Janosch Film & Medien

What Janosch Film & Medien does

Janosch Film & Medien AG is a Berlin-based public limited company (Aktiengesellschaft) that serves as the central rights management entity for the creative works of German author and illustrator Janosch. The company bundles copyrights to a catalog of over 100 children's and adult books, films, illustrations, and character IPs — most famously Tiger & Bär, Günter Kastenfrosch, and the Tigerente — and licenses them to publishers, film companies, merchandising partners, and digital platforms. Four out of five Germans reportedly know Janosch's characters, positioning the brand as one of Germany's most recognized cultural properties; the iconic "Oh, wie schön ist Panama" has sold more than 15 million copies and been translated into 60+ languages.

The business model is structured around licensing royalties: the company earns copyright proceeds (urheberrechtliche Erlösansprüche) from every exploitation of Janosch content across books, films, digital apps/e-books, merchandising (clothing, tableware, tea, games, plush toys), and art. Its principal named partners include Bavaria Media for merchandising (a 30+ year relationship), various publishers for book/calendar/app licensing, WDR historically for "Janoschs Traumstunde" (1985–1989), and ZEITmagazin for the adult Wondrak cartoon series. The company also co-develops new character worlds with content partner Wolkenlenker GmbH (Orbiteers, Spookies), maintains direct-to-consumer e-commerce via janosch-druck.de and the ZEIT Shop, and runs a sustainability initiative (Tigerenten-Wald rainforest project in Panama). The technology footprint is limited to managing all digital rights and distributing apps and e-books; no proprietary platform or AI capability is disclosed.

FY2023 revenue stood at TEUR 640 (vs. TEUR 662 in FY2022 and TEUR 685 in FY2021), and FY2025 net income was TEUR 290, supporting a dividend proposal of EUR 0.15/share plus a EUR 0.35 bonus. In 2024–2025 the company executed a strategic refocusing on the Janosch core brand: it sold all original Janosch artworks to Stadt Troisdorf (December 2024, lower-to-mid six-figure proceeds), discontinued the participation/investment business, conducted a EUR 1.185M capital increase in April 2024, and launched a share buyback for up to 10% of capital in late 2025. Shares trade in the Freiverkehr of the Berlin Stock Exchange under ISIN DE000A0XFNB0, though that listing is being terminated at year-end 2025 due to discontinuation of the Xontro trading system. The company operates with a very small management team led by sole Vorstand Hans Häge, and is run with no disclosed parent.

Name

Janosch Film & Medien

Legal name

Janosch film & medien AG

Website

https://janosch-medien.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Janosch Film & Medien AG is a Berlin-based publicly listed company that bundles and licenses copyrights to Janosch's children's books, films, character IPs (Tiger & Bär, Tigerente), and adult works. It serves publishers, film companies, Bavaria Media for merchandising, and digital platforms, with the brand recognized by four out of five Germans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media & Character IP Licensing

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA), Art, Photography & Illustrated Books Publishing (MPAJAAAF), Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN), Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Sales & Merchandising (Publisher Stores, Bundles) (MPAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Intellectual property licensing
• Character brand licensing
• Children's media rights
• Copyright management
• Brand merchandising licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: The company bundles the copyrights to Janosch's work and licenses existing Janosch works to publishers and further exploitation partners. Janosch film & medien AG participates in revenue from every exploitation of Janosch content via copyright earnings claims. Revenue from the sale of Janosch original artworks to the city of Troisdorf was also recognized (lower to mid six-figure range, improving the 2024 annual result).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Janosch film & medien AG bundles and licenses the copyrights to Janosch's creative works—including iconic children's books such as 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama', adult literature, animated films and short-form video clips, merchandise, digital apps and e-books, and original artworks—to publishers, merchandising partners, and other exploitation counterparts worldwide. It also develops new character worlds with content partners for children, youth, and families, and co-founded the sustainability-linked Tigerenten-Wald rainforest project. Direct-to-consumer personalized Wondrak art prints are sold via janosch-druck.de and the ZEIT Shop.

Product overview

Janosch Film & Medien AG is a media licensing company that manages the intellectual property rights of author and illustrator Janosch. The company offers a portfolio of products organized into two main categories: (1) Exploitation of Janosch's existing works including children's books (Kinderbücher), adult books (Erwachsenenbücher), films (Filme), video clips, digital products (apps and e-books), merchandise, art, and character world licensing; and (2) Development of new character worlds in partnership with content developers like Wolkenlenker GmbH. Key products include the iconic 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama' children's book and the Kleiner Tiger und Kleiner Bär character universe, as well as the Wondrak adult cartoon series for ZEITmagazin. The company also holds a strategic investment in Quintic Digital GmbH (Kidling KITA management software) and operates the Tigerenten-Wald sustainability project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tiger und Bär: The famous Janosch character duo (Little Tiger and Little Bear) from the Panama world - the company's most recognized brand.
• Wondrak
• Günter Kastenfrosch
• Tigerente
• Emil Grünbär

Products and services

• Kinderbücher (Children's Books) Janosch's children's book portfolio featuring iconic titles including 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama' (1978), 'Post für den Tiger', 'Ich mach dich gesund, sagte der Bär', and over 100 additional titles. The company licenses these works and receives copyright proceeds (urheberrechtliche Erlösansprüche) from every exploitation of Janosch content for publishers, media companies, and international editions across 60+ languages.
• Erwachsenenbücher (Adult Books) Janosch's adult fiction portfolio including titles such as 'Cholonek', 'Polski Blues', and philosophical works exploring his Silesian heritage. Titles are published through various partners including Reclam Universal-Bibliothek, where several have ranked in the Spiegel Bestseller Top 10 in 2022 and 2023.
• Filme (Films) Film adaptations of Janosch's works including 'Janoschs Traumstunde' (1985–1989, a 26-part animated series) and 'Papa Löwe und seine glücklichen Kinder' (40 episodes). Janosch film & medien AG holds the comprehensive film rights to Janosch character worlds and licenses them to broadcasters, streaming platforms, and distribution partners.
• Video-Clips (Video Clips) Short-form video content featuring Janosch characters covering topics including friendship, nature, play, and preschool themes. Includes the 'Dr. Tiger & Dr. Bär' waiting room video series and additional animated clips distributed on YouTube.
• Merchandising Licensed merchandise featuring Janosch character designs including clothing, tableware, tea, games, and plush toys. Partnered with Bavaria Media for licensing exploitation, serving as one of the top merchandising brands in Germany for over 30 years across consumer and lifestyle categories.
• Digital (Apps & E-Books) Digital products including apps such as 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama' and e-books. Janosch film & medien AG holds all digital rights to Janosch's works and manages the corresponding digital exploitation arrangements worldwide.
• Wondrak personalized prints Personalized Wondrak art prints featuring a weekly cartoon character drawn by Janosch for ZEITmagazin since July 2013. Customers can order prints with personal dedications via janosch-druck.de (company e-commerce storefront) and through the ZEIT Shop (zeit.de).
• Figurenwelten (Character Worlds) Licensed character worlds including the established Panama universe (Kleiner Tiger und Kleiner Bär, Tigerente, Günter Kastenfrosch) and Emil Grünbär und seine Bande, plus new character concepts co-developed with partner Wolkenlenker GmbH such as Orbiteers (a space rescue comedy for ages 6–11) and Spookies (a ghost family animation for ages 4–6).
• Kunst (Original Art) Original Janosch artwork including independent drawings, etchings, and watercolors. All original artworks held by the company were sold to the city of Troisdorf on 2024-12-16 and are now displayed permanently at the Bilderbuchmuseum Troisdorf.
• International Licensing International licensing of Janosch works across 60+ languages covering all exploitation types—books, calendars, apps, and other media—available to publishers and exploitation partners worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15 million copies of 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama' sold globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wolkenlenker GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWolkenlenker GmbH is a Berlin-based content developer that has already won several awards. Janosch film & medien AG co-develops new character worlds with Wolkenlenker, including 'Orbiteers' (a space rescue comedy for ages 6–11) and 'Spookies' (a ghost family animation for ages 4–6).
• Stadt Troisdorf / Bilderbuchmuseum TroisdorfminorOthersJanosch film & medien AG sold all Janosch original artworks to the city of Troisdorf. The works are housed at the Bilderbuchmuseum Troisdorf and are permanently accessible to the public. The transaction yielded a lower to mid six-figure amount.
• Reclam Verlag (Reclam Universalbibliothek)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJan osch titles have been included in the Reclam Universalbibliothek, making them part of a classic literary canon. Several books ranked in the Spiegel Bestseller Charts in 2022 and 2023.
• WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWDR originally broadcast 'Janoschs Traumstunde' between 1985 and 1989, a 26-part animated series that significantly contributed to Janosch's success. The series was produced by Bavaria and distributed via the WDR.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WildBrain: Canadian children's entertainment company that holds rights to classic character catalogues (Peanuts, Strawberry Shortcake, Teletubbies, In the Night Garden) and licenses them globally across consumer products, broadcast, and digital — the same character IP licensing model Janosch Film & Medien applies to its catalog.
• Loewe Verlag: German children's book publisher founded 1931, with character-led franchises such as 'Der kleine Drache Kokosnuss' and widely sold interactive sound-book series. Comparable to Janosch Film & Medien in scale, depth of catalogue, and merchandising extensions within the German children's market.
• Sanrio: Japanese creator-owned character IP licensing company (Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi). Sanrio monetises a single creator/universe brand through global licensing and merchandise and is the cleanest analog to Janosch's bundling of one author's lifetime IP into worldwide rights.
• Tessloff Verlag: Nuremberg-based German children's publisher best known for the long-running 'Was ist Was' series and adjacent character-led educational IP. Comparable to Janosch Film & Medien as a Germany-based owner of long-running children's IP with licensing extensions into merchandise and digital.
• Oetinger Verlag: One of Germany's largest independent children's book publishers with strong character-led book IPs (Die kleine Hexe, Pippi Longstocking rights) and adjacent merchandising. Highly comparable to Janosch Film & Medien as a Germany-based operator monetising classic children's IP across formats.
• Studio 100: Belgian-German family entertainment company that owns and globally licenses classic children's character IPs such as Maya the Bee, Heidi, and Wickie. Closely parallels Janosch Film & Medien's model of bundling long-running German-language children's IP and licensing it for books, TV, merchandise, and digital formats.
• Carlsen Verlag: Major Hamburg-based children's and YA publisher (German edition of Harry Potter, Asterix, Disney comics, manga). Comparable to Janosch Film & Medien as a leading German owner of children's publishing IP that monetises across formats and adjacent product categories.
• Coppenrath Verlag: Established Münster-based German children's and gift-book publisher with character-driven IP including the Die Maus and Bildermaus series. Comparable to Janosch Film & Medien as a publisher-led operator of German children's IP with book and merchandise extensions.

Broad incumbents

• Mattel: US-based global toy and character IP company (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Masters of the Universe). Operates the same creator/IP-rights-to-licensing model at materially greater scale and global merchandise reach than Janosch Film & Medien.
• Hasbro: US-based global toy and entertainment company (Transformers, My Little Pony, Play-Doh, Peppa Pig via eOne). Same character IP licensing model on a global scale and a broad incumbent analog to a small character rights owner such as Janosch Film & Medien.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tiger_und_baer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JanoschsTraumstundeBavaria
• Facebookfacebook.com/janoschwelt
• Instagraminstagram.com/janoschwelt
• Pinterestpinterest.de/janoschswelt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Janosch Film & Medien