Picture Box scores new sales 11 Mar 2010
Canada's Picture Box Distribution has sold a number of shows into Asia and Australasia.
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Making content for a global market 10 Mar 2010
Tom van Waveren, creative director at Cake Entertainment, believes the challenge for producers of kids entertainment is to make mainstream global content in world of niches.
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E1, Kiss hook up for kids' show 10 Mar 2010
NEWS BRIEF: North American indie E1 Entertainment has completed a production and development deal with the glam rock band Kiss to produce a half-hour children's television series.
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Nickelodeon greenlights comedy pilots 10 Mar 2010
Nickelodeon has picked up two comedy pilots: the single-camera Supah Ninja and multicamera Everyday Kid, with writers from The Simpsons and Samantha Who? attached.
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Parthenon takes telemovie to MipTV 9 Mar 2010
NEWS BRIEF: UK-based distributor Parthenon Entertainment is taking a telemovie version of its series coproduction Dex Hamilton to the international market in Cannes in April.
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Euro toon deals for MTVNI 9 Mar 2010
NEWS BRIEF: MTV Networks International has closed several toons deals in Europe, selling Catdog to TV3 Catalunya in Spain; Ni Hao Kai-Lan to TSR for Switzerland; and Ren & Stimpy to SBS in Holland.
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DQE raises $5m in pre-IPO placement 8 Mar 2010
Indian children's animation producer-distributor DQ Entertainment has set the price band for its flotation on the Bombay Stock Exchange, raising an initial £3.3m (US$5m) in its first stage.
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Moonscoop inks Indian volume deal 8 Mar 2010
An Indian children's channel has acquired over 700 episodes of animation from Paris-based kids entertainment firm Moonscoop, including new toons Geronimo Stilton, Gasp, Dive Olly Dive and Ava Riko Teo.
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Super Soccer Star scores in India 8 Mar 2010
UK-based kids IP company Galleon Holdings has struck a deal with Disney and News Corp's ESPN-Star joint venture to launch multi-platform series Super Soccer Star in India.
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Crouch exits GMTV, kids unit under review 5 Mar 2010
Clive Crouch, chief operating officer of UK broadcaster GMTV, is leaving after 18 years, with the breakfast TV franchise also putting its children's department under review.
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UK deal for Florrie's Dragons 5 Mar 2010
A UK pay network has come onboard the dragon-themed animated preschool coproduction from the UK's Wish Films, South Africa's Clockwork Zoo and Benelux content house Studio 100.
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Boomerang thrown $6m preschool deal 5 Mar 2010
Cardiff-based indie Boomerang Plus has secured a £4m (US$6m) three-year deal to produce content for Welsh public broadcaster S4C's preschool service Cyw.
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MarVista enters Secret Tunnel 5 Mar 2010
LA-based MarVista Entertainment has acquired the distribution rights to Lost World Pictures' new period feature film Mandie & the Secret Tunnel, based on Lois Leppard's novel of same name.
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Skywriter retrains Raccoons 5 Mar 2010
Canadian production house Skywriter Media is developing a game for hand-held devices based on its cult 1980s kids series The Raccoons.
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Animated Bean planted on Turner 4 Mar 2010
Turner Broadcasting has picked up the rights to Tiger Aspect's animated series Mr Bean, as the UK TV character celebrates his 20th anniversary.
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Mouse brings Marvel characters to XD 4 Mar 2010
Disney has unveiled its 2010/11 programming highlights, which include a new series for boys-skewing channel Disney XD featuring Marvel superheroes.
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UK, German deals for Cartoon Gene 4 Mar 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Networks in the UK and Germany are onboard the live-action/CGI tween series Cartoon Gene from Cake Entertainment and Galakids, with a possible Canadian deal also in the running.
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Zagtoon signs up first series 3 Mar 2010
French animation producer Zagtoon has closed a coproduction deal for its first series with digital children's channel Gulli and cabsat broadcaster AB Group.
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Toonz opens LA office 3 Mar 2010
India's Toonz Animation India has created Toonz Entertainment USA, a new distribution division based in Los Angeles.
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Iron Man toon takes two 3 Mar 2010
Indian cartoon studio DQ Entertainment has again teamed up with Marvel Animation and Method Animation to coproduce a second season of Iron Man: Armored Adventures.
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Navigating the digital landscape 3 Mar 2010
The challenge for content producers, broadcasters and distributors is that for kids, TV is the new radio, argues Ken Locker, Cookie Jar Entertainment's senior VP of digital media.
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Virgin takes Tuner's Cartoonito 2 Mar 2010
NEWS BRIEF: UK cable company Virgin Media has broadened its kids' channel portfolio, adding Turner Broadcasting preschool network Cartoonito to its line-up.
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Raindrops fall on Cartoon Network 2 Mar 2010
Hispanic programming distributor Comarex has sold an animated 3D children's title featuring ancient Asian myths to Cartoon Network in Latin America.
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DHX eyes virtual world acquisitions 2 Mar 2010
Canadian producer and distributor DHX Media is looking for acquisitions in the virtual worlds space, its senior VP of finance and operations has told C21.
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RDFR taps Disney exec to fill kids' role 1 Mar 2010
UK distributor RDF Rights has hired Disney exec Karen Vermeulen as the new VP and head of global TV sales and copros at its kids and family division.
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Disney Channel grants MarVista's wish 26 Feb 2010
Disney Channel is coproducing a TV movie with family programming specialist MarVista Entertainment, to air on the children's network in the US later this year.
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Mexico gets into Shapes 26 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Shapes, the Singaporean toon produced by Peach Blossom Media, has chalked up sales into Korea, Taiwan, India and Mexico, distributor Evergreen Entertainment has confirmed.
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Aussie deal for Dentsu animé 25 Feb 2010
Cartoon Network has picked up a Japanese animated series that was adapted from the kids novels written by Aussie scribe Emily Rodda to air in Australia and New Zealand.
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Nick unveils new preschooler 24 Feb 2010
Nick Jr UK has commissioned a live-action sing-along show and acquired US tween drama Big Time Rush.
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Skywriter debuts tween drama 24 Feb 2010
Skywriter Media, the start-up headed by former Breakthrough chief Kevin Gillis, is seeking presales for a new show with the writing talent behind Hannah Montana attached.
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Comic timing 24 Feb 2010
C21 delves into the strategies of two graphic novels companies, following a wave of corporate activity in the sector.
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Manga toon sold into Lat Am 23 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Japanimation specialist Viz Media has licensed multiple seasons of manga TV series Naruto into Latin America.
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DQE raises $5.6m ahead of IPO 23 Feb 2010
DQ Entertainment, coproducer of the Iron Man TV series, has raised INR256.9m (US$5.57m) by placing shares with investors ahead of its initial public offering in Bombay.
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More animé for SBT 19 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Brazilian network SBT has licensed a further 51 episodes of animated series Naruto, distributor Viz Media has announced.
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Blackburn exits VGI 18 Feb 2010
Chris Blackburn, MD of VGI Entertainment, has left the UK-based animation firm to purse new projects.
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BBC Switch commissions latest teen doc 18 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: BBC Switch, the UK pubcaster's service for teens, has commissioned UK indie Firecracker Films to produces a six-part observational documentary series that examines teen relationships.
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Kids producers await Rai 3 verdict 18 Feb 2010
Children's TV producers in Italy are still in the dark over Rai 3's plans for their shows, with an additional question mark having now emerged over the future of the channel's head of kids programmes.
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Dead Gorgeous attracts partners 17 Feb 2010
A German broadcaster and a UK-based distributor have come onboard UK/Australian coproduction Dead Gorgeous, which will be launched internationally at MipTV.
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Breakthough goes to Gogo for toon series 17 Feb 2010
Independent production companies in Canada and Spain have hooked up to produce a television series based on popular children's toy property Gogo Crazy Bones.
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Next generation 16 Feb 2010
C21 asks producers and platform commissioners how they have captured youth audiences with social media, gaming and a fresh approach to production.
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Nickelodeon tunes up music drama 16 Feb 2010
Nickelodeon International has picked up a new tween drama series jointly created by Columbia/Epic Label Group and Scott Fellows.
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JimJam expands into Asia 15 Feb 2010
Global preschool channel JimJam is continuing to expand through Asia, with its first launch in Thailand and a carriage deal in Indonesia.
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KidsCo taps Beyond catalogue 15 Feb 2010
International distributor Beyond Distribution has sold three live-action programmes to Australian pay-TV platform Foxtel's children's channel KidsCo.
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Olly drives his van to NZ 15 Feb 2010
Olly The Little White Van, the UK children's animation that airs on CiTV and GMTV, has found a broadcast home in New Zealand.
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Second UK network for Big & Small 12 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Indie production house Kindle Entertainment has found another UK broadcaster for its CBeebies preschool show Big & Small, adding to the array of 40 channels that air the series worldwide.
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Syfy targets kids' multimedia 12 Feb 2010
US cablenet Syfy has hooked up with Albie Hecht, the former Nickelodeon exec behind SpongeBob SquarePants, to produce new multimedia formats, as part of a push into children's television.
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Rai 3 to drop kids programming 12 Feb 2010
Italian terrestrial pubcaster Rai 3 is to drop all children's programming and kids slots from October, in a move that has angered Italian viewers and caused concern among local producers.
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Xilam plays down revenue slip 12 Feb 2010
French animation studio Xilam has reported revenue of €9.694m (US$13.1m) for last year, down from €10.464m in 2008.
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Jungle Book heads into Middle East 12 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: The new CGI version of classic kids tale The Jungle Book has been picked up by a channel in the Middle East, its Indian coproducer and distributor DQ Entertainment has confirmed.
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Chorion appoints licensing, brands execs 11 Feb 2010
UK-based family entertainment producer-distributor Chorion has made two senior appointments to its licensing and brands team, who bring with them experience from Sesame Workshop, Disney and ESPN.
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Monsters scare up international partners 11 Feb 2010
Broadcasters in Germany and Australia have come onboard Me And My Monsters, the CBBC live-action series being produced by Muppet house The Jim Henson Company and UK firm Tiger Aspect.
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Germans, Aussies onboard Jim Henson series 10 Feb 2010
Broadcasters in Germany and Australia have come onboard Me & My Monsters, the CBBC live-action kids series being produced by Muppet house The Jim Henson Company and UK indie Tiger Aspect.
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King Rollo partners on Poppy Cat 10 Feb 2010
UK children's outfit Coolabi has linked up with King Rollo Films, the firm behind classic animated character Mr Ben, to produce its new animated series Poppy Cat.
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Imira's luck with copro improves 10 Feb 2010
Spanish youth-programming specialist Imira Entertainment has signed Phillipines-based Top Draw Animation as a coproduction partner on its new animated show Lucky Fred.
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Angelo Rules for Turner, Rai 10 Feb 2010
Turner Broadcasting and Italy's Rai have acquired Angelo Rules, a children's series from the UK's Cake Entertainment and French animation studio TeamTO.
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Hit greenlights toons, ups execs 10 Feb 2010
Transatlantic children's producer-distributor Hit Entertainment has greenlit two animation series and bolstered its executive development team.
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Eisner toon gets Oz debut 9 Feb 2010
Australian cable network Fox8 has acquired Glenn Martin, DDS, the first cartoon to come out of former Disney chief Michael Eisner's Tornante Animation.
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Growing appetite for Stilton 9 Feb 2010
Animated children's series Geronimo Stilton has been picked in territories including French-speaking Canada and the Middle East, taking the number of countries airing it to more than 50.
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Monster snatches Al Jazeera sitcom 9 Feb 2010
Ireland's Monster Distributes has taken international rights to Baaas, a family sitcom from Al Jazeera Children's Channel, Welsh broadcaster S4C and prodco Cynhyrchiadau Ceidiog Creations.
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Collective decision 8 Feb 2010
Animation Collective's founder Larry Schwarz believes the merging of his company with the kids arm of HandMade Group and partnering with Nat Geo Kids will create an outfit with both independent thinking and global sales nous, he tells Jesse Whittock.
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Teletoon, Sardine hook up for animation 8 Feb 2010
Canuck children's network Teletoon and Montreal-based animation house Sardine Productions have joined forces to develop a series about a boy who becomes a cartoon character.
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Babar charges into Europe 8 Feb 2010
The new 3D toon Babar & The Adventures of Badou (52x11') has been acquired by broadcasters across Europe and South Africa, Canadian distributor Nelvana Enterprises has confirmed.
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Kratt brothers, 9 Story go wild with PBS 5 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: US public broadcaster PBS Kids Go is to air an animated wildlife show for children produced by the zoologist Kratt brothers and Canuck production-distribution house 9 Story Entertainment.
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United Kingdom deal for Little Kingdom 5 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Award-winning children's animated series Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, from Peppa Pig producer Astley Baker Davies, has found its UK terrestrial home.
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France Télévisions renews Warner kids pact 5 Feb 2010
France Télévisions' children's division has renewed its exclusive Warner Bros animation agreement for another four years and made a number of new acquisitions.
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Classic onboard My Life Me 5 Feb 2010
Classic Media has acquired international distribution rights, including licensing and merchandising, to new tween toon My Life Me, the Canada-France coproduction aimed at eight- to 12-year-olds.
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Turner onboard Mondo's new teen toon 4 Feb 2010
Italian animation firm Mondo TV Group (Angel's Friends) has a new teen toon underway that has been greenlit for production by Cartoon Network and will make its international debut at MipTV.
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Toon Factory climbs Foothill in US, Oz 4 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: California-based kids distributor Foothill Entertainment has inked an exclusive US and Australia distribution deal for French production studio Toon Factory's new slate.
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Hasbro poaches Sony toon VP 4 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Staffing up continues at Hasbro Studios, which has named the Sony Pictures Television VP behind shows including The Spectacular Spiderman and Sit Down Shut Up as its new VP of production.
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New kids hire for Henson 4 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: The Jim Henson Company has hired a new exec director of children's entertainment, appointing the PBS Kids Sprout exec with whom it worked on The Pajanimals and Musical Mornings with Coo.
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Fresh stokes up toon's L&M 3 Feb 2010
Toronto-based family entertainment producer Fresh TV has signed Joy Tashjian Marketing Group as exclusive licensing agent for its teen-targeted animated surfer series Stoked.
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Nelvana carves out Beyblade deal 3 Feb 2010
Children's network Nickelodeon UK has secured television broadcast rights to 51 episodes of Nelvana Enterprises' animated series Beyblade: Metal Fusion.
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Rainbow warrior 3 Feb 2010
Iginio Straffi of Italian cartoon giant Rainbow tells Ed Waller what the European animation industry needs to do to compete and about his plans for digital expansion.
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E1 Dandy about Pesky JV 2 Feb 2010
International producer-distributor E1 Entertainment has come onboard a new children's animation from Pesky Animation, the Bafta-winning UK studio behind The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers.
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Nets worldwide hunt down more Huntik 2 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Italian animation house Rainbow's series Huntik: Secrets and Seekers has been renewed in Europe, Australasia, Africa, India, the Middle East and Latin America.
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Former Loonland execs in new roles 1 Feb 2010
Justine Bannister, former head of international at insolvent kids entertainment firm TV-Loonland, has resurfaced at a French kidscaster, while other former staffers are also seeking new roles.
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Cleverly's Connective unveils first projects 1 Feb 2010
Connective Media, the UK consultancy set up by former BBC exec Jesse Cleverly, is developing new properties including a novel adaptation that has been picked up by a US major.
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New Jungle Book toon swings into Singapore 1 Feb 2010
A Singaporean broadcaster has acquired three animated children's series from Indian studio DQ Entertainment, marking the latest pick-up of the cartoon remake of The Jungle Book.
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YFE appoints MTV alumni for sales 1 Feb 2010
NEWS BRIEF: German kids entertainment firm Your Family Entertainment has appointed a former Nickelodeon Germany chief as its new VP of programme sales and marketing.
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CBBC takes on new mission 28 Jan 2010
The BBC Scotland production team behind digital network CBBC's series Raven is creating a new 13-part science fiction gameshow for BBC Children's.
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Boomerang lands in Scandinavia 27 Jan 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Boomerang, the children's channel from Turner Broadcasting System that airs toons from yesteryear, has launched on a pay-TV platform in the Nordic region.
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Comic craze 27 Jan 2010
Earlier this month, Marvel shareholders approved the company's takeover by Disney and rival Warner Bros revamped its subsidiary DC Comics. Jules Grant reports on how comics are moving centre stage in kids' entertainment.
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Lifeboat Luke returns stateside 27 Jan 2010
NEWS BRIEF: Irish distributor Monster Distributes has sold animated kids' series Lifeboat Luke to a US network – its second transatlantic pick-up.
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TV Loonland begins sell-off 27 Jan 2010
Insolvent children's company TV Loonland is preparing to sell off its assets, beginning with its television library, after entering administration last month.
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Carrington exits BBC for Turner 27 Jan 2010
Turner Broadcasting has poached BBC Children's veteran Michael Carrington as its chief content officer, replacing Finn Arnesen, who left the company last October.
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TVOntario develops taste for MarbleMedia 27 Jan 2010
NEWS BRIEF: TVOntario has greenlit Canadian indie MarbleMedia to produce a third season of children's cookery show Taste Buds.
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S4C to boost kids offering 27 Jan 2010
Welsh public broadcaster S4C is expanding its home-grown children's programming after a UK parliamentary report this week called for more content for younger viewers.
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Lat Am, Euro sales for MTVNI 26 Jan 2010
NATPE NEWS: MTV Networks International has secured several programme sales with broadcasters in Latin America and Europe, which took a number of its Nickelodeon-branded live-action programmes.
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Bejuba! scores with Sokator 26 Jan 2010
Distributor Bejuba! Entertainment has signed up to represent the television, online and DVD rights to UK firm Galleon Entertainment's multi-platform franchise Sokator-442.
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KidsCo set for profit, int'l launches 26 Jan 2010
Joint-venture children's channel KidsCo will become profitable before the year end, its global MD has told C21, as the network launches on French platform SFR today.
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Sticky adheres to Buster Dandy 26 Jan 2010
Australian kids' production houses Sticky Pictures and Buster Dandy Productions have joined forces, with both companies' co-founder Donna Andrews heading the revamped prodco.
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FME poaches Wildbrain exec to kids arm 25 Jan 2010
NEWS BRIEF: FremantleMedia Enterprises has appointed the chief creative officer of LA animation producer Wildbrain to be senior VP of its four-month-old children's and family entertainment division.
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Beyond Bebo Originals 22 Jan 2010
Restructuring at AOL last year hit its social networking site, Bebo, with staff being lost and its Bebo Originals initiative axed. So what's next for original online youth content?
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KidsCo recruits Beach Crew 22 Jan 2010
Joint-venture children's channel KidsCo has picked up Aussie animated series The Beach Crew to air across Australia and South-East Asia from June.
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Disney XD hits the slopes with Sassy 21 Jan 2010
Disney XD has commissioned UK indie Sassy Films to produce a new shortform action sports reality series to air across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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Italian puppies in US$7m toon deal 19 Jan 2010
Italian toy brand Puppy In My Pocket is being adapted into a US$7.3m animated TV series, which its producers expect will air in Italy and Spain this Christmas and internationally in 2011.
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DMG puts Split into Boomerang 19 Jan 2010
Israel's Dori Media Group has sold its teen vampire drama Split to Boomerang Channel in Latin America.
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Noga nabs The Jungle Book 18 Jan 2010
Israel's Noga Communications has acquired broadcast rights to DQ Entertainment's new TV cartoon version of The Jungle Book.
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DCI, Hasbro unveil kids channel brand 14 Jan 2010
Discovery Communications and toy firm Hasbro have today unveiled the name and logo for their 50/50 joint-venture children's channel that will replace Discovery Kids this fall.
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MTVNI sends animation into Europe, Asia 14 Jan 2010
MTV Networks International has made a slew of animation programme sales to broadcasters in Asia and Europe, including Spain's TV3 Catalunya and Korean cartoon net Tooniverse.
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