HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

HIT Entertainment Partners with Vme to Bring Iconic Children's Programming to Spanish TV

Exclusive Deal Marks HIT's First Foray into US Hispanic Market for Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Barney™, and Bob the Builder™

New York, NY

HIT Entertainment, a world-renowned provider of quality children's entertainment and Vme, one of the nation's largest Spanish networks, have announced an exclusive partnership to bring HIT's popular preschool programs Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Barney™ and Bob the Builder™ to the U.S. Hispanic market airing during Vme's daily preschool programming block, Vme Niños and on Vme's 24/7 cable channel Vme Kids. The new deal with Vme will significantly increase the reach of HIT programming in the U.S. Vme currently reaches 77 percent of U.S. Hispanic homes, or 10.2 million Hispanic TV households, and 69 million total U.S. TV households. This is the first time these programs have aired in Spanish in the U.S.

Vme will begin airing the new series from HIT's award-winning library starting in June 2011. The four new series from HIT will air during Vme's daily four-hour preschool block, Vme Niños, and on its 24/7 cable channel Vme Kids. Vme is currently the only Spanish network to offer a daily block and dedicated network for educational preschool programming in Spanish.

Vme offers the largest, most widely distributed block of world-class educational pre-school content in Spanish TV. With HIT's premiere programming for children, this new partnership strengthens Vme's commitment to education, information and quality entertainment for Latino families.

"Vme is a valued and essential partner in bringing HIT programs to a significant and continually growing U.S. Hispanic population," said Claudia Scott-Hansen, Senior Vice President, Broadcast, The Americas, HIT Entertainment. "The recent U.S. Census found a 43 percent increase in the Hispanic population over the last decade - it's exciting to be able to share the adventures of our iconic series, Thomas, Bob, Barney and Angelina with a new generation of children and families in their native language."

"Vme's commitment to quality preschool programming is unique among Spanish broadcasters, and we are pleased to strengthen our partnership with a content partner like HIT who shares our commitment to education for our youngest viewers," said Guillermo Sierra, Senior Vice President, Content, Vme Media. "The characters in these four programs are loved by children all over the world, and we are confident they will be loved by Spanish speaking children in the U.S. too."

Available in 40 major markets, Vme is provided free to viewers via the digital channels of public television stations and is available on basic digital cable in those markets. Vme is also available in the U.S. via satellite in the basic and Hispanic packages of Dish Network and DirecTV and available on Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse.

About Vme
Vme promises to be Contigo to Hispanic families by delivering the best educational preschool content on Spanish-language television, and entertaining families with primetime drama, music, sports, news, current affairs, Latin cinema, food, lifestyle, and nature programming. The 24-hour Spanish network, in partnership with public television stations, is currently available in more than 10 million Hispanic homes. Vme is the first venture of the media production and distribution company, Vme Media Inc. To find out more, please visit www.VmeTV.com

Vme Kids, the second channel from Vme media Inc, launched in September 2010. Vme Kids is available on AT&T U-verse® channel 3058 and on Comcast South Florida channel 632. Vme Kids provides the best of Spanish-language preschool content 24/7, including some of public television's most beloved characters and programs.

About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment 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™, Mike the Knight™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™ 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 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, Sprout®. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

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