Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe has acquired Latibaer, the Icelandic entity that owns and operates the LazyTown brand. The announcement follows Turners consolidated preschool expansion across Europe Middle East and Africa, with the roll out of its preschool block Cartoonito on Cartoon Network Arabic across the Middle East region on September 4, 2011. The announcement […]
Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe has acquired Latibaer, the Icelandic entity that owns and operates the LazyTown brand. The announcement follows Turners consolidated preschool expansion across Europe Middle East and Africa, with the roll out of its preschool block Cartoonito on Cartoon Network Arabic across the Middle East region on September 4, 2011.
The announcement comes with an immediate commitment to produce a new series of the Icelandic kids TV series known and aired in more than 100 countries in more than a dozen languages. Under the terms of the deal, LazyTowns creator and star Magnus Scheving remains CEO of Latibaer and retains his management team, and the series production stays in Iceland.
The investment in LazyTown in particular signals the companys growing ambitions in the pre school space, given the synergies that LazyTown presents for the companys existing franchises.
Michael Carrington, chief content officer, Turner Broadcasting, EMEA called LazyTown an innovative ground breaking programme.
Its an inspirational television series designed to inspire young children to lead an active healthy lifestyle, which fits perfectly well with our preschool strategy. I’m thrilled that we will be a part of its future as we develop and produce the new series”.
Alan Fenwick, VP Turner CN Enterprises, EMEA added: “LazyTown is one of those rare and wonderfully inspiring brands that at its core has such a relevant health message that everyone from governments to global retailers and most importantly millions of children every day from around the world are fully embracing. We are delighted to be working with Magnus and his team as we build on this success together, ensuring that LazyTown becomes the world’s leading healthy lifestyle brand for children.
Turner’s expanding presence in the EMEA territory currently sees the Cartoon Network brand available in 22 languages in 123 million households, with the LazyTown brand presenting an evident opportunity for innovative collaborations within the existing family of assets.
