Saddle Up America and Join the Club
Equestrian News Release
The Saddle Club is coming…
It is the world’s most popular series about girls and horses and it’s coming to public television stations through APT Exchange this fall.
TORONTO – Carole, Stevie and Lisa – the girls from The Saddle Club and their favorite horses Starlight, Prancer and Belle are riding on to America’s public television stations on September 3, 2006 through APT Exchange. The popular television series based on the best-selling books by Bonnie Bryant has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of children all over the world and will bring its special brand of adventure, friendship, fun and horses to stations across America.
The Saddle Club series, “Girl Power Meets Horse Power,” will make its broadcast television debut through presenting station Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and American Public Television (APT Exchange). “Each week more than 10 million kids across America watch positive, nurturing and educational programs introduced to public television by CPTV,” president Jerry Franklin said, “We are thrilled to partner on this wonderful series with Protocol Entertainment and Crawford Productions for its presentation on public television.”
The series has been a smash hit in Australia and Canada where it was first introduced. It is now seen in fourteen countries and poised to bring a loyal fan base of girls, boys and families to public television. “Among the thousands of award-winning and high quality television programs distributed by APT, there are very few children’s programs” says Cynthia Fenneman, president and CEO. “However, with The Saddle Club, we saw a series with compelling characters and a publishing and broadcast track record that is remarkable. It offers something very unique in the public television landscape.”
The series stars three 12-year-old heroines, Carole, Stevie and Lisa who form the Saddle Club at Pine Hollow Stables. Each half-hour episode is filled with action and adventure, but there is always an emphasis on relationships and personal development as the girls meet the challenges of riding, caring for their horses, school, home, and growing up. In forming the Saddle Club, the girls promised to remain loyal to each other, to help each other through the good times and the bad and to stay horse crazy.
Together, they are The Saddle Club.
Friends forever.
Ready to take on the world!
On public television, the series will include a “New” feature: The Saddle Club Video Journals, to be produced in association with the U.S. Equestrian Federation, non-profit organizations for girls and riding associations in the U.S., publications and groups dedicated to horse crazy kids, and special music videos featuring the series stars and behind-the-scenes footage from the ‘Making of Series One.’
“When the series became a huge phenomenon in Australia, we realized how much kids still crave realistic stories featuring friendships between contemporary girls and especially stories that have adventure, excitement and horses,” says Crawford Productions CEO, Nick McMahon. “Girls, boys and parents flocked to the series and wrote to us because they responded to the drama, the social values and positive role models we were putting on television.”
“It’s a thrill to bring a series to public television that has touched so many children,” says Steve Levitan president and CEO of Protocol Entertainment, “It is also gratifying to offer a live action drama series that fills a distinct gap in the programming available. We know part of its success comes from timeless principles:
The strong bonds between girls and their love of horses have remained constants in literature, films and on television. Adventures featuring girls and horses have always appealed to all children.
Children’s literature has historically been a terrific source of character and story-driven live action television series that appeal to all children.
“The Saddle Club appeals to a broad age range of girls, boys and their families because it provides classic storytelling in a modern realistic setting,” says Levitan.
While writers are sometimes conflicted about having their work translated or transplanted to the television screen, Bonnie Bryant has been an enthusiastic fan of The Saddle Club television series from the beginning:
“The relationship between a child and a book is a sacred one for me. But, of all the things that have ever happened to me as a writer, by far the most fun, most exciting, and just plain best was visiting the set of The Saddle Club when they were filming. I’m proud to stand with this production and I am simply thrilled to have it come to public television stations through APT Exchange.”
The Saddle Club!
It’s the best Club.
Join today!
About The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club is an Australia-Canada co-production based on the popular book series by Bonnie Bryant. Produced by Crawford Productions Pty Ltd. (Australia) and Protocol Entertainment Inc. (Canada). The series first aired on the ABC-TV Network in Australia and on YTV in Canada. The series is now seen in 14 countries and the official web site attracts over 11 million visitors per month. The series is distributed to public television stations by American Public Television (APT) in association with Connecticut Public Television (CPTV).
For more information log on to http://www.saddleclubtv.com
About the Producers
Crawford Productions Pty Ltd. is Australia’s most established and respected television production company. Now part of the WIN television group, Crawfords Australia name is synonymous with high quality, locally-produced entertainment for over 50 years. Crawfords Australia has pioneered television in Australia, ranging from police dramas, sitcoms, mini-series, telemovies and children’s drama, producing over 4,000 hours of television, including the internationally acclaimed The Flying Doctors, All the Rivers Run, Jackaroo, The Violent Earth, Tribe, Acropolis Now, The Sullivans, Cop Shop and Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left.
Protocol Entertainment Inc. The Protocol team draws on the best talents in the entertainment industry and popular book properties to create, produce and co-produce quality children’s television series that kids love and parents and teachers applaud. It is a formula for success that has resulted in highly acclaimed audience-winning series such as Goosebumps, the children’s chiller TV series based on the books by R.L. Stine, the Dear America series, Animorphs, The Saddle Club and currently in pre-production, Harriet the Spy. Goosebumps won the number one ratings spot for its demographic in the U.S. on the Fox Kids Network, in its first season; was a three-time Gemini Award nominee and scored the highest ratings in its first season in the history of YTV in Canada.
About Connecticut Public Television (CPTV)
CPTV was the first public television station in the U.S. to carry The Saddle Club. CPTV is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including Alan Alda in Scientific American Frontiers, Breaking the Silence: Children’s Stories, Teens Behind the Wheel, UConn Women’s basketball games, African Americans in Connecticut: From Civil War to Civil Rights, Wall of Fire and In Our Prime. CPTV provides more children’s shows to public television than any other public television station. These programs include Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, SeeMore’s Playhouse and The Saddle Club; together these series are watched by more than 10 million children across the U.S. Now in its 43rd year, CPTV remains committed to bringing the best education and entertaining programming and services to Connecticut and the nation.
For more information on the station, log on to http://www.cptv.org
About American Public Television (APT)
For 44 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation’s public television stations. APT distributes more than 10,000 hours of programming including JFK: Breaking the News, Simply Ming, Globe Trekker, Rick Steves’ Europe, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, Battlefield Britain, Jungle, America’s Test Kitchen, Lidia’s Family Table, The Big Comfy Couch and classic movies. APT is known for identifying innovative programs and developing creative distribution techniques for producers. In four decades, it has established a tradition of providing public television stations nationwide with program choices that enable them to strengthen and customize their schedules.
For more information about APT’s programs and services visit http://www.aptonline.org.
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