New, Exclusive Series Justin Time Makes U.S. Premiere on Sprout® During Earth Week

PHILADELPHIA, April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout will premiere Justin Time, a new animated series for preschoolers that focuses on imaginary adventures and delivers fun, friendship and adventure along the way.  Produced by Toronto's Guru Studios, the show centers on Justin, a young boy who imagines himself traveling around the world at different points in history.  Debuting Sunday, April 22, at 3:45 p.m. ET, the premiere of Justin Time kicks off a week-long celebration – "Justin Time for Earth Week" – promoting conservation and the importance of caring for the environment. Celebrating Earth Week for the past seven years, Sprout is a proud supporter of Green is Universal, NBCUniversal's ongoing environmental initiative, and will be turning its on-air and online logos green all week long.  Justin Time will also be making its broadcast television debut on July 7 when it airs on the new NBC Kids, programmed by Sprout.

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Airing daily at 3:45 p.m. ET during the Super Sproutlet Show block, Justin Time focuses on imagination, history and travel and introduces Sprout audiences to Justin, his imaginary friend Squidgy and his time traveling pal Olive.  Imagination and transformation take center stage in each episode when Justin's bedroom transforms into whatever destination he imagines.  Adventuring to the ends of the earth throughout history, Justin and his two pals explore historical events while learning about the past in a fun and exciting way.

"Justin Time is a fantastic new addition to Sprout's line-up of gold-standard programming expertly tailored for the preschool audience," said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming for Sprout.  "Justin's exploration of the world through historical adventures encourages parents to talk with their preschoolers about the parts of history they learned during the episode while promoting an appreciation for the subject matter."

"Justin Time for Earth Week" will inform preschoolers about the world around them, with a lineup of environmental and educational content. Shows include: dirtgirlworld and a Noodle and Doodle Choose to Reuse segment and online contest. Preschoolers and their families will be encouraged to be crafty by using recyclable items around the house to make their own craft project.  Submissions for Sprout's Choose to Reuse contest will be collected online and the winner will be announced in time for Earth Day.  For official contest rules and details visit www.SproutOnline.com.

About Sprout^®

Available in over 50 million homes, Sprout is the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for children ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that follows the day of a preschooler from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive, interactive programming and original hosted blocks.  Sprout's VOD offering is the #1 on demand service for younger children with over one billion views.

Sprout is a partnership among NBCUniversal, PBS, Sesame Workshop and Apax Funds.  Its program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based preschool shows includes: Sesame Street^®, Bob the Builder^™, Barney & Friends^™, The Wiggles^®, Caillou^®, Pajanimals^™, Thomas & Friends^™,  LazyTown^™, and more.

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About Guru Animation Studio

Guru Studio is a leader in character driven entertainment for children.  The company's first original production, animated preschool series Justin Time, has met with tremendous international success.  Guru also boasts a history of international commercial and television series work, including the Emmy- and Gemini Award-winning preschool series The Backyardigans for Nelvana/Nick Jr, Babar and The Adventures of Badou for Nelvana/Treehouse and Mudpit for Cookie Jar/Teletoon.  Led by President and Creative Director Frank Falcone and VP Mary Bredin, Guru Studio is a creative-focused entertainment company that provides a full spectrum of production services, including animation, concept development, financing, marketing and distribution of animated content on all platforms.

SOURCE PBS KIDS Sprout