The Jim Henson Company heads to MIP-TV this year with a raft of broadcast and home entertainment licensing agreements finalized for its trio of pre-school series, Pajanimals, Dinosaur Train and Sid the Science Kid.
Richard Goldsmith, the company’s exec VP of sales and distribution noted that the new preschool puppet show Pajanimals has been sold to ABC Australia and TVNZ New Zealand for its TV2 network. A co-production between The Jim Henson Company, Sixteen South Television and Sprout, the series is designed and built by the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop from original concepts by Los Angeles-based toy and clothing designer, artist Jeff Muncy. Pajanimals, which airs on Sprout in the U.S., follows the adventures of four friends who venture out on amazing adventures of discovery, modeling the skills preschoolers need to move through their days successfully.
In addition, Henson’s CG preschool show Dinosaur Train has been licensed to Disney Channel in Germany, Nickelodeon in the UK, TVNZ New Zealand for its TV2, Latvian TV, and Botswana Television. Discovery Kids Latin America, E-Vision in the United Arab Emirates and TVO Canada have also licensed season two of DINOSAUR TRAIN. Channel 1 in Russia picked up both seasons of the show while. Romania’s Empire Film picked up home entertainment DVD rights for season two. The series, which airs in the U.S. on PBS Kids embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while also encouraging basic scientific thinking and skills.
Season two of the Emmy-nominated Sid the Science Kid was also picked up by France 5, TVO Canada, Thai PBS in Thailand, while its first season was licensed to TVB Pearl in Hong Kong and One Batswana Television, and NOGA Israel.
“The continuing demand for The Jim Henson Company’s pre-school programming is the result of the Company’s ongoing commitment to producing quality and engaging content that successfully weaves entertainment and education into a cohesive viewing experience,” says Goldsmith. “We tap into children’s innate interests and use that curiosity to introduce everything from healthy sleep habits to science and more, and we’ve been doing that effectively for over 50 years. The Jim Henson Company is a name broadcasters and parents know they can trust.”
Here’s a taste of Pajanimals!
