LazyTown has signed an agreement with the Disney media company for the distribution of the TV series in France, Spain and Italy. The contract was signed at Hotel Loftleiður by Ágústi Frey Ingasyni, on behalf of LazyTown, and Olivier Brémond, on behalf of Disney.
Most popular in Canada
“Disney is one of the most well-known producers of entertainment in the world, and this is therefore a great recognition for LazyTown,” said Kjartan Már Kjartansson on this occasion. He said that LazyTown’s relatives are now working to get the series shown in as many countries as possible, but that TV channels in the United States, Canada and South America are already showing the episodes.
“LazyTown has received a great welcome everywhere,” said Kjartan. “For example, the show managed to become the third most popular children’s program on Argentinian television in eight days, and one month after the start of airing in Canada, the show was ranked number one among the most popular children’s shows.”
The creator and best-known resident of LazyTown, the health activist Magnús Scheving, could not be present at the signing, but he is now in Finland, where work is being done to sell the shows to a Finnish television station.
Fréttablaðið – Volume 5 2005, Issue 142, Page 70
A four-year contract between the Disney conglomerate and LazyTown for the rights to show the LazyTown episodes in France, Italy and Spain was signed yesterday. The shows are being dubbed for each country, but shows will start in June in Spain and in the fall in the other two countries. The assistant director of LazyTown, Ágúst F. Ingason, says that the contract is very good for the company, but the value of the contract is not disclosed. According to Olivier Brémond, who deals with the sale of the screening rights and the dubbing of the shows in continental Europe and the Middle East, the contract with Disney reflects the special status of LazyTown.
“This is completely unique in the children’s content market. We can’t talk about the price, but it’s a high number, higher than usual for children’s material for this age group” says Brémond.
Rivals Nickelodeon and Disney have been vying for the show rights, which are a sign of the show’s popularity. “There are very large companies fighting for LazyTown, it’s very good for the brand” says Brémond. The uniqueness of LazyTown lies in the fact that the show combines education and high entertainment value in a rare way, according to Brémonds. “This is the key to Magnús’ idea, which is completely unique. The LazyTown mark is obviously a very good asset.” According to Brémond, the Icelandic origin of the programs also contributes to higher prices for the broadcasting rights, because most European stations pay 30 percent higher prices for European productions than programs produced in the United States.
LazyTown’s European expansion follows great success in South and North America. LazyTown, as it is called in English, has been well received in the United States, the episodes of which premiered there last August. Now Nickelodeon Jr. the television station that shows the material decided to use the characters of LazyTown between all programs on the station, and that material was recorded in the last few weeks in Garðabærn. In Canada, the show made it to the list of the most popular children’s content after a month’s showing, and in South America LazyTown’s performance has also been good. Argentinian children seem to have similar tastes to Icelandic children, because there the show became the third most popular children’s program after eight days of showing. In Europe, agreements have been made in Germany, Norway and Iceland. Shows will start on RÚV this autumn, but dubbing of the episodes is currently underway.
Magnús Scheving was not present at the signing of the contract yesterday, but he is in Finland finalizing the sale of the exhibition rights in that country. “He is the pot and the pan” says Brémond, but the success of LazyTown has not affected Magnús’ control of the shows.
Fréttablaðið – Volume 5 2005, Issue 146, Page 62
LazyTown has signed an agreement with the Disney media company for the distribution of the TV series in Spain, Italy and France.
Ágúst Freyr Ingason, who signed the contract on behalf of LazyTown, says LazyTown is in the enviable position of being able to choose the parties the company wants to work with. He says that there was a lot of competition about the distribution rights and many people about the heat, especially in France: “Disney was simply the best choice in the three countries”.
LazyTown’s relatives are now working to get the series on the program in as many countries as possible, where TV channels in the United States, Canada and South America are already showing the episodes.
Ahead is the summer program on the American television station Nickelodeon, where LazyTown will be in the main role: “Sportacus and Stephanie will be presenting on Nickelodeon this summer, in addition to the fact that we have recorded a double episode of LazyTown that will premiere in prime time” said Ágúst.
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