Disney has tapped distributor Chorion for two of its latest animated series to air on upcoming US preschool net Disney Junior.
The shows, Octonauts and Gaspard & Lisa, will debut on the network in 2012, following a deal brokered through Disney Channel US. Disney Junior launched as programme block on Disney Channel yesterday in the US and will morph into a cablenet next year to replace SOAPnet.
The deal means Octonauts has now sold to CBeebies in the UK, where in debuted on CBeebies, along with TF1 (France), ABC (Australia), RTE (Ireland), Discovery Kids (Latin America), MNet (South Africa), Yoopa (Canada), RTP (Portugal), Disney (Japan) and TrueVision (Thailand).
The series has been recommissioned and a second season is in development, according to Chorion.
Gaspard & Lisa, based on the books by husband and wife team Anne Gutman and George Hallensleben, debuted on TF1 in autumn 2010.
Geraint Marsh, senior VP of television sales at Chorion, called the US “a key broadcast market. It’s testament to the appeal of both series that the channel is showing such support to two of our new shows.”
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