Genius Brands International's All-New Animated Series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, Clears 161 Public Television Stations Across the U.S., Reaching Approximately 60 Million Households
STEM-Based Comedy Adventure Series Now Airing in Key Markets Nationwide, Including New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, Houston and More
BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(Marketwired - December 03, 2015) - In keeping with American Public Television's tradition of distributing innovative, educational and entertaining programming,Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, an all-new animated series created by Genius Brands International "GBI" (GNUS) in association with Georgia Public Broadcasting, has cleared to date 161 public television stations across the country.
Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, which began its initial launch in September, is now airing in key markets nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, New Orleans and more. The series will continue its rollout through the end of this year and into Q1 2016. Early results have shown strong ratings growth in the key markets of Los Angeles (airing on KCET on Sunday mornings with nearly 200,000 viewers over an initial six week period), and the sponsor stations of Georgia Public Television.
"Thomas Edison's Secret Lab delivers fun, fresh and imaginative adventures that engage a child's natural curiosity, encouraging them to innovate and explore, and discover how much fun science can be," said GBI's SVP, Global Distribution Sales, Andrew Berman. "We're gratified with the positive response this series is receiving and thrilled to have it available to kids in 60 million U.S. households via public television stations."
Thomas Edison's Secret Lab is also available on the new Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand platform (CMCSA), reaching 21 million households across the U.S., as well as in more than 60 countries around the world.
About Thomas Edison's Secret Lab
Thomas Edison, the most prolific inventor of our times, is back! This time to inspire a new generation of kids by showing how much fun science and exploration can be in Thomas Edison's Secret Lab. Featuring comedy, adventure and hijinks, the series encourages kids to explore the limits of their own imaginations with the help of Thomas Edison, who returns in holographic form to inspire and encourage them. The series follows 12-year-old prodigy Angie and her science club who accidentally discover Thomas Edison's last invention -- a secret lab with every imaginable gizmo, including a virtual reality machine, Kafloogalator, and a half-finished robot named Tobor who the kids bring to life.
Following a STEM-based curriculum, the kids embark on scientific endeavors -- past, present and future. Each 26 half-hour episode in season one ends with a School House Rock-style music video that features original music by Grammy Award-winning producer Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, the Black-Eyed Peas, Fergie, Lady Gaga, The Pussycat Dolls) to reinforce the learning and the fun. Thomas Edison's Secret Lab was developed in collaboration with an academic team led by Professor Emeritus Don Roberts of Stanford University and Dorothy Singer of Yale, who have overseen the development, as well as the episodic content to ensure it meets E/I (educational and informational) standards.
Thomas Edison is voiced by American singer, songwriter and Berklee College of Music Professor Livingston Taylor. Emmy-nominated writer Steve Banks (SpongeBob Square Pants), wrote the pilot episode; Grant Moran (Word Girl, New Adventures of the Magic School Bus) and Betsy McGowan (Senior VP Kids' WB!, co-creator Camp Lakebottom) are co-story editors; Emmy Award-winning Michael Maliani (Madeline, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego) serves as co-producer and director; Kevin O'Donnell is the series co-creator; and Emmy Award-winning Mark Young (All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, Tutenstein) serves as co-producer.
Thomas Edison's Secret Lab is a fully immersive, multimedia property that crosses a variety of platforms to entertain. Fat Red Couch recently launched an app for iPhone and Android and Master Toy partner Wicked Cool Toys will debut a new line of toys in fall 2016. Additionally, GBI also plans to unveil new games, activity kits, apparel, publishing, and an in-school curriculum program in 2016.
About American Public Television
American Public Television (APT) has been a leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation's public television stations since 1961. For 10 years, APT has annually distributed one-third or more of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U. S. Among its 300 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children's series and classic movies. America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated, Rick Steves' Europe, Front and Center, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, Vera, NHK Newsline,Lidia's Kitchen, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, and P. Allen Smith's Garden Home join numerous documentaries and performance programs popular with public television viewers. APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Now in its 10th year, Create® TV -- featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming-is distributed by APT. APT also distributes WORLD™, public television's premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT's programs and services, visit APTonline.org.
About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Genius Brands International, Inc. "GBI" (GNUS) is a publicly traded global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia content for toddlers to tweens. Led by award-winning creators and producers, GBI creates "content and products with a purpose," providing enrichment as well as entertainment. The Company distributes its content worldwide in all formats, as well as a broad range of consumer products based on its characters. GBI's portfolio includes award-winning Baby Genius, recently re-launched with new entertainment and over 40 new products; adventure comedy Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, available on public broadcast stations and GBI's Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand platform reaching 21 million households; animated movie Stan Lee's Mighty 7, the first project from Stan Lee Comics, a joint venture with Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment and featuring an all-star voice cast led by legendary Stan Lee; and Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring iconic investor Warren Buffett. The Company is also producing a new animated preschool series based on Llama Llama, the NY Times bestselling children's book franchise; and a tween adventure series Space Pop, featuring original music from renowned industry veteran Ron Fair and his singer-songwriter wife Stefanie Fair.
GBI's wholly owned subsidiary A Squared Entertainment is a brand management and licensing company that represents third-party properties across a broad range of categories in territories around the world. The company currently represents Psycho Bunny, a luxury apparel line; From Frank, a humor greeting card and product line; and Celessence Technologies, the world's leading microencapsulation company.
For additional information please visit www.gnusbrands.com.
Forward Looking Statements:
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