VIMN wins over South Europe, Africa

MIPCOM: A string of broadcasters in Southern Europe and Africa have picked up Nickelodeon animated and live-action shows along with titles from other Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) channels.

The largest licensing deal is with Spanish pubcaster TVE for seven kids’ properties.

They include preschool animated series Monsters vs Aliens (season one), Kung Fu Panda (season two), Bubble Guppies (seasons one and two) and Penguins of Madagascar (season three), plus live-action shows Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (season two) and Supah Ninjas (season one), and teen series Big Time Rush (season three).

Discovery in Italy has also licensed season one of Big Time Rush, while Mediaset and Turner Broadcasting System Europe’s Italian joint venture free-to-air channel Boing has picked up Penguins of Madagascar (seasons two and three.

Meanwhile, Lagardère’s French kids’ channel Gulli has gone for Nickelodeon’s teen series Victorious (seasons one and two).

On the teen and young adult front, Canal+-owned D17 in France has picked up MTV teen comedy Awkward (seasons one and two).

In Spain, commercial broadcaster Mediaset has acquired three younger male-skewing series, including MTV dare-devil comedy Megadrive (season one), unscripted series Big Easy Justice (season one) and fact ent wildlife show Urban Tarzan. The latter two both air on Spike.

Separately, shows on VIMN entertainment network BET’s slate have been sold to broadcasters in Africa.

Buyers include South African free-to-air channel e.tv, which has picked up the first seasons of comedy series Real Husbands of Hollywood and Second Generation Waya; the dating show Hell Date; and season two of comedy Let’s Stay Together.

VIMN’s distribution partner in South Africa, Cote Ouest, has licensed a number of BET shows to Atlantic Pictures. These include seasons one and two of Real Husbands of Hollywood, Reed Between the Lines and seasons 1-3 of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele, plus Nickelodeon animation Catscratch and Kung Fu Panda (season two).