COOKIE JAR ENTERTAINMENT AND FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF NEW CHILDREN’S TV SERIES “Ella the Elephant”

Award-winning book coming to television and home entertainment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
(Burbank, CA, February 7, 2012) — Cookie Jar Entertainment (CJE) and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) today announced a global partnership to exploit the TV distribution and merchandising rights to 26 half-hour episodes of a new animated “preschool” television series tentatively known as “Ella the Elephant” based on the lovable, award-winning “Ella The Elegant Elephant” book series created, illustrated and written by Carmela D’Amico and Steve D’Amico. 
                               
 “Ella the Elephant” will make its U.S. debut in 2013 on Disney Junior, which has picked up all 26 half-hour episodes of the new animated series.  Additionally, Cookie Jar has granted U.S. home entertainment rights to the “Ella the Elephant” TV series to Warner Home Video (WHV), a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. After Disney Junior’s initial broadcast of the “Ella the Elephant” episodes, Warner Home Video has rights to release it in all home entertainment formats. 

The series follows Ella a sweet, thoughtful and inspired little elephant.  Ever an optimist, Ellaalways finds a way to help her elephant friends using her creative thinking and her magic hat.  The series will be produced in CGI against 2D backgrounds.

Cookie Jar Entertainment maintains the television, brand licensing, home entertainment (excluding U.S. rights granted to WHV) and other ancillary rights rights in the U.S., Canada, Middle East, and India.  FME will serve as the distributor for television, brand licensing, home entertainment and other ancillary rights throughout the rest of the world.

“Ella is a magical property about an ever ebullient, optimistic, responsible, compassionate little elephant whose kindred spirit will delight our preschool audience," said Toper Taylor, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cookie Jar.  “We are thrilled to be working with both Disney and Fremantle on the series' global launch.” 

Sander Schwartz, President, Kids & Family Entertainment, FME, said "We are very pleased to be partnered with Cookie Jar on what we believe will be a hugely successful series. Bringing these wonderful books to life is a labour of love for everyone working on this stunning series". 

About Cookie Jar Group

The Cookie Jar Group of Companies is one of the world's leading independent entertainment and consumer products companies with offices around the globe. Cookie Jar Entertainment is a leader in the creation, production and marketing of animated and live-action programming. Its library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes of television features some of the world's most recognizable series including Caillou, Inspector Gadget, The Doodlebops and Johnny Test. The company controls Cookie Jar TV, the weekend morning block on CBS, and has a one-third interest in international children's television channel KidsCo. Cookie Jar Entertainment's Jaroo.com is the premiere web video destination for kids with the largest independent selection of full-length children's TV series and movies online. Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, (CPLG) Cookie Jar's full-service international licensing agency, represents numerous entertainment, sport and design brands such as Strawberry Shortcake, Richard Scarry’s Busytown, St. Andrews Links, and Skelanimals. For more information, please visit www.cjar.com.

About FME Kids & Family Entertainment

FME Kids & Family Entertainment division was founded in 2009 and has quickly become a worldwide leader in the family entertainment business.  With 12 titles in production in collaboration with top producers on four continents, FME Kids & Family Entertainment is already one of the most prolific independent producers and distributors of content in the sector today. Its growing portfolio of content spans across four key genres: preschool, kids comedy, action/adventure and tween/teen fare. FME Kids & Family Entertainment is bringing to networks around the world innovative and exciting shows for television and new media platforms in live-action, 2D animation, CGI, stop-motion, puppetry and real-time animation with programming targeting demographics ranging in scope from preschool through high school.

About FremantleMedia Enterprises

FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Michael Berreth
VP, Marketing & PR
Cookie Jar Entertainment
mberreth@cjar.com
818. 955.5636

Mary Jones                                                                                        
Interim Sr. PR Manager                                                
FremantleMedia Enterprises                                                     
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6515                                                                              
mary.jones@fremantlemedia.com          

Jumana Rizwan
PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6114
Jumana.rizwan@fremantlemedia.com