

04.03.02
 ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Worldwide and KOCH Entertainment LLC sign major deal for children's
record label
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Worldwide and KOCH Entertainment LLC, the leading independent music
company in North America, have entered into a long-term agreement
to increase distribution and marketing of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s growing portfolio
of children's music properties in the US and Canada.
Working
together, the organisations will market existing ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Children's
records, such as Bob the Builder (a huge UK hit for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide)
throughout the US and Canada, and develop new opportunities based
on major ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ brands to create a broad children's music portfolio.
"Koch
is a great partner for us to develop our dynamic ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Children's
records business in the US and Canadian markets, said Rupert Gavin,
Chief Executive ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide. "This relationship will allow
us to build on the great success we have enjoyed to date with our
children's properties around the globe and to maximise our overall
cross-media activities on our children's brands."
Graham
Samuels, Marketing Director ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Music added, "combining the
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ music brands with the marketing and distribution skills of Koch
in these very important markets will enable us to develop further
our children's brand portfolio, increasing its profile and longevity
around the world. This new partnership will complement the relationship
we enjoy with Universal Music International in the rest of the world."
Bob Frank, president Koch Entertainment added: "joining forces
with the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ is very exciting for us. We've developed extensive
marketing plans to help further the success in the US and Canada
Bob the Builder has already generated overseas. And look forward
to working with the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ to market music from other ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ children's
series within the next year."
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Music will continue to build on its success in the UK with its own
label. Bob the Builder's Brits-nominated Mambo No. 5 was the best
for 2001, with chart-topping success for the single and album. In
Australia he also had a top charting single and album.
Note
to editors
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide is the main commercial arm of the British Broadcasting
Corporation (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½). It was formed in 1994 to develop a co-ordinated
approach to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s commercial activities and to ensure the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
continues to develop as a leading player in the world media market.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Music forms part of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide's Global Marketing and Brand Development
(GMBD) Division. GMBD was created to develop key ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ properties
with genuine cross media as global brands across, Children's, Music
and Learning. GMBD works closely with the other divisions of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Worldwide and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Television.
KOCH
Entertainment is the American artist and repertoire arm of KOCH
International, one of the largest independent music companies in
the world and has the largest current market share of any independently
distributed independent record label in the U.S.A. KOCH Entertainment,
based in New York, operates its own record labels including KOCH
Records, In The Paint (urban), Audium (country), and KOCH Classics/Jazz
and has interests in other leading independent record companies.

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