POGO launches a game show Takeshi's Castle

Media release, March 1, 2005

New Delhi

Millions of POGO fans across India will have one more reason to laugh when POGO launches the internationally acclaimed, amazingly hilarious and totally surreal Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle on March 1, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. This entertaining family show will be aired on POGO from Monday to Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday-Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Renowned Bollywood personality and anchor, Javed Jaffrey brings his own brand of wackiness and commentary style to the show by lending his voice for the Hindi dubbed version, and providing a unique Indian touch to this world famous game show.

“Takeshi’s Castle is an over-the-top game show that will add another dimension to the unrivaled programming that POGO offers. Our selection of the superbly talented Javed Jaffrey to dub for this challenging and fun show is in continuation with the Network’s localisation strategy, wherein we work closely with celebrated Indian personalities across Cartoon Network and POGO, in addition to other initiatives. Previously, Tom Alter, Gaurav Kapoor, Purab Kohli, Tarana Raja, amongst others, have lent their voices for shows on Cartoon Network and POGO”, said Anshuman Misra, managing director, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd.

Takeshi’s Castle involves participation from about 100 - 150 contestants who are members of General Lee’s team. It takes all their determination and grit to overcome the difficult and hilarious physical challenges assigned to them in order to reach Takeshi's Castle. In this endeavor, the contestants also have to encounter Count Takeshi and his guards. These sentinels appear in different games throughout the series and guard the castle from General Lee and his volunteers. No surprise then, that after each round, the numbers of volunteers who make it to the next round is dramatically reduced.

In addition to Takeshi’s Castle, POGO brings to its viewers a slew of new shows this month. World’s Craziest Videos, a half-hour series that showcases some of the most unforgettable moments of people’s lives caught on tape, will premiere on POGO on March 5, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m, respectively. From vacation disasters where rogue monkeys steal vacationers' eyeglasses, to home improvement nightmares, from funny mistakes and blunders from TV shows and news broadcasts, the humour in World's Craziest Videos has been locally adapted to make the viewers laugh out loud.

POGO viewers can catch the all new episodes of popular shows like Lois & Clark, the humorously romantic action adventure series that brings to life the comic book characters, Clark Kent, his superhuman alter –ego Superman and fiction’s first lady of the press, Lois Lane. Catch the entertaining 2nd series on POGO from March 19, Saturdays and Sundays at 8:30 p.m.

Also enjoy all new episodes of Emmy® Award winning edutaining show – Beakman’s World on Prime POGO Monday to Friday at 6:00 p.m. Beakman will take children on a journey through the amazing world of science and nature. The POGO platter also offers pre–schoolers an opportunity to indulge in an interactive learning experience that will stimulate the imagination power of the kids with Tiny TV – Tweenies - Monday to Friday from 14 March at 3:30 p.m. Last but not the least, this month, POGO will premiere the movie, Courage Mountain on 25 March at 7:00 p.m. Set on the eve of WW1, it is an adventurous tale of a Swiss Girl, Heidi’s escape from a rat infested orphanage in the war torn countryside. So don’t miss your date with some of the most entertaining shows in town this March, only on POGO!

POGO, a multi-genre channel created exclusively for kids in India, launched successfully on January 1 2004 and is distributed by Zee Turner Ltd. Broadcast via the PAS-10 satellite, POGO is available in over 17 million cable & satellite homes, and in just months of its launch became the second most popular kids’ entertainment channel in India, after Cartoon Network. Catering to kids and their families, POGO offers the best available programming from acclaimed production companies including Ragdoll Ltd., BBC and HIT Entertainment PLC, with such premium titles as: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneTM, Barney & Friends, Teletubbies, the Walking With series, Brum and Hi-5.

For further information, please contact:

Deepti Mathur

CMCG India Pvt. Ltd.

011 29216470

deepti.mathur@cmcgindia.com