THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509190038
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
International Family Entertainment Inc. has formed a direct-marketing division and next month will begin selling the first product for that division - a package of children's videos, audios and coloring book produced in conjunction with three Japanese companies.
IFE Direct Marketing Inc. will rely largely on IFE's flagship, The Family Channel, to sell its products.
The Beach-based company will initially market for $19.95 a ``Wheels at Work'' children's package, featuring characters known as Hobart and Cosmo who sing and talk about different modes of transportation.
Such transportation-oriented kids' videos are popular in Japan and have recently gained a strong following in the United States as well.
``Wheels at Work'' is part of a series of Hobart and Cosmo live-action videos that IFE made in conjunction with Japanese partners TV Tokyo, the Sumitomo Corp. and Galaxy Communications. Two other videos in the series, ``Ships and Planes'' and ``On The Tracks,'' will shortly be distributed by New York-based GoodTimes Entertainment through U.S. retailers Kmart, Wal-Mart and Bradlees. Retail price for those videos is $9.95 each.
Rick Busciglio, IFE vice president for international business development, said the company wants to ``grow our relationship'' with its Japanese partners.
Sumitomo is particularly important to IFE's plans in Japan. Sumitomo is the co-owner, with Tele-Communications Inc., of the largest cable-TV network in Japan. TCI is also the largest shareholder in IFE. by CNB