Gadget And The Gadgetinis

Fox Kids Europe Announces Licensing Activities For Gadget And The Gadgetinis - Property sold to 16 countries in pan-European licensing programme - TV series features classic cartoon character in new 'turbo-charged' adventures.

June 5, 2003: Amsterdam, The Netherlands and London, UK - Fox Kids Europe N.V. (FKE), the leading pan-European integrated children's entertainment company, today announced a significant range of licensing activities based around one of its top properties, the animated series Gadget And The Gadgetinis, which features the classic cartoon character in a new series of updated, contemporary adventures.

The original Inspector Gadget series launched in 1982; the modern Gadget has received both an image makeover and a promotion, trading in his fedora for a helmet and his trench-coat for fatigues to become the new, turbo-charged 'Lieutenant Gadget' in the 52-episode series Gadget And The Gadgetinis, which is aimed at 4-11 year-old boys and girls.

Gadget And The Gadgetinis has been sold to 16 countries across Europe, including the UK, The Netherlands, France, Spain and Greece; a launch across the rest of Europe is anticipated for autumn 2003. The property has received exposure via Fox Kids channels, websites and magazines. It is currently on air in France (on M6), the UK (on Five) and on Fox Kids channels in France and Greece.

Pan-European licensing deals are in place with LSP for video-games and with Imcadisa for communication toys. Sales of Gadget And The Gadgetinis home videos have been significant, supported by the re-release of the original series and the video release of Disney's feature film Inspector Gadget 2. Other licensing deals include apparel, home furnishings, toys, a range of back-to-school stationary, board games and confectionery.

Promotions to date include; in France a promotion staged with Quick restaurants during April 2003; in the UK a Wimpy & Mr Lucky Bag promotion involved 300 outlets nationwide during Spring 2003; in Greece a promotion was staged with Goodie Restaurants, and major promotions are currently under negotiation in Spain and other territories.

Ian Downes, Managing Director, Active Licensing Europe says: "For over 20 years, the lovable, bumbling cartoon character Inspector Gadget has entertained kids and adults alike around the world, both through the animated series and through Disney's live-action feature film, which grossed US$160 million worldwide. With the addition of engaging brand-new characters and sophisticated new gadgetry, Gadget And The Gadgetinis has maintained and developed this broad appeal, its bright colours and hi-tech elements lending themselves well to a wide range of merchandise."

About Fox Kids Europe N.V.:

Fox Kids Europe N.V. (FKE) is the leading pan-European integrated children's entertainment company with localised television channels, programme distribution and consumer products businesses. FKE's business lines are driven by a localised approach and its ownership of one of the largest and most recognised libraries of children's programming in the world, which includes approximately 6,300 episodes. FKE is listed on Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange.

Channels

FKE produces and broadcasts television channels for children aged 2-14. The content of each is tailored specifically to the local audience in each market, taking into account viewing habits, popularity of programmes, parental sensitivities and cultural trends. Fox Kids channels are currently broadcasting via cable and satellite to 57 countries, reaching more than 33 million households in 17 languages. FKE's main markets include the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, the Nordic Region, Spain, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Russia, Israel and Italy.

FKE also offers interactive TV games channels, 'Fox Kids Play', in France and Israel and operates 17 localised websites for the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, France, Israel, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Norway, Italy, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Programme Distribution

FKE owns one of the largest libraries of children's programming in Europe. Programming from its library is distributed to more than 120 different terrestrial, cable and satellite channels in over 50 markets across Europe and the Middle East. This library includes major global programming franchises such as Power Rangers, Spiderman, X-Men, Inspector Gadget and Goosebumps. The rights for most of the titles in the FKE library cover all markets in Europe and the Middle East and include many forms of media. The FKE library is serviced by Buena Vista International Television.

Consumer Products

FKE's consumer product activities include toys, merchandising, retail projects and home videos sold in 30 European countries. FKE is present in the UK, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux and also retains third party agents in other European markets. FKE's consumer product properties are sourced from the FKE library and include properties such as Power Rangers and Gadget and the Gadgetinis as well as third party agreements for properties such as Digimon, Medabots and Totally Spies.