Responding to the rapid growth of Kartoon Channel!,
Genius
Brands International “Genius Brands” (NASDAQ: GNUS)
announces the launch today of the new
Kartoon
Classroom!, a stand-alone segment of Kartoon Channel!
Additionally,
Jon Ollwerther has been appointed to
oversee the operations of Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom!
as General Manager & EVP of Global Business Development. Genius
Brands has also brought onboard Disney veteran content and
programming strategist,
Lou Fazio, as a Senior
Advisor, collaborating with Ollwerther on the launch of Kartoon
Classroom!
Kartoon Channel!, which launched in June, is
available to stream free to virtually every household in the US via
connected TV, handheld devices, and at KartoonChannel.com and is
rapidly growing into a premiere entertainment destination for
children and families. Genius Brands launches Kartoon Classroom!,
an innovative extension of Kartoon Channel! that will feature
relevant and impactful STEAM-based content (science, technology,
engineering arts and math), including programming from Genius
Brands’ ‘content with a purpose’ library such as Baby Genius (Early
Development), Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab (STEM), and Warren
Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club (Financial Literacy).
Additionally, Kartoon Classroom! Will showcase content from third
party creators worldwide, such as Baby Einstein (Early
Development), Little Smart Planet (Early Learning), I’m A Dinosaur
(Paleontology), Super Geek Heroes (Early Learning), Counting with
Earl (Math), Giligilis (Musical Learning), and Out of this Word
(English Language). Genius Brands will also develop new original
content for the platform and announces the first Kartoon Classroom!
original series in development, KC! Pop Quiz,
under the supervision of former President of Walt Disney Television
and Kartoon Channel!’s Chief Content Officer, David
Neuman.
“At Kartoon Channel!, our calling is to
entertain and inform. Kartoon Classroom! is the next natural
step in that growth, offering unique value for parents and kids,”
said Executive Chairman of Kartoon Channel!, Margaret
Loesch. “We are also thrilled to announce our first
original production, KC! Pop Quiz, which will be a highly
entertaining, informative and interactive pop quiz format program
for kids and families in the tradition of HQ Trivia and other
shows.”
“Jon is an energetic visionary and talented
executive who brings invaluable expertise, particularly in marrying
technology and entertainment, which is vital now in building a
children’s media company in the 21st century and our new Kartoon
Channel!,” commented Genius Brands Chairman & CEO Andy
Heyward. “I can think of no better executive to lead our
Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom! efforts and grow revenues
as we look for exciting and fresh opportunities to deliver unique
entertainment experiences to kids and their families in the coming
years.”
In his new role, Ollwerther will oversee the
day-to-day operations of Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom!,
in collaboration with Loesch, Neuman and Fazio, to bring more
quality ‘content with a purpose’ and entertainment experiences to
the channel’s growing fan base. The Kartoon Channel! team also
includes Mark Shoeman, Director of Operations at Kartoon
Channel!, who reports to Ollwerther. Ollwerther will
also continue to drive value across all areas of Genius Brands’
business.
“I am thrilled to take the reins of the Kartoon
Channel!, which has seen incredible growth since the June 2020
launch, and work with a management team, including Margaret, David
and Lou, that has unmatched experience in the kid’s and family
media space to create THE premiere entertainment destination
offering FREE best-in-class content, including the upcoming 2021
premiere of our new series, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten with
Arnold Schwarzenegger and other to-be-announced original content,”
stated Ollwerther. “Our announcement of Kartoon
Classroom! is an example of the customer-centric thinking at Genius
Brands. Today, parents, educators, and kids alike are
rethinking the future of learning and development. With
Kartoon Classroom! we are providing an answer to busy parents and
curious kids. With more and more kids engaging in at-home
learning, we believe it is essential to offer shows that have
educational content to enrich the viewing experience for our
audience.”
“Having worked at Disney Channel and
subsequently with Margaret to help drive the growth of The Hub, I
am excited to once again collaborate with her, Jon, David and the
Genius Brands’ team to build Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon
Classroom! into a top streaming platform for kids,” commented
Fazio. “Moreover, Professor
Emeritus Don Roberts, former Chairman of the Stanford
University School of Communications, and recognized expert on
children and media, is serving as an advisor to guide the
educational content in each show, which is a real benefit to the
audience we serve. This is an ideal opportunity for me to utilize
my years in programming and acquisitions strategy to deliver a
smart, entertaining and safe viewing experience.”
Ollwerther joined Genius Brands as VP of
Business Development in January 2019 and has quickly risen up the
ranks, most recently serving as EVP of Global Brand & Business
Development. Prior to joining Genius Brands, he served as Vice
President of Media at Measure, the nation's leading Drone as a
Service® company where he was responsible for growing the Arts
& Entertainment division from its inception, working with
leading media companies and advertisers such as ABC, NBC, CBS,
ESPN, Red Bull Media House, BMW, Nissan, Cartier, Coach, Prada,
Maker's Mark, and Tom Ford. As a leading player in the
emerging industry, his work focused on leveraging technology for
entertainment, including major franchise films, live events, and
large-scale art installations. Prior to joining Measure,
Ollwerther was the COO of a national drone service company based in
NYC, formerly called Aerobo.
An experienced Content Strategy &
Programming Acquisition executive, Fazio has built a reputation for
commitment and performance in programming, acquisitions,
co-productions, distribution, team leadership, and launching new
platforms. Since late 2018, Fazio Media Consulting has been working
with production, broadcast, and digital clients to advise and
collaborate on distribution, format sales, acquisition negotiation,
and content strategy. Fazio began his career at USA Network and
SYFY channel. In addition to being a key task force member for the
launch of SYFY domestically, Fazio worked with Universal
Television’s senior management team to launch SYFY Europe. Fazio
has also held senior programming roles at Disney/ABC, Game Show
Network, The Hub Network, and the KCET-Link TV Media Group. During
Fazio’s tenure at KCET, the station enjoyed a 25% increase in total
day and prime time viewership.
About Kartoon Channel!Available
in over 100M U.S. television households and over 200M mobile
devices, The Kartoon Channel!, which is also now available
on iOS, offers access to a wide variety of Genius Brands
original and acquired family-friendly content, with more added
daily, including Babar, Angry Birds, Stan Lee’s Mighty7,
Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, Baby Einstein, Baby Genius, Llama Llama
shorts Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, and
more. Additionally, Genius
Brands has added more family-friendly gaming
content, including Minecraft’s Journey to the
End and Fairy Horse Quest, Octodad, PixArk,
and Big B Roblox Challenge from Tankee. Genius
Brands will also premiere on Kartoon Channel! the
upcoming comedy-adventure series, Stan Lee’s Superhero
Kindergarten, currently in pre-production and starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon
Channel! in Q1 2021.
In addition to the new iOS mobile
app, Kartoon Channel! has just launched its new APP on
Apple TV OS, Roku and has gone live
on www.kartoonchannel.com. You can also find Kartoon
Channel! on Xumo, Comcast, Cox, Dish, and Sling. The iOS app
will be the model for additional platforms coming soon.
Kartoon Channel! content has been curated
through a program code developed in consultation with Stanford
University Professor Emeritus Don Roberts, one of the world’s
leading researchers of children’s media, to ensure the delivery of
positive and purposeful content that parents can always know will
provide safe viewing for their children. The Kartoon Channel!
Content Code, under the leadership of Professor Roberts, ensures
among other things, there will be no violence, no negative
stereotypes, no inappropriate language, no degradation of the
environment, and no excess commercialization.
To stream Kartoon Channel! for free download our app or
visit: www.kartoonchannel.com
About Genius Brands
InternationalGenius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq:
GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing,
marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties
and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The
Company’s award-winning ‘content with a purpose’ portfolio includes
the upcoming Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger and in partnership with Alibaba; Rainbow Rangers for
Nick Jr.; Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, for Netflix;
award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM
series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series
Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. Through licensing
agreements with leading partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP
also appear on a wide range of consumer products for the worldwide
retail marketplace. The Company’s new Kartoon Channel! is available
in over 100 million U.S. television households via a broad range of
distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox, DISH, Amazon Prime,
Sling TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and more. For additional
information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.
Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements
in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as
"may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast,"
"project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements
regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are
forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these
forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should
not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are
based on information available to us on the date of this release.
These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates
and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or
achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing
on acceptable terms, if at all; our ability to repay our
outstanding debt; the potential issuance of a significant number of
shares to our convertible note holders which will dilute our equity
holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period
to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability
to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion
and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of
content and within the retail market; our reliance on and
relationships with third-party production and animation studios;
our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on
third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace
with technological advances; our ability to protect our
intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the
“Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual
results could be materially different. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law.
MEDIA CONTACT:pr@gnusbrands.com
INVESTOR RELATIONS
CONTACT:
ir@gnusbrands.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e55e538e-48fe-47f4-8cfc-8e74c72cc50a
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