HIT Entertainment PLC was established in 1989, and was originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television. However, following the death of Jim Henson in 1990, the business was sold to several members of the company's management, led by Peter Orton, and renamed HIT Entertainment to prevent any future confusion between the two companies.
HIT is privately held. Sunshine Acquisition, a company set up by Apax Partners’ Funds, closed acquisition of HIT Entertainment on May 26, 2005 £489.4 million.
HIT's catalogue of characters include Angelina Ballerina, Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fifi & the Flowertots, Fireman Sam, Fraggle Rock, Pingu, Rainbow Magic, and Thomas & Friends. HIT also owns redistribution rights to several other shows (Wishbone, etc.). According to its web site, HiT's catalog comprises over 1,500 hours of children's programming in 240 countries and in over 45 different languages. HiT also claims to produce more than 900 minutes of new programming a year.
HIT purchased Gullane Entertainment (the owners of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and Magic Adventures of Mumfie) in 2002, in the process becoming owner of the Guinness Book of Records, which was sold in 2008, and in the same year also purchased Lyrick Studios (who were the US distributors of The Wiggles and Bob the Builder and the owners of Barney & Friends and Wishbone).
HIT appointed Lionsgate as its North American Home Video partner in 2008, responsible for the distribution, sales and marketing of HIT's extensive portfolio, which had been distributed since 2006 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
HIT Entertainment is a fully integrated studio, that incorporates production, world-wide distribution, UK home entertainment, publishing, licensing and merchandising, and HIT Wildlife, the company's natural history arm.
HIT currently sells programming to over 120 countries. The chairman of HIT Entertainment is Greg Dyke, the former Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the CEO is Jeff Dunn, formerly the Group Chief Operating Officer of Nickelodeon.
List of shows
The HIT Entertainment television signature as it used to appear at the end of each of its television programs and on the website.
External links
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