Genius Brands International Appoints Industry Content Sales Veteran, Caroline Tyre, to SVP of International Distribution & Head of the Genius Brands Network

Tyre to Drive Content Distribution for Company’s Catalog, Including the New Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, and Flagship Properties, Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama, as well as Oversee the Continued Expansion of the Genius Brands Network

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International “Genius Brands” (NASDAQ: GNUS) consolidates the management of its rapidly expanding distribution business with the appointment of content sales and acquisitions veteran, Caroline Tyre to oversee global content sales as SVP of international distribution. Additionally, Tyre will spearhead the ongoing digital growth as Head of the Genius Brands Network, comprised of the Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV.  The announcement was made today by Genius Brands’ Chairman and CEO Andy Heyward, to whom she will report. 

In her new position, Tyre will be responsible for all aspects of Genius Brands’ global distribution business, including content sales for the company’s library of children’s programming such as Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which will be on offer for the first time at this year’s MIPJr. market;  the hit CGI-animated preschool series, Rainbow Rangers, currently airing season one on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. with season two in production; the Netflix Original preschool series Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, which is currently in production on season two; Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring iconic investor Warren Buffett; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and a slate of projects currently in development. 

She will also lead the continued expansion of the Genius Brands Network--a destination devoted to delivering “Content with a Purpose,” providing kids and parents with a choice in premium entertaining, enriching and engaging programming. The network is comprised of Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV and is distributed across multiple over-the-top (OTT) platforms as both ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) and subscriber video-on-demand (SVOD) services that includes Amazon Prime, Comcast’s Xfinity on Demand, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Cox, Tubi, and Xumo.  The Genius Brands Network currently reaches 80 million U.S. households with continued expansion planned both in the U.S. and internationally.

“2019 and 2020 are pivotal years for Genius Brands with the global rollout of our flagship brands, and the development of new properties to take to market,” stated Heyward.  “Caroline offers  extensive 360 degree expertise in the content industry with a keen insight into the dynamics of the ever-evolving children’s media landscape, and she will be instrumental in building existing relationships and forging new ones with broadcasters and platforms around the world to launch our properties into the marketplace.”

“It is an honor to join Genius Brands to be an integral part of the executive team as the company is poised to grow exponentially this year, particularly with the international debut of Rainbow Rangers, as well as the introduction at MIPJr. of Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten to potential partners around the globe,” said Tyre.  “This is truly an exciting time to be part of what Andy and his team have been building over the past five plus years, and I look forward to lending my expertise to take the company’s content distribution to the next level.” 

Tyre, a 20-year industry veteran, has been involved with a wide range of positions within the entertainment industry from acquisitions and programming to distribution and licensing. Prior to joining Genius Brands, she served as Vice President, Sales & Acquisitions for AuxMode, a global MCN with 2000+ channels worldwide that are generating 2+billion views/month. Her work with networks and studios has included pivotal positions in sales and acquisitions at other top-tier companies such as Spin Master, Entertainment One, DHX Media, the CBC, and TELETOON, where she spent six years as the Director of Programming.

About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s “content with a purpose” brand portfolio, which is led by award-winning creators and producers, includes preschool properties Rainbow Rangers for Nick Jr. and Llama Llama for Netflix; award-winning toddler brand, Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and financial literacy and entrepreneurship series, Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. The Company’s content catalog also includes the animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic Crusaders, created with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment. Seeing the need to provide kids and parents with a safe viewing environment that offers premium enriching and engaging programming, Genius Brands launched the Genius Brands Network – comprised of Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV, as well as an exclusive Kid Genius Cartoons Plus subscription channel on Amazon Prime. The Network channels are available in approximately 80 million U.S. households via a variety of distribution platforms, such as OTT, set-top box, internet, and mobile. Through licensing agreements with category leading partners, characters from the Company’s properties also appear on a wide range of consumer products for retail. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), not limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michelle Orsi 
Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications
(310) 418-6430
michelle@360-comm.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:
Crescendo Communications, LLC (for Genius Brands International)
212-671-1020
GNUS@crescendo-ir.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5207c585-efe9-40d0-a741-754fbc1d8306

Genius Brands international Appoints New SVP of International Distribution and Head of Genius Brands Network

Industry veteran, Caroline Tyre, has been appointed at Genius Brands International to drive international content sales and oversee all aspects of the Genius Brands Network as SVP of International Distribution & Head of Genius Brands Network.

Released July 1, 2019