Scholastic and Ruckus Media Announce New Children's Transmedia Imprint

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Sep 07, 2011, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK and WILTON, Conn., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education and media company today announced the creation of a new innovative children's transmedia imprint with Ruckus Media Group, an independent digital publisher and creator of award-winning interactive stories and learning games. The new Scholastic Ruckus imprint will publish top children's authors across all platforms, including print, e-books and enhanced e-books, with Ruckus Media publishing interactive story apps. With more than a dozen projects already in development, the first releases are planned for 2012.

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Scholastic will publish, market and distribute titles for ages infant through teen developed under the Ruckus imprint through Scholastic's vast school-based book clubs and book fairs channels and through retail and libraries, and will manage publishing rights for the print and e-books worldwide. In addition to intellectual property from titles in the Ruckus library and new projects developed for both digital and print, Ruckus Media is aggressively acquiring rights to out-of-print backlist titles to publish in print or in e-book formats to be distributed by Scholastic under the Ruckus imprint.

"Building on our success with multi-platform publishing, Scholastic is delighted to be working with Ruckus Media Group and Rick Richter in the rapidly growing area of children's transmedia properties," said Ellie Berger, President, Scholastic Trade Publishing. "Under the Ruckus imprint, we will expand the scope of our offerings to meet the rapidly growing demand for multi-platform properties that parents can trust and kids love."

"Ruckus and Scholastic share the same vision – to reach kids where they are, at home and in schools, and on the electronic devices they love. Working with some of the best children's authors around, we will engage kids with innovative, fun and educational apps and books, whether delivered digitally or in print," commented Rick Richter, Ruckus CEO. "Most importantly, we're proud to have been selected to work with Scholastic in this highly competitive marketplace. Scholastic's tremendous brand recognition as a trusted source for parents and educators worldwide plus their enormous distribution capability makes them our perfect partner."

"With our rapid development of the very best in children's e-books and enhanced e-books for our soon to be released e-reading app and e-bookstore, we welcome the opportunity to bring entertaining and educational properties developed under the Ruckus imprint to more kids and their teachers and families to encourage all children to learn to read and love to read regardless of the format or devices they choose," added Deborah Forte, EVP, Scholastic and President, Scholastic Media.

About Scholastic

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and related services and children's media. Scholastic creates quality books, print and technology-based learning materials and programs, magazines, multi-media and other products that help children learn both at school and at home. The Company distributes its products and services worldwide through a variety of channels, including school-based book clubs and book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, on-air, and online at www.scholastic.com. Find more at: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.

About Ruckus Media Group

Ruckus Media Group introduces traditional storytelling for today's ways of telling stories by creating applications for mobile devices that entertain toddlers to teens from their fingers to their minds, at home or on the road—and invite their imaginations to grow. Launched in September 2010, Ruckus is now home to 15 children's animated storybooks, including CHUCK & FRIENDS: FRIENDS FOR THE LONG HAUL based on the popular Hasbro characters; SPOT THE DOT by pop-up master David A. Carter; Best App award finalist and About.com Readers' Choice Award winner A PRESENT FOR MILO, written and illustrated by Mike Austin; as well as THE VELVETEEN RABBIT: TOLD BY MERYL STREEP and other Read-Play-and-Record-Along classic storybook apps. See http://www.ruckusmediagroup.com for a full listing and additional information and our iTunes page for free lite samples.

SOURCE Scholastic Corporation