BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Nov. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International, Inc.’s “Genius Brands”
(NASDAQ:GNUS) has added a slate of eight new animated series for children and families from DHX Media to its premium subscription
streaming channel for families, Kid Genius Cartoons Plus!, available on Amazon Channels.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/628e81ce-2e60-4310-b144-bd0917fabd9e
In announcing the content licensing agreement, Genius Brands’ SVP of Global Content Distribution and Marketing &
President of Kid Genius Cartoon Channel Deb Pierson stated, “Genius Brands is committed to engaging the imaginations of young
people the world over, which is why so many of the beloved series we are now offering are complementary to the Kid Genius
Cartoons Plus! channel schedule on Amazon. In building out our subscription streaming service, our priority is to ensure that
all content meets our criteria of being both entertaining and enriching and that all series resonate with our young viewers.
We also want to assure parents and caregivers that they can trust the Kid Genius platform to provide age appropriate, engaging
content within a safe viewing environment, something that is equally important to Amazon as well.”
Among the series included in the new licensing agreement are:
- Liberty’s Kids, an animated adventure drama that chronicles the American Revolutionary War as seen
through the eyes of an American teenage boy, a young English lady, and a French boy, all of whom work as reporters for Benjamin
Franklin. Featuring the voice of Walter Cronkite as Franklin and a host of voice talent, including Sylvester Stallone, Ben
Stiller, Billy Crystal, Dustin Hoffman, Annette Bening, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Neeson, Whoopi Goldberg and more.
- The Adventures of Paddington Bear, an animated children's television series based on the book
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond, which follows the adventures of a bear from Peru that comes to England after an
earthquake destroys his home.
- Inspector Gadget (classic), an animated action adventure series follows the bumbling bionic police
inspector as he stumbles about on his cases, while his niece and dog secretly do the real investigative work.
- Animal Mechanicals, an animated preschool series stars Rex, Unicorn, Komodo, Sasquatch and Mouse,
each with their own unique gifts that help the team explore fantastic worlds, complete cool quests, and work together to solve
puzzles.
- The Littles, an animated adventure series about a 13-year-old boy named Henry Bigg who goes on
vacation and finds a whole family of mouse-sized creatures in his suitcase – parents William and Lucy and their three children,
21-year-old Dinky, 13-year-old Tom and 10-year-old Lucy, among them.
- New Adventures of Madeline, an animated series based on classic children’s book by Ludwig
Bemelmans, chronicles the adventures of the little red-haired girl named Madeline, Pepito, Miss Clavel and her friends.
- Pirates, Adventures in Art, a preschool animation series sets sail with the artsiest and craftiest
crew of rollicking rogues ever to sail the seven seas.
- Dino Squad, a children’s animation series follows five quirky teenagers who become dinosaurs to
fight crime.
Kid Genius Cartoons Plus! offers exclusive access to stream full seasons of enriching and entertaining
content for toddlers to tweens via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices, including Fire TV, mobile devices and online.
Kid Genius Cartoons Plus! features series that support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills, as well as
social-emotional development and literacy skills. Award-winning “content with a purpose” from Genius Brands’ catalog also available
on Kid Genius Cartoons Plus! includes Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, featuring 26 half-hour
episodes and 26 shorts created and produced in partnership with and starring legendary financier Warren Buffett, Baby
Genius, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, SpacePOP Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, Martha Stewart’s Martha & Friends,
and Gisele Bündchen’s Gisele & The Green Team.
All episodes from series are also available to download for offline viewing on iPads, iPhones, Android phones
and tablets and Fire tablets at no additional cost—meaning subscribers can enjoy Kid Genius Cartoons Plus! titles even
when they don’t have an internet connection available. For more information, please visit Kid Genius Cartoons Plus! on Amazon.
About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNUS) is a leading global media company
developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media
distribution and retail channels. Led by award-winning creators and producers, Genius Brands distributes its content worldwide in
all formats, as well as a broad range of consumer products based on its characters. In the children's media sector, its portfolio
of “content with a purpose” includes new preschool properties Rainbow Rangers for Nick Jr. and Llama Llama for
Netflix; tween music-driven YouTube brand SpacePOP; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy
series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, and Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring
iconic investor Warren Buffett. The Company is also co-producing an all-new adult animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic
Crusaders, with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment and The Hollywood Reporter. Genius Brands’ Kid Genius Cartoon Channel
is currently available in approximately 60 million households. For additional information please visit www.gnusbrands.com.
About DHX Media
DHX Media Ltd. (TSX:DHX.A) (TSX:DHX.B) (NASDAQ:DHXM) is a leading children’s content and brands company, recognized globally for
such high-profile properties as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, and the acclaimed Degrassi
franchise. One of the world’s foremost producers of children’s shows, DHX Media owns the world’s largest independent library of
children’s content, at 13,000 half-hours. It licenses its content to broadcasters and streaming services worldwide and generates
royalties through its global consumer products program. Through its subsidiary, WildBrain, DHX Media operates one of the largest
networks of children’s channels on YouTube. Headquartered in Canada, DHX Media has 20 offices worldwide. Visit us at www.dhxmedia.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 those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), not
limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. 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:
Michelle Orsi
Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications
(310) 418-6430
michelle@360-comm.com
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:
Michael Porter
PLR Investor Relations
212.564.7000
mike@plrinvest.com
