2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation – The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and investments of more than 50% in subsidiaries and other entities after elimination of significant intercompany transactions and balances. Investments in affiliated companies over which the Company has a significant influence or ownership of more than 20% but less than or equal to 50% are accounted for using the equity method. The operations of TC Digital and TC Websites have been classified as a discontinued operation as a result of the termination of Trading card and game distribution operations, effective September 30, 2010. As further discussed in Notes 12 and 13, the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to reflect the reporting of this business as a discontinued operation. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern and reflect the use of significant accounting policies, as described below and elsewhere in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition – Merchandise licensing revenues: Licensing revenues, net of licensor participations, are recognized when the underlying royalties from the sales of the related products are earned. If the Company has no significant direct continuing involvement with the underlying Property or obligation to the licensee, the Company recognizes guaranteed royalties, net of licensor participations, at the time the arrangement becomes effective as long as the license period has commenced. Where the Company has significant continuing direct involvement with the underlying Property or obligation to the licensee, guaranteed minimum royalties, net of licensor participations, are recognized ratably over the term of the license or based on sales of the related products, if greater. Licensing advances and guaranteed payments collected but not yet earned by the Company are classified as deferred revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Broadcast advertising revenues: Advertising revenues, net of network participations, are recognized when the related commercials are aired and are recorded net of agency commissions and net of an appropriate reserve when advertising is sold together with a guaranteed audience delivery. Internet advertising revenues are recognized on the basis of impression views in the period the advertising is displayed.

Episodic television series revenues: Television series initially produced for networks and first-run syndication are generally licensed to domestic and foreign markets concurrently or licensed to foreign markets with a one year lag from the domestic broadcast of the series. The length of the revenue cycle for episodic television varies depending on the number of seasons a series remains in active exploitation. Revenues arising from executed television license agreements, net of licensor participations, are recognized in the period that the films or episodic television series are available for telecast.

Home video revenues: Revenues from home video and DVD sales, net of a reserve for returns, are recognized, net of licensor participations, on the date that video and DVD units are shipped by the Company's distributor to wholesalers/retailers. Consistent with the practice in the home video industry, the Company estimates the reserve for returns based upon its review of historical returns rates and expected future performance.

Music revenues: Revenues from music sales, net of licensor participations, and net of a reserve for returns, are recognized on the date units are shipped by the Company's distributor to wholesalers/retailers as reported to the Company. In the case of musical performance revenues, the revenue is recognized when the musical recordings are broadcast and/or performed.

Advertising Expense - Advertising costs are expensed as incurred, except for costs related to the development of a Property and/or animated or live-action television commercial or media campaign which are expensed in the period in which the commercial or campaign is first presented. Advertising expense included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations was $429, $523 and $910 during fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Property and Equipment - Property and equipment are carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from 3 to 10 years. Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets or, if shorter, the lease term. Costs associated with the repair and maintenance of property are expensed as incurred.

Impairment Of Long-Lived And Intangible Assets - As required by authoritative guidance issued by the FASB, the Company assesses the recoverability of long-lived assets for which an indication of impairment exists. The recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to the future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If an asset is considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value. Fair value of long-lived assets is determined using the expected cash flows discounted at a rate commensurate with the risk involved. At December 31, 2009, the Company recorded an impairment charge with respect to its investment in the discontinued operations of TC Digital International (“TDI”) for $2,430 to reflect the decreased value of the non-performing international joint venture of the Company's “Chaotic” trading card business for the purpose of distributing “Chaotic” trading cards principally in Europe and the Middle East. At December 31, 2011, the Company believes that the future cash flows to be received from the remaining long-lived assets will exceed the respective assets' carrying value, and accordingly has not recorded any additional impairment losses.

Cash and Cash Equivalents - The Company considers all highly liquid assets, having an original maturity of less than three months, to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk of cash and cash equivalents. All of our non-interest bearing cash balances were fully insured at December 31, 2011 due to a temporary federal program in effect from December 31, 2010 through December 31, 2012. Under the program, there is no limit to the amount of insurance for eligible accounts. Beginning 2013, insurance coverage will revert to $250 per depositor at each financial institution, and our non-interest bearing cash balances may again exceed federally insured limits.

Fair Value Measurements - The fair values of the Company's financial instruments reflect the estimates of amounts that would be received from selling an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value estimates presented in this report are based on information available to the Company as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010.

The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, due to licensors, accounts payable, accrued expenses and deferred revenue approximate fair value. The Company estimated the fair value of its investments using unobservable inputs as of December 31, 2010. The authoritative guidance issued by the FASB includes a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of inputs, the first two of which are considered observable and the last of which is considered unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value. The three levels are the following:

·	Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

·	Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Investments - During the first quarter of 2011, the Company determined that it was necessary to generate additional cash to fund its operations and sold its remaining investment securities with a par value of $18,450 and an adjusted cost basis of $7,126 for $6,216. Accordingly, the Company recorded a loss on the sale of investment securities of $910 for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Participation Advances – Participation advances as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 were $2,629 and $1,875, respectively, and were included in “other assets” on the balance sheet.

Film and Television Costs – The Company's cost of production for television programming, including overhead, participations and talent residuals is capitalized and amortized in accordance with authoritative guidance issued by the FASB using the individual-film-forecast method under which such costs are amortized for each television program in the ratio that revenue earned in the current period for such program bears to management's estimate of the ultimate revenues to be realized from all media and markets for such program. Management regularly reviews, and revises when necessary, its ultimate revenue estimates on a title-by-title basis, which may result in a change in the rate of amortization applicable to such title and/or a write-down of the value of such title to estimated fair value. These revisions can result in significant quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year fluctuations in film write-downs and rates of amortization. If a total net loss is projected for a particular title, the associated film and television costs are written down to estimated fair value. All exploitation costs, including advertising and marketing costs are expensed as incurred. Television adaptation and production costs that are adapted and/or produced are stated at the lower of cost, less accumulated amortization, or fair value.

Reorganization Items - The Company's costs related to professional, consulting and trustee fees, as the case may be, in conjunction with the Bankruptcy Cases are expensed as incurred and reported as reorganization items in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Operating Leases - The Company accounts for all operating leases on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. In accordance with authoritative guidance issued by the FASB, any incentives or rent escalations are recorded as deferred rent and are included as a component of rent expense over the respective lease term.

Use of Estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates and assumptions are used in, but not limited to, certain areas of revenue recognition, the amortization of television and film costs, the amortization of 4Kids TV broadcast fees, valuation of our investment securities and inventory reserves. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Reclassifications - Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the 2011 presentation.

Translation of Foreign Currency - In accordance with authoritative guidance issued by the FASB, the Company classifies items as other comprehensive income by their nature in the financial statements and displays the accumulated balance of other comprehensive income separately from retained earnings and additional paid-in capital in the equity section of the consolidated balance sheet. The assets and liabilities of the Company's foreign subsidiary, 4Kids International have been recorded in their local currency and translated to U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates. Income and expense items have been translated at the average rate of exchange prevailing during the period. Any adjustment resulting from translating the financial statements of the foreign subsidiary is reflected as “other comprehensive income”, net of related tax.

Total comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $(17,053), $(26,526) and $(50,404), respectively, which included translation adjustments of $31, $(117) and $504 for the respective periods.

Concentration Of Credit Risk - Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of accounts receivable. The majority of the cash and cash equivalents are maintained with major financial institutions in the United States of America. The counterparties to the agreements relating to investment instruments consist of various United States governmental units and financial institutions of high credit standing. Credit risk on accounts receivable is minimized by the Company by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers' financial condition and monitoring its exposure for credit losses and maintaining allowances for anticipated losses.

Income Taxes - The Company is subject to income taxes in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Income tax expense (benefit) is provided for using the asset and liability method. Deferred income taxes are recognized at currently enacted tax rates for the expected future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between amounts reported for income tax purposes and financial reporting purposes. Deferred taxes are provided for the undistributed earnings as if they were to be distributed. The Company regularly reviews its deferred tax assets for recoverability taking into consideration such factors as recurring operating losses, projected future taxable income and the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences. The authoritative guidance issued by the FASB requires the Company to record a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Determining a conclusion that a valuation allowance is not needed is difficult when there is negative evidence such as cumulative losses in recent years. Based on the level of deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2011 and the level of historical losses realized, the Company has determined that the uncertainty regarding the realization of these assets is sufficient to warrant the establishment of a full valuation allowance against the Company's net deferred tax assets.

Our assessment of the valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets could change in the future based on our levels of pre-tax income and other tax-related adjustments. A change in estimate of the valuation allowance, in whole or in part, would result in a non-cash reduction in income tax expense during the period of the change. Due to the continued losses incurred by the Company in 2011 and prior years, the Company believes that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset related to these net operating losses will not be realized and therefore recorded a full valuation allowance. If, in the future, the Company determines that the utilization of these net operating losses becomes more likely than not, the Company will reduce the valuation allowance at that time.

The discontinued operations of TC Digital and TC Websites are limited liability companies and have elected to be treated as partnerships for income tax purposes. As such, U.S. federal and state income taxes (in the states which tax limited liability companies as partnerships) are the direct responsibility of its members. We own 55% of the membership interests in both entities. Thus, our respective portion of their activity is reported in our consolidated tax returns.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards – There are no recently adopted accounting standards that currently apply to the Company.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards – In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment, which amended its guidance on the testing of goodwill impairment to allow an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether performing the current two-step process is necessary. Under the new option, the calculation of the reporting unit's fair value is not required unless as a result of the qualitative assessment, it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the unit's carrying amount. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect this guidance will have on the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income. The objective of ASU 2011-05 is to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting, to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income, and to facilitate convergence of U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. To achieve this, the FASB decided to eliminate the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 require that all non-owner changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two-statement approach, the first statement should present total net income and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income, and the total of comprehensive income. Finally, current GAAP does not require an entity to present reclassification adjustments on the face of the financial statements from other comprehensive income to net income, which is required by the guidance in ASU 2011-05. For public entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted, because compliance with the amendments is already permitted. The amendments do not require any transition disclosures. In October 2011, the FASB announced that it will consider deferring certain aspects of ASU 2011-5 in its future meeting. The Company is currently evaluating the effect this guidance will have on the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations.