Turner Broadcasting Acquires LazyTown Brand and Announces New Series

London (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Parent Company to Boomerang and Cartoonito Strengthens Hold on
Pre-School Space

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe, home to kids' brands
including Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Cartoonito, today announced
its acquisition of Latibaer, the Icelandic entity which owns and
operates the LazyTown brand.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20110908/478963 )

The announcement comes with an immediate commitment to produce a
new series of the Icelandic kids TV series known and aired in more
than 100 countries in more than a dozen languages. Under the terms of
the deal, LazyTown's creator and star Magnus Scheving remains CEO of
Latibaer and retains his management team, and the series production
stays in Iceland.

The investment in LazyTown in particular signals the company's
growing ambitions in the pre school space, given the synergies that
LazyTown presents for the company's existing Cartoonito and Boomerang
franchises. The announcement follows Turner's consolidated preschool
expansion across Europe Middle East and Africa, with the roll out of
its preschool channel Cartoonito across the region on 5th September
2011.

"The acquisition is immensely exciting both strategically and
creatively," said Jeff Kupsky, president TBS Europe. "With the great
fit between our existing assets in the pre-school genre, and the
retention of the unique talent that is Magnus Scheving, we're ready
to expand the LazyTown brand and will immediately be starting
production on a new series. This will be supported by Turner's
successful 360 franchise management approach which will include
consumer products and digital extensions."

Magnus Scheving, CEO of Latibaer, said: "We're delighted to have
Turner on board and believe that the fit is an ideal one for us,
Turner being one of the world's leading broadcast companies. Their
ethos of entertaining children in a fun and educational way is
perfectly in keeping with the LazyTown brand. We look forward to a
bringing the LazyTown message of helping motivate children to lead a
healthy lifestyle to a whole new audience of Turner viewers."

Michael Carrington, Chief Content Officer, Turner Broadcasting,
EMEA, said: "LazyTown is considered to be an innovative ground
breaking programme around the world. It's an inspirational television
series designed to inspire young children to lead an active healthy
lifestyle, and the show will be a key element in our preschool
strategy going forward. I'm thrilled that we will be a part of its
future as we develop and produce the new series."

Alan Fenwick, VP Turner CN Enterprises, EMEA, said: "LazyTown is
one of those rare and wonderfully inspiring brands that at its core
has such a relevant health message that everyone from governments to
global retailers and most importantly millions of children every day
from around the world are fully embracing. We are delighted to be
working with Magnus and his team as we build on this success
together, ensuring that LazyTown becomes the world's leading healthy
lifestyle brand for children."

Turner's expanding presence in the EMEA territory currently sees
Boomerang and Cartoonito brands available in 22 languages in 125
million households, with the LazyTown brand presenting an evident
opportunity for innovative collaborations within the existing family
of assets.

"This is going to be great news for the kids who watch, wear or
play online with our brands," added Kupsky.

For Turner, which also operates the TNT and CNN brands as part of
a growing and diverse channel portfolio, the move is the fourth
strategic investment within the last year in the EMEA region. It
follows on from the recent acquisition of MMG and investments in
TeePee Games and Starlounge, as part of its commitment to taking
entrepreneurial businesses to the next level of development, with
growth plans beyond Turner's existing footprint over time.

About Turner Broadcasting System

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe currently broadcasts 25
channels in 22 languages across approximately 100 countries in
Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Turner Broadcasting brands
currently operating in the region include Cartoon Network, Boomerang,
Cartoonito, CN Too, TNT, Boing, Adult Swim, TCM (Turner Classic
Movies) and CNN International. In EMEA the company is at the
forefront of innovation and development, with its brands available to
audiences across the region via the web, VOD, DVD, gaming, mobile,
merchandising, publishing and emerging platforms. Turner Broadcasting
is a Time Warner company.

About Lazytown

LazyTown is a children's entertainment brand dedicated to
promoting health and wellbeing in a fun way. This is its unique
selling point, and by remaining committed to this, LazyTown
Entertainment has been able to develop the brand with integrity and
authenticity. Created and starring Icelander Magnus Scheving, the
program has been seen by more than 500 million children and aired in
over 100 countries throughout the world.

Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20110908/478963

ots Originaltext: Turner Broadcasting
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information please contact: Claudia Coles, Vice
President, Public, Relations, EMEA, Tel: +44(0)20-7693-0946, Email:
claudia.coles@turner.com; Yinka Akindele, Senior Press Officer, Tel:
+44(0)20-7693-1105, Email: yinka.akindele@turner.com; Investor /
Commercial
Enquiries: Benjamin Vedrenne-Cloquet, VP, Business Development,
Strategy
and New Ventures, Turner EMEA, Email: benjamin.vedrenne@turner.com,
Tel:
+447538577380