Fisher-Price® To Become World-Wide Master Toy Licensee For Thomas & Friends™ The Worlds´s No. 1 Preschool Brand For Boys*

HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights owners has today announced the appointment of Fisher-Price, Inc. as the global master toy licensee for Thomas & Friends, the world’s Number 1 preschool property for boys, in a multi-territory, multi-year deal.

Under the terms of the agreement, Fisher-Price, a division of the world’s leading toy company, Mattel, Inc., will be bringing together some of Thomas & Friends' core category rights and will begin using its world-wide distribution capability to enhance and grow the long term business for this iconic brand. The first line of products will be available in 2010 and will expand as existing licensees’ rights expire across key toy categories.

• Vehicles, figures and play-sets, including die cast vehicles and play sets, and the Trackmaster™ train system
• Preschool toys, including electronic learning and developmental toys
• Plush, games, puzzles, role play and water toys
• Battery-powered ride-ons
• Plastic pedal trikes (North and South America and Asia only)

Jeff Dunn, CEO, HIT Entertainment, commented: “Aligning one of the world’s most successful and preeminent pre-school brands with the world’s largest toy company is both an exciting event and a natural evolution for HIT Entertainment. We are immensely proud of Thomas & Friends, a brand which continues healthy growth around the world and is today in 185 territories and in 45 languages around the world. We look forward to working closely with Fisher-Price in taking Thomas & Friends to the next level as we begin preparations for Thomas’ 65th Anniversary celebrations in 2010.”

Neil Friedman, President of Mattel Brands added: “We are both excited and proud to be working with the world’s most successful preschool brand for boys. It feels only natural that the world’s number one preschool brand for boys and the world’s largest toy company should work together to continue the growth and development of this much-loved property. Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends both have an incredibly rich history, and are much loved by children and trusted with parents. At Fisher-Price, our business is founded on the principles of providing innovative, high quality and good value toys that help make childhood more fun and enriching. We look forward to bringing our expertise to development of the Thomas line--taking Thomas into its 65th year and beyond.”

The Wooden track system rights remain with RC2.

* Sources: US NPD: June 2008; UK NPD Oct 2008;Australia: License to Thrill 3rd Quarter 2008;