- HiT Entertainment
Infobox_Company
company_name = HiT Entertainment Limited
company_
company_type = Private Ownership,Limited liability company
foundation = 1989
location =
industry = Media,Television Production & Distribution
products =Children's Animation ,Production
assets = $1,119 mil
homepage = [http://www.hitentertainment.com// http://www.hitentertainment.com/]
num_employees = 188+HIT Entertainment PLC was established in
1989 , and was originally the international distribution arm ofJim Henson Productions called Henson International Television. However, following the death ofJim Henson in1990 , the business was sold to several members of the company's management, led byPeter Orton , and renamed HIT Entertainment to prevent any future confusion between the two companies.HIT is privately held. Sunshine Acquisition, a company set up by
Apax Partners ’ Funds, closed acquisition of HIT Entertainment on May 26, 2005 £489.4 million.HIT's catalogue of characters include "
Angelina Ballerina ", "Barney & Friends", "Bob the Builder ", "Fifi & the Flowertots ", "Fireman Sam ", "Fraggle Rock ", "Pingu ", "Rainbow Magic ", "Thomas & Friends", and "VeggieTales ". HIT also owns redistribution rights to several other shows ("Wishbone", etc.). According to its web site, HiT's catalog comprises over 1,500 hours of children's programming in 240 countries and in over 45 different languages. HiT also claims to produce more than 900 minutes of new programming a year.HIT purchased
Gullane Entertainment (the owners of "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends " and "Magic Adventures of Mumfie ") in2002 , in the process becoming owner of theGuinness Book of Records , which was sold in2008 , and in the same year also purchased Lyrick Studios (who were the US distributors ofThe Wiggles andBob the Builder and the owners ofBarney & Friends and Wishbone).HIT appointed
Lionsgate as its North American Home Video partner in 2008, responsible for the distribution, sales and marketing of HIT's extensive portfolio, which had been distributed since 2006 by20th Century Fox Home Entertainment .HIT Entertainment is a fully integrated studio, that incorporates production, world-wide distribution, UK home entertainment, publishing, licensing and merchandising, and HIT Wildlife, the company's natural history arm.
HIT currently sells programming to over 120 countries. The chairman of HIT Entertainment is
Greg Dyke , the former Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the CEO isJeff Dunn , formerly the Group Chief Operating Officer of Nickelodeon.List of shows
*"
Angelina Ballerina "
*"Art Attack " forSMG Productions
*"Barney & Friends "
*"Bob the Builder "
*"Fifi and the Flowertots "
*"Fireman Sam "
*"Fraggle Rock "
*"Kipper"
*"Pingu "
*"RAGGS Kids Club Band "
*"Rubbadubbers "
*"Rainbow Magic "
*"Sheeep "
*"Sooty "
*"Thomas the Tank Engine"
*"The Likeaballs "
*"Wishbone"
*"Wobbly Land "
*"VeggieTales "External links
* [http://www.hitentertainment.com HIT Entertainment]
* [http://www.hitnewsonline.com HIT Entertainment News]
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