture to create kids programing channels there |date=August 22, 1994 |access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=November 14, 1994|title=SeaGull establishes beachhead|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-11-14-Page-0026.pdf|access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref>

In July 1995, [[The Walt Disney Company]] intended to buy Capital Cities/ABC and all of its assets, including DIC. That October, DIC began planning to establish an animation studio in France in partnership with Hamster Productions. Following the completion of the merger between Capital Cities/ABC and Disney in January 1996, DIC became a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Subsequently, DIC collaborated closely with Disney, launching DIC Films and signing a first-look deal with [[Walt Disney Pictures]] in 1996.<ref name="Disney acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC Inc.">{{cite news|title=THE MEDIA BUSINESS;Disney and ABC Shareholders Solidly Approve Merger Deal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/05/business/the-media-business-disney-and-abc-shareholders-solidly-approve-merger-deal.html|author=Geraldine Fabrikant|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=5 January 1996|access-date=July 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/dic-hamster-to-share-paris-animation-firm-99128652/|title=DIC, Hamster to share Paris animation firm|work=Variety|date=October 9, 1995}}</ref><ref name="DIC's deal goosed">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/dic-s-deal-goosed-1117468947/|title = DIC's deal goosed|date = March 20, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/dic-eyes-euro-market-1117342351/|title=DIC eyes Euro market|first1=Michael|last1=Mallory|date=March 24, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/tv/news/tex-avery-rides-again-1116677622/|title=Tex Avery rides again|first1=Michael|last1=Mallory|date=September 15, 1997}}</ref>

In March 1997, DIC's French animation studio commenced operations as Les Studios Tex S.A.R.L. DIC continued its expansion into various markets and mediums, extending its first-look deal with Walt Disney Pictures in March 1998 and commencing the launch of its direct-to-video division the following month. Additionally, DIC secured a programming agreement with [[Ion Television|Pax TV]] during this period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.3/issue2.3pages/news2.3.html|title=June 1997 News|website=www.awn.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Jackson|first1=Wendy|title=DiC Is Developing Direct-To-Video.|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.1/3.1pages/3.1news.html|access-date=July 2, 2016|work=Animation World News|issue=1|publisher=Animation World Network|date=April 1998|volume=3}}</ref><ref name="awm">{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.2/3.2pages/3.2television.html |title=Toon Disney Launch - UPN To Air Disney Block |publisher=Animation World Network |date=May 1998 |access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=CARMAN |first=JOHN |date=1998-08-28 |title=PAX Going For Piece Of TV Pie |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/pax-going-for-piece-of-tv-pie-2994282.php |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref>