KidsCo Launches VOD Service In South Korea

FAMILY ORIENTATED CHANNEL TO OFFER VOD FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

London – 14th April 2008 – KidsCo, the joint venture channel owned by leading media companies NBC Universal, DIC Entertainment (DIC) and Corus Entertainment Inc. (Corus) is offering a video-on-demand (”VOD”) service in South Korea. The new VOD service is a first for the channel and is the result of a major agreement between KidsCo and South Korean operator, hanaTV, the leading IPTV company in the territory.

The agreement sees leading KidsCo programming including Babar, Madeline, Sonic the Hedgehog, Cyberchase, Franklin and Rolie Polie Olie available on demand in the region. KidsCo’s presence in South Korea follows its strategic expansion into the world’s TV markets with the channel now broadcasting in key territories including Romania, the Middle East, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, Poland, Singapore, the Philippines and territories across sub-Saharan Africa. It is anticipated that KidsCo will be airing in up to 40 territories including Europe and Latin America within the next 18 months.

KidsCo Managing Director, Paul Robinson commented: “KidsCo is committed to rapidly expanding across international television markets and we are excited to add South Korea to our list of key territories. Our relationship with hanaTV is a milestone because it is KidsCo’s first video on demand service and is an example of how children are trailblazing consumers and key drivers of new technology services.”

Daniel Kim, Head of hanaTV Business Unit added: “hanaTV continues to expand its content for children. We believe that the collaboration with KidsCo will be instrumental in strengthening our position as the No.1 IPTV service in the region.”

KidsCo features renowned animated and live-action television series and feature-length movies from pre-eminent independent animation programme suppliers, DIC and Corus’ Nelvana. DIC’s programming library features approximately 3,000 half-hours of top quality series, including; Inspector Gadget, Strawberry Shortcake, Madeline, Dennis the Menace, Care Bears and more.

With more than 3,200 half-hours of kids’ programming, Nelvana Enterprises’ catalogue features international favourites such as Babar, Franklin, The Adventures of Tintin and Rolie Polie Olie.

About NBC Universal
NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

About DIC Entertainment
DIC Entertainment, a fully-integrated global brand management company, is dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. The Company serves as the worldwide licensor or agent for brands such as McDonald’s, Strawberry Shortcake, Horseland, Mommy & Me, The Beginner’s Bible and Eloise. DIC has distinguished itself by building one of the largest libraries of animation worldwide with approximately 3,000 half-hours of programming, including Inspector Gadget(tm), Dino Squad(tm), Strawberry Shortcake(tm), HorselandÔ, Sabrina(tm), Madeline(tm), Liberty’s Kids(tm), Sonic The HedgehogÔ and Care Bears(tm). In 2007, DIC and CBS launched a new educational and informational Saturday morning programming block, “KEWLopolis on CBS.” As a pre-eminent supplier of kid’s programming worldwide, DIC has developed strategic partnerships with key broadcast partners throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. DIC also acquired Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, a Pan-European licensing agency that represents the licensing rights of a broad portfolio of world-renowned companies including DreamWorks Animation, MGM, Marvel, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Viacom and The Football Association. DIC is headquartered in Burbank, California with offices in New York, Paris and London. For more information please visit www.dicentertainment.com

About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising and digital audio services, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. The company’s multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, Movie Central, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

About hanaTV
hanarotelecom launched a commercial VOD-based IPTV service, “hanaTV” in July 2006. hanaTV provides media content, including movies, dramas, and educational programs, on demand through broadband Internet network and an IP set-top box hooked up to a television set. More than 80,000 contents are now available to Korea’s 860,000 subscribers (February, 2008), the largest number for a domestic company, signing agreements with more than 270 domestic/foreign content providers. For further information please visit www.hanatv.co.kr

For further information, please contact:
Liz Morris
KidsCo
Tel: (+44) 207 368 9213
liz {at} kidscotv(.)tv

Jane Muirhead
NBC Universal Global Networks
KidsCo, Hallmark Channel, Diva TV, Movies 24
Tel: (+44) 207 368 9136
Mobile: 07768 394487
jmuirhead {at} sparrowhawkmedia(.)com

Michelle Orsi
Three.Sixty Communications (for DIC)
Tel: 310.372.2309
Mobile: 310.418.6430
michelle {at} 360-comm(.)com

Diana Pitt
Corus Entertainment
Tel: 416.530.2801
Mobile: 416.722.5099
diana.pitt {at} corusent(.)com