Viacom International Media Networks to partner with
Alibaba Group’s Youku for animated series, Little Luban
Original production part of multi-year content development and distribution partnership
Cannes, October 15, 2019 – Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), today announced a collaboration with Youku, the video streaming platform of Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA), to develop and produce an original animated series with the working title Little Luban. A Memorandum of Understanding for a multi-year content development and distribution partnership between the two companies was signed today at MIPCOM in Cannes.
Little Luban will feature characters and themes that the production partners believe will resonate with viewers around the world. Global values of friendship and teamwork, along with specific elements of Chinese culture and philosophy will be incorporated into both the storyline and the visuals. The original production is targeted at younger kids audience, but is also intended to be enjoyed as family-viewing.
The development and production of the animated series will leverage the content development expertise and production resources of Viacom International Studios (VIS), which is responsible for all international content syndication, format sales and production and co-production activities for Viacom outside the U.S.
Youku and VIMN will also further cooperate to develop and license a range of consumer products to support the series.
“We are so excited to partner with Youku and welcome Little Luban to the Nickelodeon family. It’s a natural brand fit and we are looking forward to developing the project into something that kids around the world will watch with love,” said Nina Hahn, VIMN’s Senior Vice President, International Production & Development, Nickelodeon.
Pierre Cheung, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Greater China, VIMN, said, “We have a big pool of animation talent here in China and we’re continuously exploring opportunities to collaborate with local partners. We’re delighted to partner with Youku and now add Little Luban to our slate of projects. We’re very confident the characters and concepts will have strong appeal to Youku’s viewers and we look forward to introducing Little Luban to Nickelodeon viewers in other markets.”
“We are excited to join forces with Viacom to create an original and uplifting story inspired by Chinese tradition and culture,” said Aaron Liao, General Manager of Youku Kids. “We look forward to not just bringing the series to Chinese viewers, but also sharing these characters with children and families across the world.
ABOUT VIACOM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NETWORKS
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, MTV LIVE HD, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, BET and more. Viacom brands reach more than 4.3 billion cumulative subscribers in 180+ countries and territories via more than 300 locally programmed and operated TV channels as well as a broad range of digital media and mobile TV properties, in 40 languages. Keep up with VIMN news by visiting the VIMN PR Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/VIMN_PR. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com, blog.viacom.com and the Viacom Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.
ABOUT YOUKU
Youku is a leading multi-screen online video sharing and streaming platform in China and forms a key part of Alibaba Group's digital media and entertainment business, under its “Double H” (Health and Happiness) strategy. Youku Kids offers high-quality programming, covering a comprehensive range of categories including animation series, nursery songs, puzzle games, e-books, and preschool education.
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Original post:
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is partnering with Youku, the video streaming platform from China’s Alibaba Group, for the new animated series Little Luban (working title), as part of a wider deal. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for a multi-year content development and distribution partnership that was signed by the two companies at MIPCOM in Cannes today. The series will be produced by Viacom International Studios (VIS).
It isn’t the first time VIMN has partnered with a Chinese streaming giant, having previously developed properties such as Deer Squad (fka Deer Run) with iQiyi.
The production partners said Little Luban would feature characters and themes that would “resonate with viewers around the world.”
Global values of friendship and teamwork, along with specific elements of Chinese culture and philosophy, will be incorporated into both the storyline and the visuals.
The original production is targeted at younger kids audience but is also intended to be enjoyed by families. It is set to be made available on Nickelodeon in international markets.
Youku and VIMN will also further cooperate to develop and license a range of consumer products to support the series.
Viacom International Studios (VIS), which is responsible for all international content syndication, format sales and production and coproduction activities for Viacom outside the US, will work across the development and production of the animated series.
“It’s a natural brand fit and we are looking forward to developing the project into something that kids around the world will watch with love,” said Nina Hahn, VIMN’s Senior Vice President (SVP) of international production and development, Nickelodeon.
Pierre Cheung, senior VP and general manager (GM) for Greater China at VIMN, added: “We have a big pool of animation talent here in China and we’re continuously exploring opportunities to collaborate with local partners.”
Aaron Liao, GM of Youku Kids, described the show as an original and uplifting story inspired by Chinese tradition and culture.
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Originally published: Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 19:58 BST.
Sources: C21 Media, Kidscreen.
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