Random House, Komixx Sign Kids' Joint Venture

Random House Children's Books and Komixx Entertainment have created a joint-venture business, Random House Children's Screen Entertainment, to produce animated and live-action children's and family movies and television.

RHCSE will develop and produce entertainment exclusively from RHCB published books and characters. Alongside this content, RHCSE will develop licensing through Internet and digital channels, video gaming, toys and other product areas.

RHSCE will be jointly owned by Random House and Komixx Entertainment and staffed from the two organizations. Catherine Robins, managing director of 2 Sides TV and a minority shareholder, will join RHCSE's management team. At RHCB, color publisher Fiona Macmillan will lead the venture on a day-to-day basis.

"I'm delighted to get this new venture off the ground," says Philippa Dickinson, managing director of RHCB. "It marks a huge step forward in terms of RHCB's ability to provide our authors and licensors with the perfect platform from which we can develop properties in a truly holistic manner—with regard to traditional and evolving means of delivering content. We are delighted to be working with Komixx and Catherine Robins who bring experience, drive and financing know-how to the operation."

"At a time when original content is at a premium, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to be involved in developing entertainment from one of the largest libraries of original, high-quality children's and family intellectual property," says Andrew Cole-Bulgin, joint-chief executive officer of Komixx Entertainment. "With some of the biggest-selling children's books in their catalog, we look forward to working with Random House and benefiting from its global marketing reach."