Turner Broadcasting Takes Over LazyTown Brand

LONDON: Turner Broadcasting System Europe has acquired Latibaer, the Icelandic company that owns and operates the LazyTown brand.

Turner has committed to producing a new season of the show, which has airs in more than 100 countries. Magnus Scheving, LazyTown creator, remains as CEO of Latibaer and retains his management team. The series production will stay in Iceland as well.

"The acquisition is immensely exciting both strategically and creatively," said Jeff Kupsky, the president at TBS Europe. "With the great fit between our existing assets in the pre-school genre, and the retention of the unique talent that is Magnus Scheving, we’re ready to expand the LazyTown brand and will immediately be starting production on a new series. This will be supported by Turner’s successful 360-degree franchise management approach which will include consumer products and digital extensions."

Scheving added: "We’re delighted to have Turner on board and believe that the fit is an ideal one for us, Turner being one of the world’s leading broadcast companies. Their ethos of entertaining children in a fun and educational way is perfectly in keeping with the LazyTown brand. We look forward to a bringing the LazyTown message of helping motivate children to lead a healthy lifestyle to a whole new audience of Turner viewers."

Michael Carrington, the chief content officer at Turner Broadcasting for EMEA, said: "LazyTown is considered to be an innovative groundbreaking program around the world. It’s an inspirational television series designed to inspire young children to lead an active healthy lifestyle, and the show will be a key element in our preschool strategy going forward. I’m thrilled that we will be a part of its future as we develop and produce the new series."

Alan Fenwick, the VP of Turner CN Enterprises for EMEA, said: "LazyTown is one of those rare and wonderfully inspiring brands that at its core has such a relevant health message that everyone from governments to global retailers and most importantly millions of children every day from around the world are fully embracing. We are delighted to be working with Magnus and his team as we build on this success together, ensuring that LazyTown becomes the world’s leading healthy lifestyle brand for children."

"This is going to be great news for the kids who watch, wear or play online with our brands," added Kupsky.