Chellomedia, HIT Entertainment to Launch New Preschool Channel

LONDON,
September 27: Liberty Global’s Chellomedia has formed a joint venture with HIT
Entertainment to launch and distribute the Italian preschool channel JimJam
internationally.

This
follows a separate deal in which Chellomedia had acquired JimJam, which is
currently available on SKY Italia. HIT Entertainment, along with Chellomedia’s
subsidiary Zonemedia, will launch and distribute JimJam globally.

The
launch of JimJam across cable and satellite platforms in Western and Eastern
Europe is scheduled for later this year, with the channel also scheduled to
roll out in Africa and the Middle East from the first quarter of 2008.
Additional roll out of JimJam worldwide, excluding the U.S. and the U.K., will
follow.

The
JimJam channel will include several properties from HIT Entertainment’s
portfolio, including Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Angelina Ballerina, Barney &
Friends,
and Pingu. The channel will also acquire high-quality preschool programming
from international distributors.

Shane
O’Neill, the president of Chellomedia, commented: “JimJam is synonymous with
the highest quality preschool entertainment and is an exciting addition to our
thematic TV portfolio of 23 channels. We already operate children’s channels in
Portugal and Central Europe which are leaders in their respective markets, and
this international channel clearly marks our commitment to this important
genre. A joint venture between one of the world’s most influential producers of
preschool children’s programming with a world-class portfolio of children’s
properties, and our own international channel management experience, backed by
Liberty Global, is a great combination and will produce exciting opportunities
in children’s programming.”