HIT Ent. has announced plans to launch a European kids network with help from Sparrowhawk Media, the parent company of Hallmark International. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new children’s programming entity is scheduled to debut within 18 months and will be headed by former Fox Kids Europe CEO Bruce Steinberg.
The yet unnamed kids channel will be akin to PBS KIDS Sprout, a 24-hour preschool television network launched in the U.S. last September by HIT, PBS, Comcast Corp. and Sesame Workshop. That venture features such HIT animated series as Bob the Builder, Barney & Friends, Thomas & Friends, Angelina Ballerina and Pingu.
Though HIT is based in the U.K., the new network will reportedly avoid the local market, which has been deemed too saturated with children’s content already. HIT will, however, release its feature-length Bob the Builder movie in the U.K. through Odeon Cinemas, which will give the film a limited run.
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