BBCW Signs Deals for In the Night Garden in China

BBC Worldwide has signed a magazine, a range of books and a DVD partner for In the Night Garden in China. The show, produced by Ragdoll Productions, debuted on Chinese Central Television on May 13.

Licensing agent U Young is developing the licensing program across China. 

In the Night Garden Magazine from BBC Magazines will be published in Chinese and launched in China on June 1 with You You Xing Media, a branch of U Young Media. The title will have an initial print run of 150,000 copies, increasing to 500,000 with subsequent issues.

The launch of In the Night Garden in China is the second international license for the magazine—In the Night Garden Middle East launched in December 2008.

BBC Children's Books has secured Children's Fun as its Chinese publisher for the property. Children's Fun also published titles for Teletubbies. The deal was confirmed through You You Xing Media. Children's Fun will launch eight storybook titles in Mandarin followed by a range of activity books with further publishing rolling out in 2010.

BBC Worldwide has also named Excel Media—an existing BBC Worldwide partner for Charlie & Lola—for DVD titles for In the Night Garden. Two titles will launch in June in China with an initial production run of 5,000 copies. Two titles every month are planned thereafter.

"We've seen great success to date in the U.K. and in markets like Canada, Australia and Spain in bringing the characters and stories from In the Night Garden to life across DVD, publishing, magazines and merchandise," says Neil Ross Russell, managing director, BBC Worldwide children's and licensing. "Now, we're delighted to be able to celebrate our partnerships with Chinese businesses CCTV, U Young and Excel Media to bring In the Night Garden to a whole new audience."

In the Night Garden ended 2008 as the second biggest license in the U.K., generating £33.1 million ($50.7 million) in licensed toy sales, according to NPD figures. The property has sold over 750,000 DVDs, over 1 million books and been sold to 33 countries worldwide.