Pre-School Channel JimJam Acquires Three New Series

London, 30 January 2012 — Global pre-school channel JimJam, part of leading international broadcaster Chello Zone’s portfolio of channels, is going green with a run of new nature-themed programming acquisitions.

Available to all of JimJam’s 16 million subscribers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia from April 2012, My Animal Family (26×15’), is a Czech production acquired from Big Media. This enchanting docu-series narrates award-winning wildlife footage from a child’s perspective to imagine a day in the life of a baby animal and its family. Animals featured in the series include lions, dolphins, giraffes, chimpanzees, elephants and frogs; these creatures will show young viewers the wonders of animal life and the importance of family, while having fun.

JimJam’s dedicated Italian feed which broadcasts to nearly four million subscribers on Sky Italia will see two new aquatic acquisitions joining its line-up from February. Charming animated series Conch Bay (65×30’), from Medianetwork Communication SPA, tells the tale of a young boy named Ray who enjoys a drama-filled life underwater with his dolphin mother and their marine friends. His daily life in Conch Bay involves racing with sharks and fending off attacks from a crab army, but after saving a little girl from drowning, Ray’s secret marine life is uncovered and he is brought back to land by scientists intent on studying his curious amphibian attributes.

Following in March, also acquired from Medianetwork Communication SPA, is Magic Wonderland (26×30’) a CGI animated series from China. It sets the scene on an exotic sun-kissed island where a beautiful girl, Ocean, lives with her grandfather. Entering a magical world of wizards, fairies and cursed crystal balls, each episode is a voyage into the mystical and unknown.

Kathy Fairbairn, Director of Programming for JimJam, says: “Children are fascinated by wildlife and the world around them, and these three new acquisitions mark a fresh new direction for JimJam. Through a mixture of high quality live action and beautiful animation, My Animal Family, Conch Bay and Magic Wonderland will captivate our young viewers by exploring the wonders of the natural world, presenting a magical and inspiring insight into the creatures and environments of our living planet. ”