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EM.Entertainment Launches Staines Down Drains, Signs Ukrainian Deal

EM.TV´s subsidiary EM.Entertainment GmbH will be responsible for the distribution of the new animation series STAINES DOWN DRAINS, which is at present being co-produced with Australian animation studio Yoram Gross-EM.TV and New Zealand producer Flux Animation. EM.Entertainment will be responsible for international sales to non English-speaking territories whilst Yoram Gross-EM.TV will cover English-speaking countries.

Based on an original concept by Jim Mora, the show (26x 24) is a 2D animation series for kids 8-10 years worldwide. The series is in development and will be available as of Winter 2006/2007.

In the middle of the night, John Stanley and Mary-Jane Staines were awoke to strange gurgling and banging sounds coming from the basement. Leaning out over the source of the weird sounds, the plughole in the basement sink, the kids are suddenly sucked down the pipes and into Drain Land, a world of mystery, adventure and major weirdness.

In addition, EM.Entertainment GmbH has signed a volume agreement with the new Ukrainian broadcaster K1, based in Kiev. The exclusive three-year deal encompasses a volume of 1,200 half hour episodes from EM.Entertainments library of childrens and youth programming, including 400 half hours per year.

From the start of transmission on May 2, 2005, K1 will air a one-hour program window, Monday through to Friday from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. The program block will be broadcast under EM.Entertainments Junior brand and will show series from the companys library such as CREEPSCHOOL, ZACK FILES, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BLACK BEAUTY, THE SECRET WORLD OF ALEX MACK and RENADA II.

Oleksiy Bilous, head of international acquisitions comments, EM.Entertaiments high quality of programming is perfect for the launch of our childrens slot on K1. We hope this will be the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership between the two companies.

"The volume contract with K1 is the most extensive deal we have sealed in the Ukraine to date," adds Patrick Elmendorff, managing director of EM.Entertainment GmbH. "We are delighted that our children's and youth programs will be screened on K1 from the very start of the station's transmission. This is evidence of the great confidence that the station holds in the quality of our program library.

At MIPTV 2005, EM.TV will be located at booth R 29.01.

EM.Entertainment GmbH is a 100% subsidiary of EM.TV AG and since Oct. 1, 2004, has been the centre of all sales activities for EM.TV AG's core entertainment business. The entertainment segment of EM.TV AG encompasses the production of programs for children's and youth markets, worldwide management of TV rights and the marketing of home entertainment and merchandising rights.

Yoram Gross-EM.TV is internationally recognized as Australia's leading producer of children's animated programming. Yoram Gross-EM.TV productions have been screened in more than 80 countries internationally.

Launching on May 2, 2005, K1 is a brand new channel offering programs to 18 million viewers in the Ukraine. The channel's strategy is to create its own production programs across all genres and formats with strong international appeal, develop projects through strategic alliances with global partners and provide exciting programming from distributors all over the world.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks