HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

HIT Entertainment and Thirteen/WNET New York Enter Long-Term Partnership

05/12/2008

New York, NY

HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, and Thirteen/WNET New York, the most-watched public television station in America and a producing station for PBS, have reached a long term strategic partnership for station representation and new project development.

Effective immediately, Thirteen/WNET New York becomes the presenting station for HIT's leading preschool properties on PBS KIDS®, including Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™ and Angelina Ballerina™, as well as Wishbone™ on PBS KIDS Go!

Additionally, HIT and WNET have committed to co-producing Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps, a new CGI series that introduces Angelina Ballerina as she embarks on the next stage in her life at a new school for the performing arts. Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps is slated to debut weekly on PBS KIDS in fall 2009.

"HIT's award-winning preschool series, from Thomas to Bob the Builder, have enjoyed considerable success in the New York market for many years, thanks to the support of WNET" said Claudia Scott-Hansen, Vice President, US Content Distribution, HIT Entertainment. "We're excited to expand our relationship, working with this premier PBS station to further develop our existing, beloved properties and create new ones."

"While proudly representing HIT's portfolio of popular programs, we are especially excited about expanding the educational curriculum for the new Angelina Ballerina," said Sandra Sheppard, Executive Producer and Director of Children's Programming at Thirteen/WNET New York. "And we look forward to co-producing new projects with HIT that expand both the hearts and minds of young viewers both on-air and online."

Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps is based on the classic Angelina Ballerina books by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig. The new CGI series will introduce fans to Angelina's new home on the other side of Chipping Cheddar, a new performing arts school -- Camembert Academy, new friends and a new teacher. Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps continues to remain true to the property and celebrates music and dance, including modern, tap, jazz, classic and ethnic. The CGI-animation allows Angelina to demonstrate beautiful dance moves like never before as she puts her best toe forward at the Camembert Academy.

About Thirteen/WNET New York
Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase - as well as the work of Bill Moyers - to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects - including the Teaching and Learning Celebration - as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: www.thirteen.org.

About HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners since June 2005, is one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT’s portfolio includes internationally renowned children’s properties, such as Bob the Builder™, Barney™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Rubbadubbers™ and Angelina Ballerina™. HIT acts as a representative for The Wiggles® in the UK, US and Canada and as worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands, including Fraggle Rock™. HIT also owns the Guinness World Records™ publishing and television property and Fireman Sam™, a joint venture with S4C. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production (including studios in the US and the UK), publishing, consumer products licensing and live events. With a catalog of more than 1,000 hours of young children’s programming, HIT sells its shows to more than 240 countries worldwide, in more than 40 different languages and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS Sprout℠, a 24-hour digital cable channel and VOD service for preschoolers. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.