KIWA Publishes Popular Cartoon Stories in China Auckland

KIWA Publishes Popular Cartoon Stories in China Auckland

8 April 2015 Kiwa Digital Ltd (KIWA), a world leading production house for experiential digital books based in New Zealand, is to deliver interactive cartoon stories to mobile devices in China. In a breakthrough international publishing and licensing agreement today with leading Chinese television company, Beijing Kaku Media Co Ltd, KIWA will bring popular children’s characters to life digitally in the Chinese language. The agreement was signed today in Shanghai in the presence of Hon Steven Joyce, New Zealand’s Minister for Economic Development and Science and Innovation, who is visiting Shanghai this week to promote New Zealand business interests. It is the first contract to be signed on digital content development between a New Zealand company and a Chinese media company, and supports the diversification of New Zealand’s export portfolio to China. Bejing Kaku Media Co Ltd is considered in the Chinese industry as the top cartoon programmer in the country, with the widest coverage area, most audiences and greatest influence. Established in 2004, it now covers a population base of 600 million, has the highest children’s audience rating in Beijing,and is in the top 16 sattelite TV stations in China. This move into digital media is part of a diversification strategy that includes merchandise, retail stores, and theme parks.

The first digital books to launch, the ErTuZi series, will be available on the App Store, Google Play and local e-taliers. The books will include KIWA’s patented synchronisation of text and audio narration so that children can follow along, and numerous interactive features that are proven to improve engagement and learning.

Mr Chi Haoyang, Deputy General Manager of Bejing Kaku Media Co Ltd, says “We are pleased to extend some of our most popular characters to be accessible to children on mobile devices. KIWA’s interactive formats will enable our young audience to enjoy these stories in new ways, while increasing the utilisation of Kaku’s valuable content.” The partnership has been achieved as a result of the expertise of KIWA Director Dr Xiaoying Fu in the China market. Dr Fu, who was present for the ceremony along with Global Business Development Director Steven Renata, said “We are delighted to work with Bejing Kaku Media in China and other international markets.   With these new local language digital books we will increase the reach of these popular characters and give teachers and parents a wider range of language resources to aid literacy development."

KIWA has also negotiated a partnership with Shanghai Xiwai International School as its education partner, to help develop related learning resources and penetrate new ways of learning into the wider China education market.

ENDS

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