Toonz-Hearst partnership to enter the North American market

Hearst Media Production Group and Toonz Media Group today announced a partnership to produce new animated productions. Hearst Media Production Group, a business unit of Hearst Television, is a producer and distributor of television programming with more than 30 series and hundreds of hours of content annually on leading broadcast station groups and networks - and in 97 countries - and on connected TV and streaming platforms, with a library of more than 4,000 hours of programming. Through the new partnership, Hearst Media Production Group brings its distribution prowess to engage U.S. audiences with Toonz’s prolific slate of children’s animation productions including brand new titles like Paddypaws, Sunnyside Billy, Kingdom of None and Aliens In My Backpack.

Global kids and family entertainment studio Toonz Media Group has created some of the most highly-rated international shows including Wolverine and The X-Men, Speedracer Next Generation and Playmobil.

Hearst Media Production Group and Toonz will collaborate to procure U.S. distribution partners for the next slate of animated hits including:

• PaddyPaws: An interactive preschool series created by Emily and Keith Chapman (Paw Patrol, Bob the Builder), about a group of adventurous kitties led by the mischievous Paddypaws, and their young, loving owner Daisy.

• Sunnyside Billy: An upbeat comedy from the makers of Oggy and the Cockroaches and Robotboy, Sunny-side Billy features a witty, happy-go-lucky fried egg and his pals, who get into wild adventures with visiting tourists who discover that the fish are not the fishiest thing about their small, sleepy seaside Alaskan town. The series was conceptualized by a team including legendary animator Olivier Jean-Marie.

• Kingdom of None: Welcome to the Kingdom of None; a high-octane landscape where everyday lives become imaginary worlds full of wild adventures! Fueled by their creative and boundless imaginations, our hero Meter and his band of friends transform their backyard into the ultimate playground.

• Aliens In My Backpack: This comedy adventure series created by Rob Lee, best known for hits like Fireman Sam, brings to life a family of characters from a distant planet, who are on a mission to share their secrets with Earth and make our planet a greener and better place.

“This is a strategic alliance for Toonz as we broaden our presence in North America. We are confident that together Toonz and Hearst Media Production Group can produce and deliver high quality content that will appeal and entertain children and family audiences everywhere,” said Bruno Zarka, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Toonz Media Group.

 “Creating key alliances with global partners like Toonz is critical to Hearst Media Production Group’s aggressive strategy to expand our reach into all genres of content for all audiences,” said Angelica Rosas McDaniel, EVP and General Manager, Entertainment for Hearst Media Production Group.