Chellomedia and HIT are to launch a new channel aimed at pre-school children into the increasingly competitive kids market. Chellomedia has acquired JimJam, a pre-school channel already available in Italy through Sky Italia, and will relaunch the channel across Western and Eastern Europe later this year. From January 2008 the channel will roll out internationally with the exception of the United States and the UK.
HIT Entertainment will be responsible for content acquisition, adding new titles to its own portfolio, which already include Barney and Friends, Bob the Builder and Thomas the Tank Engine.
JimJam – an expression often used by small children in place of pyjamas – will face competition in the European marketplace from Sparrowhawk’s recently launched Kidsco and the Nickelodeon branded block Nick Jr.
