Cartoon Network, Outblaze Align for New Asian Joint Venture

February 5, 2008 World Screen

LONDON,
February 5: Turner Entertainment
Holdings Asia Pacific has teamed up with online service platform Outblaze for a
new joint venture, Turnout Ventures (TurnOut), which will launch interactive
youth-targeted community networks in Asia customized around Cartoon Network’s
extensive library of brands and characters.

Outblaze will enhance Cartoon
Network’s portals in Asia to be more interactive and support user-generated
content. Services that Outblaze will provide include blogs, games, instant
messaging and a full suite of video creation, editing and sharing
capabilities—all of which will be tailored to the look and feel of
Cartoon Network. The joint venture aims to strengthen Turner’s digital and
online assets in the region.

In addition to the
community sites, other plans involve the development of online businesses in
the region (including China), such as multi-player games, licensing and
merchandising, educational products and other businesses that will leverage
Cartoon Network and acquired brands.

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"The continued growth
of broadband, mobile phones and other digital technologies has dramatically
changed the way in which people access and consume content,” said YewMing Lau,
the VP of business development for Turner International Asia Pacific. “With the
proven track record of Outblaze in creating successful web businesses, Turner
is well-positioned to break through the digital clutter, and offer our diverse
content in a branded environment familiar to our audience. Digital distribution
is the future and as an entertainment super brand, Cartoon Network’s strong
presence in the social networking space is necessary to keep our audience
engaged.”

With privately-held
offices in the U.S., the U.K. and Hong Kong, Outblaze operates the world’s
largest online service platform providing white label email, collaboration and
social media services to service providers, telecoms operators, corporations,
academia, media and publishing companies and portals.

—By Irene Lew