Nickelodeon Partners With Chorion and Frederick Warne & Co. to Produce New Animated Preschool Series Based on Beatrix Potter's Characters

CANNES, France, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, today announced a partnership with media content company, Chorion and the publisher, Frederick Warne & Co., owners of the Beatrix Potter™ property, to develop and produce a brand-new animated preschool series based on the characters created by Beatrix Potter in the series The Tales of Peter Rabbit.  Slated to air in 2012 on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., the series will feature many of the beloved and iconic Beatrix Potter characters, including Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny.

This arrangement is the third of its kind between Nickelodeon and Chorion, who previously partnered on the hit animated preschool series, Olivia and Max & Ruby, which currently air on Nick Jr.

"The World of Beatrix Potter™ is a celebrated brand with treasured characters that we're introducing to a new generation of kids," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. "Beatrix Potter's timeless books have been cherished by millions of children, and Nickelodeon is thrilled to be involved in developing these classic characters into new television adventures the whole family can enjoy."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Nickelodeon again, particularly on a much-loved, kids' heritage property," said Waheed Alli, Executive Chairman of Chorion.  "We feel honored that Frederick Warne have entrusted the characters in Beatrix Potter's Tales to us to re-imagine and re-introduce to the children of today and the future."

Stephanie Barton, Managing Director of Frederick Warne, said: "We are very pleased to be working with Chorion and Nickelodeon in a global strategic relationship to further develop Beatrix Potter's legacy through this new animation project. Beatrix Potter's work is the jewel in our crown; Chorion knows it well and understands how to interpret such a unique and iconic literary work. Nickelodeon offers us an unmatched opportunity to partner to create new possibilities for the future of this beloved franchise and we are looking forward to this brilliant new chapter for Peter Rabbit and his friends."

Beloved by all, Beatrix Potter's Classic Tales have delighted children for more than 100 years and continue to be as popular now as they ever were.  Beatrix Potter's first book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, based on a picture letter she wrote to an ill child, was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902.  Beatrix Potter went on to write and illustrate an additional 22 books over the next 28 years, including The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, and The Tale of Tom Kitten. The series has always remained in print and Beatrix Potter's books continue to sell millions of copies and are translated into over 35 languages throughout the world.

Frederick Warne and Chorion have appointed Nickelodeon as the agent to represent the licensing and merchandising rights for The World of Beatrix Potter™ brand and the new animation rights in the United States, Canada, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Nickelodeon will also represent the licensing and merchandise rights for the new animation series in India.

Chorion will have licensing and merchandise rights in the rest of the world for The World of Beatrix Potter™ plus the new animation.  Frederick Warne retains underlying ownership of The World of Beatrix Potter™ and will continue to publish globally The Classic Tales and all publishing based on the new animation series.

About Chorion

Based in New York and London, Chorion is a global media content company with a strong base in the pre-school market. It is the owner of a range of iconic children's characters including Noddy, Mr. Men and Little Miss, Olivia and the Octonauts.  Chorion works with publishers, TV and film production companies, and toy manufacturers worldwide to bring these characters to life across a wide range of family-friendly media and toys, with the objective of stimulating, educating and inspiring children, their parents and care givers.

Key global partners include major children's broadcasters including Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, BBC; major publishers such as Penguin, Harper Collins and Egmont; and toy makers including Fisher Price, Bandai and Spin Master.

Apart from its children's brands, Chorion is also the owner of several famous literary estates, including Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and Georges Simenon. Chorion was listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange from 2002 to 2006, when it was taken private by 3i and Chorion's management team, for a total enterprise value of 135m pounds Sterling.

Additional background information - www.chorion.co.uk

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 31st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

About Frederick Warne

Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd, part of the Penguin Group, is the owner and guardian of the Beatrix Potter ™ property and original publisher of Beatrix Potter's famous little white books.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, was the first in the series to be published by Frederick Warne (1902) and the book went on to become one of the best-selling children's classics of all time. Today a wide range of books are published by Frederick Warne under the Beatrix Potter™ brand, including gift books, storybooks, novelty books and the original Classics.  Lifetime global sales of the Beatrix Potter books exceed 250 million and over 2 million Beatrix Potter books are sold every year worldwide - which is four books every minute.  http://www.peterrabbit.com

Chorion will continue to represent the licensing and merchandise rights for The World of Beatrix Potter™ in the rest of the world.  Frederick Warne retains underlying ownership of The World of Beatrix Potter™ and will continue to publish globally The Classic Tales and all publishing based on the new animation series.

SOURCE Nickelodeon