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It’s full steam ahead for the world’s most famous blue engine, Thomas the Tank Engine, as it prepares to make its television debut in China. HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading children’s entertainment producers and rights owners, has today announced that Thomas & Friends will be broadcast on China’s national broadcaster CCTV for four series of the popular pre-school show. The distribution agreement marks the Company’s first venture into China. Alongside the CCTV deal, HIT has also appointed the Promotional Partners Group Ltd. (PPW) as licensing agent for Thomas & Friends in China. Its first range of consumer products, from TOMY and RC2, is scheduled for launch in 2009. In addition to this deal, Children’s Fun Publishing, which is part of the Egmont group, will launch Thomas & Friends publishing in China in early 2009 with 12 TV tie-in story book titles followed by colouring and activity titles and Thomas story library books. Alison Homewood, Executive Vice President for Worldwide TV Distribution commented, “Thomas & Friends is one of the world’s most popular and unique properties in the pre-school market today and we are delighted to be bringing the show to Chinese audiences. We’re thrilled to be working with our partners in what we see as a long-term strategic partnership. China is an important growth market for HIT and we look forward to making Thomas & Friends a success in this territory.” Thomas & Friends was created in 1945 by the Reverend W Awdry and today is broadcast in over 185 countries and in 45 languages worldwide. The television show and series of classic books has propelled Thomas & Friends into a global success story and Thomas is currently the number one property in the UK and the #1 pre-school toy property in the US (source: NPD June 2008). Over 200 million books and 80 million DVDs have been sold to date and the series has spurned the creation of Thomas Land in the UK a themed attraction inspired by the popular character and stories. The Thomas & Friends website attracts over 30 million visitors each month highlighting its global appeal and resonance with young Thomas fans around the world. |
