Imira Scores Deal With RTP For HIT’s Angelina Ballerina

Imira Entertainment, Spain’s leading production and distribution company specialising in youth programming, has brokered a deal with RTP for HIT Entertainment’s internationally popular series Angelina Ballerina – The Next Steps.

Press Release from Imira Entertainment

Barcelona, 9 July 2010: Imira Entertainment, Spain’s leading production and distribution company specialising in youth programming, has brokered a deal with RTP for HIT Entertainment’s internationally popular series Angelina Ballerina – The Next Steps. The Portuguese channel has acquired 40x12’ episodes of the new CGI series which is aimed at 4-7 year olds.

In addition, Forta channels ETB and TV Galicia in Spain have renewed their commitment to a number of HIT Entertainment series in deals brokered by Imira. ETB has renewed series one and two of Pingu, alongside a deal to acquire seasons three to six of the animated show, while TV Galicia has also renewed Pingu and Sheeep.

Christophe Goldberger, Head of Distribution and Marketing at Imira Entertainment said: “The HIT Entertainment library is very popular in Spain and Portugal as underscored by these renewals. We’re also very pleased to extend our long-standing relationship with RTP with this new deal for Angelina Ballerina.”

Alison Homewood, EVP, TV Distribution said, “ We are thrilled to add RTP to our roster of Angelina Ballerina broadcasters, and the fact that Portuguese children can now enjoy the music, dancing and exciting stories that are fast making the show a worldwide favourite.”

Angelina Ballerina is a feisty little mouse who dreams of becoming a prima ballerina and dances with grace and determination. With her strong sense of knowing it’s what’s inside that counts, she works hard and learns from her mistakes as she pursues her dream to become a star both on stage and off. Angelina Ballerina first appeared in 1983 in books created by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig. Over six million copies have been sold worldwide with 3.5 million sales in the UK alone. Her global appeal has seen them translated into nineteen different languages. Fisher-Price is the new global toy partner for Angelina Ballerina with products set to launch in the US this Fall and in the rest of the world next Spring.

Aimed at 3-6 year olds, Pingu is a cheeky, charming young Penguin who spends all his time playing with is friends and family. With Robby the fun-loving seal and his baby sister in tow, Pingu lands himself in all sorts of comical situations, making lots of new friends along the way.

Imira Entertainment represents the rights to the HIT Entertainment TV catalogue in Spain and Portugal. The deal underlines Imira’s pre-eminent reputation as the distributor of choice for major entertainment businesses seeking to further the presence of their brands in the Iberia region.

About Imira EntertainmentBarcelona, Madrid and Vitoria based Imira Entertainment www.imiraentertainment.com (formerly Icon Animation) is a producer and distributor of top quality youth programs. It creates innovative content for kids with strong editorial lines, and a universal appeal. Its productions incorporate the latest technologies) as properties are developed for cross media exploitation (TV, video, licensing, merchandising, mobile phones and publishing). Imira Entertainment distributes a catalogue of over 3,000 half hours of premium kids programs, including animated feature films.

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. HIT also acts as a worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands and 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.