Azernews.Az

By Bloomberg

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. will offer a children’s television channel in 19 Asian countries by the second half of next year, the first TV channel for the movie studio that made “Shrek” and “Kung Fu Panda.”

The channel will feature shows based on the company’s movies, including “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Puss in Boots,” as well as original animated series currently in production, the company said yesterday in a statement. DreamWorks Animation will also pull programming from a catalog that includes “Casper the Friendly Ghost” and “Richie Rich.”

DreamWorks Animation has expanded into television, toys and online video to reduce its reliance on film, a cyclical business with thin profit margins. After more than a decade of producing successful films, the company has taken writedowns on three movies in the past three years, “Rise of the Guardians,” “Turbo” and “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” after they fell short at the box office.

DreamWorks Animation, which doesn’t have the support of a larger corporation like Walt Disney Co., has discussed a sale with Softbank Corp. and Hasbro Inc. in recent months. Both companies opted not to acquire the Glendale, California-based studio.

“This is the maiden voyage,” said Eric Ellenbogen, co- head of DreamWorks International TV. “Asia is a natural market because you have a burgeoning pay-TV business here, an expanding middle class and a young population as well.”

HBO Asia, based in Singapore, will manage affiliate sales, marketing and technical services for the channel, which Ellenbogen said will be made available on mobile phones, tablets and via on-demand services.

DreamWorks Animation will be able to offer viewers the series it produces for Netflix Inc. because Netflix doesn’t operate in any of its initial 19 markets.