HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

HIT Entertainment and Discovery Kids Strengthen Partnership in Latin America

Multi-year agreement brings new episodes and specials for Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to Discovery Kids Latin America

New York, NY

HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, and Discovery Kids Latin America, the first and only 24/7 channel in Latin America dedicated 100% to the youngest of viewers, have entered into a multi-year agreement that adds more than 95 episodes of popular HIT shows such as Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to Discovery Kids' program schedule. The agreement also renews the channel's rights to broadcast certain episodes Barney & Friends and Bob the Builder.

Beginning in June 2009, Discovery Kids Latin America will air new episodes of Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends in both Spanish and Portuguese throughout the region. In addition, the agreement gives Discovery Kids Latin America the rights to air Barney and Bob the Builder specials never before seen in Latin America, including Barney's acclaimed 'Celebrating Around the World' one hour special and the award-winning "Bob the Builder: On Site" programs. Discovery Kids Latin America will also broadcast the most recent Thomas & Friends feature, "The Great Discovery".

Discovery Kids Latin America will feature these shows on their website, www.tudiscoverykids.com, with pages for each program.

"HIT Entertainment's portfolio of brands is immensely popular with children and families throughout Latin America," said Rodrigo Piza, Vice President of Television for Canada, US Hispanic and Latin America, HIT Entertainment. "We are so pleased to continue and grow our partnership with Discovery Kids Latin America as their commitment to broadcasting quality programs goes hand-in-hand with HIT's commitment to creating quality entertainment for children all over the world."

"Thanks to our partnership with HIT Entertainment, our audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the high quality and entertaining programming Discovery Kids is recognized for throughout Latin America," said Bilai Joa Silar, Vice President and Channel Director, Discovery Networks Latin America/US Hispanic Networks: Discovery Kids, Discovery en Español & Discovery Familia. "Children will continue to learn, grow and be inspired by the adventures of their beloved characters."

About Discovery Kids Latin America
DISCOVERY KIDS is the pioneer in children's programming in Latin America, with 24-hour programming for the youngest members of the family. Through captivating characters and stories, Discovery Kids engages children and allows them to relate to real life experiences by providing an environment that nurtures their own curiosity.

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™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as a worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company's library of classic family brands and 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 and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, PBS KIDS Sprout℠, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China). For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.