More Articles By Staff

• Jazwares, Digital Blue plan kids' CE products
  Jan. 12, 2009—In news coming out of this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Cartoon Network Enterprises has tapped Jazwares to produce the debut line of consumer electronics for Ben 10 Alien Force while Digital Blue has been tapped for CE products based on several other kid-friendly properties . More
  
• Build-A-Bear sheds headquarters staff
  Jan. 12, 2009—Build-A-Bear Workshop held a round of layoff at its headquarters late last week, according to published reports. More
  
• RC2 has big plans for Caring Corners
  Jan. 12, 2009—RC2 plans to expand its Caring Corners line in 2009 with a goal of turning the assortment into a “premier preschool girls' brand,” the toymaker said today.  More
  
• Toys 'R' Us has deal for KB customers
  Jan. 12, 2009—Toys "R" Us is offering holders of KB Toys gift cards the opportunity to receive a discount at any TRU store by handing over their KB card, the retailer said today. More
  
• Tomy explains U.S. unit's exit
  Jan. 9, 2009—Tomy Corp. today publicly addressed the mid-December closing of its U.S. toy business and the potential that it would resume toy marketing here in the future. More
  
• CSPC exempts some natural materials from lead test
  Jan. 9, 2009—In what should be good news for makers of children’s products using natural materials inherently free of lead, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a determination this week intended to dispel some of the confusion surrounding the upcoming implementation of new toy safety rules. More
  
• GameStop sets holiday sales record
  Jan. 8, 2009—GameStop tallied record sales results for the nine-week holiday period, the video game retailer said Thursday. More
  
• Mattel revamps online strategy
  Jan. 8, 2009—Mattel plans to change its online strategy from a focus on brand Web sites to interactive programming and content creation, it said at a conference tied to this week’s 2009 Consumer Electronics Show. More
  
• Toys ‘R’ Us sees strong December; overall holiday sales down
  [UPDATED] Jan. 7, 2009—Toys “R” Us said Thursday its domestic comparable store sales rebounded in December, helped by online sales, but that its 2008 holiday season same-store sales were down more than 3 percent. More
  
• Action Toys tweaks sales force
  Jan. 6, 2009—Action Toys, the toy making division of Action Products International, is realigning its sales structure with the appointment of a new mid-Atlantic sales rep and an expanded internal sales team. More
  
• Dr. Toy resumes full program 
  Jan. 6, 2009—Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., better known as Dr. Toy, has announced that the organization built under her trademark will bestow a full slate of seals of approval on new products in 2009. More
  
• Fisher-Price gains global Thomas rights
  Jan. 5, 2009—Thomas & Friends licensor HIT Entertainment has granted Mattel’s Fisher-Price division global master toy rights for the train-themed preschool property in a multi-year deal. More
  
• Li & Fung addresses KB's debt to Chinese factories
  Jan. 5, 2009—KB Toys' former buying agent, Li & Fung, said today it would do what it could to help a group of Chinese factories recoup what was owed them by the bankrupt retailer, but that it was not personally responsible for paying KB’s debts to suppliers. More
  
• New leader for WICM
  Jan. 5, 2009—Women in Children’s Media has announced that Ashley Fenwick-Naditch, a producer for Sesame Workshop and CEO of Children’s Media Consultants, is now the trade association’s president. More
  
• Inside Out
  In recent licensing news, Mattel signed on as the global master toy licensee for Cartoon Network's The Secret Saturdays while Toy Island inked a deal for wooden toys based on several leading Nick Jr. properties. Spin Master said its Bakugan game would become a feature film. Online, Action Products debuted a new website, ActionToysInc. More
  
• Holiday Faves
  Boise, Idaho Children's Store, Inc. Traditional toys have been some of the biggest movers recently at Children's Store, Inc., according to manager Karen Taber, who tells Playthings that holiday sales were relatively brisk. Just about “everything” moved in the past few weeks, she says, especially “all the traditional Christmas things—trucks, dolls, doll houses. More
  
• MGA may get breathing room in Bratz case
  Dec. 31, 2008—The judge overseeing Mattel’s case against MGA Entertainment over the rights to the Bratz doll franchise has agreed to consider a request by MGA to allow it to continue to manufacture and market new dolls past the Feb. 11, 2009 deadline set earlier this month. More
  
• University Games to continue Front Porch Classics
  Dec. 30, 2009—University Games has completed its acquisition of the assets of Sababa Toys, including the entire Front Porch Classics product line, for an undisclosed sum. More
  
• Courts curtail Konami's Yu-Gi-Oh! move
  Dec. 30, 2008—Courts in California and Europe have denied Konami’s efforts to stop licensee The Upper Deck Co. from continuing to distribute its Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game. More
  
• Jakks completes Disguise acquisition
  Dec. 30, 2008—Jakks Pacific completed its acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Halloween costume and décor company Disguise and a related Hong Kong firm, both subsidiaries of France’s César. More