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HIT Entertainment Names American Greetings Master Social Expressions Licensee for HIT's Premiere Portfolio of Brands
HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, names American Greetings Corporation, the world's largest publicly owned creator, manufacturer and distributor of social expression products, as the master social expressions licensee for HIT's portfolio of brands, including Angelina Ballerina™, Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Fireman Sam™, Rainbow Magic™, Thomas & Friends™, as well as acquired properties including Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ and Aardman Animations' Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™ and Timmy Time™. continue »Global Fact Sheet
HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes internationally renowned and award-winning 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 in North America. HIT also represents The Wiggles® in the UK.
Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production and distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing, live events and attractions and a HIT Movies division.
| Operations: | HIT has offices in the UK, US, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada and Los Angeles. |
| Programming: | With a catalogue of more than 1,500 hours of young children's programming, HIT sells its shows to more than 250 territories worldwide, in more than 45 different languages. |
| Production: | HIT produces more than 900 minutes of new programming each year, refreshing its slate with new series, new characters and new destinations. In 2009 HIT launched new CG-animated series for Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Thomas & Friends. HIT's Development departments in the US and UK are actively developing new programming. |
| Television: | In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS SproutSM, a 24-hour digital cable channel, online destination and Video-On-Demand service for preschoolers and their caregivers. Sprout currently reaches 40 million US households. |
| In 2007, HIT and Chellomedia's subsidiary, Zonemedia joined forces to launch and distribute international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China). JimJam currently reaches 6 million households in 11 territories. | |
| Home Entertainment: |
HIT has sold more than 135 million DVDs and VHS units based on its core brands around the world. In 2008, HIT and Lionsgate® entered into an agreement for the exclusive marketing, sales and distribution rights to HIT's portfolio in the US and Canada. |
| Publishing: | Nearly 400 million books across HIT's portfolio of brands have been sold globally; in 2005, Thomas & Friends celebrated its 60th anniversary in publishing; in 2008, Angelina Ballerina celebrated 25 years in publishing. Newly acquired publishing brand Rainbow Magic has sold more than 20 million books globally. |
| Online: | HIT hosts and supports more than 35 brand websites, localized in key territories around the world including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latin America, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and Taiwan. In 2009, HIT's sites received nearly 1 billion page views combined and welcomed more than 32 million unique visitors. |
| HIT's core sites include Angelina Ballerina (angelinaballerina.com), Barney (barney.com), Bob the Builder (bobthebuilder.com), Pingu (pingu.net), Rainbow Magic (rainbowmagiconline.com) and Thomas the Tank Engine (thomasandfriends.com). | |
| Consumer Products: | HIT's brands have extensive hard and soft line Consumer Products extensions - from toys, plush and ride-on vehicles to role play, apparel, footwear and accessories collections to room décor, educational games and gaming systems, outdoor products and health and beauty products. |
| Live Events: | HIT Entertainment's characters, including Bob the Builder, Barney, Thomas & Friends and Fireman Sam have entertained more than 15 million fans worldwide through live stage shows and concerts, traveling museum exhibits and family events. |
| Attractions: | In 1995 "A Day In The Park With Barney," a live 20-minute stage show attraction, starring Barney, BJ and Baby Bop opened at Universal Studios Florida™ and continues to delight visitors daily. |
| In 1998, the Fujikyu Corp opened Thomas Land in Japan within the Fujikyu Highland amusement park. Featuring eight Thomas-themed rides and Thomas-themed rooms within the park's hotel, Thomas Land welcomes more than 1.7 million guests each year. | |
| The first European Thomas Land opened at Drayton Manor theme park in 2008. Set within three acres of beautiful parkland, Thomas Land at Drayton Manor features 13 themed rides including a 600-meter Thomas train ride, an indoor play center, café and a Thomas retail shop. | |
| In 2007, Thomas & Friends launched its first permanent theme park attractions in the UK (at Drusillas Park in Sussex) and in the US (at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Six Flags New England). In 2008, Thomas Town at Six Flags expanded to Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Magic Mountain. In 2010, Six Flags America will open the biggest Thomas Town in the US. | |
| Thomas Town in Shin-Misato, Japan launched in September 2009. It is the world's first Thomas branded indoor family entertainment centre for shopping malls. | |
| HIT, with Themed Attractions & Resorts, is set to launch the first ever HIT-branded indoor entertainment center, The Little Big Club, in the prestigious Family Indoor Theme Park at Puteri Harbour, Malaysia in 2013. |
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