HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

Little Airplane Productions and HIT Entertainment Join Forces in Partnership to Develop New Pre-School Series

NEW YORK, LONDON

Two of the most high profile companies in pre-school television, Little Airplane Productions and HIT Entertainment, have joined forces in an agreement to develop original content for the worldwide market. The announcement was made today by Josh Selig, Founder and President, Little Airplane Productions and Christopher Skala, Senior Vice President, Programming & New Content Development, HIT Entertainment.

"I am thrilled to be working with HIT Entertainment; they are re-emerging as a real creative force in the preschool business," said Josh Selig. "It is also very helpful that they are experts in all the areas that Little Airplane is not, including distribution, licensing and merchandising. I expect this to be a very happy marriage."

"This agreement underscores HIT's commitment to working with the top creators in our field to make the highest quality children's programs possible," said Skala. "Little Airplane is one of the industry's most respected and prestigious producers of pre-school television and we are very excited to be working with Josh and his teams in New York and London."

About Little Airplane Productions
Founded by Josh Selig in 1999, Little Airplane Productions created and produced "The Wonder Pets!" for Nick Jr., "Go, Baby!" for Playhouse Disney, "Oobi!" for NOGGIN (winner of a 2001 Gold Parents' Choice Award) and "3rd & Bird!" for the BBC's CBeebies. Additionally, Josh Selig was the Head Writer for "Little Bill" on Nick Jr. He has received ten Emmy Awards for his writing on "Sesame Street" and was the Resident Producer of the historic Israeli/Palestinian "Sesame Street" co-production (winner of the 1998 Japan Prize). Josh Selig also writes a weekly blog for Kidscreen Magazine called "Planet Preschool" which can be read at www.kidscreen.com. For more information about Little Airplane Productions please visit www.littleairplane.com.

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 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 SproutSM, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China). For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.