Michael Hirsh

Michael Hirsh (born February 8, 1948) is a Belgian-born Canadian television producer and author. He co-founded Nelvana, a Toronto-based animation and entertainment studio, in 1971 with partners Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith; the company produced several animated shows including Little Bear, Franklin, Babar, Max & Ruby, The Magic School Bus, Care Bears, The Adventures of Tintin, Rupert, Star Wars: Droids and Ewoks, among others. After Corus Entertainment's acquisition of Nelvana in 2000, Hirsh became the CEO of Cookie Jar Group, which produced numerous children's shows, among them being Arthur, Johnny Test, and Strawberry Shortcake. When Cookie Jar was acquired by DHX Media (now WildBrain), Hirsh became the Executive Chairman of the company, the largest supplier of kids' programming to online streaming services, as well as a leader in production and licensing and merchandising for children. Three years after the acquisition by DHX Media, Hirsh left the company to serve as CEO and chairman of WOW! Unlimited Media from 2015 to December 2023.