Galli Galli Sim Sim, the popular series on Cartoon Network, to go on-air on POGO and Doordarshan

Media News

MUMBAI, September 8

Galli Galli Sim Sim Literacy Yatra, a unique fun filled educational initiative by Turner International India Pvt. Ltd (TIIPL) and Sesame Workshop, culminates it’s journey in Mumbai on the eve of World Literacy Day. The Literacy Yatra which arrived in Mumbai with the adorable muppets Chamki and Googly from Galli Galli Sim Sim was given a cheerful welcome by the children of Guru Nanak Higher Secondary School, renowned Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, who has visited the muppets home and will also be making a special appearance in one of the episodes and Ms. Monica Tata – Vice President, Advertising and Sales Networks, India and South Asia, Turner International India Pvt Ltd (TIIPL).

The Literacy Yatra’s culmination also marked the announcement of the launch of Galli Galli Sim Sim’s launch on POGO, the # 2 kids’ entertainment channel after Cartoon Network and subsequently, on Doordarshan. This landmark pre-school television series will be aired on POGO at 8:00 a.m., with repeat telecast at 4:00p.m, Monday to Friday, starting World Literacy Day-September 8, 2006. Kids will also be able to catch Galli Galli Sim Sim on Saturday evenings in a segment called ‘Sim Sim Shanivar’ from 4:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m. starting September 16th on POGO. Extending the reach of this revolutionary series across the country, Turner will also launch Galli Galli Sim Sim on Doordarshan. Beginning September 9th, the series will air on Saturdays at 10:30a.m on the Cartoon Network block on Doordarshan called ‘Cartoon Network Duniya’. The series premiered on Cartoon Network on August 15, 2006 at 1:00 pm.

Commenting on Galli Galli Sim Sim, Monica Tata, Vice President, Advertising and Sales Networks, India and South Asia, TIIPL said, "The uniqueness of Galli Galli Sim Sim lies in its 360-degree approach of combining the power of television and on-ground initiatives to spread education to children, aged two to eight in India. Galli Galli Sim Sim Literacy Yatra was our first on ground initiative to deliver the unique content of the television series to children who may not have access to television. We are happy to announce that this Literacy Yatra was a great success as we received a great response across different sections of society – from children as well as caregivers. We have already reached out to thousands of children through community screenings and with the launch of Galli Galli Sim Sim on POGO and Doordarshan, we further hope to reach out to more and more children across the country.”

The Galli Galli Sim Sim Literacy Yatra, traveled over 5000 kms and covered four states – New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra reaching out to over thousands of children. This unique educational initiative by Turner and Sesame Workshop, was flagged off from New Delhi earlier this month, with the aim to reach out to children, empowering them with the educational objectives of the fun filled series, Galli Galli Sim Sim. The Literacy Yatra culminated at Guru Nanak Higher Secondary School in Mumbai, where the children enjoyed a special screening of the series and also got a unique opportunity to interact with Googly and Chamki – the Muppets of Galli Galli Sim Sim, who re-created the magic of the show with actor Rahul Bose giving away educational material to the children.

Galli Galli Sim Sim aims to create a new dimension in the realm of kids’ education by promoting the unique theory of “Seekhne ka Mastana Andaaz” or “learning is fun”. The series will help in developing social, emotional and cognitive skills in children, and become the catalyst to encourage children to pursue educational goals.

Galli Galli Sim Sim set in an “Indian Galli” represents the reality of daily life for the widest possible range of Indian children and families. The series is targeted towards children between the age group of two to eight years, transcends socio-economic barriers and will feature animated segments and live-action films, with music, stories, and art drawn from various elements of Indian culture and regions of the country. The Indian families and especially Indian kids will fall in love with the adorable residents, the Indian Muppets - Googly, Chamki, Aanchoo and Boombah, who have been specially created with Indian characteristics and elements. Along with them, the interesting and well thought out human cast are sure to befriend children across the country. In the first season, the series comprising 65 episodes of 30 minutes each will be aired in Hindi, with usage of some English words.

Galli Galli Sim Sim is the Indian adaptation of the popular American series, Sesame Street. The series was born over 37 years ago as a new way to utilize the power of television to not only entertain, but to educate young children as well. Today, Sesame Street is the longest street in the world, reaching over 120 countries and serving as the largest informal educator. In India, Galli Galli Sim Sim will address topics such as early literacy, creative thinking and reasoning, family & community life, healthy habits, and appreciating cultural plurality.

Funding for the development phase of Galli Galli Sim Sim was provided through the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Turner. Moving forward, the producers of the series will look to combine the strengths and resources of the public and private sectors for local development initiatives.

Turner’s Cartoon Network and POGO are the # 1 and # 2 television destinations for kids in India. Having shaped kids’ television in India, with the launch of Cartoon Network in 1995, Turner created another milestone with the launch of POGO, a multi-genre channel for kids and their families in 2004. Recognised as the resident kids’ experts with a 360-degree presence through successful on-air and on line activities, ground-events, promotional licensing, product licensing, publishing and the soon-to-be-launched theme parks, Cartoon Network and POGO, with an intelligent mix of live action, documentaries, movies and animation, offer a complete entertainment package for Indian kids.

Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit, educational organization making a meaningful difference in children's lives around the world. Founded in 1968, the Workshop changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. Today, the Workshop continues to innovate on behalf of children in 120 countries, using its proprietary research methodology to ensure its programs and products are engaging and enriching. Sesame Workshop is behind award-winning programs like Dragon Tales and Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat and ground breaking multimedia productions in South Africa, Egypt and Russia. As a nonprofit organisation, Sesame Workshop puts the proceeds it receives from sales of Sesame Street, Dragon Tales and Sagwa products right back into its educational projects for children around the world. Find the Workshop online at www.sesameworkshop.org

For Further Information, Please Contact:

Pooja Ahluwalia

Turner International India Pvt. Ltd.

+91 11 416 99123

pooja.ahluwalia@turner.com

Or

Vibhuti Agrawal / Poornima Iyer

Rediffusion DYR

Mob: 9820363389/9820682391