BBC Worldwide

BBC Worldwide presents range of new properties at L!censing 2003 L!censing 2003 International, June 10-12, Booth 1872, Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York.

New York, NY, June 2003. A number of new properties and licensing opportunities will be offered by BBC Worldwide at L!censing 2003 International.

With highly successful global brands such as Teletubbies, Tweenies and Fimbles and a constantly evolving portfolio, BBC Worldwide's reputation for creating landmark intellectual properties is firmly established. L!censing 2003 International sees the launch of three new properties by BBC Worldwide; Little Robots a delightful pre-school animation, Cavegirl a pre-teen live-action drama series and the innovative cross-media proposition, FightBox.

Also showcasing at L!censing 2003 International is Fimbles, which has enjoyed outstanding UK success since its launch in Fall 2003 and is the latest addition to BBC Worldwide's portfolio of complementary pre-school properties. Among the other properties in BBC Worldwide's portfolio is Doctor Who, the classic cult sci-fi program that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Pre-school Portfolio

Fimbles

Since its launch on CBeebies in the UK in Fall 2002, Fimbles and its loveable characters Fimbo, Florrie and Baby Pom has proved to be another pre-school success story for BBC Worldwide. Aimed at two to four year olds, a range of soft toys and published product launched in October 2003, became an instant hit with Fisher Price's Baby Pom bean toy becoming the number one licensed pre-school plush toy of 2002* and Fimbles videos successfully selling over 310,000 videos by January 2003.

Fimbles has been licensed to 14 international broadcasters to date, including French broadcaster Canal Plus, which will show the pre-school programme daily from June, and to the YLE network in Finland as well as Italy's RAI 2. In the Far East, South Korea's KBS channel and Singapore's TV12 broadcasters have also bought the show, as has TVNZ in New Zealand, which will broadcast Fimbles from July 2003.

On the back of an additional international TV sale to Portugal, BBC Worldwide has appointed licensing agents GDM to oversee the roll-out of the Fimbles licensing program in the territory.

* Statistics based on data released by NPD Group Worldwide Inc.

Tweenies

Tweenies, BBC Worldwide's pre-school hit series has been licensed to US cable channel Noggin, the commercial free educational TV network from Nickelodeon. Launched on air in April 2003, Tweenies is shown twice daily on Noggin and can be seen in over 30 million homes throughout the US. To date, Tweenies has been extremely well received by US media.

A global success, Tweenies has been licensed, by BBC Worldwide, to more than 50 countries and territories, as diverse as Germany, Korea, France, Thailand, Ukraine, Slovakia and Australia, and has been reversioned in several languages.

Tweenies is targeted at three to five-year-olds and encourages children to learn through entertainment and creative play. Each episode focuses on the adventures of the four brightly colored Tweenies - Bella, Milo, Fizz and Jake along with Doodles the dog - as they take on a magical and exciting journey of discovery where real life and fantasy come together and every day is a new adventure.

Later this year in the UK, new material will be released straight to video. The 60-minute 'special' called 'Nightime Magic' features a new character, the 'Tweenie Genie' who magically enters the Tweenies world and helps them overcome their fear of the dark. Nightime Magic has been developed by Tell-Tale Productions, creators of the Tweenies, and goes on release on VHS and DVD this Fall.

Teletubbies

In a global relationship spanning Japan, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, Teletubbies and TOYS "R" US have joined forces across a number of countries to bring a range of Teletubbies-centred activities to children.

TOYS "R" US, one of the world's leading retailers of toys, children's apparel, and baby products, currently sells merchandise through 1, 608 stores worldwide.

In the UK, BBC Worldwide is publishing a Parent's Guide in support of one of its leading preschool brands, Teletubbies. This initiative aims to communicate the benefits of the Teletubbies program for young children. Targeted at new parents, the Guide will be distributed in June 2003 through Mother & Baby magazine (the UK's best-selling baby magazine) and in September through BBC Teletubbies magazine, and a version will also be inserted in the new BBC 'Meet the Teletubbies' video and DVD, both released in June.

Little Robots

Little Robots, is a new pre-school animation series for older pre-schoolers, produced by award-winning animation studio Cosgrove Hall Films for Create TV & Film Ltd. Voiced by some of the UK's best-known comedy celebrities, Series 1 premiered on CBeebies on BBC TWO in January, achieving excellent ratings and share with the target market, and critical acclaim from the media. Its move to the CBeebies digital channel in April, saw the show achieve the second-highest average ratings across the whole channel, in its first week on air.

The series, about a band of creative and imaginative robot friends, has already been licensed to 12 international broadcasters, including ABC in Australia, ZDF and KiKa in Germany, RAI in Italy, TVO and BBC Kids in Canada, NRK, TV2 and YLE in Scandinavia and SABC2 in South Africa.

The Little Robots, finding themselves abandoned on a metal scrap heap, use their combined vision and imagination to transform the nuts, bolts and junk around them into their very own warm and vivid world. In each episode, Tiny and his Little Robots friends face a new challenge, which they tackle together with their can-do attitude and a desire to make, do and improve on what was there before. Their world is filled with mechanical mayhem, boundless exuberance, friendship and fun.

Create TV & Film have signed LEGO as Little Robots' master toy licensee - developing a range of playsets, action figures and plush - and BBC Worldwide as exclusive distributor and marketing partner, with global rights to the TV show and other associated formats, including video, DVD, music, books, magazines, and merchandising.

Licenses have already been agreed for key category areas including jigsaws, clothing, tableware, bedding, towels , bags and stationery. In the UK, the Fall 2003 launch range comprising toys, books, video and DVD, will be gradually supplemented by a select list of other categories throughout 2004 and beyond.

Andy Pandy

When the all-new animated Andy Pandy returned to UK TV screens on the BBC's pre-school channel CBeebies in 2002, Andy Pandy and his friends Looby Loo and Teddy attracted a whole new generation of young fans, enchanted by the gentle antics of the loveable trio.

Aimed at parents with very young children, an initial range of Andy Pandy merchandise was released in Fall 2002. BBC Worldwide is keen to develop a core range of Andy Pandy branded nursery products building upon the existing successful licensing program, which is already in the marketplace.

In order to facilitate this development, BBC Worldwide has developed some initial artwork that will eventually be added to the existing Andy Pandy style guide.

In the UK, ten episodes from the Andy Pandy television series will be available on DVD on 30 June.

Pre-teen Portfolio

FightBox

FightBox is an innovative cross-media Internet, TV and computer gaming concept utilizing the latest 3-D technology to create a completely new entertainment genre. Filmed as a live sporting event, the TV show brings computer game characters to life in full 3-D glory before a studio audience. Virtual warriors, controlled by players in the audience, pit their skills against each other and against the Sentients - house warriors - in a purpose-built arena.

The concept begins on the Internet. Players download the FightBox software that lets them assemble a virtual warrior from scratch on their home PC. The warriors are tested in a series of challenges, and the highest scoring players are selected for the show. The winning warriors, created on the home PC, transition to human-size 3-D characters competing in front of the studio audience.

Well received at E3 one of the world's major computer games conference held annually in May in Los Angeles, FightBox has already generated interest from UK gamers when the FightBox Internet site launched at the end of May. Over 40,000 registered in the first week at www.bbc.co.uk/fightbox to create their warrior from a component kit of body parts which includes 80 different heads, 40 different bodies and a selection of tattoos and emblems to personalise each one.

Cavegirl

Cavegirl has proved to be a huge hit with UK kids since it premiered on the BBC's children's channel CBBC in Fall 2003, regularly attracting over 1.6 million viewers to the antics of its feisty heroine the eponymous Cavegirl. The action-packed, attitude-filled comedy series follows the adventures of a forward-thinking teenager from the Stone Age, and the various characters that live in and around her village.

BBC Worldwide is looking to work with licensees to develop a range of licensed products aimed at seven to 12 year olds with a skew towards girls including fashion accessories and clothing. An initial style guide is in development that will reflect the brand values of fun, optimism, attitude and natural beauty.

Cavegirl has been sold to three international territories - South Africa, Ukraine and BBC Canada and will be released on DVD in the UK on 30 June.

Ace Lightning

Aimed at children aged seven to 12 years old, Ace Lightning follows the adventures of 13 year-old Mark Hollander and his super-hero friend, Ace Lightning, as they battle to defeat evil Lord Fear and his evil gang, in their search to find the missing pieces of the magical Amulet of Zoar.

The first 26 x 24min series has proved to be an international TV sales success for BBC Worldwide, licensed to 25 broadcasters including to Nickleodeon Spain, SIC Portugal, RAI 2 Italy, KiKa in Germany, VRT and RTBF Belgium, HMG Netherlands, ABC Australia, TVNZ New Zealand, Disney France and France 2. In addition, the series' co-producer, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. has secured a deal with CBC in Canada and VRAK TV for French Canadian audiences.

To support the international success of the Ace Lightning TV series, BBC Worldwide has appointed CPLG as pan-European licensing agent. CPLG will work alongside the TV launches of the program in major European territories including France, Germany and Benelux in 2003 and 2004. CPLG will be actively seeking licensees to extend the Ace Lightning brand into Europe through merchandising and promotions.

Doctor Who

One of the BBC's best-loved cult sci-fi programs last seen on British TV in 1989, Doctor Who celebrates its 40th Anniversary in November 2003. There continues to be a huge market for Doctor Who-related products and merchandise; already during the anniversary year, BBC Video and DVD total sales passed the three million mark. BBC Audio Books has sold more than 250,000 audios across 42 titles and BBC Books will have published over 100 original Doctor Who novels making the series the largest ever book range built around a single principal character.

To commemorate Dr Who's 40th anniversary, BBC Worldwide has developed an anniversary logo for use on all related merchandise along with a style guide. BBC Worldwide is looking to work with licensees to develop a range of Doctor Who merchandise to complement the comprehensive range of published products in audio, book, video/DVD, magazine, music and internet form launching throughout 2003 and beyond.

BBC Worldwide Limited is the commercial consumer arm, and a wholly owned subsidiary, of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company was formed in 1994 to develop a co-ordinated approach to the BBC's commercial activities: television, channels, publishing, product licensing, Internet and interactive. BBC Worldwide exists to maximise the value of the BBC's assets for the benefit of the licence payer, and re-invest in public service programming. In 2001/2002 BBC Worldwide returned �106 million to the BBC.