Top Stories

CANNES: Serious Lunch, which specializes in children’s and family programming, is presenting Horrible Science, a scripted comedy starring Ben Miller and based on the popular Scholastic books.

NEW YORK: NBCUniversal’s 24-hour preschool network Sprout has appointed kids’ media veteran Amy Friedman, who previously worked at Viacom, as the senior VP of programming and development, effective today.

LONDON: Zodiak Kids girls’ property LoliRock is set to roll out across France and Italy this spring with new episodes and licensing and marketing campaigns.

HO CHI MINH CITY: Turner has signed an agreement with POPS Worldwide to launch Boomerang on the POPS Kids non-linear platform in Vietnam.

PARIS: WeKids has acquired the exclusive distribution rights in Greater China to more than 130 half-hours of a trio of hit animated series from Cyber Group Studios.

MUNICH: beIN MEDIA GROUP is rolling out beJunior, a new co-branded channel with Studio 100 Media that will broadcast in the Middle East and North African region.

EL SEGUNDO: Mattel Creations is a new division at the toy giant encompassing theatrical, television and digital content that will be led by Catherine Balsam-Schwaber.

ATLANTA: Cartoon Network has given the go-ahead to fifth seasons of the popular original series Steven Universe and Uncle Grandpa.

CANNES: Produced for France Télévisions and Disney XD EMEA, Furry Wheels is a character-driven animated comedy in the Gaumont Television catalogue.

CANNES: Debuting on PBS Kids in the fall, Splash and Bubbles, part of The Jim Henson Company catalogue, is an animated series that explores the wonders of the undersea world.