HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

Tune-In: HIT Entertainment Debuts New Slate Of Children's Programming This September On PBS Kids®

New CGI Angelina Ballerina™ Series, First Thomas & Friends™ CG-Animated Special and All-New Episodes of Barney™ Air This Fall

09/04/2009

NEW YORK, NY

HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, and WNET.ORG, present the launch of a slate of new children's programming airing this September on PBS KIDS. The new CG animated series, Angelina Ballerina™ The Next Steps, will premiere on September 5th (check local listings) exclusively on PBS KIDS, while the first-ever Thomas & Friends™ CG animated feature-length special, Hero of the Rails will air on PBS KIDS throughout the month of September, starting on September 8th, in conjunction with its release on DVD (Lionsgate). Barney & Friends™, a core series on PBS KIDS since 1992, introduces ten new episodes beginning September 7th (check local listings). In addition to the new episodes, PBS KIDS will debut the all-new special, "Barney Jungle Friends". This one-hour special will air throughout the month of September beginning on September 2nd (check local listings) in conjunction with its September release on DVD (Lionsgate).

Each show has something to engage every young child in the family:

• Inspired by the original best-selling children's book series by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps follows the now eight-year-old Angelina as she embarks on the next stage in her life at a performing arts school, Camembert Academy. This new series finds Angelina making new friends and experiencing various forms of music and dance including ballet, modern, tap, jazz, opera, ballroom, and hip hop, as well as ethnic music and dance from around the world. Each episode also includes Camembert's Shining Stars, a live-action interstitial featuring talented young performers who demonstrate their love of music and dance. The series was developed in consultation with a team of accredited choreographers and dance and music instructors, and it fully incorporates a curriculum for young children steeped in the performing arts.
• The Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails special will mark the debut of individual character voices for the engines on the Island of Sodor. For the first time, fans will hear the voice of Thomas and his friends, including three new characters who viewers will meet in Hero of the Rails. In this action-packed tale of friendship, determination and teamwork, Thomas discovers an abandoned and broken down engine named Hiro from an exciting far-away land. Fearing that he will be scrapped, Thomas enlists the help from many friends including Victor and Kevin (the newest engine friends). But mishaps, mistakes and one boastful engine could foil their plans for a heroic rescue. Can the team work together to help their new friend? Join the adventure and find out!
• Barney & Friends follows the theme of "Friends and Family Around the World," and in each episode, Barney and friends travel to various countries to experience having fun with new friends in different cultures. In addition to the new episodes, PBS KIDS will debut the all-new, one-hour special, "Barney Jungle Friends". Children will join Barney, BJ and Baby Bop as they laugh, dance and sing through an enchanted rainforest and learn about all of the amazing plants, animals and insects that call the rainforest their home in this one- of-a-kind musical Jungle adventure! As always, the series will address important qualities, such as sharing, caring, imagining, exploring, good manners, dancing and learning that are defining characteristics of the Barney experience.

About PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!
PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school kids, offer all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. With positive role models and content designed to nurture a child's total well-being, PBS's children's media and family and educator resources - including PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! television series, PBSKIDS.org, PBSKIDSGO.org, PBS Parents (PBSPARENTS.org), PBS Teachers (PBSTEACHERS.org), PBS KIDS Raising Readers and literacy events across the country - leverage the full spectrum of media, technology and community to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. Empowering children for success in school and in life, only PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. In September 2008, PBS KIDS GO! launched its video player (PBSKIDSGO.org/video), featuring hundreds of video clips and dozens of full-length episodes. Since launch, the site is averaging 1.3 million streams per week. PBSKIDS.org averages 9 million unique visitors a month. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 356 public television stations, serving more than 115 million people on-air and online each month. For more information on specific shows supporting literacy, science, math, and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom.

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.

About WNET.ORG
New York public media company WNET.ORG is a pioneering provider of television and web content. The parent of Thirteen, WLIW21, and Creative News Group, WNET.ORG brings such acclaimed broadcast series and websites as Worldfocus, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Visions, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, Wild Chronicles, Miffy and Friends, and Cyberchase to national and international audiences. Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET.ORG serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects. In all that it does, WNET.ORG pursues a single, overarching goal—to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America, and the world. For more information, visit www.wnet.org.

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