KidsCo, the international children's channel owned by leading media companies NBC Universal, Cookie Jar Group and Corus Entertainment Inc., today announces that it has secured a distribution agreement with Global Media Consult ("GMC") to represent the channel in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. GMC will market KidsCo content for video-on-demand ("VOD") and linear TV on cable and IPTV and will also act as distribution partner for direct-to-home ("DTH") satellite platforms.
Today's agreement enables leading KidsCo programming, including The Wiggles, New Adventures of Madeline, Paddington, Heathcliff and original KidsCo content including arts show and Jass Time!, to become increasingly available in the German speaking countries. KidsCo's strategic expansion into Western Europe follows recent agreements for the channel to air in France (Orange) and Portugal (Clix). The channel is already available in Germany via the second largest cable operator, Unitymedia and is also on air in Spain via Teuve.
KidsCo offers three programming zones of preschool, kids 6-10 and family, which have been designed to fit audience availability and lifestyle, and feature great animated and live action content plus movies which can be enjoyed by the whole family. Viewers around the world have already embraced KidsCo and recognise how it connects families by providing safe, trusted, age-appropriate and educational programming to kids everywhere. KidsCo only selects shows with strong educational values, enabling kids to learn through entertainment.
KidsCo Managing Director, Paul Robinson commented: "We are delighted that GMC is working with KidsCo and NBC Universal on the distribution of KidsCo in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. These territories are strategically important to us as we continue to roll-out the channel throughout Western Europe and beyond. We look forward to working with GMC and NBCU in expanding KidsCo's presence in this important market."
Christian Knaebel, General Manager and founder of Global Media Consult, said: "We are honoured to have been selected by KidsCo as their partner to represent the channel towards the German speaking TV operator and entertainment provider audiences. We shall continue extending the channel's distribution, clearly offering premium, safe and educational programming for kids, that parents can trust. This agreement strengthens our position as one of the preferred marketing and distribution consulting firms for broadcasters and platform operators across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. With our global network of experts and partners, our customers benefit from in-depth local market insights, translating into more reach, value and efficiency."
Global Media Consult is a specialized consulting firm supporting its media business clients to develop and grow their activities. GMC' expertise covers various fields of media consulting services such as strategy, corporate & business development, content and TV channel distribution and management, media infrastructure, and platform strategy as well as identification of executive personnel and content/channel development. Located in Cologne, Germany, Global Media Consult, serves renowned clients from the media sectors, including Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV, SABC News International, KBS World - and KidsCo.
About KidsCo KidsCo is the fourth global children's television network. Launched in September 2007, KidsCo is a joint venture channel owned by leading media companies NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment Inc (Nelvana) and Cookie Jar Group.
KidsCo's global distribution plan, launching linear, VOD, SVOD and IPTV channels has already seen the channel rolling out in prime territories around the world including Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine, the Middle East, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, Poland, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong and countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
KidsCo provides a safe environment for children, offering a library of gently educational and age appropriate programming. KidsCo's impressive catalogue includes animated and live-action television series and feature-length movies which are selected from leading media companies, including our shareholders - Cookie Jar Group and Corus' Nelvana - as well as other, pre-eminent, independent programming suppliers including the BBC, Sesame Workshop, Fireworks, Iconix, TV Loonland, Daro Film and Decode. KidsCo programming includes globally recognised brands such as The Wiggles, Inspector Gadget, Sabrina, Wallace & Gromit, S Club 7, Strawberry Shortcake, New Adventures of Madeline, Babar, Dennis the Menace, Franklin and Rolie Polie Olie.
About NBC Universal NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.
Cookie Jar Group The Cookie Jar Group is a Canada-based global children's entertainment and education company dedicated to excellence. Through Cookie Jar Entertainment, the company is a leader in the creation, production, marketing and licensing of evergreen character brands that appeal to kids and families worldwide. Cookie Jar Entertainment's library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes features some of the world's most recognizable brands, including "Strawberry Shortcake," "Caillou", "Inspector Gadget," "The Doodlebops," "Arthur" and "Johnny Test". The company owns non-character based brands for licensing such as Mommy & Me. Through its pan-European subsidiary, the full-service licensing agency Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Cookie Jar represents numerous third-party iconic brands. Cookie Jar Group also has a one-third interest in international children's television channel Kidsco. Cookie Jar Education, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of North America's largest providers of supplemental education materials, reaching nearly 2,000 teachers across the United States, through the Carson-Dellosa and HighReach Learning brands.
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
Today's agreement enables leading KidsCo programming, including The Wiggles, New Adventures of Madeline, Paddington, Heathcliff and original KidsCo content including arts show and Jass Time!, to become increasingly available in the German speaking countries. KidsCo's strategic expansion into Western Europe follows recent agreements for the channel to air in France (Orange) and Portugal (Clix). The channel is already available in Germany via the second largest cable operator, Unitymedia and is also on air in Spain via Teuve.
KidsCo offers three programming zones of preschool, kids 6-10 and family, which have been designed to fit audience availability and lifestyle, and feature great animated and live action content plus movies which can be enjoyed by the whole family. Viewers around the world have already embraced KidsCo and recognise how it connects families by providing safe, trusted, age-appropriate and educational programming to kids everywhere. KidsCo only selects shows with strong educational values, enabling kids to learn through entertainment.
KidsCo Managing Director, Paul Robinson commented: "We are delighted that GMC is working with KidsCo and NBC Universal on the distribution of KidsCo in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. These territories are strategically important to us as we continue to roll-out the channel throughout Western Europe and beyond. We look forward to working with GMC and NBCU in expanding KidsCo's presence in this important market."
Christian Knaebel, General Manager and founder of Global Media Consult, said: "We are honoured to have been selected by KidsCo as their partner to represent the channel towards the German speaking TV operator and entertainment provider audiences. We shall continue extending the channel's distribution, clearly offering premium, safe and educational programming for kids, that parents can trust. This agreement strengthens our position as one of the preferred marketing and distribution consulting firms for broadcasters and platform operators across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. With our global network of experts and partners, our customers benefit from in-depth local market insights, translating into more reach, value and efficiency."
Global Media Consult is a specialized consulting firm supporting its media business clients to develop and grow their activities. GMC' expertise covers various fields of media consulting services such as strategy, corporate & business development, content and TV channel distribution and management, media infrastructure, and platform strategy as well as identification of executive personnel and content/channel development. Located in Cologne, Germany, Global Media Consult, serves renowned clients from the media sectors, including Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV, SABC News International, KBS World - and KidsCo.
About KidsCo KidsCo is the fourth global children's television network. Launched in September 2007, KidsCo is a joint venture channel owned by leading media companies NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment Inc (Nelvana) and Cookie Jar Group.
KidsCo's global distribution plan, launching linear, VOD, SVOD and IPTV channels has already seen the channel rolling out in prime territories around the world including Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine, the Middle East, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, Poland, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong and countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
KidsCo provides a safe environment for children, offering a library of gently educational and age appropriate programming. KidsCo's impressive catalogue includes animated and live-action television series and feature-length movies which are selected from leading media companies, including our shareholders - Cookie Jar Group and Corus' Nelvana - as well as other, pre-eminent, independent programming suppliers including the BBC, Sesame Workshop, Fireworks, Iconix, TV Loonland, Daro Film and Decode. KidsCo programming includes globally recognised brands such as The Wiggles, Inspector Gadget, Sabrina, Wallace & Gromit, S Club 7, Strawberry Shortcake, New Adventures of Madeline, Babar, Dennis the Menace, Franklin and Rolie Polie Olie.
About NBC Universal NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.
Cookie Jar Group The Cookie Jar Group is a Canada-based global children's entertainment and education company dedicated to excellence. Through Cookie Jar Entertainment, the company is a leader in the creation, production, marketing and licensing of evergreen character brands that appeal to kids and families worldwide. Cookie Jar Entertainment's library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes features some of the world's most recognizable brands, including "Strawberry Shortcake," "Caillou", "Inspector Gadget," "The Doodlebops," "Arthur" and "Johnny Test". The company owns non-character based brands for licensing such as Mommy & Me. Through its pan-European subsidiary, the full-service licensing agency Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Cookie Jar represents numerous third-party iconic brands. Cookie Jar Group also has a one-third interest in international children's television channel Kidsco. Cookie Jar Education, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of North America's largest providers of supplemental education materials, reaching nearly 2,000 teachers across the United States, through the Carson-Dellosa and HighReach Learning brands.
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
