MIAMI, April 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vme Kids, America's first 24-hour Spanish-language educational preschool network from Vme Media, Inc., has licensed Spanish versions of The Jim Henson Company's popular preschool series "Hi Opie!" (produced in association with marblemedia) and "Doozers" (produced in association with DHX Media). Beginning this summer, these series will nurture innovation and fun within the U.S. Hispanic community's youngest members.
With this new agreement, the network welcomes little ones to meet the new puppet in kindergarten, five-year-old Opie, on his social, emotional and intellectual escapades, and share his lessons of personal growth during "Hi Opie!" "Doozers," based on the beloved characters from Fraggle Rock, focuses on a team of best friends – the Pod Squad - who live in an innovative, imaginative, and ecofriendly community. This animated program fosters STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning by encouraging the exploration of engineering, design thinking, creative expression and problem solving.
"Teaming up with the iconic Jim Henson Company is an exciting new venture for us at Vme Kids," said Doris Vogelmann, Vme TV's vice-president of programming. "Our channel prides itself in working with this world-renowned entertainment company that is truly an innovator and has been making strides in children's entertainment for more than 50 years."
"Both 'Hi Opie!' and 'Doozers' align well with Vme Kids' focus on sparking a child's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning at an early age," said Richard Goldsmith, Executive Vice President of Global Distribution and International Consumer Products at The Jim Henson Company. "Vme Kids is committed to providing engaging educational content for its youngest audiences and that makes it the perfect channel to introduce our friendly kindergartener Opie as well as the Pod Squad from Doozer Creek to the Hispanic preschool audience in the U.S."
Vme Kids, Vme TV's sister station, provides 24/7 children's programming that is not only educational and entertaining, but also enriching for its younger audiences. The network partners with leading production and animation companies, such as The Jim Henson Company, to offer parents content that will provide a unique and enlightening viewing experience for their preschool children, creating the framework for future learning and understanding.
About Vme Kids:
Vme Kids, America's first 24-hour Spanish-language educational preschool network from Vme Media, Inc. currently reaches over 1 million households available on Comcast AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS and Cablevision. Vme Kids combines the world's best curriculum-based children's shows in a fun-learning environment to help equip kids with the tools they need to build a life-long love for learning. To learn more about Vme Kids, visit http://www.vmetv.com/uploads/vme_kids/index.html or follow us on social media via https://www.facebook.com/vmekids or https://twitter.com/vmekids.
About The Jim Henson Company:
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy®-nominated Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Pajanimals, as well as the CG-animated preschool series Doozers. Features include Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, as well as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and MirrorMask. Television productions include Fraggle Rock, the sci-fi cult series Farscape, the reality competition, Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge, and Henson Alternative's No, You Shut Up! currently airing on Fusion.
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative brand is currently touring Puppet-Up! – Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show.
www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
About DHX Media
DHX Media Ltd. (www.dhxmedia.com), a key player internationally in the creation of content for families and children, is recognized globally for such brands as Yo Gabba Gabba!, Caillou, Teletubbies, In the Night Garden, Inspector Gadget, Johnny Test, Slugterra and the multi-award winning Degrassi franchise. DHX Media Ltd. is the owner of Family Channel, the most-viewed children's television channel in Canada, as well as the channels Disney Junior (English & French) and Disney XD in Canada. The Company markets and distributes its library of more than 11,000 half-hours of entertainment programming worldwide, and licenses its owned properties through its dedicated consumer products business. DHX Media Ltd.'s full-service international licensing agency, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd. (CPLG), represents numerous entertainment, sport and design brands. DHX Media Ltd. has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Munich and Amsterdam, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbols DHX.A and DHX.B.
About marblemedia
marblemedia develops, produces and distributes engaging multiplatform entertainment experiences for audiences around the world. With nearly 250 hours of programming distributed in more than 200 territories, marblemedia has been honoured by Playback Magazine with the 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award, in addition to being named Transmedia Producer of the Year (2011) by the publication. marble has won a Canadian Screen Award, two Gemini Awards, been nominated for an Emmy® Award and was identified as a Next Generation Content Producer (2009) by The Hollywood Reporter. The company owns a 50-acre production ranch, operates a Toronto-based studio, home to 50 staff, and an L.A. office. The company was co-founded by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg in 2001.