MTVNI Continues to Beef Up Programs

A number of new deals for MTV Networks International have been signed across its popular Nickelodeon properties and more.

Fathead is rolling out life-size wall images of Nickelodeon hit characters SpongeBob SquarePants and more. Fathead’s new Nick-inspired range includes 10 images each of SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick, 11 images of iCarly and nine images of Dora the Explorer. The wall designs are available at www.fathead.com or by calling 877-FATHEAD.

“Hearing the great buzz from adults and kids alike to our brand new Nickelodeon images at this year’s San Diego ComicCon was an absolute thrill for us,” says Todd Lunsford, president of Fathead. “Since debuting on our Web site last week, they are consistently in our top 10. We only expect sales to increase heading into the holiday season stretch.”

Meanwhile, New York-based fashion brand Nooka was recently tapped by Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products to create a line of limited-edition timepieces for MTV’s Streetmuse concept. The two Nooka wristwatches, ZUB ZENH 20 and ZOT leather, feature the cities of Berlin and Moscow, and are rolling out this month in key markets throughout Europe, Asia, southern Africa, the U.S. and Canada. The timepieces, retailing from $150 to $285, are available at mid- to high-tier department stores, specialty boutiques and online at www.nooka.com.

In international news, NVCP has extended its partnership for two additional years with Panini Verlags in Germany for a wide range of branded books and magazines, including a Dora the Explorer bi-monthly magazine, as well as a SpongeBob SquarePants storybook, comic, soft-cover coloring books, book of postcards, summer activity books and wall calendar. The publishing range will be available this winter across Austria, Germany and Switzerland at bookstores, department stores, stationery shops, kiosks, supermarkets and mail order.

MTVNI has also scooped up the following broadcast deals:

• “Avatar” to Hong Kong’s TVB
• “The Ren and Stimpy Show” to Portugal’s Fox
• “Dora the Explorer” to Norway’s NRK
• “Back at the Barnyard” to France’s Canal +
• “Tak & the Power of Juju” to France’s Television 3
• “iCarly” (seasons 1 and 2) to Brazil’s Globo TV
• “Back at the Barnyard,” “Fairly Odd Parents,” “Drake & Josh” and “SpongeBob SquarePants” to Ecuador’s Teleamazonas and Dominican Republic’s Antena Latina (renewal)
• “Ni Hai Kai-Lan” and “Mighty B!” to Costa Rica’s Teletica

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