UK kids vendor in Asian package first

New London-based distributor Media I.M. has scored its first package deal in Asia.

Broadcast group JKN Global Media has acquired six programmes for its Bright TV and JKN Global channels in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

I.M. Media is the new boutique distribution business of former Viacom International Media Networks executives Maria Ufland and Irina Nazarenko, which launched before MIPTV this past April with a library of around 900 episodes of children’s and family programming – much of it from Russian toon studios.

Shows included in the JKN deal are three seasons of Kikoriki and 52x13mins sci-fi series Pin-Code, with both programmes coming from Petersburg Animation Studios. The former follows the spherical inhabitants of a world called Kikoriki, while Pin-Code follows a inventor penguin and features characters from Kikoriki.

The Pooches is a 130×4.5mins toon from Melnitsa Animation Studio about a family of loveable dogs, preschool series Moonzy totals 440 four-and-a-half minute episodes. It also comes from Melnitsa, and features a Russian YouTube star.

The remaining titles are Studio Nebo toon The Bubbles, a 52×6.5mins series following a goofy professor and his nephew, who live a fantasy world of bubbles; and Studio Atria’s comedy Robodz (pictured), a 15x11mins show about a group of robots that live on Mars.

“This deal brings us a big step closer to gaining a firm foothold in one of the world’s most buoyant markets and we are very happy that kids in these countries will have a chance to enjoy these great shows,” said Media I.M.’s co-founder Ufland, who was previously VIMN’s sales director, emerging markets.