Tinga Tinga Tales Gets New Consumer Products Partners

Classic Media, a global media company with a portfolio of some of the world’s leading family entertainment brands, today announced new licenses for Tinga Tinga Tales, with Ravensburger (puzzles), Pressman Toy Corporation (games), and University Games (Colorforms activity products), joining master toy partner Bandai and master publishing partner Grosset & Dunlap for the U.S. launch of the preschool brand.

Press Release from Classic Media

NEW YORK, NY — Classic Media, a global media company with a portfolio of some of the world’s leading family entertainment brands, today announced new licenses for Tinga Tinga Tales, with Ravensburger (puzzles), Pressman Toy Corporation (games), and University Games (Colorforms activity products), joining master toy partner Bandai and master publishing partner Grosset & Dunlap for the U.S. launch of the preschool brand.

Tinga Tinga Tales premieres Monday, February 14 (11:00 a.m., ET/PT) with the launch of Disney Junior on Disney Channel. The series will air weekdays in the U.S. at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT on the new multiplatform destination for kids ages 2-7 and their familes. The stories and characters will further come to life through interactive toys released by Bandai in Fall 2012.

Tinga Tinga Tales is an animated preschool series about how our favorite animals came to be. Inspired by traditional animal folktales from Africa and the colorful Tingatinga art style of Tanzania, the series is created by award-winning producer Claudia Lloyd (Charlie and Lola) and produced entirely on location in Africa by local artists.

“We are excited to launch Tinga Tinga Tales in the U.S. with top consumer products partners on board,” said Karyn Schneider, VP, Licensing at Classic Media. “Tinga Tinga Tales is filled with imaginative stories of animal transformations, playful characters, and inspiring art. We look forward to working with our partners to bring this unique brand to market.”

About Tinga Tinga TalesYou may think you know why Giraffe has a long neck or why Lion roars, but according to Tinga Tinga Tales™, it’s a whole other story! This all-new preschool series introduces children to the vibrant art and sounds of Africa through stories told with a funny twist about how our favorite animals came to be. Produced in association with Homeboyz Entertainment in Kenya, Tiger Aspect Productions worked with local talent and Tingatinga artistes from Tanzania to create Tinga Tinga Tales™. The design and look of the show, as well as the sounds and music were all created by a talented team of local artistes, animators, and musicians. Tinga Tinga Tales exposes children to a culture beyond their own.

Inspired by Africa, Classic Media and Tiger Aspect Productions have established the Tinga Tinga Tales Foundation in order to enrich the lives of young children in Africa through education. Classic Media and Tiger Aspect Productions will give a portion of the show’s net profits to the Fund and all Tinga Tinga Tales partners will have the opportunity to contribute.

Current Tinga Tinga Tales international broadcast partners include: Disney Junior (US), CBeebies (UK), ABC (Australia), Rai (Italy), Canal + (Poland), YLE (Finland), Ghana TV (Ghana), True Visions (Thailand), RTE (Ireland), NRK (Norway), SVT (Sweden), TVB (Hong Kong), Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (Middle East), Canal Panda (Portugal), France TV (France), TVO (Canada), CYBC (Cyprus), IRIBTV (Iran), Hop Channel (Israel), Citizen TV (Kenya), Nat 7 (Malaysia), EBS (South Korea), PTS (Taiwan), TBC (Tanzania), Bukkede TV (Uganda).

About Classic MediaClassic Media, one of the world's largest independent entertainment companies, is a leader in reinventing the classics of yesterday and creating the entertainment classics of tomorrow. The Company owns and manages a globally-recognized portfolio of well-known family and pop-culture entertainment brands, including Casper the Friendly Ghost, Where's Waldo?, The Lone Ranger , Lassie , Postman Pat , and new global brands Tinga Tinga Tales and Guess with Jess . Big Idea Entertainment, a member of the Classic Media family, is the leading faith-based studio and producer of children's programming, including the best-selling animated series, VeggieTales . More than 3,600 hours of Classic Media programming is distributed in more than 170 territories worldwide and showcased in multiple formats, including TV, film, home video, consumer products, publishing, digital, and music. Visit us at http://classicmedia.tv. About Tiger Aspect ProductionsTiger Aspect Productions, an Endemol company, is internationally recognised as one of the UK's most successful and prolific independent television producers. The company portfolio includes animation, comedy, drama, entertainment and factual genres. Tiger creates a wide range of critically acclaimed and award-winning programming for all the UK's major terrestrial and non-terrestrial broadcasters. In addition the company’s creative output now enjoys an increasingly high profile in the USA through its commissions for major stateside networks. Tiger's production slate includes primetime mainstream successes for BBC1 and ITV. These are complemented by a varied and genre defining range of programming for BBC2, Channel 4, Five, Sky, MTV and BBC3 and ITV2, 3 & 4. Current and recent successes include Charlie and Lola (CBBC), Robin Hood (3 series for BBC One), Secret Diary of a Call Girl (ITV2), The Home Show (Channel 4), Paul Merton In India (Five) and Ross Kemp In Afghanistan (Sky One).

About Bandai America IncorporatedA leader in developing engaging, quality toys that capture children’s imaginative spirit and provide endless "Fun for the Future," Bandai America Incorporated is the manufacturer and master toy licensee of some of the most popular brands in children’s toys and interactive entertainment today. The Bandai America popular brand family includes Power Rangers, Ben 10, Harumika, Tamagotchi, Pocoyo and Teeny Little Families among other boys, girls, pre-school and hobby product lines. Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings (USA) Inc., an entity that resulted from the integration of Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co. Ltd. of Japan. Global interests encompass three strategic business units: Toys and Hobby, Amusement Facility and Contents. The company is headquartered in Cypress, California. Find out more about our expertise in connecting with kids in fun and fresh ways at www.Bandai.com.

About Penguin Young Readers GroupPenguin Young Readers Group is one of the leading children's book publishers in the United States. The company owns a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Dial Books, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Philomel, Puffin, Speak, Firebird, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Viking, Razorbill, and Frederick Warne. These imprints are home to such award-winning, New York Times- bestselling authors as Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher, Judy Blume, Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Roald Dahl, Tomie dePaola, Sarah Dessen, John Green, Eric Hill, Anthony Horowitz, Brian Jacques, Mike Lupica, Richelle Mead, Richard Peck, Patricia Polacco, and dozens of other popular authors. Penguin Young Readers Group is also the proud publisher of perennial brand franchises such as The Little Engine That Could, the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, Peter Rabbit, Spot, the Classic Winnie the Pooh, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Strega Nona, Madeline, Mad Libs, Alex Rider, the Rangers Apprentice, Skippyjon Jones, Flower Fairies, and Pippi Longstocking, among many others. Penguin Young Readers Group is a division of Penguin Group (USA), the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group, one of the largest English-language trade book publishers in the world. The Penguin Group is owned by Pearson plc, the international media group.

About Pressman Toy CorporationPressman Toy Corporation, the third largest game manufacturer in the United States, was founded in 1922. The company has released many strong brands that consumers have enjoyed for generations, such as Rummikub, MASTERMIND and Tri-Ominos. One of the first companies in the industry to begin licensing popular characters and content for toys and games, Pressman Toy has created games and puzzles based on Green Lantern, The Smurfs, Happy Feet 2, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, NCIS, Dinosaur Train, Looney Tunes, Hello Kitty, Ben 10, and Scooby-Doo! as well as popular games shows Deal or No Deal, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Further information about Pressman Toy can be found at www.pressmantoy.com.

About RavensburgerNewton, NH-based Ravensburger is the U.S. subsidiary of Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH, a German toy and game manufacturer with a 125-year history of tradition. Founded in Ravensburg, Germany in 1883, Ravensburger is a leading producer of toys loved the world over and celebrated for its meticulous commitment to detail, high production standards and superior quality control. In addition to Ravensburger-branded puzzles, games and arts & crafts, the company is the exclusive distributor of WOW Preschool Toys and holds licenses for such well-known brands as The Twilight Saga, Hello Kitty, Ed Hardy, PEANUTS, Iron Man 2 and more. About University GamesUniversity Games was founded on April Fool's Day in 1985 by Bob Moog and Cris Lehman. Today, University Games distributes more product in more outlets, in more markets than any other game company. The company has become a major player in the international game industry (now in over 28 countries) through increased distribution, better marketing, experienced staff and strategic acquisitions such as Great Explorations, Raintree Puzzles and Games, Topline Toys, Colorforms and BePuzzled, Front Porch Classics and, most recently, American Classic Games. About Disney JuniorThe newly branded, learning-focused Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. Beginning in early 2011, Disney Junior will be available on basic cable in more than 99 million U.S. homes (via a daily block on Disney Channel) and to millions of other viewers on 25 Disney Junior channels (fka Playhouse Disney channels) and free-to-air broadcast partners around the world. It is also seen via subscription video-on-demand and a broadband website, DisneyJunior.com. In 2012 Disney Junior will also debut as a basic cable and satellite channel in the U.S. Disney Junior's programming invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior's animated and live action series blend Disney's unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills.