HBO Family Announces New Lineup

Home Box Office's HBO Family pay TV service will debut several original
series as part of the multiplex network's programming lineup.

The network will debut two documentary series during the 2001-02 season:
Kindergarten, which follows 23 five- and six year-olds as they deal with
their first year of school; and Freshman Year, which chronicles the
issues and problems that face ninth-graders in high school.

A third new series, Animated Tales of the World, will feature folk
tales culled from around the globe, HBO officials said.

The network -- which is in 60 percent of HBO's nearly 26 million homes --
will also premiere several originally produced specials, including Harold and
the Purple Crayon
, based on the children's classic book by Crocket Johnson;
`Twas the Night, a unique holiday presentation; Planet Twelve,
focusing on the lives of 12-year-olds; and Middle School Confessions, a
provocative look at the inner lives of today's adolescents.

HBO Family also said it will brand its 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. pre-school
programming block 'Jam' and its 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. pre-teen block
'Magnet.'

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.