Family entertainment producer and distributor Chorion has signed a raft of key European licensing deals across its extensive portfolio of properties.

French broadcaster TF1 has picked up the French licensing and merchandising rights to OLIVIA, following its pre-buy of the television series at MIPCOM last year.

Paul Johnson, Television Division Director at Reed MIDEM, the Paris-based organizer of international exhibitions and conferences, is to leave the company in mid-March for a new career opportunity to be announced shortly.

Johnson was appointed Reed MIDEM's Television Division Director in April 2003 and was responsible for the company's MIPTV, MIPCOM, MIPDOC and MIP Junior events. He oversaw the launch of the MIPTV Content 360 initiative, the introduction of the International Digital Emmy Awards and the digitization of screenings at MIPDOC and MIP Junior.

Australia's Galaxy Pop and Canada's Amberwood Ent. have signed a co-production deal for the animated preschool series THE SUNSHINE FRIENDS.

The 52x11 2D series, created by Galaxy Pop producers Dina McPherson and Gian Christian, follows the adventure of five friends from around the globe who join Grandma Sunshine in her enchanted tree house, where they are magically transported back in time to visit her past memories from her days as an intrepid world explorer.

Family entertainment producer and distributor Chorion has signed a broadcast and licensing deal for its new property GASPARD & LISA with French broadcaster TF1.

TF1 recently acquired Chorion's OLIVIA at MIPCOM.

TF1 is planning a licensing and merchandising campaign to include a gift range, apparel, toys and games for GASPARD & LISA, which will sit alongside publishing and will launch following the show's TV debut in 2010.

CGI spectacular THE PINKY AND PERKY SHOW is due to screen across the BBC this Christmas with a special festive helping of everyone's favorite pigs.

PPC Enterprises, which holds M&L rights in the brand, has revealed that the show will screen four times on CBBC over the Christmas period, as well as showing at 10 a.m. on BBC One on Christmas Day.

Offering a refreshing departure from typical monster stories, Lincoln Butterfield Animation will debut R.I.P. M.D. at next month's NATPE '09 Market & Conference. The new animated series concept, which takes a comical look at the real-life problems of monsters, comes from veteran animation producer Mitch Schauer, creator of THE ANGRY BEAVERS. NATPE attendees interested in snagging a first look at R.I.P. M.D. may visit the Lincoln Butterfield booth (#612).

On the heels of MIPCOM 2008, 4Kids Ent. has finalized licensing agreements with broadcasters in France and the U.K. for the first season of CHAOTIC.

CHAOTIC (Season One) is scheduled to launch on Gulli TV in France, Rede TV in Brazil and Jetix in the U.K., beginning first quarter 2009.

The property's second season, CHAOTIC: M'ARRILLIAN INVASION, has also been renewed by Teletoon in Canada and Jetix in Latin America. Broadcast sales of the series in Germany, Italy and other markets are expected to close by end of the calendar year.

Family entertainment producer and distributor Chorion and Shanghai Media Group (SMG), the largest media group in China, have struck a landmark accord to jointly develop new animation programs for children.

Entertainment Rights has secured distribution rights to the latest 13 episodes for the new TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED series, bringing the total number of episodes of the series currently available to 42 (42x22). The announcement follows on the heels of Cartoon Network in the U.S. having confirmed the commission of an additional 13 episodes for delivery in spring 2009.

The 24th MIPCOM recorded its highest attendance figure of all time, driven notably by an increase in attendance from the "METRIC" countries and regions (Middle East, Turkey, Russia, India and China), as well as Ukraine.

At the close of the market on October 17, MIPCOM 2008 totaled 13,588 participants, an increase of 1.6% over the 13,371 industry professionals who attended in 2007. A total of 4,519 companies from 103 countries registered, of which 1,779 were exhibitors. The number of international buyers grew by 7.2%, from 4,242 in 2007 to 4,573 this year.