DQE and Turner announce exclusive content agreement

DQE, the AIM-listed, India-based animation, gaming and entertainment company, has announced an agreement with Turner Networks Asia (TENA) for two exclusive animated features for television.

Titled Balkand and Ravan, the animation series created and produced by DQE will premiere on TENA's leading children's channels' in India in 2009. This agreement confirms DQE's position as the leading animation studio in India and also reaffirms TENA's commitment to investing and promoting bespoke local productions having already acquired 21 animation series in the region.

Tapaas Chakravarti, chairman and CEO of DQE Group, said, "This strategic collaboration is in line with our objective of producing first class content for Indian audiences. We are very happy to partner with Turner (Cartoon Network) the pioneers for showcasing Indian animation content - and we appreciate the foresight and dedication on the part of Turner to encourage production of local Indian content. Their efforts in this area have been relentless and we are sure this strategic collaboration will generate further initiatives. In producing Indian content DQ Entertainment is embarking on a new and exciting venture. The team greatly looks forward to working on Indian characters and themes."

Mark Eyers, vice-president - content, Turner Entertainment Networks Asia (TENA), said, "We have always believed in the vast potential of Indian animation and supported it from the forefront by acquiring and offering productions a national platform, providing creative support and by marketing them as we would our own animations. As leaders in kids' television entertainment in India, we are delighted to expand the slate of Indian animation with two more valuable additions and we are extremely excited that DQE's upcoming Indian productions will have their world television premier on our networks."

DQ Entertainment is a leading animation production company engaged in the production of traditional / digital animation and game art development with a workforce of over 3,500 and a global client base.

Their clients include Walt Disney Television Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studios Inc., Electronic Arts, Marvel, American Greetings, NBC-Universal, BBC, M6, France 2, Method Animation, Atlantyca etc.

Currently under production at DQE are iconic international properties such as Iron Man, Casper, Pinky & Perky, Twisted Whiskers, Mikido, Little Nick, Le Petit Prince and many others. DQE has a library of over 300 Hours of international animated programs in its Licensing Division.

DQE's international quality production facilities are based in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and Manila and International Sales offices in LA, Paris and Tokyo.

Turner Entertainment Networks Asia, Inc (TENA) is the entertainment arm of Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Established in 1994, TENA distributes and Boomerang as well as interactive entertainment content in the Asia Pacific region. With these established entertainment brands, Turner continues to be a leader in the Asian television marketplace.