Halifax, NS – 13 October 2016– DHX Media (or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DHXM; TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B), the world’s leading independent, pure-play kids content company, and Mattel Creations, a centralized theatrical, television and digital content creation division from Mattel Inc., have greenlit season two (52 x 11’) of preschool CGI series Little People® bringing the total number of episodes to 52 x 11’. The Little People® television show is based on the iconic Fisher-Price® brand.
In further deals, DHX Media has licensed season one to Lagardère in France (for its Gulli & TiJi channels), Hop! Media Group in Israel and De Agostini Editore in Italy (for its preschool TV satellite channel DeAJunior). Earlier in the year, Mattel Creations sold the show to Tele-Quebec for French-speaking Canada, ITI Poland, Turner Broadcasting UK, Discovery Latin America, Family Jr. in Canada, Sprout US, Mexico’s Televisa, Portugal’s Dreamia and Channel One in Russia.
Josh Scherba, SVP, Distribution at DHX Media, said: “The original brand has proven success with the preschool demographic and the television show continues the solid themes and style that Little People is best-known for. It’s an uplifting preschool series that builds skills of imagination and problem-solving through discovery and group play and we are very pleased by the response from broadcasters globally and the significant demand for additional episodes.”
Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President Global Content & Executive Producer at Mattel Creations, says: “Little People has been a joy to produce and we’re thrilled with the reaction from broadcasters and fans around the world. Season 2 will follow the same great format – discovery and imaginative adventures rooted in an EQ (Emotional Intelligence) message, focusing on topics like nurturing, caring, sharing, concern for others, patience all complimented with humor & music sure to delight parents and preschoolers alike.”
At the heart of Little People® is music, comedy, discovery and imagination. In each eleven-minute episode our fun-loving cast of pre-school characters travels to wherever their imaginations take them. Through collaborative, creative play they can turn an ordinary sandbox into a fantastic fairytale castle, a paper airplane can become a jetliner and a puppet show can launch them on a high seas adventure in a pirate ship. Every adventure is sparked by a real world event in their lives. Whether they journey to a whimsical farm or find themselves in magical jungle with talking animals, the Little People’s adventures are filled with laughter and songs and they always learn an age-appropriate life lesson.
For more information, please contact:
Investor Relations: Nancy Chan-Palmateer – Director, Investor Relations, DHX Media Ltd.
nancy.chanpalmateer@dhxmedia.com
+1 416-977-7358
Financial Media: Shaun Smith – Director, Corporate Communications, DHX Media Ltd.
shaun.smith@dhxmedia.com
+1 416-977-7230
Trade Media: Aimee Norman at DDA Blueprint PR
aimee@ddablueprint.com
+44 (0) 20 8985 4708
Mattel Creations PR: Amarilis Whitty – Global PR Manager
Amarilis.whitty@mattel.com
+44 (0) 2075542518
About DHX Media
DHX Media Ltd. (www.dhxmedia.com) is the world’s leading independent, pure-play children’s content company. Owner of the world’s largest independent library of children’s content, at more than 11,800 half-hours, the company is recognized globally for such brands as Teletubbies, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Caillou, In the Night Garden, Inspector Gadget, Make It Pop, Slugterra and the multiple award-winning Degrassi franchise. As a content producer and owner of intellectual property, DHX Media delivers shows that children love, licensing its content to major broadcasters and streaming services worldwide. Through its subsidiary, WildBrain, DHX Media also operates the largest network of children’s content on YouTube. The company’s robust consumer products program generates royalties from merchandise based on its much-loved children’s brands. Headquartered in Canada, DHX Media has offices in 15 cities globally, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (DHX.A and DHX.B) and the NASDAQ Global Select Market (DHXM).
About Mattel
Mattel is a creations company that inspires the wonder of childhood. Our mission is to be the recognized leader in play, learning and development worldwide. Mattel’s portfolio of global consumer brands includes American Girl®, Barbie®, Fisher-Price®, Hot Wheels®, Monster High® and Thomas & Friends®, among many others. Mattel also creates a wealth of lines and products made in collaboration with leading entertainment and technology companies. With a global workforce of approximately 31,000 people, Mattel operates in 40 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.