Hasbro Announces Latin America Distribution Deals

Hasbro has struck a deal with Discovery Kids to distribute the series The Adventures of Chuck and Friends and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic in Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Columbia and Uruguay, the first expansion of the brand into Latin America, according to the company.

Hasbro said it has also struck a deal with Cartoon Network to launch Transformers Prime in Latin America.

"We are thrilled to partner with these two great networks and bring our high quality, colourful characters to this important region," said Finn Arnesen, senior VP of international distribution and development at Hasbro Studios, the Los Angeles-based production and distribution division of Hasbro. "Expanding into Latin America has been a critical component of our international growth strategy and we are excited to be able to bring our programming there so soon after the launch of our studio."

The announcement comes in the run-up to the MIPCOM market Oct. 3-6, and in the midst of an international distribution ramp-up for Hasbro, which hired Nina Scales earlier this month to boost distribution in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Hasbro is currently the supplier of The Hub, the rebranded Discovery Kids Network, and boasts a host of toy-driven TV brands including Transformers, My Little Pony and G.I. Joe.

George Winslow contributed to this report.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.