DHX Media (
TSX: DHX.B,
Forum) continued to adeptly market its 2013 transformative acquisition of Ragdoll, parent company to the mid-90s global children’s show hit, Teletubbies, when the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based company announced that it had teamed with legendary children’s book publisher, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
According to the
news release, under the agreement, Simon & Schuster will produce a series of books based on the new Teletubbies program which debuted on Nick Jr. in the U.S. on May 30, 2016. The program is also airing on Family Jr. in Canada.
A member of a large growing family of partners which constitute a more than 65 licensing deals signed for the new show, Simon & Schuster’s contribution will include a wide selection of story, board and novelty books, with first sales expected to launch in the U.S. and Canada in 2017.
Commercial Director, DHX Brands, Tom Roe, commented, “Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing is a perfect licensee for Teletubbies, with a strong presence in North America and a fantastic reputation. Books are a significant segment of pre-school consumer products and we're excited to work with one of the world's leading publishers on high-quality innovative products as a core component of the Teletubbies offering. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing joins a growing, world-class team of Teletubbies licensees as we continue to rollout this iconic brand worldwide.”
Valerie Garfield, VP, Publisher of Novelty and Licensed Publishing at Simon Spotlight, added, “The original Teletubbies show was a phenomenal hit that made Dipsy, Laa-Laa, Po and Tinky Winky instantly recognizable. Their colorful, charming, and just-right age appropriate stories make them ideal entertainment for the pre-school audience and, with the new series now airing in North America, we knew that the time was right to bring the brand back with a new series of books. We couldn't be more thrilled to be working with DHX Brands and helping to have a whole new generation say 'Eh Oh!’”
DHX Media was in the news recently when
the largest independent producer of children’s media in Canada announced a week ago it had signed six more Teletubbies licensing deals in North America.
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