Channel 5’s Milkshake! and Signature Publishing sign Magazine Deal

By John Freeman on June 6, 2014

Channel 5 has awarded Signature Publishing the license to publish a magazine for the hugely popular and award winning children’s strand, Milkshake!

This new and exciting monthly title, whose launch date has yet to be announced, will feature content and presenters from the show, along with some of the world’s favourite pre-school characters which are aired on the channel.

Produced by Signature Publishing’s award winning team, the magazine, aimed at pre-school children, will be bright, colourful and packed with stories, games, puzzles, colouring, competitions and activities for creative and imaginative learning.

Each issue will combine quality editorial content with an exclusive cover mount designed to appeal to young boys and
girls.

Milkshake! is a favourite destination for pre-schoolers. Broadcast daily on Channel 5, the line-up includes a rich blend of engaging story-led animation that includes Roobarb and Custard Too, Thomas and Friends, Peppa Pig, Toby’s Travelling Circus, Tickety Toc, Noddy and and more, plus documentaries for pre-schoolers and presenter-led high quality musical entertainment. Earlier this year, Milkshake! proved its growing popularity by achieving its highest share figures for all key audiences for more than a decade.

“I’m thrilled to be launching the brand new Milkshake! magazine with Signature Publishing, who like Channel 5, are passionate about creating the highest quality content for children,” enthuses Jessica Symons, Head of Children’s at Channel 5. “This standout magazine will be jam packed with characters from Milkshake’s glittering line up, as well as introducing fantas- tic new shows and characters too.”

“We are delighted and extremely excited to be given the opportunity to publish a magazine for one of the UK’s biggest children’s brands,” Signature Publishing’s Managing Director, Danny Morris commented.

“‘The unquestionable success of Channel 5’s Milkshake! , together with the rich and varied content available and the promotional opportunities that exist, will make this one of the biggest children’s magazine launches in 2014. We look forward to working with the fantastic team at Milkshake! to produce a magazine that pre-school children and their parents will love as much as the programmes.”

Signature Publishing, winners of the PPA Independent Publisher of the Year in 2010 and 2012, publish a range of children’s titles including My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop under license from Hasbro, plus Pets2Collect, Dinosaur Action, Fairies, Fantastic Funworld, Rainbow Fun, It’s… and Girls Love.

• Milkshake! magazine will be priced at £3.25 and available at all major supermarkets and all good newsagents. It will be distributed by London-based Seymour Distribution Ltd

• Milkshake! is online at: www.channel5.com/milkshake

• Signature Publishing: http://www.signaturepl.co.uk

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.