Philadelphia, London, New York and Alexandria, VA (October 20,
2004) - Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), HIT
Entertainment PLC (London Stock Exchange: HTE), PBS and Sesame
Workshop today announced plans to launch a 24-hour digital cable
television channel for preschool-aged children and companion
video-on-demand (VOD) service. The ground-breaking channel
will bring together some of the best-known and well-respected shows
in children's programming - a blend of classic and contemporary
favorites - that celebrate the wonder of early childhood, inviting
families to experience the joy of learning, playing and smiling
together.
The channel represents an unprecedented partnership between
Comcast, the leading U.S. cable provider; PBS, the renowned public
service broadcaster; and HIT Entertainment and Sesame Workshop, two
of the leading providers of quality entertainment for young
children. The channel will feature an extensive library selected
from more than 4,000 episodes from PBS, Sesame Workshop and HIT -
including a rich treasury of children's favorites, such as Bob the
Builder; Barney; Thomas & Friends; Angelina Ballerina; and
additional PBS KIDS titles. Beginning in early 2005, the companion
VOD package will be available to cable companies in the United
States and will include more than 50 hours of programming for
preschoolers and their families. The 24x7 digital cable channel is
expected to launch in fall 2005.
"We're thrilled to announce this partnership with the leading
providers of family-friendly, educational children's programming,"
said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Comcast. "This channel will be a resource for parents and
caregivers, who will be able to depend on it to always offer
age-appropriate viewing options that present positive, enriching
messages. We're committed to launching this new channel in a
significant number of our markets, and we will work with other
cable and satellite companies to reach as many customers as
possible."
"The new channel brings together a wonderful lineup of
children's content that will delight and inspire young children and
their families for generations to come," said Peter Orton, Chairman
of HIT Entertainment. "This is a transforming deal for HIT as we
make our first move into broadcasting. And we are delighted
to be in partnership with Comcast, PBS and Sesame Workshop, each of
whom brings their own tremendous and unique strengths to this
ground-breaking venture."
"PBS is committed to maintaining its leadership role in
delivering the best educational programming to as many children and
parents as possible," said Pat Mitchell, President and CEO of
PBS. "This unique public/private partnership not only assures
a strong, viable PBS KIDS programming block on PBS stations,
available free over-the-air, but also extends PBS' mission into
different platforms. We are happy to be in a mutually beneficial
partnership with Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment and
Comcast."
"For 36 years, Sesame Workshop has achieved enormous success in
fulfilling its mission to use television and other media to help
children reach their highest potential," said Gary E. Knell,
President and CEO, of the nonprofit educational organization Sesame
Workshop. "We are thrilled to be joining with our primary
broadcaster, PBS, and extending our footprint together through this
exciting new venture with leading content and distribution
partners."
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit educational organization making a
meaningful difference in children's lives around the world.
Founded in 1968, the Workshop changed television forever with the
legendary Sesame Street. Today, the Workshop continues to
innovate on behalf of children in 120 countries, using its
proprietary research methodology to ensure its programs and
products are engaging and enriching. Sesame Workshop is
behind award-winning programs like Dragon Tales and Sagwa, The
Chinese Siamese Cat and ground breaking multimedia productions in
South Africa, Egypt and Russia. As a nonprofit, Sesame Workshop
puts the proceeds it receives from sales of Sesame Street, Dragon
Tales and Sagwa products right back into its educational projects
for children around the world. Find the Workshop online
at www.sesameworkshop.org
About PBS
PBS is a private, nonprofit media enterprise that serves the
nation's 349 public noncommercial television stations, reaching
over 90 million people each week through on-air and online content.
Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS
provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and
consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS
is the leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers,
and offers a broad array of educational services for adult
learners. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web sites ?
pbskids.org and pbskidsgo.org ? continue to be parents' and
teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More
information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading
dot-org Web sites on the Internet, averaging more than 30 million
unique visitors and 380 million page views per month in 2004. PBS
is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.
About HIT Entertainment PLC
Established in 1989, HIT Entertainment PLC www.hitentertainment.com is one
of the world's leading pre-school children's entertainment
producers and rights owners. With operations in the US, UK, Canada,
Japan and Germany, the company's activities span television
production and distribution, home entertainment, consumer products,
publishing and live events. HIT's portfolio of internationally
renowned children's brands, such as Bob the Builder™, Barney™,
Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Rubbadubbers™ and Angelina
Ballerina™ are enjoyed by children in over 180 countries. In
the US, UK and Canada, HIT acts as a representative for the popular
preschool property, The Wiggles®. Additionally, HIT owns the
Guinness World Records? publishing and television property. HIT is
committed to providing enduring entertainment that supports the
values of devoted caregivers and empowers young children with a
positive approach to life.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation www.comcast.com is
principally involved in the development, management and operation
of broadband cable networks, and in the provision of programming
content. The Company is the largest provider of cable and broadband
services in the United States, serving more than 21 million cable
television customers and more than 6 million high-speed Internet
customers. The Company's content businesses include majority
ownership of Comcast Spectacor, Comcast SportsNet, E! Entertainment
Television, Style Network, G4techTV, The Golf Channel,
International Channel and Outdoor Life Network. Comcast Class A
common stock and Class A Special common stock trade on The Nasdaq
Stock Market under the symbols CMCSA and CMCSK, respectively.
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Press Contacts
Comcast:
Jenni Moyer
(215) 851-3311
HIT Entertainment PLC:
Simon Forrest (London)
011-44-207-554-2504
Nicole Blake (New York)
(646) 277-5208
PBS:
Lea Sloan
(703) 739-5021
Jan McNamara
(703) 739-5028
Sesame Workshop:
Ellen Lewis
(212) 875-6396