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McAleer & Pollack Promoted in BBC Worldwide Children's Division

Helen McAleer has been promoted from director to the new role of deputy managing director of Children's BBC Worldwide and Susanna Pollack, director of U.S. co-production sales, has been promoted to vp of children's business development.

Reporting to Mark Young, managing director, Children's BBC Worldwide, Helen McAleer will be responsible for the global exploitation of children's brands through acquisition, investment, development and license of intellectual properties.

As part of BBC Worldwide's strategy to grow the children's business in North America, Pollack, based in New York City, will be responsible for driving and developing the cross media strategy for the children's business in the market. She reports to McAleer.

Young Announced the appointments at the L!cencing Show in New York City on June 21, 2005, saying, "Helen's experience of the business and her relationships with BBC production and key independents, has placed us in a strong position as we enter an exciting new phase for the business. Reinvigorating our classic brands, together with the new shows that will come to market over the next eighteen months to two years, will put us in good stead for the future."

"With key children's properties launching on major U.S. channels in 2005 such as Little Robots on Cartoon Network and Charlie and Lola on Disney, we are at a crucial point in developing our children's business in North America, McAleer added. Over the last few years, as part of her former role of director of co-production sales, Susanna has already built excellent relationships with all the major U.S. children's broadcasters and her expertise and excellent reputation in this arena makes her a real asset in growing our children's business in the market."

Prior to this appointment, McAleer was responsible for acquisition of intellectual property, marketing, creative direction and licensing activities, as well as managing relationships with third party rights owners in the U.K. and internationally.

Formerly director of Children's Operations at BBC Worldwide, McAleer will continue to be responsible for the brand development and global marketing of a portfolio of leading children's properties, including TELETUBBIES, TWEENIES, FIMBLES, BALAMORY, BIG COOK LITTLE COOK, CHARLIE AND LOLA and THE SECRET SHOW.

McAleer oversees the distribution and licensing for all of these properties, working closely with the international division at BBC Worldwide, CBBC, international broadcasting partners, publishers and independent producers.

Prior to this appointment Pollack was responsible for the placement of BBC Worldwide's children's and history programs in the U.S. She will continue to work closely with CBBC creative execs to identify co-production material as well as with McAleer in the acquisition of third party rights for distribution in the U.S. and rest of world. In her new position, she will be also responsible for cross media strategy for all BBC Worldwide children's brands in the US.

Pollack had managed commercial activity for BBC Drama output in the U.S., where she was responsible for developing co-production relationships with clients such A&E, Bravo, PBS and Oxygen as well as serving as manager of PBS Syndication Sales, where she mainly handled sales of comedy programs.

At this year's Licensing International Show, booth 3933, BBC Worldwide is unveiling two new properties. DOCTOR WHO is about an intergalactic adventurer who, with his companion, travels through time and space witnessing things beyond our imagination. CHARLIE AND LOLA is about a funny four-year old little girl who knows her own mind and "will not ever, NEVER eat a tomato" and her imaginative older brother who persuades her they are really Moonsquirters from the land of Moon.

BBC Worldwide (bbc.co.uk) is also representing TELETUBBIES, TWEENIES, FIMBLES and BALAMORY. Further opportunities for potential licensing include BIG COOK LITTLE COOK, TROLLZ, LITTLE ROBOTS, TIKKABILLA, BILL & BEN, MONA THE VAMPIRE, DICK AND DOM, JACK FROST and ANDY PANDY. BBC Worldwide is a global leader in the business of entertainment rights management.