Effective as of this date, ZDF Enterprises GmbH is now responsible for the worldwide distribution of the license and merchandising rights of KiKA, Germany's most popular children's TV channel. As general agent, ZDF Enterprises will handle the marketing activities of the joint children's channel of ARD and ZDF, which is now in its 15th year, and will introduce itself with its new portfolio for the first time at the License Day in Cologne on 17 April.

ZDF Enterprises' marketing mandate for KiKA entails the marketing of all rights owned by KiKA, from the KiKA umbrella brand to award-winning KiKA program brands such as Baumhaus, Bernd das Brot, Beutolomäus, ENE MENE BU, KIKA LIVE, LiLA, TANZALARM!, TRICKBOXX and many more (excluding KiKANiNCHEN). The high degree of recognition and popularity of KiKA and its programs, along with the many new impulses generated here, offers the best conditions for exciting, top-quality product concepts.

KiKA is the most popular German children's broadcaster. It is the leading channel for 57 percent of three-to five-year olds, thus surpassing by far the other children's TV channels. This finding emerged from a representative, nationwide survey by the market research institute iconKids & Youth. According to this survey, KiKA is also the most popular children's broadcaster among children aged six to 13 (26 percent) and their mothers (29 percent), with a considerable edge over other channels. The survey also gathered data on the Internet use of the target group. 82 percent of preschool children who were allowed to go online have already visited www.kika.de. The website is thus the most frequently visited website of all TV broadcasters. In 2011 KiKA also become the market leader for preschool children. With a market share of 33.7 percent (source: AGF/GfK-Fernsehforschung; TV Scope) among three- to five-year-olds, it outperformed other children's broadcasters by nearly seven percent points. Altogether the ARD/ZDF children's channel scored an average rating of 19.0 percent in the total target group (three- to 13-year-old viewers) in 2011.

Alexander Coridass, President and CEO of ZDF Enterprises: "Thanks to KiKA's first-class program brands, ZDF Enterprises is supplementing its portfolio of outstanding children's fare with superior productions. From preschool children to teens, from classics such as "Jungle Book," "Peter Pan" and "Lassie" to brand-new series formats such as "Dance Academy" and "Alien Surf Girls," and, of course, the two strong umbrella brands ZDF tivi and KiKA, we offer a unique and varied portfolio of expertly crafted programs for optimum merchandising from one single provider."