Fireman Sam

Madeline Fretz - Fireman Sam was a Welsh show about a firefighter who lived in a town called Pontypandy, and would teach its young residents safety lessons. Since the show was produced and distributed by HiT Entertainment, a company which also served as one of Sprout's founders, it aired on the channel for some time.

Sprout described the show as:

"Fireman Sam and the Pontypandy Fire Brigade never seem to have a quiet day -- their services are always needed. Whether stuck on a high cliff-face or caught in a cave, the children of Pontypandy know help is close at hand -- thanks to the brave and resourceful Fireman Sam."

One of HiT Entertainment's finest, the show premiered on PBS Kids Sprout on Demand when it launched on Comcast on Demand in April 2005 (proof?), and was one of the shows advertised on the Sproutletsgrow.com TV schedule page. However, the show didn't premiere on the actual linear channel until a year later.

When Sprout was celebrating its first anniversary in 2006, it was announced that the channel would air stop-motion episodes of Fireman Sam and, to promote, release fire safety shorts starring real-life firefighter Dayna Hilton and her dalmatian Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog. Fireman Sam's Safety Special aired in October.

The show got its own Sprout Diner snack, Fireman Sam's Sloppy Fire Truck.

The show aired on Musical Mornings with Coo, The Sunny Side Up Show, Sprout's Wiggly Waffle, and The Super Sproutlet Show when they launched.

The CGI episodes premiered in September 2009, shortly after the second generation rebrand. It was Fire Prevention Week, and Firefighter Dayna made an appearance on The Sunny Side Up Show.

The show stopped airing on Sprout on May 11th, 2014, the same day The Sprout Sharing Show dissolved (new segments haven't aired in years) and a day before Lily's Driftwood Bay made its Sprout debut.

"Big Kid" Shows were too inappropriate for Sprout in 2005!

Madeline Fretz - One of the thing first generation Sprout fans like me (I was born in 2007, but became a Sprout fan and historian as time went by) know is that until at least December 2006, SproutOnline.com was called Sproutletsgrow.com. If you go on the "What's on TV?" page (for those who still have Flash, its icon is a television that shows pictures of characters from Sprout shows), you will see not only Sprout's original schedules, but a list of shows that aired on Sprout when it launched. (source)

A few shows on that list? (deep breath) Captain Zed and the Zee Zone, Dennis and Gnasher, Fly Tales, and Sheeep, mostly (or all?) owned by HiT Entertainment. The Three Friends and Jerry may have also aired, judging by a few sources (such as this one).

Apparently, a few of those shows had bad language and/or promoted bad behavior, so they were probably all removed a year later. However, a few shows aimed at preschoolers were also removed, such as Percy the Park Keeper and Brambly Hedge, which were a part of Summer Fun Fridays in 2008 and aired again for New Year's Day 2009 (source). As for the others (Archibald the Koala, Adventures of Captain Pugwash, and Seven Little Monsters), it is unknown what happened to them. These shows were probably exclusive to Sprout on Demand, as I see no sign of them on Sprout's schedules.

Earlier today, I wrote a post detailing HiT Entertainment's history with Sprout, and made a list of HiT's shows that aired on the channel. I mentioned a few shows that were only there at Sprout's launch, and a fan on YouTube requested I write about Dennis and Gnasher. I felt like these shows were crucial to Sprout's history, so they deserved to have a spot on this blog.

Click here to go too far on the Parents and Kids Share Together forum!

The History of HiT Entertainment and Sprout

 

Sprouting a Seed: The four companies that founded Sprout.

Madeline Fretz - For several decades, PBS was the home of several shows produced or distributed by HiT Entertainment (Henson International Television) - including Barney & Friends (originally from The Lyons Group and then Lyrick Studios, based on the Barney and the Backyard Gang video series), Thomas & Friends (based on Wilbert Awdry's Railway Series, came to the US as part of a series called Shining Time Station), Bob the Builder, and Angelina Ballerina (based on a series of children's books). These shows aired as part of PBS' PBS Kids block and 24-hour channel. The channel launched on September 6th, 1999, but didn't find success.

In October 2004, PBS and HiT, along with Sesame Workshop, whose shows PBS aired for decades, and Comcast Corporation, entered a partnership and announced the launch of a 24-hour preschool channel featuring shows from their archive libraries. Similarily, Sesame Workshop, formerly the Children's Television Workshop, helped Nickelodeon launch its educational cable channel NOGGIN in 1999. NOGGIN became Nick Jr. in 2009, but returned in streaming app form in 2015. Comcast announced the channel's name would be PBS Kids Sprout in 2005.

When PBS Kids Sprout launched on Comcast on Demand and as a cable channel in April and September 2005, respectively, it aired shows from PBS, Sesame, and HiT's archive libraries. Several shows from the HiT Entertainment included Barney & Friends, Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina, Kipper, Big Sister, Little Brother, Pingu, James the Cat, Fireman Sam, The Hoobs, Fifi and the Flowertots, PICMe, Frances, Roary the Racing Car, Rubbadubbers, and Monkey See Monkey Do. Some of these shows were exclusive to Sprout. The video you see above is full of HiT shows and shows you how many Sprout aired back in the day - Sesame Street and Make Way for Noddy being the exceptions.

HiT Entertainment also released a series of videos titled "HiT Favorites," which contained of themed episodes of the company's owned shows. In 2009, the Sprout Press Room announced that HiT and Sprout were partnering for a series of two videos titled "Let's Grow," after Sprout's original slogan. Lend a Helping Hand, which I wrote about on this blog, was released in 2010, while Safety First was released a year later in 2011.

As time went by, HiT Entertainment was acquired by the UK's Apax Funds, and sold its interest of Sprout to Comcast, shortly before the channel was fully acquired by NBCUniversal, which Comcast acquired itself in 2011. HiT was acquired by Mattel in America. Despite this, several of HiT's shows would continue to air on Sprout until 2015's 10th anniversary rebrand. However, HiT's seasons of Barney & Friends and Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build would air on Universal Kids for a period of time.

James the Cat

 

Madeline Fretz - James the Cat was a series about a cat named James who lives in a garden at a cornerhouse, who travels to distant lands and receives important visitors with his animal friends.

The series was distributed by HiT Entertainment, and one of their many programs that aired on Sprout during launch day. It aired during The Good Night Show.

It is unknown when the series left, though it may be in 2009.

My Week with 2008: Fifi and the Flowertots

 

Image from the Wayback Machine

On January 14th, 2008, Sprout premiered the HiT Entertainment show Fifi and the Flowertots. 

Sprout described the show as:

"Fifi lives in the magical garden world where Flowertots make every day an adventure as they care for their gardens, invent recipes, dance and sing songs."

The show aired during The Sunny Side Up Show and The Sprout Sharing Show.

A few themed recipes on Sproutonline.com included "Fifi's Fruit Flowertot," "Fifi's Party Punch," and "Fifi's Fruit Spread," which was basically a rehash of the Let's Go Show recipe "Hats Off to Chew."

The show stopped airing on the channel in 2012, although it remained on Sproutonline.com. However, I always remember the show. It was on the HiT "Jump Into Spring" DVD I watched a lot as a preschooler and I had a dream about it once, in which Fifi was sleeping in a bunk bed with a bunch of ducks.

My Week with 2008: Roary the Racing Car

 

Image from the Wayback Machine

In 2008, the HiT Entertainment show Roary the Racing Car premiered on Sprout. The show aired on The Let's Go Show and The Sunny Side Up Show.

Sprout described the series as:

"Roary the Racing Car follows the adventures of a young racing car who lives at the Silver Hatch racetrack. These stories explore Roary's relationships with his racing car friends and Big Chris, the karaoke loving mechanic."

Image from YouTube

This show probably premiered on September 26th, 2008, during Chica's Big Birthday Surprise, which makes sense because Sprout has premiered a lot of stuff on the 26th.

Like most Sprout shows, the show got a few themed crafts and recipes on Sproutonline.com, including "Roary's Racing Roll-Ups."

The show stopped airing on Sprout on July 7, 2012, which was also the day NBC Kids launched.

Rubbadubbers

 

Rubbadubbers was a British stop-motion show produced by HiT Entertainment about bath toys going on adventures when their owners aren't looking. The show originally aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. and its preschool cable channel NOGGIN (which now shares its name with the Nick Jr. block).

The show premiered on Sprout on September 21st, 2009, which was also the day Season 5 of The Good Night Show premiered and Sprout rebranded with new graphics.

It aired on Sprout until 2011, when Season 6 of The Good Night Show premiered, although it was on the new Sproutonline.com that year.

My Week with The Sprout Sharing Show: PICMe

 

Madeline Fretz - In Ireland, there was a show called PICMe in which viewers could insert their head onto an animated body and see themselves on TV. It was distributed worldwide by HiT Entertainment and aired on Nickelodeon in the UK.

The show came to Sprout when The Sprout Sharing Show launched on May 5, 2008. Viewers could put themselves on the show via Sproutonline.com as part of a section called "MYPICMe," which would also have a montage of clips featuring the kid and the characters, and would have a Christmas montage during the holidays. It also aired on The Sunny Side Up Show and was usually the last program to air during the block.

The show left Sprout in May 2011, and The Sharing Show was able to continue on without it.

My Week with The Sunny Side Up Show: Helping Out is Fun!

 

Madeline Fretz - Today I'm reviewing "Lend a Helping Hand," one of HiT Entertainment's compilation videos for kids released in 2010. Starring The Sunny Side Up Show's Kelly Vrooman and Chica, this piece was in a video duology called "Let's Grow," named after the first generation slogan, which also included another video called "Safety First."

The video teaches you about ways you can help people out through helping-themed episodes of HiT's Sprout shows (unlike SSU and The Good Night Show on TV, which focused on a different theme for the continuity links while the episodes aired were completely different from the theme), and at the end of each episode (complete with split-screen credits), Kelly hands them the Good Egg Awards. They even have the second generation SSU screenbug! Let's get started!

Kelly Vrooman starts the video by saying it's time to learn about helping hands. Chica asks what a helping hand is, and she explains that it's someone who's being kind by helping others. Chica gives ways of how you can be a helping hand. So…this is a second generation video judging by the release year and screenbug, but has the first generation logo on the computer screen? This was probably filmed between January and September 2009.

Now it's time for Barney & Friends, in which Riff invents a robot who picks up litter and learns about taking care of the earth.

Now, I don't like the show, but this episode teaches a pretty good lesson, which Kelly Vrooman explains during the split-screen credits and gives Riff the Good Egg Award.

Today's Barney episode was called "Litterbot," and Kelly Vrooman and Chica made their own Litterbot and explained to the viewers what he was made up of - such as paper plates and cardboard tubes. Chica asks what the green thing on his stomach was, and Kelly Vrooman explains that it is none other than the recycling sign and what it's there for.

In this video as well as "Safety First," they do stuff they regularly do on SSU - except for the viewer-submitted material. I feel that both videos were only made to promote Sprout to those who didn't have it, so people would get interested in the channel and ask for it right away. Man! They should've made more of those, not just SSU, but also ones of The Sprout Sharing Show, Sprout's Wiggly Waffle, and even The Let's Go Show!

The Good Night Show got a DVD in 2014 called "Goodnight Stories," released by NCircle, who also released DVDs of other Sprout shows.

 In today's Bob the Builder, Bob and the Can-Do Crew prepare for a grand opening and meet a street cleaner named Bristle, whose name rhymes with "whistle." The episode is called "Clean as a Whistle Bristle," so that kinda makes sense.

Cut back to the Sunshine Barn. Now that was a very special event, so Bob, you get the Good Egg Award! Riff, you’re not alone!

Kelly Vrooman and Chica also play Dress Chica using the costume carton as always. They dress Chica up as a train conductor. Chica doesn’t want to clean up, but Kelly explains that it's important to clean up after playing dress up.

This isn't really "Dress Chica," as they got to chose Chica's costume rather than having the viewers do it as always.

Chica was dressed as a train conductor, and speaking of trains, now we get to Thomas & Friends. Today, James the Red Engine learns about helping others.

Kelly Vrooman gives a brief explanation about the Thomas episode, and hands James the Good Egg Award.

She and Chica then draw a firetruck during Draw With Chica, leading to Fireman Sam, since he drives firetrucks.

In today's Fireman Sam episode, it's Cleaning Day in Pontypandy and Sam saves Mike's house from a fire started by his iron.

Fireman Sam is always a hero. Kelly Vrooman and Chica present him with the Good Egg Award.

Chica is dressed in a tutu and wants to do ballet, so with help from the viewers, Kelly Vrooman helps her reach up to the sky … and we see Chica's feet!

It's interesting that in this video, the links relate to the shows coming up next, which I believe they rarely did on the blocks on TV.

It's always a thrill when we see Chica's feet. I wonder how they did that. Well, puppet magic!

Since Chica learned ballet, it's time to see everyone's favorite ballerina … Angelina Mouseling! In today's Angelina Ballerina, Angelina helps a character I've never heard of named Mary.

Kelly Vrooman explains what happened in today's episode of Angelina Ballerina, so she presents our rodent hero with the Good Egg Award. She then explains who we gave Good Egg Awards to today.

On TV, they present kids who submitted kind acts online with the Good Egg Award. Here, they present characters with the Good Egg Award. 

And at the end of the DVD: How can you print out your own Good Egg Award? By going to Sproutonline.com of course! Or nowadays, you can go to broken archives on the Wayback Machine. Man, great DVD! Great linking footage. Great everything! Except maybe Barney. Overall, a great video.

Revisiting the Sprout Press Room

 

The Flash movie is going away at the end of the month, so I decided now is a perfect time to archive the Sprout press room articles!

Let's start with a fact sheet:

Name:   

PBS KIDS Sprout SM  

Description:  

First 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand
and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers

Launch Dates: 

• April 2005 – video on demand (VOD) 
• Sept 2005 – 24-hr preschool channel & website (SproutOnline.com) 

 
Partners:  

Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS, Sesame Workshop

Key Programs: 

Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, 
Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The 
Berenstain Bears™,   Fifi and the Flowertots™, Roary The Racing Car™,
The Wiggles®, dirtgirlworld

Original Programs: 

Sprout's Wiggly Waffle – every weekday morning 6-9a ET
The Sunny Side Up Show w/hosts Kelly, Sean, Dennisha, and Liz – everyday 9a – noon ET
The Sprout Sharing Show – every weekday afternoon 3-6p ET 
The Good Night Show w/ host Nina – every night 6-9p ET
 Noodle and Doodle w/ hosts Sean and Noodle - every weekend at 9:00am and 11:30am ET

VOD:   

60 hours of VOD programming each month, including 10-15 hours of Spanish-language programming

Spanish-language VOD Titles:

Plaza Sesamo®, Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™, Angelina
Ballerina™, Olly El Submarino™

VOD Orders: 

With over half a billion orders to date, Sprout is the #1 Kids On Demand service for younger children

Sample Advertisers: 

Huggies, Pull-Ups, Geico, Johnson & Johnson, Honda, SeaWorld, Mattel/Fisher Price, Leapfrog, Dannon

Distributors: 

Comcast, Cox Communications, DirecTV, Insight, RCN, Time Warner, Verizon, AT&T, Charter, Mediacom and Brighthouse Networks

Households:  

50 million

Channel Number: 

Usually channel 128 on Comcast Digital and channel 295 on DirecTV.  Check local listings.

2006

PBS KIDS SPROUT℠ LAUNCHES THIRD SEASON OF “THE GOOD NIGHT SHOW” 

New Season Features New Host, Extended Craft Segments, Kid’s Yoga, Spanish and Sign Language for Preschool Audience 

Philadelphia, PA – December 18, 2006 – PBS KIDS Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, launches the third season of its signature original program The Good Night Show tonight at 6:00 p.m. ET. 

The Good Night Show, which was created as a tool to help parents wind down their children after a busy day, airs each night from 6-9 p.m. ET and repeats from 9-midnight for families in different time zones.  “Good Night Guide” Nina plays games, sings songs, makes crafts, does kid’s yoga, reads stories and teaches words in Spanish and sign language along with her Sprout friends: Star, the loveable and lively star-shaped puppet; Lucy, an enchanting puppet firefly; Leo, the gardener; and Hush the goldfish.  Nina and her friends also introduce episodes of Sprout viewer favorites such as Dragon Tales™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Bob The Builder™.

“Parents have told us that bedtime for their children is one of the most challenging times of the day, so we developed The Good Night Show to help them wind down and get ready for bed,” said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming, PBS KIDS Sprout.  “‘Good Night Guide’ Nina helps parents establish a bedtime routine for their children, which many experts agree is important.”

“Rituals add order, structure and balance to kids’ lives,” said Dr. Renee Cherow-O’Leary, a professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College and president of Education for the 21st Century.  “Children look forward to routines and feel secure as they engage in them.  Bedtime is the perfect time to establish rituals that strengthen family bonds and offer comfort at the end of the child’s active day.”  

Providing parents with a resource to learn more about the crafts, yoga and sign language that they see each night with their children on The Good Night Show, Sprout’s new microsite – available on www.sproutonline.com – features video clips, detailed instructions, games and more.  Additionally, preschoolers and their parents can view the stories read by “Good Night Guide” Nina on air, create new stories together, listen to the show’s songs and play games like “Where Do Animals Sleep?” and “The Moon Beam Wheel,” based upon The Good Night Show activities. 

High-resolution photos of “Good Night Guide” Nina and all her Sprout friends are available in the media gallery at http://www.fishwithfeet.com/index-4.html      

About Sprout
PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, the country’s leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services; HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality entertainment for young children; PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), the most trusted distributor of award-winning children’s programming; and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street.

Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, PBS KIDS Sprout has become the #1 Kids On Demand service, generating over 100 million orders since launch.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (www.sproutletsgrow.com), is available on digital cable and satellite to almost 20 million committed subscribers.  The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Sagwa: The Chinese Siamese Cat™,  Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane™, Teletubbies™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks™,  and more.

###

 

CONTACT:
Jenni Glenn     
PBS KIDS Sprout    
215-667-2703     
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

2008

SPROUT® SET TO DEBUT PAJANIMALS, AN EXCLUSIVE NEW MUSICAL SERIES FROM THE JIM HENSON COMPANY AND 4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT

Making its world television premiere on Sprout on Sunday, November 2, 2008, Pajanimals entertains and comforts preschool viewers with original, bedtime-themed songs

Philadelphia, PA, Hollywood, CA and New York, NY - October 6, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, will debut Pajanimals, the newest group of puppet characters from The Jim Henson Company, Sunday, November 2, 2008 during Sprout's signature nighttime block, The Good Night Show. The exclusive, short-form, live-action musical series produced by The Jim Henson Company and 4Kids Entertainment (the property's licensing agent) and commissioned by Sprout, features four soft, cuddly puppets created by LA-based artist Jeff Muncy (Pet Alien) and designed and built by the world-famous Jim Henson's Creature Shop™. Pajanimals entertains and comforts preschool viewers with original, bedtime-themed songs that focus on typical issues such as sleeping through the night and being comfortable with the lights out.

Pajanimals features Sweetpea Sue, a shy, smart pony who never forgets her bedtime routine of brushing her teeth, washing her face and putting on her PJs; Squacky, an excitable duck who sometimes has a hard time settling down at night; Cow Bella, a creative, well-mannered cow with an Italian accent who encourages the rest of the bunch to "do the right thing" around bedtime; and Apollo, an upbeat, optimistic puppy who loves space adventures but experiences separation anxiety.

The Jim Henson Company's co-CEOs Brian Henson and Lisa Henson, as well as Halle Stanford, the Company's senior vice president of children's entertainment, executive produced the project with Muncy and Alex Rockwell (Bear in the Big Blue House). Music is from Michael and Patty Silversher (Winnie the Pooh, Animal Jam) with lyrics from Rockwell and Judy Rothman (Strawberry Shortcake). Pediatric sleep specialists, family therapists and coauthors of The Sleepeasy Solution, Jill Spivack, LCSW and Jennifer Waldburger, LCSW are the content consultants on the show, lending their expertise to the bedtime themes and song lyrics which cover topics such as encouraging preschoolers to stay in bed, dealing with nightmares, and missing your parents at night.

"Every parent knows that bedtime battles are no fun for anyone and it is our hope that Pajanimals will help our young audience transition from daytime into a peaceful evening routine," said Lisa Henson. "Sprout is an established destination for preschoolers and their adult co-viewers and is an ideal home for these new characters."

"Parents have told us that bedtime is one of the most challenging times of the day," said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming at Sprout. "In response, we created our signature nighttime block, The Good Night Show, which helps parents wind down their kids after a busy day… and Pajanimals is the perfect addition to that block. The sweet, loveable characters and instantly contagious songs are sure to resonate with both preschoolers and parents alike."

"We are delighted to mark our first production and licensing partnership with The Jim Henson Company on such an engaging property," said Alfred R. Kahn, chairman and CEO, 4Kids Entertainment. "Pajanimals is poised to become a compelling and vibrant brand for parents and preschoolers, as well as retailers and promotional partners."

In addition to Pajanimals airing as a short-form musical series on the Sprout linear channel, five 10-minute segments featuring professional, practical sleep advice from Spivack and Waldburger will be available for parents and caregivers of preschoolers on Sprout On Demand.

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, visit SproutOnline.com. To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.866.9.SPROUT.

High-resolution images are available in the media gallery at: http://www.fishwithfeet.com/mediagallery.htm

About Sprout®

PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop. Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over 450 million orders. The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming. Currently, Sprout is available in 44 million unique households.

The network's program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children's shows includes: Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane®, Teletubbies™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and computer graphics. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets (the rights to which are now owned by The Walt Disney Company), Henson is the recipient of over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Credits include the Saturn Award-winning "Farscape" and the features "MirrorMask," "Five Children and It", "Good Boy!" and the recently released direct to DVD feature "Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby". With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state of the art and vintage equipment. The Company is currently in production on 40 episodes of "Sid the Science Kid," a new science readiness animated series for preschoolers scheduled to debut on PBS KIDS in September 2008, and recently launched "Puppet Up! – Uncensored," a live puppet improvisational show that has played to sold out crowds around the world and premiered as a special on TBS. The Company has also announced the creation of Jim Henson Designs, a merchandise collection inspired by Jim Henson's earliest sketches. http://www.henson.com

About 4Kids Entertainment

With U.S. headquarters in New York City, regional offices for its trading card business in San Diego, California and international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global organization devoted to the creation, development, production, broadcasting, distribution, licensing and manufacturing of children's entertainment products.

Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, 4Kids produces animated television series and films, distributes 4Kids' produced or licensed animated television series for the domestic and international television and home video markets, licenses merchandising rights worldwide to 4Kids' owned or represented properties, and operates Web sites to support 4Kids' owned or represented properties. Through its majority owned trading card company and website company, 4Kids produces and markets collectible trading card games. Additionally, the Company programs and sells the national advertising time in a four-hour 4KidsTV block which airs on nearly 200 affiliated FOX television stations Saturday mornings as well as the national advertising time in TheCW4Kids five-hour Saturday morning block on The CW Television Network.

Additional information is available on the www.4kidsentertainment.com corporate web site and at the www.4kids.tv game station site.

Press Contacts:

Jenni Glenn
PBS KIDS Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com 
 

Nicole Goldman
The Jim Henson Company
323-802-1608
ngoldman@henson.com

Barry Stagg
4Kids Entertainment
646-822-4257
bstagg@4kidsent.com

SPROUT® CELEBRATES HALLOWEEN WITH SPOOKTACULAR GOOD NIGHT TREAT 

The Good Night Show™’s Nina and Star to host Halloween special Friday night, October 31 from 6-9 p.m. ET 

Philadelphia, PA – October 13, 2008 – PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first and only 24-hour preschool  destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, will feature a special Halloween-themed presentation of The Good Night Show called “A Good Night Treat” from 6-9 p.m. ET on Friday, October 31.  Hosts Nina and Star will play dress up games, share viewer-submitted artwork and costume photos, read fun Halloween stories, and help parents wind down their kids for bedtime after a day filled with Halloween excitement.  Plus, viewers will enjoy playfully spooky episodes of their favorite shows such as Caillou®, Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™  and Angelina Ballerina™. 

Additionally, all month long Sprout is hosting the “Sprouterrific Halloween Costume Contest.” Parents can upload a photo of their child dressed in his or her latest homemade costume creation – maybe even featuring a favorite Sprout character – at SproutOnline.com.  Every morning, Monday through Friday, through October 31, a new child will be chosen to receive a Sprout gift basket and his or her photo will be shown live during The Sunny Side Up Show (between 11:30 a.m. and noon ET).  Weekday winners are chosen based upon creativity and originality.  The contest is open to preschoolers only. 

For official contest rules, or additional information on Sprout programs and schedules, please visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.866.9.SPROUT.

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over 450 million orders.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 44 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane®, Teletubbies™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

###

CONTACT:
Jenni Glenn
PBS KIDS Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

SPROUT® TOPS BETA RESEARCH LIST FOR THIRD YEAR IN A ROW

Ranks #1 in satisfaction among all digital cable networks evaluated and receives highest satisfaction scores among female viewers 

Philadelphia, PA – October 15, 2008 – PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, has received highest honors for the third year in a row in the latest Beta Research satisfaction study released today. 

Among all viewers, Sprout had the highest mean score in satisfaction among the 41 networks evaluated (3.6 out of 4, tied with History International, Music Choice and TV One).  Sixty-five percent of respondents ages 18+ who indicated they are Sprout viewers were “very satisfied” with the network, ranking Sprout higher in satisfaction than any other kids network evaluated.  In this same category, Sprout was also #1 among female viewers (75% very satisfied).   

Among all viewers ages 18+, 71% said that Sprout was important to their enjoyment of cable, more than any other kids network evaluated; and among viewers with children under 12 years old in the household, 81% said Sprout was important to their enjoyment of cable, more than any other kids network evaluated. 

The study, which was designed to measure awareness, viewer satisfaction and perceived viewing and importance of digital basic networks, was conducted during July 2008 among a national sample of digital cable subscribers.  A total of 1,957 online questionnaires were completed.  The study included digital basic networks carried by most of the cable systems surveyed.

Beta Research Corporation, founded in 1970, has emerged as one of the premier market research companies in the United States, offering custom and syndicated research services to a wide range of business sectors.   

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over 450 million orders.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 44 million unique households. 
 

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane®, Teletubbies™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

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CONTACT:
Jenni Glenn
PBS KIDS Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

SPROUT® SLEEPS THROUGH CHRISTMAS EVE WITH NON-STOP “SNOOZE-A-THON” 

Popular preschool channel’s answer to the televised “Yule Log” airs uninterrupted for 11 hours beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 24 

Philadelphia, PA – December 8, 2008 – Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, is offering a unique solution this Christmas Eve for parents trying to get their little ones settled down and ready for bed. 

From 6:00 p.m. ET on December 24 straight through to 5:00 a.m. ET Christmas morning, Sprout will air the “Snooze-A-Thon,” an 11-hour, uninterrupted block showcasing popular nighttime host Nina and her puppet sidekick Star from The Good Night Show® snoozing comfortably on the set, along with clips of beloved characters from preschool favorites like Sesame Street®, Dragon Tales™, The Hoobs™, Pingu™ and Berenstain Bears™ catching some zzz’s.  So, no matter what time of night the kids are up checking for the sound of reindeer hooves on the roof, parents can tune into Sprout to show them that even their favorite television friends are fast asleep waiting for Santa to arrive.

“Parents have told us that bedtime is the most challenging time of day, and getting children settled in on Christmas Eve can be even more difficult,” said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming for Sprout.  “We help parents wind down their kids every night with The Good Night Show, but wanted to do something unique and fun for this special evening.” 

For additional information and programming schedules visit SproutOnline.com or to find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.866.9.SPROUT.

About Sprout
PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop. Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views. The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming. Currently, Sprout is available in 44 million unique households.

The network's program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children's shows includes: Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

CONTACT:
Jenni Glenn     
Sprout    
215-286-2703     
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

2009

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S MAMA MIRABELLE BRINGS HER HOME MOVIES TO SPROUT® SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, BEGINNING JANUARY 26

Animated Preschool Series Starring Vanessa Williams as Mama Mirabelle 

Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC – January 21, 2009 – PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, will debut the award-winning preschool series from National Geographic Kids Entertainment, Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies, on Monday, January 26 at 3:15 p.m. ET, as part of its popular afternoon block, The Sprout Sharing Show. 

Starring Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) as the voice of Mama, this warm-hearted, high-spirited show about a sassy, soulful elephant host and the young animal characters for which she cares on the African savanna, combines an animated world that preschoolers will want to explore with stunning wildlife movies from the National Geographic and BBC archives.

Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies features a cast of animated baby animal characters, including Mama’s inquisitive elephant calf, Max; a know-it-all cheetah named Bo; a sweet zebra named Karla; and three rambunctious monkey brothers, Kip, Flip and Chip. The animals might not look like they have much in common on the outside, but on the inside they all share a curiosity about themselves and the world they live in.

In each episode, the animals gather around the maternal Mama Mirabelle to watch home videos of themselves and other amazing creatures of the natural world. Whatever the young animals want to know – whether it’s why they need to sleep at night, why they can’t go to the watering hole by themselves, or when it’s okay to trumpet at full blast – Mama helps them find answers by showing them footage from the amazing collection of wildlife movies she has gathered along her travels.

Using live-action footage from the National Geographic and BBC archives, the show illuminates the real world for preschoolers, helps them to find their place in it and provides insight into animal customs and behaviors. The series also features original African and world-inspired music, including songs performed by Vanessa Williams.

Games and coloring pages for Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies will be available at SproutOnline.com.  Mama Mirabelle-themed soft-cover books and other related products are also available at retail stores nationwide and at www.shop.nationalgeographic.com

Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies is a co-production of National Geographic Kids Entertainment (NGKE), BBC/CBeebies and King Rollo Films.

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.866.9.SPROUT.

High-resolution images are available in the media gallery at http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/mama_mirabelle(username: press, password: press).

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 45 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

About National Geographic Kids Entertainment
National Geographic Kids Entertainment is an independent production and U.S. distribution entity of of National Geographic Ventures. Established in 2003, NGKE brings the renowned National Geographic brand to children’s entertainment through the development, production and distribution of quality animated and live-action, entertainment-driven programming that excites kids to explore their world. NGKE will work with all major broadcast outlets in the United States and abroad. For more information about National Geographic, visit www.nationalgeographic.com

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Press Contacts:
Jenni Glenn    
Sprout      
215-286-2703      
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

Elizabeth Nickless
National Geographic
202-775-6163   
enickles@ngs.org

SPROUT® CELEBRATES SUPER-DEE-DUPER VALENTINE’S DAY WITH BARNEY™ THE DINOSAUR 

Barney to appear live on The Sunny Side Up Show Friday, February 13 from 9a-noon ET and in special taped segments to air Saturday, February 14 

Philadelphia, PA– February 3, 2009 – Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, is celebrating Valentine’s Day in a BIG way with everyone’s favorite purple dinosaur, Barney™.  On Friday, February 13 from 9 a.m. to noon ET, Barney will join Sunny Side Up Show hosts Sean and Chica live in the Sunshine Barn for “Sprout’s Super-Dee-Duper Valentine Party” where they will take viewer calls, sing songs, play games and read special Valentine’s Day wishes sent in from preschoolers all over the country.  He will also be taping special segments later that afternoon to air during a special Saturday morning presentation of The Sunny Side Up Show on February 14 from 9 a.m. to noon ET. 

From now through February 13, preschoolers and their parents are invited to visit SproutOnline.com where they can make their own Valentine’s Day cards, crafts and send in messages telling their friends and family how much they love them.  Sprout will be airing viewer-submitted messages throughout Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14, within a special on-air crawl. 

Additionally, parents can enter Sprout’s “We ? Your Videos Contest” online at SproutOnline.com for a chance to win a trip for four to see a local performance of Thomas & Friends™ LIVE! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town, as well as a Sprouterrific gift basket, including the new Thomas & Friends DVD, Railway Friends.  All parents need to do is upload a video of their child doing what they love to do, whether that’s blowing bubbles, singing, dancing or whatever their hearts desire.  Daily winners will be announced every day on Sprout between 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. ET from Monday, March 2 through Thursday, March 5 and their video will be shown on-air.  The grand prize winner will be revealed on Friday, March 6 during that same time frame. 

Go to SproutOnline.com for more information and official contest rules. To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.866.9.SPROUT.  Media should visit SproutPR.com for additional network information, downloadable logos and photos.

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 45 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

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Press Contact:
Jenni Glenn    
Sprout     
215-286-2703    
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

SPROUT® TEAMS WITH THE STUDIO AT NEW WAVE ENTERTAINMENT TO MARKET IPHONE APPS FOR PRESCHOOLERS ON THE GO

Burbank, CA (February 6, 2009) PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand, and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, has set a mobile marketplace precedent with iPhone applications for preschoolers on the go. Two new free apps will be available this month. Designed by The Studio at New Wave Entertainment, the apps enable kids and their parents to stream Sprout podcasts, play an interactive game, and view a programming schedule with clips; all through a branded player.

 The Sprout Player scheduled to launch later this month is a branded video player application that streams podcasts of 3-4 minute Sprout shows currently available on Apple's iTunes store. Designed for the preschooler on the go, video player offers simple audio instructions voiced by Kelly Vrooman, one of the hosts of Sprout's “Sunny Side Up Show,” television’s only live show for preschoolers, airing every weekday morning from 9 a.m. to noon. The Player also includes a promotional area where parents can view Sprout's programming schedule and click on promotional clips for upcoming events. The Player is managed on the client end via an asset management system that allows for easy uploading of videos, promos, or graphic assets. 

 The “Dress Chica” game, which launched in late January, is an extension of a popular online game currently featured on their website at SproutOnline.com. The iPhone app takes the game to the next level allowing children to touch and drag dress up items onto Chica, shake the phone to make her dance, save their picture, add a greeting, e-mail it to friends and family, and even submit it to Sprout where it might be shown on national television during the “Sunny Side Up Show.” Both apps are free and are promoted on SproutOnline.com.

 Jennifer Molod, Senior Director of Digital Media at Sprout said, "The objective of the iPhone launch is to create awareness for the Sprout brand and to expand Sprout's presence in the marketplace. Our goal is to be everywhere for moms and preschoolers whenever they need us, whether that’s on television, online or when they are in the car going to the supermarket." 

"It was great to collaborate with the Sprout team," says Scott Williams, VP Creative Director of the Studio at New Wave Entertainment. We were able to take their existing assets and extend them into this new space by adding features that helped elevate the user experience and also make a nice showpiece to generate brand awareness for Sprout." 

To access New Wave Entertainment’s site to view the stills and video of the applications go to https://www.nwetransfer.com and log in using STUDIOPR as the username and RELEASES02 as the password.

 About Sprout

PBS KIDS SproutSM, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand, and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop. Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views. The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming. Currently, Sprout is available in 45 million unique households.

 The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes: Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Make Way For Noddy™, The Hoobs™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

 The Studio at New Wave Entertainment is the industry’s leading force in creative marketing, main title and broadcast design, DVD/BD menu design, and interactive content development. For further information regarding The Studio, please contact Kelley Max at 818-955-5276 or visit www.studio-nwe.com.

2010

SPROUT® CELEBRATES VALENTINE’S DAY WITH EXCLUSIVE DINO-MITE EVENT FEATURING PRESCHOOL’S MOST POPULAR DINOSAURS 

Everyone’s favorite purple dinosaur Barney® and Dorothy the Dinosaur, the most beloved character from The Wiggles, join together for the first time ever during “Sprout’s Dino-Mite Valentine’s Sing-A-Long,” airing Sunday 2/14, noon–3pm ET

Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with an event of “preschool-historic” proportion.  Airing on Sunday afternoon, February 14 from noon – 3:00 p.m. ET, “Sprout’s Dino-Mite Valentine’s Sing-A-Long” featuring Barney and Dorothy the Dinosaur, marks the dynamic dinos’ first appearance together as they sing songs about love and friendship, showcase special themed crafts, and share Valentine’s Day messages sent in from viewers all over the country.

The three-hour block will feature popular Barney songs such as the classic “I Love You” and the instantly catchy “Dino Dance,” which were re-recorded as duets with both Barney and Dorothy for this special event.  Sprout viewers will also enjoy select, friendship-themed episodes culled from both dinos’ respective series catalogs. 

“It’s rare to have two preschool icons such as Barney and Dorothy appearing together on-air,” said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president, programming, Sprout.  “We are thrilled that HIT Entertainment and The Wiggles worked together with us on this event so that we could bring our audience something new and extra-special this Valentine’s Day.  It’s going to be ‘dino-mite’!”  

”Visiting Sprout and spending time with Sproutlets is one of my favorite things to do, and everything’s better with friends, so this is sure to be a tee-rific event,” said Barney.  “I am so excited to sing songs, play games and celebrate one of my favorite holidays – Valentine’s Day –with my good friend Dorothy, whom I haven’t seen in eras!”

Dorothy the Dinosaur will return to the United States this summer with her good friends and premiere children’s entertainers, The Wiggles, on a brand new musical adventure. You can also find her on the big screen this March in The Wiggles – Big Big Show In The Round, the first ever live concert movie made for preschoolers, which will be playing in select theatres across the nation. For complete details, please visit www.thewiggles.com.  Additionally, Sprout will debut the Dorothy the Dinosaur series on Sprout On Demand on March 12.  
 
Children can enjoy more fun with Barney™ when Barney: Egg-Cellent Adventures springs onto DVD March 2, 2010 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. Baskets full of egg-citement abound when Mother Goose, a nest full of eggs, and a mysterious, carrot-eating visitor bring super-Dino adventures to the whole family.

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 48 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Make Way For Noddy™, Fireman Sam™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

About HIT Entertainment 
HIT Entertainment 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, 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 The Wiggles
The Wiggles, the world’s #1 preschool entertainers, performed over 300 shows to more than 1.5 million fans since 2005 in the United States alone.  The Wiggles perform over 200 shows annually across four continents.  The Wiggles are seen on TV in over 110 countries worldwide.  Fans are able to catch The Wiggles on television exclusively in the U.S. on the 24-hour preschool network Sprout . Now in their nineteenth year, The Wiggles have sold more than 22.5 million videos and 7 million CDs in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

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Press Contacts:
Jenni Glenn
Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com 

SPROUT® DIGS INTO EARTH DAY WITH EXCLUSIVE U.S. LAUNCH OF NEW SERIES, DIRTGIRLWORLD, THE FIRST GREEN LIVING SERIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS 

Produced by DHX Media’s DECODE, in partnership with mememe productions, dirtgirlworld will debut exclusively on Sprout with a three-hour marathon from noon-3 p.m. ET on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22 

Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, and DECODE Enterprises, the distribution subsidiary of DHX Media, announce the exclusive U.S. launch of dirtgirlworld, the first green living series for preschoolers.  “Sprout’s Dig Into Earth Day with dirtgirlworld” marathon will air on Sprout from noon – 3 p.m. ET on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22.  The three-hour block will feature select episodes of this contemporary, vibrant, eco-friendly new series that was designed to introduce preschoolers to the joys of outdoor play and sustainable, green living.  Games, crafts and environmentally-friends tips for parents of preschoolers will be available on SproutOnline.com.  After its Earth Day debut, dirtgirlworld will continue to air on Sprout in its new daily timeslot at 4:50 p.m. ET.    

dirtgirlworld was created by writer/producer Cate McQuillen and composer/writer Hewey Eustace, who developed the series from their idyllic home near the “rainbow country” of northern New South Wales in Australia.  This music-centric series features a distinctive blend of live action and animation with photomontage and illustration that takes the audience to a world where the real and unreal collide.  dirtgirlworld shares an environmental message, explores the natural world and invites the audience to “go get grubby” with dirtgirl, a gumboot-wearing girl who grows awesome tomatoes, knows clouds’ names and drives a big orange tractor. 

Helping dirtgirl is a wildly original cast of characters – her best friend scrapboy, who lives next door and is a whiz with junk; grubby, with her grub’s eye view; ken the weevil, a super stunt star with an inferiority complex; roger the rooster and the chicks; hayman the monosyllabic scarecrow; and the green thumbs – real kids in real gardens having unreal fun.

“We are thrilled to be bringing this truly unique, exciting new series to preschoolers here in the U.S.,” said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming for Sprout.  “With its intriguing live-action/animation mix, instantly catchy rock songs and engaging preschool curriculum, dirtgirlworld is sure to be a hit with both preschoolers and their parents.”

“Sprout is an ideal home for dirtgirlworld and we’re confident she’ll prove very popular on this U.S. platform,” said Josh Scherba, senior vice president of distribution of DECODE Enterprises.  “This is a unique show with fun, vibrant visuals and a cool, contemporary eco-heroine who fits the zeitgeist perfectly.”

“Bringing dirtgirlworld to the U.S. is just amazing for us,” said McQuillen.  “We know that Sprout cares about kids and we wanted a home for dirtgirlworld that cared about kids.  We can’t think of anywhere better for us to be.”

She continued, “Sprout genuinely understands the qualities that makes this series so special and they share our vision that children’s television can change the world and be entertaining at the same time.”

dirtgirlworld began life as a music album.  It won the 2002 Dolphin Awards’ Album of the Year and was nominated for an ARIA (Australia Record Industry Award) in 2003.  Cate and Hewey’s dream, however, was to adapt the concept for multiple platforms.  Television quickly became a reality after they won pitching competitions locally, then at the Screen Producers Association of Australia annual conference and at Kidscreen in New York.  dirtgirlworld also airs on CBeebies in the U.K., on CBC Canada and ABC Australia.

The dirtgirlworld team is committed to pursuing the best possible environmental business practices to reduce dirtgirlworld’s eco-footprint.  A percentage of production costs have already been reserved to establish the dirtgirlworld foundation, which will be added to partners’ carbon offsetting contributions to fund local projects that support children to live more environmentally sustainable lives. 

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, generating over half a billion views.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 49 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Make Way For Noddy™, Fireman Sam™, Fifi and the Flowertots™ and more.

About DECODE Enterprises, a DHX Media Company
DECODE Enterprises is the distribution subsidiary of DHX Media Ltd. It handles programme sales for third party producers and for DHX subsidiaries DECODE Entertainment, Halifax Film and Studio B, which are leading international producers of television programming and interactive content with an emphasis on children, family and youth markets.   DHX Media Ltd. shares trade on the TSX in Toronto.

About mememe productions pty ltd
mememe productions is a rurally based production company on the beautiful North Coast of NSW in Australia. They are a small, passionate team who endeavors to produce meaningful television, community building digital media experiences and cool music with positive messages for kids. 
 
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Press Contacts:
Jenni Glenn      
Sprout     
215-286-2703    
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com  

Anthony Jiwa
DECODE Enterprises
604-684-2363
anthony@decode-ent.com

Aimee Nortman    
Blueprint PR    
aimee@blueprintpr.co.uk 

Tracey Mair
TM Publicity - Australia  
traceym@tmpublicity.c

24-HOUR PRESCHOOL TELEVISION CHANNEL SPROUT® TO LAUNCH IN HD 

Dedicated channel to feature all of preschool’s most trusted and loved shows in high-definition

Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, is set to launch its own separate, high-definition, 24-hour Sprout HD channel in September 2010.

Sprout HD will simulcast with its standard-definition channel, allowing parents and kids to get up close and personal with all of their favorite characters from Sprout’s gold-standard, trusted programming like Sesame Street®, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Caillou® and more.  Sprout has also been shooting several of its original programs, such as the popular The Good Night Show® with Nina and Star, in high-definition.  Additionally, the network has also been looking to acquire new shows in HD.  
 
“As we approach the five-year anniversary of our network, and children’s content continues to become increasingly more available in HD, it was the right time for Sprout to launch a dedicated 24-hour HD channel,” said Sandy Wax, president of Sprout.  “We pride ourselves on being a truly interactive network that parents and kids share together, so we are thrilled to be able to deliver the best in preschool entertainment to families in the highest quality format available.” 

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

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About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, and is on track to reach one billion orders in 2010.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 50 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Make Way For Noddy™, Fireman Sam™, Fifi and the Flowertots™, dirtgirlworld and more.

Press Contact:
Jenni Glenn                                                                                           
Sprout                                                                    
215-286-2703                                                      
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com       

SPROUT® CELEBRATES THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE™’S BIRTHDAY LIVE ON THE SUNNY SIDE UP SHOW ON FRIDAY, JUNE 4 FROM 9-NOON ET 

Sprout’s New Online Birthday Party Center to Feature Thomas Birthday Party Ideas, Activities, Games and More 

Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, will celebrate Thomas the Tank Engine™’s birthday live on The Sunny Side Up Show on Friday, June 4 from 9 a.m. – noon ET, in honor of the 65th anniversary of this beloved preschool character. 

Hosts Kelly and Chica the Chicken will present a special homemade birthday card for Thomas live on the air that morning as they play games, create crafts and lead activities corresponding to the “Things that Go” theme of the week.  The Thomas birthday celebration will continue throughout the weekend with a special broadcast of the Thomas & Friends™ movie, The Great Discovery, at 12:30 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. ET on both Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6.  In addition, Sprout is hosting a sweepstakes of Thomas & Friends Activity Express book sets (Random House), The Great Discovery DVDs (Lionsgate), and Thomas cuddle pillows (Jay Franco) on SproutForParents.com.

The recently launched Sprout Birthday Party Center on SproutOnline.com will feature a special Thomas & Friends section in honor of everyone’s favorite true blue engine with special activities like the Thomas the Tank Engine shoebox craft and train wheel necklaces; games such as Thomas & Friends Bingo; Thomas & Friends party favors; and a Sprouterrific Thomas the Tank Engine birthday cake recipe. 

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

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About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, and is on track to reach one billion orders in 2010.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 50 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Dragon Tales™, Make Way For Noddy™, Fireman Sam™, Fifi and the Flowertots™, dirtgirlworld and more.

About Thomas & Friends™
Thomas the Tank Engine was created by a father for his son 65 years ago and today is enjoyed by families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages.  The #1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Children embark on adventures with their engine friends while experiencing timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation.  Thomas & Friends makes tracks to great destinations on PBS KIDS®, PBS KIDS SproutSM and with downloadable episodes available through iTunes. For more information about the world of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, please visit www.thomasandfriends.com.

Press Contact: Jenni Glenn, Sprout, 215-286-2703, jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com

SPROUT® KICKS OFF SEASON TWO OF SPROUT’S WIGGLY WAFFLE ON NATIONAL WAFFLE DAY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 

New interactive series “Monkey See Monkey Do” to debut same day exclusively on Sprout 

Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, will kick off season two of Sprout’s Wiggly Waffle, featuring the most beloved family entertainers in the world, The Wiggles, on National Waffle Day, Tuesday, August 24. 

Filled with brand new songs and even more wiggly fun, season two of Sprout’s Wiggly Waffle will air every weekday morning from 6:00 – 9:00 a.m. ET and feature new interactive segments that take place in and around an oversized, fruit-covered waffle set where nooks and crannies are windows that open to songs, dances, skits and more.  Sprout’s Wiggly Waffle weaves music, movement and nutrition throughout Sprout’s morning schedule of upbeat programs.  Balancing playful fun with interactive learning, the program creates a welcoming environment that parents and their preschoolers can share together. 

SproutOnline.com provides viewers at home a forum to interact directly with Sprout, through which parents can upload photos of their child onto a green “5th Wiggle” body to be animated in a dance video with the other four Wiggles; select favorite music videos from Sprout shows and upload them into JB, a juice box character that operates as a jukebox; or select real and wacky waffle toppings that are chosen at random to rain down on the Wiggly Waffle while The Wiggles try to catch them.  Wiggles games, videos, coloring  pages and more are also available on SproutOnline.com.

Debuting exclusively on Sprout that same morning during the Sprout’s Wiggly Waffle block is Monkey See Monkey Do, a new series from Smartoonz and HIT Entertainment that combines animated animals and live action preschool-age children grooving together in a fun and interactive boogying jungle game.  The show’s host, an animated Monkey, invites children to discover, imitate, and dance along with the animal guest of the day.  Monkey See Monkey Do keeps the fun and movement going each day at 3:30 p.m. ET during The Sprout Sharing Show.  For more information about Smartoonz, please visit www.smartoonz.tv. 

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

About Sprout®
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, Sprout has become the #1 On Demand service for younger children, and is on track to reach one billion orders in 2010.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of child from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive programming.  Currently, Sprout is available in 50 million unique households.

The network’s program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children’s shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Fireman Sam™, Fifi and the Flowertots™, dirtgirlworld and more.

About The Wiggles
The Wiggles, the world’s #1 preschool entertainers, performed over 350 shows to more than 1.5 million fans since 2005 in the United States alone.  The Wiggles perform over 200 shows annually across four continents.  The Wiggles are seen on TV in over 110 countries worldwide.  Fans can catch The Wiggles on television exclusively in the U.S. on 24-hour preschool network Sprout as hosts of Sprout’s Wiggly Waffle, which airs every weekday morning from 6:00 – 9:00 a.m. ET. The Wiggles have sold more than 24 million DVDS and videos, 8 million CDs and 8 million books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. You can also follow the gang on Twitter via Twitter.com/ItsWiggleTime or become a fan of their official Facebook page Facebook.com/TheWiggles.

Press Contacts:
Jenni Glenn                                           Alicia McAllister
Sprout                                                     The Wiggles
215-286-2703                                       201-760-0200, ext. 105
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com       amcallister@rbcpr.com 

2011

SPROUT® CELEBRATES EARTH WEEK WITH LIVE APPEARANCE FROM BRAVO’S TOP CHEF WINNER RICHARD BLAIS AND DIRTGIRLWORD MARATHON

Top Chef Richard Blais to appear live on Sprout’s The Sunny Side Up Show on Earth Day, Friday, April 22 to make a special preschool-friendly recipe and recycled craft with hosts Sean and Chica the Chicken 

Philadelphia, PA – April 5, 2011 – 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout is celebrating Earth Week with a variety of special events and green activities, including a live appearance by Richard Blais, latest winner of  Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning show Top Chef, on Friday, April 22 during Sprout’s The Sunny Side Up Show which airs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET.  Chef Blais, along with show hosts Sean and Chica the Chicken, will be creating a fun, preschool-friendly dish and recycled craft from the recipe’s packaging elements that parents and their preschoolers can easily recreate at home.  The recipe and recycled craft directions will also be available at www.SproutOnline.com. 

Beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET that same afternoon, is Sprout’s Dig Into Earth Day with dirtgirlworld marathon, featuring two hours of episodes from the first green living series for preschoolers, which includes topics like caring for the environment, outdoor play and sustainable, green living.

Additionally, The Sunny Side Up Show will be featuring eco-friendly crafts, games, activities and more all week long beginning Monday, April 18. 

Sprout is a proud supporter of Green is Universal, NBCUniversal’s ongoing environmental initiative, and will be turning its on-air and online logos green all week long.   

For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or to play games, download free coloring pages or find great activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com.  To find out where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to SproutPlease.com. 

About Sprout®
Available in over 50 million homes, Sprout is the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for children ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of a preschooler from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive, interactive programming and original hosted blocks.  Sprout’s VOD offering is the #1 on demand service for younger children with over one billion views. 

Sprout is a partnership among NBCUniversal, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop.  Its program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based preschool shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Thomas & Friends™,  Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Roary the Racing Car™,  dirtgirlworld and more.

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Press Contact:
Rebecca Owens
Sprout
215-286-8894
rebecca_owens@sproutonline.com