TORONTO – Astral Media announced Wednesday that it’s looking for production partners for some new Canadian series and episodes for its Playhouse Disney channel.
Funding in the amount of $1 million for the development of new series comes from the Playhouse Disney Development Fund and will be allocated over a four-year period.
“We’re proud to contribute to the creation of some of the best children’s programming in the world with Franny’s Feet and The Secret World of Benjamin Bear,” said Kevin Wright, senior vice-president of programming at Astral Television Networks. “These series have resonated with our audience on Playhouse Disney, and we’re thrilled to offer new episodes to our viewers as of 2009. We’re also excited to be in a position to partner with the Canadian production community on new projects for younger children and look forward to putting new series into development and creating an enduring programming legacy for Playhouse Disney in Canada.”
Production on 13 half-hour episodes, which will make up season three of Franny’s Feet, produced by Toronto-based Decode Entertainment, will begin in fall 2008. Commissioning this third season brings the total episodic library to 52 half hours.
Ottawa’s Amberwood Entertainment will begin production this fall on season four (13 new episodes) of The Secret World of Benjamin Bear.
Playhouse Disney is a commercial-free, multiplex channel offered to Family Channel subscribers across Canada. For more information, visit www.playhousedisney.ca.