Barney time.

Children's video franchises such as "Barney" are big money makers on home video and the right to distribute such fare has always been a hard fought battle.

Lions Gate Entertainment has nabbed the DVD distribution rights to the purple dinosaur and other properties from Fox Home Entertainment in a deal with Hit Entertainment, the U.K.-based company owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners.

The arrangement is expected to increase Santa Monica-based Lions Gate's family home video market share from 9 percent to 15 percent, by adding a slew of children's titles, including "Barney" to its current slate of popular rifles like "Bratz" and "Care Bears."

The Lions Gate distribution deal comes on the heels of the resignation of Hit Chief Executive Brace Steinberg, a former Fox executive.

Jeffry D. Dunn, former Nickelodeon Networks chief operating officer, took over Steinberg's post earlier this month and helped craft the deal.

Staff Reporter Brett Sporich can be reached at [e-mail], or at [phone] ext. 226.