CPI Pictures is a media channel based in San Diego, California. The inspiration for the company came from Julie Carmichael, a former water skii instructor, while pulling a group of students behind her boat in the middle of the San Diego bay. She realized that teaching and learning were to the two core principles which were missing in a lot of television programming, and sought to establish a media company that would educate, entertain, and inform on key topics and often forgotten themes.
When CPI first formed in 1994, Carmichael was unsure of the amount of positive feedback it would receive. Its first show was called "Miss Drummond Sees a Bee" and it communicated the importance of asking questions and respecting one's family, even in difficult times. The mature themes and expert storytelling led to the channel receiving a "Primetime Children's Television" from EAE in 2001. Since then, the channel has expanded to include a variety of programs that are family friendly and oriented toward children.
The shows are often broadcast on sister channels such as KCPT, PBS, HGTV, and more around the United States. While international licensing rights are not yet offered, individuals can still access the content online. However, media companies and production houses wishing to re-purpose the content must first obtain permission from CPI.
CPI has announced that it plans to engage a number of actors, writers, and directors to develop a full-length film that features Miss Drummon in a comedic drama that is slated to arrive in late 2015.