FUN Union signs new global distribution deals

Hong Kong, 21 May, 2018 – FUN Union, a global children’s animation content creator & rights owner, today announces that new language versions of PinCode, KikoRiki, and BabyRiki will hit the airwaves.

PinCode to enter German market

FUN Union has signed a three-year exclusive deal with Studio 100 Media|m4e for German versions of all 52 episodes of PinCode Season 1 for Sky’s “Junior” channel in German-speaking territories. Broadcast will begin in March 2019.

“We are happy to welcome PinCode, which will be the first series out of the Riki Universe on our channel,” said Petra Keil, Director TV Channels & Programme Management at Studio 100 Media|m4e. “We are proud to announce that it will be PinCode’s TV premiere in German-speaking countries. We are convinced that the Junior audience will love the Riki characters and that they will have fun learning about science with PinCode.”

BabyRiki takes first steps in Brazil; Basque Region to receive PinCode

Imira Entertainment, which represents all three of the Riki Universe titles in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian-speaking territories, has closed BabyRiki seasons 1 and 2 with Globosat’s Gloobinho pay-tv channel for Brazil, as well as a deal for both seasons of PinCode with the Spanish regional broadcaster ETB, in Northern Spain’s Basque Region for its public broadcasting channel.

Vietnam welcomes the Riki Universe

In Asia, FUN Union signed an agreement with POPS Worldwide in Vietnam for Vietnamese-language versions of BabyRiki, KikoRiki and PinCode for their POPS Kids channel. Vietnamese versioning is underway and the titles will launch within the year.

“We are very happy and proud to have such well-known animated series as PinCode, BabyRiki, and especially KikoRiki join our POPS Kids channel,” said Esther Nguyen, CEO POPS Worldwide. “It is an honour to partner with the FUN Union team and bring this enticing top-of-the-line content, fully localised, to Vietnam. I strongly believe it will delight all our existing fans and help create many new ones.”

Other recent deals

The co-operations announced today are the latest in a series of international distribution deals for FUN Union. In April, BabyRiki premiered in English and Arabic on Discovery’s DKids Channel in MENA (Middle East and North Africa). The company also expanded into South Korea, with local digital platforms, IPTV and Cable TV now carrying Korean versions of BabyRiki.

“It’s an exciting time” said FUN Union CEO Christine Brendle. “These global distribution deals show that viewers all around the world are hungry for more great content from the Riki Universe. In China, BabyRiki Season 1 already generated more than 475 million views in 11 months, and the upcoming launch of Season 2 in June is highly anticipated.”

About FUN Union
FUN Union is an animation content creator and global distributor with a focus on children of pre-school and primary school ages. FUN Union’s community of brands is centred on the award-winning Riki Universe, with positive and uplifting cartoons that help develop key life skills, including communication, cooperation, creativity and critical thinking. With a digital ecosystem leveraging technology to gather valuable insights, FUN Union believes in learning from audiences to continually improve market reach and create high quality entertaining content. For more information, visit www.FUNunion.net.

For further information, please contact:
Manuela Burki, Director of Marketing
Tel: +852 36117840
Email: [email protected]
37/F, 41 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
www.fununion.net

About Studio 100 Media

Studio 100 Media is an international production and distribution company within the children’s and family entertainment sector. Based in Munich, Germany, the company is a 100 percent subsidiary of Belgian firm Studio 100. The Company develops and acquires new content, engages in co-production and co-financing activities and is also responsible for the international distribution of its own and third-party rights. Studio 100 Media’s business model is the perfect vertical and horizontal integration of its IP’s. In marketing its license rights the Company pursues a global strategy within sectors ranging from Content Distribution, Licensing and Home Entertainment through to Theatrical Movies, Stage Shows and Theme Parks. www.studio100media.com

In February 2017, the Studio 100 Group acquired the majority interest in m4e AG. Both companies will from now on make use of all synergies concerning their national and international activities and, cooperating closely – from the very first idea to a kids’ smile in one of the theme parks. Under the roof of Studio 100 one of the largest European companies for children’s and family entertainment is now formed.

About Imira Entertainment

Barcelona and Madrid based Imira Entertainment, a Toonz Media Group Company, is a producer and distributor of premium kids & family programs and content for the global TV & Digital marketplace. It creates, produces and distributes innovative content with strong editorial lines, and a universal appeal aimed at kids from toddlers to preschool to tweens and family, distributing a catalogue of over 150 titles amounting to more than 3,000 half hours of quality animation and live action.

About POPS Worldwide

POPS Worldwide is the leading digital entertainment in Southeast Asia with over 3.5 billion monthly views and works with over 2,700 international and domestic content partners. POPS Kids is an online entertainment channel that produces educational and entertaining content for children. POPS Kids consists of carefully produced content dedicated to young children, featuring the music show “Mam Choi La” and animated series from Boomerang and most-loved Japanese series like Doraemon, Pokémon, One Piece,… POPS Kids distributes many children music videos with the views ranging from tens to hundreds. POPS Kids earned its YouTube Gold Play Button in 2016 and now serves over 4.3 million subscribers and more than 5 billion views. POPS Kids TV for iOS and Android are mobile applications for smartphones and tablets that provide a human-curated and safe content environment for children. POPS Kids: www.popskids.tv POPS Kids on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/popskids