Acquisition is effective immediately.

Boat Rocker Media has acquired FremantleMedia’s Kids & Family Entertainment division, headquartered in London, UK, with offices in New York and Hong Kong. Effective immediately, this acquisition signals Boat Rocker’s continued commitment to developing, producing and monetising an expanded catalogue of premium kids & family entertainment while simultaneously enhancing Boat Rocker Rights’ global reach for its scripted and unscripted catalogue, now totaling over 6,000 half hours.

John Young, CEO and David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, co-executive chairmen of Boat Rocker Media, commented: “Today marks a major step in our expansion on the international stage. We have deep respect for the unique expertise and brands that the FremantleMedia Kids & Family team have created over the last 8 years and are excited for future collaborations with such an impressive collection of global broadcast and ancillary partners.”

Established in 2010, FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment has built a portfolio of 45+ brands consisting of over 150 series and 1,600 half hours of programming for children from pre-school to tweens/teens.

FremantleMedia’s current Kids & Family Entertainment division will be integrated into Boat Rocker Media’s global distribution arm, Boat Rocker Rights, immediately expanding its scale and capabilities, particularly in European and Asian markets. Boat Rocker Rights is overseen by its president, Jon Rutherford.

Brands such as Danger Mouse and Bitz & Bob will continue to be developed under the co-production agreement with the BBC, as well as other leading global partners.