Nickelodeon News Bytes | October 4, 2024

NickALive!'s pick of Nickelodeon news, highlights and more from around the internet!:

Shop all your Paramount favorites on the Paramount Shop!

• Paramount Australia Upfronts 2025 Event Photo Gallery.

• Happy Mean Girls Day! Celebrating 20 years of making "Fetch" happen: Paramount Pictures' original Mean Girls is heading back to theaters for a limited time. Get tickets now.

• MGA Launches Limited-Edition Bratz x Mean Girls Collector Dolls [License Global]

• Fisher-Price Unveils Mean Girls Little People Collector Set [License Global]

• Very announces new Daydreaming toy campaign: Developed in collaboration with The Gate, the Daydreaming campaign is the latest in Very’s Let’s Make It Sparkle brand platform, which brings to life the retailer’s hit flamingo characters, Kerry, Cherry and Terry. In the Daydreaming campaign, Cherry’s daughter, Coral, daydreams about her favourite toys, with a remastered version of hit song ‘Boys’ by Charlie XCX in the background. Within the animation, real product imagery of popular toys, such as Character Options’ Tales of the TMNT Mutation Station Mutant Maker Playset, Lego Simba, Spin Master’s Gabby’s Dollhouse play set, and Mattel’s Barbie are showcased. This campaign also marks Very’s first steps into merchandising its brand characters, with the launch of two flamingo plush. [Toy World]

• Hamleys reveals its top toys for Christmas 2024. This year's list of the top toys for Christmas features a number of licensed toys based on the world's hottest properties, including the Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Deluxe Vehicle and the Lego Transformer Bumblebee, as well as traditional toys such as dolls and plush. [Toy World]

• Transformers One director Josh Cooley will take part in Variety's third annual “Pixels and Pencils” series at this year’s SCAD Savannah Film Festival on Monday, Oct. 28. The panel, featuring directors of some of the year’s most celebrated animated feature films, is presented in partnership with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Moderated by Clayton Davis, Variety’s senior awards editor, the event will showcase a diverse range of animation styles and artistic approaches, culminating in a roundtable discussion with the directors. [Variety]

• Colin From Accounts Stars on How That Messy Finale Wedding Proposal May or May Not Be Catastrophic [Variety]

• With the election closing in, iCivics, the nation's leading civic education nonprofit, is providing free, nonpartisan digital teaching resources, videos, and games that will help millions of students, K–12 teachers, and families understand how this election works and navigate its complexities, as well as how to counteract misinformation. These tools can also provide expertise for media into how this election is playing out in classrooms. [PR Newswire]

• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's leading children's literacy nonprofit, announced today the launch of the fourth annual Rally to Read 100 (RallytoRead.org)—a six-month initiative that runs from October 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 designed to inspire the joy of reading and motivate children to read, starting with a pledge to read 100 books. [PR Newswire]

• Target has unwrapped its annual list of the most recommended playthings for the holiday season. Among the 2024 Bullseye Top Toys list are Spin Master’s Gabby’s Dollhouse Purrfect Celebration playset and Moose Toys’ Bluey Amusement Park playset. [Kidscreen]

• Miffy and Matcha Mogul Junbi Debut Collaboration: Partnership brings the magic of Miffy to matcha. [License Global]

• On September 19, 2024, Hasbro hosted a watch party for the Thursday night football game at The GAMEROOM Powered by Hasbro, located in American Dream. Open to the public, attendees of the TRANSFORMERS ONE-themed event were treated to a special guest appearance by New England Patriots Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman, TRANSFORMERS ONE product giveaways and more. [Hasbro Newsroom]

• Skibidi Toilet Enters the Toy Aisle: Bonkers Toys and Invisible Narratives will bring the YouTube series to retail worldwide. Skibidi Toilet, created by Alexey Gerasimov (aka Boom), catapulted from viral sensation to cultural phenomenon, redefining the boundaries of digital animated storytelling. The sci-fi series chronicles the chaotic adventures of an alliance of humanoids with TVs, cameras and speakers for heads in their fight against Skibidi toilets – toilets that aren’t just sanitary fixtures but living, scheming entities with ambitions of their own. The series blends sharp wit, irreverent humor and compelling storytelling, amassing over 65 billion views since its debut. [License Global]

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

H/T: Special thanks to RegularCapital for the news!

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Nickelodeon Receives Raft Of Nominations In The UK Licensing Awards 2019

The Licensing Awards has announced the very exciting news that Nickelodeon, PAW Patrol, Peppa Pig, Ryan’s World, Thomas and Friends, Hey Duggee, Paddington, Miffy and Peter Rabbit have all received nominations in the Licensing Awards 2019! Below is a list of coveted awards that Nickelodeon (and Nick-related properties) has been nominated in!

The Licensing Awards 2019 Product Category

Best Licensed Toys or Games Range

PAW Patrol Ultimate Rescue from Spin Master
Peppa Pig Collection from Character Options
BBC Earth Plush from Posh Paws
Fortnite Collection from Jazwares
Harry Potter Sorting Hat from Maxx Marketing
Harry Potter Wizarding World from LEGO
Spirit Riding Free Master Toy Collection from Flair/Just Play
Toy Story Summer Collection from Sambro

Best Licensed Preschool Apparel Range (0-5)

Peppa Pig Nightwear from Misirli
Peter Rabbit Collection for M&Co from Paul Dennicci
Miffy Babywear Collection from Tobias & the Bear
Dumbo Baby Fashion Range from Matalan
Harry Potter Kids Nightwear from TDP Textiles for Character.com
Moomin Collection for Primark from Smith & Brooks
Toy Story Collection for Nutmeg@Morrisons from Blues

Best Licensed Food or Drink Range

Paddington Collection from Biscuiteers
Baileys Cake Collection from Finsbury Food Group
The Happy News Confectionery Collection from Crème D’Or
Original Stormtrooper Gin Set from Thumbs Up
Sesame Street Collection from Beams
Smiley World Chicken Nuggets from Farmfoods
The Snowman Confectionery Collection from Rose Confectionery

Best Licensed Giftware Range

Miffy Craft Kits from Stitch & Story
Peter Rabbit Baby Range from Enesco
Britain’s Got Talent Personalised Range from Evode
Loungefly Captain Marvel Collection from Funko
Disney Aladdin Collection from Half Moon Bay
Mary Poppins Accessories from Difuzed
Moomin Collection from House of Disaster

The judging for the category took place at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium earlier this month. Over 4,000 licensed products were entered into the awards this year. Some 150 retail buyers judged the entries, individually selecting which five products they considered the best in each category.

Reflecting the broad retail base of licensed products, the judging panel this year included buyers from right across the retail spectrum including Forbidden Planet, M&Co, Toymaster, John Lewis, The Entertainer, Games Workshop, Moonpig, Sainsbury’s Argos, Tesco, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s Tu, River Island, George @Asda, WH Smith, Character.com, Next, Tesco F&F, House of Cards, Miniclub, FatFace, Paulton’s Park, Debenhams, TruffleShuffle, Halfords, Geek Universe, Geek is Chic, Matalan, Merlin Entertainment, Mothercare, Primark, Hamleys and JoJo Maman Bébé.

The Licensing Awards 2019 Property category:

Best Preschool Licensed Property (0-5)
PAW Patrol
Peppa Pig
Ryan’s World
Thomas and Friends
Hey Duggee
Bing
The Gruffalo
In the Night Garden
PJ Masks
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Classic Licensed Property Award (for properties which have stood the test of time with at least a decade of licensing activity)

Paddington
Miffy
Me to You
Moomin
Mr Men Little Miss
Peanuts Worldwide
Sesame Street
Smiley
The Snowman
Thunderbirds Are Go
Wallace & Gromit

The finalists in the property category were decided as a result of a nomination/self-nomination process, followed by validation from industry experts.

Congratulations and good luck to Nickelodeon, Spin Master, Entertainment One (eOne) and everyone nominated in The Licensing Awards 2019!

A full list of UK Licensing Awards 2019 finalists can be found here on Licensing Source. Over 4,000 licensed products were entered into the awards this year!

The Licensing Awards are accolades to strive for, their integrity is unquestioned as an endorsement of excellence. And the Awards event itself in The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London, really will be an extravaganza that befits the dynamism of the industry. Over 1400 retailers, licensees and industry suppliers are set to attend this year’s big event.

The winners in all categories will be revealed at a glittering ceremony on Tuesday 10th September 2019, held in The Great Room of The Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

The headline sponsor of The Licensing Awards 2017 is Brand Licensing Europe and the awards are officially supported by LIMA. Nickelodeon Consumer Products UK will sponsor the Best Licensed Preschool Apparel Range (0-5 years) award in the Best Licensed Products category of the awards.

You can keep up to date with everything to do with The Licensing Awards on Twitter – simply follow @LicensingAwards on Twitter and don’t forget to use #LicensingAwards 17 in your tweets.

Tickets and tables are available to buy online at Max-Tickets.net, or from Createvents on 01733 294524 or email clare@createvents.co.uk.

More information about the The Licensing Awards can be found on thelicensingawards.co.uk.

More Nick: 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Receives Nomination in 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards!

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Howdy, Harrdy | Full Short by Henrique Lira | Nickelodeon Animated Shorts

Bonnie joins forces with the swashbuckling Captain Harrdy in order to find the best present ever for her friend, Howdy in Howdy, Harrdy, another one of Nickelodeon's awesome Animated Shorts, created by Henrique Lira and produced by Split Studio for the Nick Jr. International Animated Shorts Program 2014-15!



Starring the voices of William Kenning (Werebeast, Penny on M.A.R.S.) as Harrdy; Henrique Lira as Howdy and JoJo; and Arisha Choudhury (DJ Cluck & MC Mole, Peppa Pig, Mr. Bean: The Animated Series, Miffy's Adventures Big and Small) as Bonnie.

Watch lots more animated shorts from the Nickelodeon Global Animated Shorts Program on the official Nickelodeon Animated Shorts Facebook page and on the Nick Animation YouTube channel!

Check out the Nickelodeon Animation Studio online: Website | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

More Nick: Nickelodeon Developing New AR/VR Animated Series 'Meet the Voxels'!

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Nickelodeon News Bytes - Friday 10th March 2017

NickALive!'s pick of Nickelodeon news, highlights and more from around the internet!:

Dick Bruna, Creator Of Iconic Children's Character Miffy, Passes Away Aged 89

TVKIDS is reporting the very sad news that Dick Bruna, who created the globally successful children’s character Miffy, died yesterday at the age of 89 in his hometown of Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Throughout his 60-year career, Bruna penned and illustrated 124 picture books, including 32 about a little bunny named Miffy. First published in 1955, the Miffy stories are now available in 50-plus languages and have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide. Miffy went on to star in her own TV series, including a new CGI show, Miffy's Adventures Big and Small, that premiered in 2015 on Tiny Pop in the U.K. and on the Nick Jr. in the USA in 2016. Nickelodeon recently acquired the second season of Miffy's Adventures Big and Small, and will air the season later this year.

The classic Miffy and Friends series, which originally aired on Nick Jr. USA between 2003-2009, is also available to watch on the NOGGIN app in the US.

Mercis owns the rights for the Miffy brand, which has an extensive L&M presence across five continents. Miffy the Movie, the property’s first feature film, debuted in the Netherlands in 2013 and was later released in such countries as Japan, Australia, the U.S. and the U.K.

Bruna was born in 1927 to a family of publishers. He started working as a graphic designer in the 1950s, freelancing for his father’s publishing house, A.W. Bruna & Zoon. He first created Miffy (Nijntje in Dutch) in 1955 to amuse his young son, eventually publishing a number of picture books in the European market and later around the globe. Also throughout his career, Bruna worked for international organisations, designing posters and logos for such charities as UNICEF, World Aids Day and Amnesty International. He retired in summer 2012.

When previously asked to explain the success of Miffy, Bruna had replied: “I think it is because I spend a long time making my drawings as simple as possible, throwing lots away, before I reach that moment of recognition. What matters is reducing everything to its essence. Every shape captures the imagination, and I leave plenty of space for children’s imagination. But why Miffy, instead of another of my characters? I don’t know, perhaps because children feel very close to her—she is like their friend. In my mind, she is just a little girl, living through everyday experiences.”

Even towards the end of his distinguished career, Bruna had said that he was still spending a lot of time perfecting his drawings of Miffy. “Sometimes it takes me hundreds of sketches to get Miffy just right. With two dots and a little cross I have to make Miffy happy, or maybe a little bit sad—and I do it over and over again. There is a moment when I think, Yes, now she is really sad. I must keep her like that. At the end I have one big tear, and that is the saddest tear you can have.”

Bruna is survived by his wife, three children and six grandchildren.

Additional source: Wikipedia (I, II, III).

Nickelodeon USA Grows Nick Jr. and NOGGIN’s Preschool Programming Roster with Two Brand-New Animated Series and Season Pickups of Three Shows

Original Nickelodeon Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Grows Nick Jr. and NOGGIN’s Preschool Programming Roster with Two Brand-New Animated Series and Season Pickups of Three Shows

Digby Dragon Debuts Monday, Jan. 23, on Nick Jr. Channel; Trucktown Launches Thursday, Jan. 12, on NOGGIN

Nick Jr. Channel to Air Second Seasons of Teletubbies, Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small and Hey Duggee

January 10, 2017 01:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

Digby Dragon. Photo courtesy of Fizzy Productions Ltd 2017

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon is expanding its top-ranked preschool programming slate with the addition of two brand-new animated series: Digby Dragon, premiering Monday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT), on the Nick Jr. channel; and Trucktown launching Thursday, Jan. 12, exclusively in the U.S. on NOGGIN, Nickelodeon’s video subscription service for preschoolers. Additionally, the network will air second seasons of three series--Teletubbies, Miffy's Adventures Big and Small and Hey Duggee--for the Nick Jr. channel.

The CG-animated series Digby Dragon (26 half-hour episodes, distributed by Aardman Animations Ltd. and produced by Fizzy Productions Ltd.), airing on Nick Jr. channel, centers on a young dragon named Digby who is learning to fly. Along with his best friends Chips, Fizzy Izzy and Grumpy Goblin, Digby sets off on magical adventures in the colorful and enchanted Applecross Wood. In the series premiere, “Runaway Scottie/Dragon Rock,” Digby gets the chance to be a courageous hero when he rescues Archie from a runaway train. Then, Digby and his friends journey to Peek Rock for a special event. In Digby Dragon, preschoolers will learn about friendship, respect for others and teamwork. The series debuted on Nick Jr. in the U.K. in July 2016, and scored the network’s best weekday launch ever for a new show.

Trucktown. Photo courtesy of Nelvana.

Trucktown (40 half-hour episodes, produced by Corus Entertainment's Nelvana), airing on NOGGIN, features a world populated by young trucks, and centers on Flat Bed Jack and his friends Dump Truck Dan, Monster Truck Max and others as they roar, romp and rock their way through town. The show, based on a book series by children’s author Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales), illustrates that preschoolers can find solutions to any problem through game play and fun.

Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po continue to laugh, learn and play in season two of the new Teletubbies series (30 half-hour episodes, produced by DHX Media), airing on Nick Jr. channel. This season introduces new elements including the brand-new honk-honk Tubby Car and an area of Teletubbyland called the Hidey Hup, a beautiful hidden glade containing equipment for physical Teletubbies fun. Full of exploration, Teletubbies inspires confidence and curiosity in preschoolers, and nurtures childhood development.

Season two of Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small (9 half-hour episodes, commissioned by Mercis Media BV and produced by Blue Zoo Productions Ltd. in London), airing on Nick Jr. channel, offers more everyday explorations and adventures of the smart little bunny, Miffy. Based on the award-winning book series by Dutch author-illustrator Dick Bruna, the show features active stories and dialogue, along with emotional experiences relatable to preschoolers.

The second season of Hey Duggee (18 half-hour episodes, produced by Studio AKA for BBC Worldwide), airing on Nick Jr. channel, continues to follow the loveable dog Duggee as he leads The Squirrel Club, a place where kids can take part in activities, learn new skills and earn badges along the way. The series helps teach preschoolers about responsibility, teamwork and how to make good choices.

NOGGIN is an ad-free, video subscription service that features hundreds of iconic, full-length library episodes, short-form videos, educational content, music videos featuring preschoolers’ favorite Nickelodeon characters, and more, with new content added weekly. Consistently ranking at the top of the charts in the Family and Kids categories, the NOGGIN App is one of the top 10 grossing Kids apps on the App Store, in addition to being the number-one grossing app for Music and Video in the Family Category on Google Play. To date, NOGGIN has 22 library series available, including the recently added classics Miffy and Friends and Teletubbies. Additional titles in the NOGGIN lineup include Blue’s Clues, Go, Diego, Go!, Little Bear, The Backyardigans, Franklin and Pocoyo, among others.

Nick Jr., the 24-hour network from Nickelodeon dedicated to preschoolers and moms, currently reaches almost 73 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite TV. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nick Jr. and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Little Screen Adds Popular Nick Jr. UK Shows To Recently Launched Interactive Cinema Experience

New interactive cinema experience, Little Screen, will be welcoming a number of licensed names to its November shows, including the popular Nick Jr. UK preschool series PAW Patrol and Lily's Driftwood Bay!

Launched in cinemas across the UK on October 22-23, Little Screen is the first-of-its kind interactive cinema experience which has been created by Pinewood Live exclusively for pre-school aged children and their families to both entertain and educate them.

Little Screen features two showings across one weekend each month, with a new format of shows aimed at children aged 3 – 6 years. The first show featured the much-loved Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, Paw Patrol, Thomas and Friends, Hey Duggee, and Masha and the Bear.

Little Screen's November listings – taking place over Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th November 2016 – include Lily's Driftwood Bay, PAW Patrol, Miffy's Adventures, Octonauts and Masha and the Bear.

Little Screen was born from the insight that children's learning thrives in social environments, and the whole programme has been tailor made for pre-school children to watch and learn together. Pui Fan Lee, who is best known for portraying Po in the original Teletubbies series, is part of the creative team behind Little Screen. She has spent many years working in children's TV and is a favourite face of CBeebies programme Show Me Show Me.

Commenting on the format and importance of children watching and learning together, Pui Fan Lee said:

"Little Screen is the perfect place to bring little ones to enjoy the magic of the Big Screen; the great variety of little features and all the funny bits in-between are carefully chosen to keep everyone happy (grown ups too!). Little Screen is a Lovely Little Treat!"

Child psychologist, Liz Fraser added:

"The experience of going to the cinema is completely different to watching films at home, not only socially but also developmentally, culturally and educationally. Children are far more concentrated in a cinema because they can’t get up and wander off into another room or be distracted by their toys, they importantly learn the discipline of sitting still and respecting others."

Liz continued "Little Screen is a fantastic initiative to get young children out of the house and sharing an experience with lots of other children. The fact that it’s tailored to their age, concentration span and learning stage, as well as involving their parents too and allowing them to interact, ask questions and really engage with the characters and storyline, makes it an absolutely perfect way to start their cinema-going life and teach them far more than they otherwise would watching TV at home."



For the duration of each 70-minute programme, children will be kept on their toes with each showing consisting of five episodes from different programmes, with the host – Marty (Darren Hart) - encouraging audience participation inspired by the content. LITTLE SCREEN promises to offer a unique cinema visit for young children and their families where joining in, singing and dancing is encouraged, not frowned upon!

LITTLE SCREEN presenter Marty (Darren Hart)

LITTLE SCREEN will be screening at the following sites:

Vue Aberdeen
Vue Accrington
Vue Acton
Vue Altrincham
Vue Barrow
Vue Basingstoke
Vue Bicester
Vue Birkenhead
Vue Birmingham
Vue Blackburn
Showcase Bluewater Cinema de Lux
Vue Bolton
Bristol Showcase
Vue Bristol Cribbs Causeway
Showcase Bristol Cinema de Lux
Vue Bristol Longwell Green
Vue Bury The Rock
Vue Camberley
Vue Cambridge
Vue Cardiff
Cardiff Showcase
Vue Carlisle
Vue Carmarthen
Vue Cheshire Oaks
Vue Cleveleys
Coventry Showcase
Vue Cramlington
Vue Croydon Purley
Vue Cwmbran
Vue Dagenham
Vue Darlington
Showcase Derby Cinema de Lux
Derby Showcase
Vue Doncaster
Vue Dublin
Dudley Showcase
Vue Eastleigh
Vue Edinburgh Omni
Vue Edinburgh Ocean
Vue Exeter
Vue Farnborough
Vue Finchley North
Vue Finchley Road
Vue Fulham
Vue Gateshead
Vue Glasgow Fort
Glasgow Showcase
Vue Halifax
Vue Hamilton
Vue Harrow
Vue Hartlepool
Vue Hull
Vue Inverness
Vue Islington
Vue Lancaster
Vue Leamington Spa
Showcase Leeds Cinema de Lux
Vue Leeds Kirkstall
Vue Leeds Light
Showcase Leicester Cinema de Lux
Vue Leicester
Vue Livingston
Liverpool Showcase
Vue Lowry
Manchester Showcase
Vue Merthyr
Vue Newbury
Newham Showcase
Vue NUL
Showcase Nottingham Cinema de Lux
Vue Northampton
Vue Norwich
Vue Oxford Vue Entertainment
Paisley Showcase
Peterborough Showcase
Vue Piccadilly
Vue Plymouth
Vue Portsmouth
Vue Preston
Showcase Reading Cinema de Lux
Vue Reading
Vue Redditch
Vue RhylRomford
Vue Scunthorpe
Vue Sheffield
Vue Shepherds Bush
Vue Southport
Vue Staines
Vue Stirling
Vue Stratford
Vue Stroud
Vue Swansea
Teesside Showcase
Vue Thanet
Vue Thurrock
Vue Torbay
Vue Watford
Walsall Showcase
Vue West End
Vue Westfield
Vue Wood Green
Vue Worcester
Vue York

Original sources: Licensing Source, What To Do With The Kids; Additional source: London Evening Standard.

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Nick Jr. USA To Premiere "Miffy's Adventures Big And Small" On Monday 3rd October 2016; NOGGIN To Add "Miffy And Friends"

Miffy, the beloved bunny and star of the titular preschool brand, is coming to Nickelodeon USA on Monday 3rd October 2016 in Miffy's Adventures Big and Small!

Commissioned by Amsterdam-based publishing company Mercis Media and produced by London's Blue Zoo Productions, the first season of the popular CG-animated preschool series will premiere on Nick Jr., while the classic series Miffy and Friends series, which originally aired on Nick Jr. USA between 2003-2009, will be available through NOGGIN, Nickelodeon's video subscription service for preschoolers that's available on iOS and Apple TV, Android and Amazon.

Miffy's Adventures Big and Small follows Miffy, a sweet, smart and very cute little bunny who loves to learn about the world around her with her best friends Grunty and Melanie. Together they go on adventures, big AND small, to learn all about the world on Miffy's doorstep. The CGI-animated show features a simple narrative that focuses on emotional experiences preschoolers can relate to, and teaches viewers about early mathematics, vocabulary and colors.

Mercis Media owns Miffy and Friends and is the brand's international licensor. The company has more than 250 Miffy licensees spanning plush, apparel, toys and accessories. Big Tent Entertainment is the property's North American licensing agent.

The brand is based on the book series by Dutch author-illustrator Dick Bruna. More than 120 titles have been published since the character's inception in 1955.

Below is Nickelodeon USA's official press release announcing the news, via NickPress.com:

NICKELODEON WELCOMES MIFFY TO NICK JR. CHANNEL
AND NOGGIN, MONDAY, OCT. 3

Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small Premieres on the Nick Jr. Channel at 2 p.m. (ET/PT); Classic Miffy and Friends Library Launches on NOGGIN App

NEW YORK–Sept. 19, 2016– Nickelodeon welcomes the beloved bunny Miffy to its preschool platforms with the launch of the brand-new series Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small on the Nick Jr. channel and the addition of the classic Miffy and Friends library to NOGGIN, Nickelodeon’s video subscription service for preschoolers, beginning Monday, Oct. 3. Each series follows the everyday explorations and adventures of Miffy, a smart little bunny who sees the world through the eyes of a preschooler. Both of the Miffy shows are based on the award-winning book series by Dutch author-illustrator Dick Bruna.

Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small offers a new take on the classic series and follows Miffy as she goes out with her friends to discover the exciting world around her. Through a simple narrative, the CG-animated show features active stories and dialogue, along with emotional experiences relatable to preschoolers. Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small is commissioned by Mercis Media BV and produced by Blue Zoo Productions Ltd in London. Miffy and Friends is an internationally acclaimed, stop-motion animated series that weaves together simple animated tales with interactive games in which Miffy helps preschoolers learn early mathematics, colors and vocabulary.

In the series premiere of Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small, “Miffy and the Puddles/Miffy and the Dragon/Miffy the Farmer,” on Monday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. (ET/PT), Miffy discovers she can play all her favorite games indoors when it’s raining outside. Then, Uncle Pilot surprises Miffy with a dragon-related present and Miffy is given a seed that grows into a sunflower.

The first season of Miffy and Friends will be available on NOGGIN beginning Monday, Oct. 3, with the remaining episodes in the library rolling out in the coming months. Currently available on iOS and Apple TV, Android and Amazon, NOGGIN consistently ranks at the top of the charts in the Family and Kids categories and is one of the top five grossing Kids apps on the App Store, in addition to being the number-one grossing app for Music and Video on Google Play. To date, NOGGIN has 20 library series available including Teletubbies, Blue’s Clues; Go, Diego, Go! and The Backyardigans, among others.

Miffy was “born” on June 21, 1955, when Dutch artist Dick Bruna first drew the character to entertain his young son while on a rainy seaside holiday in Holland. The series of picture books which followed used simple illustrations and rhyming text to explore the universal experiences of childhood, immediately earning Bruna international critical acclaim as an author and artist. Over sixty years later, the Miffy books have sold more than 85 million copies, and are currently published in more than 50 languages.

Founded in 1971 and based in the Netherlands, Mercis bv owns the copyright to Miffy and Friends and is the brand’s worldwide licensor. It has over 250 licensees for Miffy worldwide, featuring over 10,000 unique products, including videos, plush, apparel, toys and accessories. Dick Bruna’s books, over 120 titles, help young children understand the world around them with familiar story lines. Big Tent Entertainment is the North American licensing agent for Miffy and Friends.

Nick Jr., the 24-hour network from Nickelodeon dedicated to preschoolers and moms, currently reaches almost 73 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite TV. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nick Jr. and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Original source: Kidscreen; H/T: ToonZone Forums member superkeegan9100; Additional sources: Wikipedia (I, II), Tiny Pop.

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