Porchlight launches educational division

DVDs for sale at dedicated Web site

By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 9/4/2008

SEPT. 4 | Porchlight Entertainment is launching a new division for the education market, Porchlight Learning, which will provide content to schools, libraries and directly to parents. Products can be purchased from PorchlightLearning.com.

The first title for the division is Animalia: The Land Where Literacy Lives, available now ($149). The 10-episode DVD collection incorporates classroom and home-based curriculum activities designed to reinforce the professional “Standards for the English Language Arts” for elementary school teachers.

The program, based on the series that runs on PBS, complements the book version of Animalia by Graeme Base.

Porchlight will release its firstAnimalia title for the retail market Sept. 23, Animalia: Welcome to the Kingdom (DVD $16.98, Blu-ray $29.98).

Future educational releases will include titles based on Porchlight’s Jay Jay the Jet Plane and Adventures From the Book of Virtues series.

“Nearly every school and public library in the country owns Animalia, and teachers and parents have been using it for years to teach the alphabet to children,” said Bruce Johnson, president and CEO of Porchlight. “Now we are offering a companion animated series that entertains as it supports the teaching of language and literacy skills.”

The division will offer educational programs based on Porchlight’s existing titles as well as acquisitions.