KCET Presents the U.S. Premiere of Acclaimed Australian Preschool Series, Hi-5

from 5 - 8 a.m. Beginning Feb. 17

Burbank, Calif. - Feb. 4, 2014 - KCET, the nation's largest independent public television

station serving Southern and Central California, has announced it will launch Hi-5,

one of the world's leading educational series for preschoolers ages 2-8.  Hi-5 is the No. 1 rated children's

program in Latin America and Asia and is currently available in more than 80

countries. Hi-5 will debut for the first time in the U.S. exclusively on

KCET, beginning Feb. 17 at 7:30 a.m.

Hi-5 episodes,

hosted in the U.S. by young actress and dancer Jaylene Mendoza, joins KCET's

current children's block, which shifts to a new time period from 5-8 a.m. each

The Hi-5 series delivers core-learning values for

preschoolers, including: education, imaginative play, positivity, social

interaction, healthy living and developmental growth. The segments use music,

humor and imagination to help children learn about the world around them. The

learning theories of Piaget, Gardner, Vygotsky, Dalcroze and others heavily

influence the show's content.

"We are thrilled to be able to debut Hi-5

exclusively to Southern and Central California audiences," said Mary Mazur,

Chief Operating Officer for KCETLink. "As a public media organization,

education is one of our fundamental programming principles and the addition of

this international hit to our children's block, further exemplifies our

commitment to provide quality programming through a global lens to our diverse

viewership."

Added Datuk Jared Lim, Chairman of Hi-5 Operations, which

owns the rights to the Hi-5 brand: 

"We're thrilled that KCET had the foresight and vision to bring Hi-5,

our internationally revered series to the U.S. and help foster the love of

learning for young audiences." 

Rick Romano, CEO of

Genesis Group Unlimited, the North American distributor of Hi-5, said,

"The Hi-5 series is extremely relevant to today's media savvy

preschooler. We are excited to work with KCET to bring an award winning,

educationally driven show like Hi-5 to an American audience." 

Hi-5 debuted on the Nine Network in Australia in 1999. 

The Hi-5 brand includes both a worldwide live

tour, as well as its broadcast component, which explores weekly themes with

each cast member, such as:

·        

Shapes in Space with Nathan

·        

Body Move with Charli

·        

Word Play with Kellie and puppet 'Chats'

·        

Making Music with Tim and Kellie

·        

Puzzles and Patterns with Sun and puppet 'Jup Jup'

·        

Song of the Week and Sharing Stories with the entire cast

Each segment focuses on a particular area of learning,

including: verbal, musical, visual, mathematical, physical and social. The

episode concludes with a shared story.  

Hi-5 has won countless awards for excellence in children's

programming, including three Logie awards for "Most Outstanding Children's

Program" and five ARIA Awards for "Best Children's Album." It is a top-rated

series in almost every region it is available, including Brazil, Argentina,

Colombia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and more.

For more information about the series, please visit: www.kcet.org/Hi-5.

ABOUT KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital

role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central

California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well

as the finest public television programs from around the world. Throughout its

50-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and

regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and

documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's

programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET

is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about

KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community

events, please visit kcet.org. KCET is a service of KCETLink