About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners, is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America and Japan, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™, Timmy Time™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK.
Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing, live events and attractions and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US preschool channel, PBS KIDS Sprout℠, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China).
For more information, visit http://www.hitentertainment.com.
Karen Barnes
Executive Vice President, Production & Development, HIT Entertainment
Karen Barnes, Executive Vice President, Production & Development, brings more than 21 years of television production and broadcast experience to HIT Entertainment. Ms. Barnes is responsible for the existing slate of HIT's classic pre-school entertainment including Angelina Ballerina™, Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Fireman Sam™, Thomas & Friends™ and Mike the Knight™, as well as building new brands through content development and acquisitions. Ms. Barnes also has responsibility for managing the creative and technical production teams worldwide.
In addition, Ms Barnes acts as Executive Producer for Thomas and Friends, Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps, and Barney & Friends.
Prior to coming to HIT, she was self employed for 6 years where she served as a production consultant for Sesame Workshop, Hallmark Channel and ToddWorld. Prior to that, Ms. Barnes held several positions at FOX, including Executive Vice President, Development and Programming at FOX Kids. Ms. Barnes started her career at The Jim Henson Company, where she was head of production and development for North America.
She has received numerous awards and recognition for creative achievement, including a George Foster Peabody Award and two National Education Association Awards. Before venturing into the creative arena, Ms. Barnes was a business affairs attorney. She is also a certified mediator.
She received her BA from Marymount Manhattan College and JD from Fordham Law School.
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