New York, NY (October 24, 2006) -- Qubo, the groundbreaking new multi-platform television network for children that champions literacy and positive values through entertainment, today announced the appointments of Rick Rodriguez as President and General Manager and Kerry J. Hughes as Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales and Sponsorships, effective immediately.  Mr. Rodriguez will be initially based in Los Angeles while Ms. Hughes will be based out of qubo’s offices in New York.
 
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Rick and Kerry, whose experience and knowledge in the kids space will be critical assets to the growth and development of qubo,” said Brandon Burgess, CEO of ION Media Networks.  “We’ve already seen positive traction across markets with qubo’s targeted audience and look forward to building on this momentum and advancing the mission of the network under Rick and Kerry’s leadership.”
 
“Rick and Kerry’s deep experience with children’s media combined with their personal commitment to providing families with television and internet experiences that entertain as well as reinforce literacy and values, make them the right people to lead this venture,” said Deborah Forte, President of Scholastic Media.
 
“Qubo is a milestone for kids and families on commercial television,” said Eric Ellenbogen, CEO of Classic Media.  “The addition of Rick and Kerry to the qubo team will further enhance our mission of reaching kids through values-based entertainment.”
 
Mr. Rodriguez, who will be responsible for strategic and day-to-day operational oversight of qubo, brings over 20 years of experience within the multi-channel television programming and production industry.  During his ten-year career with Discovery Communications, Inc., Rodriguez oversaw the creation of the Discovery Kids network, first in Latin America and later throughout the rest of Discovery’s international markets as Executive Vice President of Content.  From 2003 to 2004, Rodriguez served as Executive Vice President and General Manager for the Travel Channel.  He left Discovery in July 2004 to form Los Angeles-based Island Dreamer Enterprises, a television production company and consulting firm.  There he successfully managed the launch of Discovery Kids en Español and Discovery Travel & Living for the U.S. Hispanic market, as well as the launch Discovery’s HD Channels in Europe and Asia.

“The commitment from the partners and qubo’s early successes demonstrate the opportunity that exists in the kids category for a fresh, distinctive destination for children and families,” said Mr. Rodriguez.  “I am thrilled at the prospect of leading qubo’s rollout and development, and I look forward to working with the partners, each of whom is a leader in the children’s programming category, on advancing the mission of the network.”
 
With 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the television industry, Ms. Hughes joins qubo as Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales and Sponsorships.  Prior to joining qubo, Hughes was National Sales Director, Advertising and Custom Publishing at Warner Bros./DC Comics and Mad Magazine, where she effectively developed and implemented strategic plans for the sale of advertising space in DC Comics publications and custom publishing projects.  Previously, Hughes was Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Walt Disney Company/Disney ABC Kids Networks, overseeing all advertising and promotional marketing activities related to the division’s ad-supported kids platforms, as well as non-commercial partnership opportunities on Disney Channel.
 
“qubo is redefining the quality of programming choices for children and presenting new opportunities to advertisers who seek a fresh and trusted environment for kids and families,” said Ms. Hughes.  “I look forward to working with Rick and the qubo team on developing integrated, multi-platform programs that are attractive for our advertisers and our audience.”
 
Since its debut, qubo, which currently airs on NBC, the i network and Telemundo, has averaged a 1.0 gross rating and 436,000 total Kids 2-11.  Versus its premiere week, qubo in week five was up 20% in ratings (1.2 vs. 1.0) and up 25% in impressions (479,000 vs. 384,000) among Kids 2-11.
 
The following are additional qubo highlights for the period of September 9 through October 14, 2006:
 
- NBC, which carries qubo on Saturday mornings, has increased its average rating among Kids 2-11 by 16% since the start of the season and by 74% compared to the same period last year.  Meanwhile, the other competing broadcast networks, CBS, ABC and FOX, have shown significant decline in ratings ranging from –19% to –67% for the same demo compared to the previous year.
 
- The i network, which airs qubo on Friday afternoons, increased 163% among Kids 2-11 in week five (79,000) versus its premiere week (30,000) and 61% versus the previous week (49,000).
 
- Telemundo’s Saturday morning performance is up 17% in Kids 2-11 versus the same time a year ago (62,000 vs. 53,000).
 
- As of the week ending October 13th, NBC, Telemundo and the i network have enjoyed consistent growth in the Kids 2-11 demo, while the Saturday blocks on ABC, CBS and FOX have declined as much as 39% in the same demo since the start of the season.
 
About qubo
Launched in September 2006, qubo is a new multi-platform entertainment destination for children that focuses on literacy and values and celebrates the unlimited possibilities of a child’s imagination.  qubo was formed in May 2006 by an unprecedented alliance of leading distribution partners and content players in children’s television, including ION Media Networks, 51% owner of the network, NBC Universal, Scholastic, Corus Entertainment and Classic Media/Big Idea.  Currently broadcast in both English and Spanish on NBC Saturday mornings, the i network Fridays afternoons and Telemundo weekend mornings, qubo will evolve to include a 24/7 digital broadcast channel, an enhanced interactive website and video-on-demand services.  For more information, visit www.qubo.com.
 
About ION Media Networks
ION Media Networks, Inc. owns and operates the nation’s largest broadcast television station group and the i network, reaching over 92 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems.  For more information, please visit www.ionmedia.tv.
 
About NBC Universal
NBC Television Network and Telemundo are units of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.  Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks.  NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric and 20%-owned by Vivendi Universal.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and children’s media.  Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children’s books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials and toys.  Scholastic Media, a division of Scholastic Inc., is a leading producer of quality, family-oriented feature films, television programming, videos, interactive media and web sites and is a major developer and marketer of children’s brands worldwide.  The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company’s Internet site, www.scholastic.com.
 
About Classic Media/Big Idea
Classic Media is America’s largest private owner of kids and family entertainment.  Classic’s library includes more than 4,000 popular and award-winning movie, TV, book and comic titles.  The company’s rich content library includes some of the world’s most trusted names in literary and values-based entertainment, including Golden Books (The Poky Little Puppy, pat the bunny), Dr. Seuss’ Gerald McBoing Boing (currently airing on the Cartoon Network), Little Lulu (HBO Family), Lassie (Discovery Networks) and Big Idea’s VeggieTales, among many others.  Classic’s Big Idea division is recognized as the leading producer and creator of values-based family product.  Best known for its award-winning VeggieTales animated series, which has sold more than 50 million videos since 1993, Big Idea is committed to providing entertaining stories that help families teach children important life lessons in a delightfully wacky way. For more information, please visit us at www.bigidea.com.
 
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company.  Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising and digital audio services, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. The company’s multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, Movie Central, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
 
For photos, please visit www.ionpress.com.

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