LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Squared Entertainment (A2), Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) and AOL (NYSE: AOL) today officially unveiled “Martha & Friends™,” an animated multimedia series for kids that is designed to inspire creativity, foster independent thinking and celebrate friendship. Created in collaboration with lifestyle guru Martha Stewart, the series features an animated 10-year-old Martha as a problem-solving, craft-loving, generous spirit who, along with her three best friends and two dogs, Francesca and Sharkey, shows kids how easy it can be to do-it-themselves.
“Kids are extraordinarily imaginative and we are so glad to be part of a project that encourages, celebrates and rewards their innate creativity and curiosity,” said Martha Stewart, Founder of MSLO. “Ever since I was a little girl I’ve had a passion for crafting and cooking and my hope is that this series will inspire a whole new generation of do-it-yourselfers.”
The “Martha & Friends™” multimedia property includes 26 original short-form webisodes that will air bi-weekly starting today on www.marthaandfriends.com via AOL Kids, a leading online destination for kids and their families. The interactive Web site comes equipped with games, activities and how-to projects from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
“There’s no one who knows more about being creative than Martha Stewart and we are ecstatic to be collaborating with her on this venture,” said Andy Heyward, CEO and co-founder of A2 Entertainment. “Together, through ‘Martha & Friends™,’ we aim to inspire kids’ creativity and help them cultivate their independent thinking and problem solving skills.”
"Martha's expertise and DIY know-how will be the driving force behind this amazing series," said Jed Weissberg, General Manager, AOL Kids, Parents, Health and HuffPost 50. "Our continued partnership with A Squared on 'Martha & Friends' demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing consumers with high quality content with a unique point of view."
As a follow up to the premiere of the “Martha and the Christmas Tree” holiday special that aired in December, Hallmark Channel will air a 30-minute July 4th special on July 3rd at 9:00 a.m. titled “Martha’s Fourth.”
In the July 4th special, Martha and her friends join her parents for their annual vacation at the beach. Martha is particularly excited about the town’s fireworks event and is crushed to learn that the celebration has been cancelled this year due to lack of funding. The friends’ imaginations and creative spirits immediately snap into action and they set out to raise the money to save the celebration. Meanwhile, Francesca & Sharkey escape from the groomers, and Martha must drop everything to find her beloved friends. In the end, Martha is reunited with the dogs and the 4th of July fireworks are saved, but not as you’d expect!
About A Squared Entertainment (A2) LLC
A Squared Entertainment (A2) is a full-service brand entertainment company, founded by Andy Heyward and Amy Moynihan Heyward, that creates, develops, produces, programs, markets, merchandises and distributes content across all channels: online, offline, on-air and at retail outlets. A2 Entertainment has produced the “Secret Millionaire's Club” with billionaire Warren Buffett and “Gisele & the Green Team” with supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Upcoming series include “Martha & Friends” a new animated series featuring a 10-year old Martha Stewart, and a whole new collection of superhero series created with POW!’s legendary Stan Lee, under the new label, Stan Lee Comics. A2 has also recently announced an MOU for a new children’s entertainment global joint venture with Tata Elxsi.
About AOL
AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a premier global media company with a suite of brands and products serving consumers, advertisers and publishers worldwide. The AOL Huffington Post Media Group is a leading source of news, opinion, entertainment, community and digital information comprised of a wide range of destination websites, including AOL.com, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Moviefone, Engadget, Patch, AOL Music, StyleList and MapQuest. The AOL Advertising.com Group includes Advertising.com, ADTECH, Pictela, Video, inclusive of goviral and 5min Media, Content Solutions and Sponsored Listings and serves a combined content and advertising market at scale through video, brand advertising, content and ad serving. AOL is focused on engaging consumers and providing online advertising services and solutions on both AOL Huffington Post Media Group destination websites and third party websites, in addition to serving consumer platforms including AOL Mail, AIM, about.me, and mobile experiences. AOL also operates one of the largest Internet subscription access services that serves as another distribution channel for its consumer offerings.
About Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Publishing segment encompasses the company’s print and digital businesses and is comprised of four magazines, including MSLO’s flagship publication, Martha Stewart Living, periodic special issues, books, websites, digital apps, blogs, and more. The Broadcasting segment produces the Emmy-winning, daily television series, "The Martha Stewart Show," and other original programming on Hallmark Channel, including “Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn.” Broadcasting also encompasses Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS XM Channel 110. In addition to its media properties, MSLO offers high-quality Martha Stewart products through licensing agreements with carefully selected companies, including the Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy's, the Martha Stewart Living line of home-improvement products at The Home Depot, Martha Stewart Crafts with EK Success at Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabric, and independent retailers, the Martha Stewart Pets line at PetSmart. In 2008, Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands; MSLO acquired the assets related to Lagasse's media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products. For additional information about MSLO, visit www.marthastewart.com.
About Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of 87.5 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, lifestyle and general entertainment content, and is the home of "The Martha Stewart Show", which anchors the channel's new daytime HOME block. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on the family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.