Top Stories

SANTA MONICA: Activision Blizzard's new animated show Skylanders Academy, based on the video-game franchise, has become available for streaming on Netflix.

NEW YORK: Nickelodeon has signed an exclusive licensing deal with JoJo Siwa (Dance Moms) to develop a collection of consumer products inspired by the 13-year-old singer, dancer, actress and social media personality.

MUNICH: Czech Republic pubcaster Ceska televise has acquired a package of kids’ titles from Studio 100 Media that includes series such as Vic the Viking.

LONDON: Manga Entertainment has teamed up with 4K Media to exclusively distribute the new Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions movie to more than 120 cinemas in the U.K. and Ireland.

TORONTO: Portfolio Entertainment has closed several international deals for the animated kids' comedy series Freaktown, including with Disney for its channels in India.

JOHANNESBURG: The live-action teen series Heidi, Welcome Home (Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa), which Mondo TV will be talking about to buyers at DISCOP Johannesburg, is a reimagining of the classic novel by Johanna Spyri.

BURBANK: Disney Channel and Raven-Symoné are developing and starting preliminary casting for a new family sitcom that will continue the story from That's So Raven, which aired on the network from 2003 to 2007.

PARIS/BEIJING: TeamTO has inked a distribution deal with Taikong Works for all rights to its animated theatrical feature film Yellowbird in China.

QUÉBEC: Frima and Groupe Média TFO have unveiled their plans to launch MaXi, a new Canadian animated series for 9- to 12-year-olds that is being designed first for smartphones and tablets.

LONDON: FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK) has licensed the animated preschool series Kate & Mim-Mim and Tree Fu Tom to China's CCTV for broadcast on CCTV Children's Channel (CCTV-14) this year.