Given his history with puppets (Rolland Rat - the one that save
TVAM) i believe this is a wise decision for the company and i pray
something great comes out of him about the next step for Sooty.

Here's the news report i was sent

Greg Dyke and Bruce Steinberg addressed staff at HIT Entertainment
yesterday after the company behind Bob the Builder, Sooty and Thomas
the Tank Engine confirmed their appointments as chairman and chief
executive respectively.

One insider said the television veterans had given upbeat speeches
about the future of a company that has disappointed over the past
year. Mr Dyke, the former BBC director general, had "given a
charismatic and witty speech, which was a great lift for staff".

Their appointment follows the £489m takeover of HIT by the private
financiers Apax Partners. They are likely to be given an equity
stake in the now privately held HIT.

Mr Steinberg, 45, is the former head of Fox Kids Europe, where he
successfully integrated the firm into its majority shareholder, Walt
Disney. It has since been renamed Jetix.

HIT, which is to launch a 24-hour digital channel in the US in
September, was keen to appoint somebody with knowledge of the
American market.

Yesterday, Mr Steinberg said: "A great deal of time and money will
be spent growing and developing the portfolio of well-known and well-
loved characters that Peter Orton [HIT's founder] and his team have
built." Mr Dyke said: "I think we can achieve great things for HIT."

Turnover from characters such as Pingu fell to £70.2m in the six
months to January 2005, against £92.8m a year earlier. Pre-tax
profits slumped to £2.9m from £14.6m.

Jane Martinson
Thursday May 26, 2005


The key line in this report "A great deal of time and money will be
spent growing and developing the portfolio of well-known and well-
loved characters" shows that hopefully these new appointments in
charge of the company will hopefully do great things with Sooty.

So far in this year, Year 53 of Sooty we have The Wet & Wild Theatre
Tour, the usual panto appearances and the release of the first
official DVD from Sooty's current owners. Plus not forgetting Sooty
and Sweep's appearance in the "(Is This The Way to) Amarillo" Comic
Relief video. Hopefully theres alot more to come

BRIAN