Regulatory Announcement

com:20090608:RnsH4941T
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RNS Number : 4941T  
  
Ludorum PLC  
  
08 June 2009  
  
Ludorum licenses Chuggington to Playhouse Disney in the United States with 
anticipated launch in Spring, 2010  
  
London, 8 June, 2009. Ludorum plc, a leading specialist in the creation of 
global pre-school childrens' IP, announced today that it has licensed 
Chuggington, its successful train based pre-school series, to Disney Channel for 
its Playhouse Disney programming block in the United States.  
Disney Channel will launch the series, consisting of 52 episodes, on Playhouse 
Disney block in the U.S. in the Spring of 2010. The channel has access to more 
than ninety-seven million viewing households and has acquired all broadcast 
rights to the property.  
Chuggington has been licensed to 145 territories worldwide and, since the start 
of this year, has already established a highly successful ratings record in 
several key international markets including the UK (BBC - CBeebies), Germany 
(Super-RTL), France (TF1), Australia (ABC) and Canada (Treehouse). A major all 
rights agreement was announced in March to license Chuggington to Fuji 
Television, the dominant commercial broadcaster in Japan with broadcast 
scheduled to launch in the summer of this year.  
Learning Curve Brands, a subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (NASDAQ: RCRC), holds the 
global master toy licensee, and they, along with several other key licensees, 
will launch major licensed product lines worldwide in 2010.  
Chuggington is a new CGI animated pre-school train based series aimed at 2-5 
years olds. The series was created by a leading creative team led by Sarah Ball, 
Director and Writer of Bob the Builder, and Don Toht who led the creation of the 
toys systems for Thomas & Friends for 12 years as well as Bob the Builder. The 
property promotes positive life lessons and teaches emotional intelligence and 
social readiness. Ludorum has commenced production this year on a further 26 x 
10 minutes episodes which have also been acquired for the UK by the BBC.  
  
Enquiries  
  
Ludorum    
  
Rob Lawes - Chief Executive Officer, Ludorum plc  +44 (0) 208 849 8735    
  
Charlie Caminada, Chief Operating Officer, Ludorum plc +44 (0) 208 849 8735  
  
Investec    
  
Erik Anderson     +44 (0) 207 597 5117    
  
About Ludorum plc  
  
Ludorum was formed and is run by the former CEO and COO of HIT Entertainment 
PLC, a company which was subject to a recommended takeover in May 2005 valuing 
the business at £489 million and which managed a strong portfolio of children's 
properties including Bob the Builder, Barney, Thomas the Tank Engine, Pingu and 
Guinness World Records and by the co-founder and former CEO of Learning Curve, 
International, the company that held toy licenses for Thomas the Tank Engine and 
other preschool properties.. Ludorum is dedicated to developing, acquiring and 
marketing intellectual entertainment properties which are appropriate for both 
the new interactive distribution channels as well as classic linear TV. 
www.ludorum.com  
  
About Chuggington  
  
Chuggington is a computer generated 3D series of 52 x 10 minute episodes as well 
as a fully immersive interactive website. The series follows the adventures of 
Wilson, Brewster and Koko, trainee diesel engines, each with their own unique 
personality and learning style.  The series is set in a world much like our own 
with cities, villages and diverse cultures and geography. Entertainment and 
enjoyment is at the heart of Chuggington, but embedded within each story are 
important educational and developmental messages centred on learning and 
social-emotional development. Chuggington is directed by Sarah Ball, who won a 
BAFTA award for her work as a director and writer of Bob the Builder. The 
property was conceived to seamlessly integrate television, books and interactive 
view-and-play. Further information is available at www.chuggington.com   
  
 An innovative on-line program where parents will be able to personalise the 
site for their children, specifying many parameters including the level of 
community interaction desired has also been brought to market simultaneously 
with the TV property. The Chuggington site allows parents to prioritise the 
developmental and learning issues that they believe are important to their 
children and presents a truly entertaining and immersive interactive world of 
Chuggington which is graphically and textually consistent with the world defined 
by the television series, and which is also uniquely interactive with many of 
the property's licensed products.   
  
 
This information is provided by RNS  
  
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange  
  
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