Toronto, Canada – November 5, 2013 – 9 Story Entertainment is pleased to announce that it has secured sales of three series to the National Geographic Kids subscription-based digital video channel available through YouTube. The agreement includes the innovative reality show Survive This (24 x 22’ plus 2 x 45’ finales), hosted by Les Stroud, the factual based show Making Stuff (104 x 5’), and the animated comedy show Best Ed (52 x 11’).
Aimed at kids ages six to twelve, the National Geographic Kids channel features animated and live action content and launched last spring as part of YouTube’s initial pilot program. It is available in English internationally for $3.99 U.S. per month and offers a free 14-day trial before purchasing.
In Survive This, which is created in the tradition of his hit series Survivorman, Les Stroud empowers eight teens to explore their connection to the wild. The series challenges the teens to push their limits, overcome their fears and develop lifelong survival skills. They are challenged physically, emotionally and intellectually with each episode presenting a different survival test, devised by Les Stroud himself.
Making Stuff follows the adventures of Gears, an animated host made out of spare parts from the factory floor and his animated pal Wiz, whose x-ray vision helps children understand the inner workings of the machines they meet. Designed to show young viewers how objects they encounter every day are made, the series is shot in HD in real factories, food plants and wherever items such as gelato, chocolate, teddy bears, kayaks, jigsaw puzzles and model trains are made.
Best Ed is an animated series about an unlikely friendship between a dog named Ed and a squirrel named Buddy. Ed’s catastrophic good deeds drive Buddy totally bonkers! But they’ll never stop being best friends because it may be hard to live with Ed, but it’s even harder to live without him.
About National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids inspires young adventurers to explore the world through award-winning magazines, books, apps, games, toys, videos, events and a website, and is the only kids brand with a world-class scientific organization at its core. National Geographic Kids magazine (10 issues per year) and Little Kids magazine (six issues per year) are photo-driven publications available on newsstands or by subscription in print and on tablets. The award-winning website kids.nationalgeographic.com excites kids about the planet through games, videos, contests, photos, quizzes and blogs about cultures, animals and destinations. National Geographic Kids Books is the leading nonfiction publisher with 60 titles each year, including the New York Times bestseller “Kids Almanac.” National Geographic Kids safely gengages kids to learn through digital play in the virtual animal world of Animal Jam and the interactive TV experience of Nat Geo Kinect TV. National Geographic Kids apps bring the best of National Geographic Kids to smartphones and tablets.
9 Story Entertainment is one of the industry’s leading creators, producers and distributors of award-winning animated and live-action content for young audiences around the world. With one of North America’s largest animation studios based in Toronto, 9 Story has over 200 creative and production staff, and has produced over 800 half hours of quality children’s and family programming, seen on some of the most respected children’s channels around the world across multiple platforms. The company’s distribution arm 9 Story Enterprises represents a growing catalogue which includes several beloved brands such as Arthur, Wibbly Pig, Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, Wild Kratts and Almost Naked Animals in addition to exciting new series such as Numb Chucks, Camp Lakebottom, Cache Craze, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood and Nerds and Monsters. The company recently acquired CCI Kids, the family content division of CCI Entertainment, increasing 9 Story’s portfolio to over 1500 half hours of content with popular shows such as Guess How Much I Love You, Joe & Jack, Artzooka! and Extreme Babysitting. www.9story.com
For further information:
Jennifer Ansley, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, 9 Story Entertainment +1 416 530-9900 ext 230, jennifera@9story.com