HIT Entertainment, one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners, has inked a number of VOD (video on demand) deals around the globe, further extending the reach of its popular brands. The deals includes programming from children's series: 'Thomas & Friends(tm)', 'Bob the Builder(tm)', 'Angelina Ballerina(tm)', 'Fireman Sam(tm)', 'Pingu(tm)' and 'Barney(tm)' in countries such as the UK, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

UK
HIT Entertainment has extended and expanded its long standing relationship with BT Vision. A new VOD deal will provide audiences with over 58 hours of programming from HIT's core brands 'Angelina Ballerina', 'Barney', 'Bob the Builder', 'Fireman Sam', 'Pingu' and 'Thomas & Friends', alongside 'Captain Pugwash(tm)', 'Rubbadubbers(tm)' and 'Kipper(tm)'.

Italy
HIT Entertainment has completed its first VOD deal in Italy. Fastweb has acquired over 60 hours of programming from 'Thomas & Friends', 'Bob the Builder', 'Barney', 'Fireman Sam' and Pingu, alongside Rubbaddubers.

Turkey
TTNET will screen 'Bob The Builder', 'Pingu' and 'Barney' starting in May. This deal, featuring 25 hours of broadcast content, is another breakthrough for HIT Entertainment, with Turkish audiences being able to access HIT's content on VOD for the first time.

Malaysia
TMNET, Telekom Malaysia's first IPVOD Platform, has licensed a wealth of programming from the 'Angelina Ballerina', 'Barney', 'Bob the Builder', 'Pingu', 'Fireman Sam' and 'Thomas & Friends' catalogues. These are the first and only international children's content on the new service.

Hong Kong
HIT Entertainment has renewed and extended its contract with PCCW Limited for the Watch n Learn service under NOW TV (IPTV). The deal sees new and re-licensed content from 'Barney', 'Bob the Builder' and 'Thomas & Friends' on this educational VOD service for children.

Korea
Subscribers to HomeChoice can look forward to further series of 'Thomas & Friends', following HIT Entertainment extending its current contract with the Korean cable VOD service. HIT has also continued its VOD contract with IPTV platform KTH by licensing new programming across 'Bob the Builder', 'Fireman Sam', 'Pingu' and 'Thomas & Friends', alongside new classic storytelling series 'Little Fables' from Smartoonz. Fans of 'Thomas & Friends' are also able to watch the series on www.daum.net , following HIT Entertainment's first internet streaming deal to expose viewing opportunities on this major Korean port.

Taiwan
In a wide ranging deal, the whole library of 'Angelina Ballerina', 'Barney', 'Bob the Builder', 'Fireman Sam', 'Pingu' and 'Thomas & Friends' has been sold to Mighty Media. Viewers will be able to access content through the animation VOD service operated by Mighty Media under the One & Only VOD platform - Multimedia on Demand (MOD) by Chunghwa Telecom.

Japan
Fans of 'Thomas & Friends' are now able to watch programming through J:COM On Demand and Minna-no Theatre Wii (Everyone's Theatre Wii). From June, the series will be carried on TMS VOD, operated in children's hospitals. 'Thomas & Friends', alongside 'Pingu', is also now available on Kids Douga Kachi Kachi. Operated by Show Time Inc. a subsidiary of Rakuten Inc, the largest online shopping mall in Japan, the service is available via the internet.

Alison Homewood, EVP Worldwide Programming, HIT Entertainment, says: "As the availability and popularity of VOD services have increased, so has the appetite for our programming. We have recently signed a number of significant deals enabling even more young viewers, around the world, to enjoy our content in this format."

HIT Entertainment will be exhibiting at MIPTV and can be found at booth R29.37.