Warner Bros. Consumer Products Publishing And Jieli Publishing House, Launch First Series Of Looney Tunes Storybooks In China

(January 24, 2001 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Consumer Products Publishing announced today that the company’s Looney Tunes™ publisher in mainland China, Jieli Publishing House, launched its first series of Looney Tunes storybooks at the Beijing International Book Fair. Featuring the world’s most beloved Looney Tunes characters, these storybooks celebrate the first Looney Tunes books ever to be published in China. “As we carefully plan our entry into this important marketplace, Publishing is an important asset that allows us to develop character brands that will be well-received,” said Mark Matheny, Executive Vice President International, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “By bringing character-based publications to this region, we are able to bring other educational and entertainment products to consumers in China.” Established in 1990, Jieli Publishing, one of China’s most prestigious publishing houses, has grown to be one of the major specialized juvenile and children’s publishing houses in the country. Working closely with Warner Bros. Consumer Products Publishing, Jieli will publish Looney Tunes storybooks, coloring and activity books, Look and Find books, flash cards and educational titles. “We are very pleased to be working with Jieli on their Looney Tunes book program in China,” said Michael Harkavy, Vice President, Publishing, Kids’ WB! Music and Interactive Entertainment for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “With entertainment and educational titles, this publishing program will bring some of the world’s most enjoyable cartoon characters to the Chinese marketplace.” “The ideal of Jieli Publishing House is to go after excellence and successful cooperation,” said Madame Li, Yuanjun, President of Jieli Publishing House. “We hope to build a long-lasting and successful relationship with Warner Bros. Consumer Products Publishing, one that continues to produce books and feature stories that will entertain and educate children in this important market.” Warner Bros. Consumer Products is a division of Warner Bros., an AOL Time Warner Company, and is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. Jieli Publishing -- Background Established in 1990, in the remote Guangxi province, Jieli Publishing House has grown to be one of the major specialized juvenile and children’s publishing houses in China in a matter of a few years. With dynamic and open minded management, young and dedicated team of editors and sales forces, Jieli keeps producing top notch children’s books, especially character based story books and pictorials, that have brought enviable sales and fame. Jieli has created its own award-winning cartoon characters – the “Smart Little Guy,” well received by Chinese children both in TV cartoons and book series. Jieli is also the number one Chinese children’s publishing house in the licensing business with Western and other Asian countries, having bought heavily from world-renowned companies such as DK and Kodansha. Jieli has now established its branch company in Beijing to enforce cooperation with foreign companies as well as distributions. # # #