Montreal: Early word from mip-tv points to several new international partnership agreements with Canadian producers and broadcasters. Cinar Corporation, the Kratt Brothers and pbs have announced a deal to produce new episodes of Zoboomafoo, the popular preschool wildlife series from Martin and Chris Kratt, creators and stars of the established pbs series Kratts’ Creatures.

Twenty-five new episodes are slated to air on pbs in 2001. Cinar will handle worldwide sales. The initial 40 half-hours premiered in January.

pbs will continue to handle all domestic distribution, serving as u.s. broadcaster as well as incorporating the series as one of the key building blocks for its new 24-hour interactive service, PBS Kids Channel, which goes online this fall. The show will also be distributed by PBS Kids home video.

A licensing and merchandising program is planned, and Cinar says it intends to design an educational outreach campaign.

The announcement was made by Micheline Charest, Cinar chairman and co-ceo, and Kathy Quattrone, pbs exec vp, programming services.

Also at mip, Daniel Lamarre, president and ceo of Montreal-based TVA Group, and Patrick Wallaert, president of France’s Expand Images, announced the creation of Commodore, an equal partnership joint venture for the production of an international adventure game show. The series will be produced in Quebec and is a spin-off of the Expand series Fort Boyard, a version of which has aired on tva for six years and been adapted in 13 other countries.

The new series will be taped on board a train as it travels through the picturesque Charlevoix countryside. A feasibility study is planned, with production slated for August 2000.

In a conference call interview from mip, Lamarre said the program may interest Quebec tourism promoters, including government, but production would not be contingent on public investment. One of the show’s strategic goals, he says, will be to sell to the u.s. market.

Also at the market, Telescene Film Group president Robin Spry announced the 22 hour-half sitcom Misguided Angels, broadcast by Fox Family Channel in the u.s., and the tv movie Escape From Wildcat Mountain, have been sold to Family Channel. The deal, the first for Telescene and Family, marks the Canadian tv premiere for both productions. Kevin Wright, Family’s vp programming, says Misguided Angels will debut in October.