S4C Sells Fireman Sam Share to HIT

CARDIFF/LONDON, March 27: Welsh public-service broadcaster
S4C has sold its share in the preschool animation Fireman Sam, which it first launched in 1986, to the property’s
co-owners, HIT Entertainment.

As part of the deal, S4C will continue to broadcast existing
and new episodes and retains all Welsh-language rights. The channel will also
remain on board as executive producer for a new sixth season of Fireman Sam, due for delivery in spring 2008.

Iona Jones, S4C’s chief executive, noted, “This deal made
both commercial and strategic good sense and is in line with the channel’s
policy of reassigning program rights. Fireman Sam is an important part of our children’s schedule. The revenue from the
sale will enable us to progress other strategic aims, including the expansion
of our Welsh-language children’s services.”

Bruce Steinberg, the chief executive of HIT Entertainment,
added, “We are enormously proud of the rich heritage Fireman Sam holds in the Welsh and international markets. We are
excited about taking the series to the next level both creatively and
commercially and we look forward to working with S4C and our creative partners
on the new Fireman Sam episodes.”