Premium kids’ content distributor Federation Kids & Family, its sister production company Cottonwood Media, and leading European kids entertainment company Planeta Junior have announced a new partnership to develop, distribute and license programs aimed at children and families around the world.
The multi-year deal will see the trio pool their economic, production, licensing and distribution resources to target, produce and exploit high-quality programs worldwide, across all platforms. New content will be developed and produced by Cottonwood and Planeta Junior, which will also take on distribution and ancillary rights duties alongside Federation K&F.
“Planeta Junior’s far ranging expertise in licensing, sales and channel partnerships is a perfect complement to our creative and distribution strengths,” said David Michel, MD of Federation Kids & Family/President of Cottonwood Media. “To succeed in the industry today, it is essential not only to create high-quality programs, but ensure their strategic placement in a constantly evolving tv and licensing market: our partnership with Planeta Junior will make way for this success.”
Ignacio Segura, MD of Planeta Junior, said: “We are very excited about the new partnership with Federation Kids & Cottonwood Media, as these two major French production and distribution companies are creating some of the highest quality content for kids all over the world. This deal seals Planeta Junior’s commitment to making France our top territory in Europe in the medium term.”
First on the docket for the alliance is Squish (52 x 11’), a hilarious 2D animated series for kids 6-11, produced by Cottonwood Media and Gulli (France). Based on the New York Times bestselling graphic novels by Jennifer Holm and Eisner Award-winning creator Matthew Holm, Squish is set in the microscopic world of an amoeba trying to survive life in the cutthroat world of single-cell organisms … not to mention school! The books, published by Random House Children’s Books, have sold over 1 million copies with new books planned yearly.
