CBS Storybreak Series

I can't understand why after so many years since the series ran the company is still not interested in releasing the entire series.

As far as I know only 13 episodes can be found here and there on the web.

I remember CBS Storybreak back in the 80s. It seemed to be CBS's clone of the ABC Weekend Special, as both those series focused on stories. But it turned out that ABC's version was the most original series, and it seems as if any clone of ABC's show on another network is going to bomb and enjoy a very short life on the air. Like with many series, nothing beats the original. ABC's original version had the much longer run, and it seems as if that was the only Saturday morning series from the 1970s that remained on the air continuously through the late 1980s, despite having learned that ABC was the lowest-rated network from around 1984 until the launch of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in 1999 (the latter show was what caused ABC to regain me as a viewer, even for just three years).

All of the CBS Storybreak animation was done by Hanna-Barbera Australia Pty. /Southern Star Productions (Executive Producer Buzz Potemkin). I do notice that the Canadian DVD company "VEI" released the "Drak Pack" and "Dinky Dog" series which were both animated by Hanna-Barbera Australia which had US voice actors and some production staff (Hoyt Curtin music and post-production work) and were not released by Time-Warner which released the bulk of the Hanna-Barbera series on DVD which was animated in the US. "The All New Popeye Hour" (which originally included the "Dinky Dog" segments) was also animated by Hanna-Barbera Australia but owned by King Features Syndicate and some of the cartoons from that series were released through a different DVD distributor.

I'm not sure if Hanna-Barbera Pty. Australia/Southern Star has a different contract for their series for home DVD releases than H-B's US studios' shows through Time-Warner Home Video but it seems like it.

It is also possible the authors of the books that were adapted to the episodes in the CBS Storybreak series require royalty payments or if the CBS Network has a say for the broadcast/home video rights since the network name is in the series title. Lots of contract stuff to sort out.

Southern Star owns the rights to "Dinky Dog" and "Drac Pack," IIRC.
I also recall the later "CBS Storybreak" episodes, such as "Ratha's Creature," were made by Southern Star but produced AFTER they became an independent company from Hanna-Barbera. It ended with their infamous "thunder and lightning" logo that was modified to remove references to Hanna-Barbera:


Southern Star's animation company was also known for the original "The Berenstain Bears" animated series (though when the show was rerun in the 2000s, DiC removed all Southern Star/H-B logos and references), "Teen Wolf," "Peter Pan and the Pirates," the "Mad Scientist" cartoon co-produced with Mattel, and most famously "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue" (though by that time, they had the animation done in Taiwan by Wang Film Productions and had retired the "lightning" logo.)

I have one CBS Storybreak on VHS, volume one How to Eat Fried Worms. It was released by Playhouse Video. A division of CBS/Fox Video. The title is Video Storybreak-The Children's choice. Same show that aired on CBS.

Could CBS and Fox own mutual rights thus hindering any future rereleases?

I believe Viacom now owns the CBS network and programming properties as well as Paramount Pictures.

Lots of contract hassles and legal stuff to sort out, most likely.

Surely the legal part of this business is complicated, which means that we will never be able to figure it out.

The only way we may be able to do something that might bring some change is to organize ourselves and create a kind of a public movement that will put some pressure on them.

If any of you has a better idea please let us know.

It would be nice if something could be accomplished soon. From my experiences with my own kids, these shows might still be popular with younger generations. Although, with technology finding it way into younger hands that might be wishful thinking. I have hoped for years for Saturday Supercade to have a release dvd. My kids enjoyed the Pac-Man cartoon when it was on Cartoon Networks Boomerang. Which was years ago, They have no interest now in watching those old programs.

What I am trying to say is, one day the audience that enjoys these shows will no longer be around. If that happens, will the compilation discs even be worth releasing? Will there come a time when anyone will care if the come out as a set?

Whoever has the rights, please release these cartoons soon! Your viewing market is getting older not younger.