Chellomedia And Liberty Global Announce Joint Venture To Launch Pre-School TV Channel

Chellomedia and HIT Entertainment have announced a joint venture to launch an international pre-school TV channel.
At the same time, Chellomedia has separately acquired JimJam, the leading preschool channel, which is currently available in Italy on the Sky Italia platform. Together, HIT and Chellomedia's subsidiary, Zonemedia will launch and distribute JimJam internationally.
The launch across cable and satellite platforms in Western and Eastern Europe is scheduled for later this year with launches in Africa and the Middle East planned from Q1, 2008. Additional roll-out of the channel worldwide (excluding the US and the UK) will follow.
Under the joint venture, Chellomedia, which currently operates 23 branded TV channels across Europe, will combine Zonemedia's expertise in international channel distribution and management with HIT Entertainment's world-renowned children's programming to launch the JimJam channel globally. The JimJam channel will include several of HIT's portfolio of properties including Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam ,Angelina Ballerina, Barney & Friends, and Pingu. The channel will also acquire high quality pre-school programming from international distributors.
Shane O Neill, President, of Chellomedia, commented: "JimJam is synonymous with the highest quality preschool entertainment and is an exciting addition to our thematic TV portfolio of 23 channels. We already operate children's channels in Portugal and Central Europe which are leaders in their respective markets, and this international channel clearly marks our commitment to this important genre. A joint venture between one of the world's most influential producers of pre-school children's programming with a world-class portfolio of children's properties, and our own international channel management experience, backed by Liberty Global, is a great combination and will produce exciting opportunities in children's programming."
Bruce Steinberg, CEO HIT Entertainment, added: "HIT Entertainment's pre-school shows are eagerly watched by millions of children around the world and a significant part of our mission is to provide millions more with the opportunity to watch Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Pingu, Angelina Ballerina and Fireman Sam whenever they want. JimJam, our new venture with Chellomedia, underpins our goal, as the leading global independent children's entertainment producer, to deliver high quality programming around the world helping our world-class properties to become an everyday part of children's lives."
The acquisition of JimJam represents the 24th in Chellomedia's portfolio of channels and the third European acquisition in the current year.
HIT Entertainment launched PBS KIDS SproutSM in 2005 as a joint venture with Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop. Sprout is the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers.
The channel currently reaches more than 33 million homes in the United States.
(DS)