DISNEY CHANNEL PICKS UP A SECOND SEASON OF TOP-RATED SERIES "A.N.T. FARM"

Disney Channel has ordered a second season of the hit comedy series "A.N.T. Farm," TV's #1 series among Kids 6-11 and Tweens, it was announced today by Adam Bonnett, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide.

Created by Dan Signer ("The Suite Life on Deck," "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody") and executive-produced by Signer and Stephen Engel ("The Big Bang Theory," "Mad About You," "Dream On"), the series stars China Anne McClain, Sierra McCormick, Jake Short, Stefanie Scott and Carlon Jeffery. Recurring are Finesse Mitchell ("Saturday Night Live"), Elise Neal ("The Hughleys"), Zach Steel, Mindy Sterling ("Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me") and Aedin Mincks.

In making the announcement, Bonnett said, "Since its premiere, we have seen kids and families connecting with the 'A.N.T. Farm' characters, music and comedy. The talented cast, and the creativity of executive-producers Dan Signer and Stephen Engel, makes for a winning combination of smart and funny storytelling."

China Anne McClain, age 13, is also a recording artist signed to Hollywood Records and is currently working on an album with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn McClain. Ms. McClain and two of her cast mates, Stefanie Scott and Carlon Jeffery, perform songs from and inspired by the series on the "A.N.T. Farm" soundtrack from Walt Disney Records. Released in October, it spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Kids Album chart and yielded two hits for Ms. McClain, "Dynamite" and "Calling All the Monsters," each spending several weeks at #1 on Radio Disney's Top 30. Additionally, music videos for "Dynamite" and "Calling All the Monsters" have generated a combined 22 million views online via Disney Channel, YouTube and Vevo. Ms. McClain recently performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Chicago's Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade and will next be seen in the "Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade" on the ABC Television Network (Sunday, December 25, 12:00-2:00 p.m., ET).

On December 26, a new "D-Signed" collection debuts at Target stores nationwide, influenced by fashions worn by the character Chyna Parks in "A.N.T. Farm." It will be the latest in the popular collection in girl sizes 4 to 16 at Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com.

"A.N.T. Farm" premiered in July 2011 and for the year to date is TV's No. 1 series in Kids 6-11 (2.0 million/8.1 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.6 million/6.8 rating).*

In the series, Chyna Parks is a middle school musical prodigy who is enrolled in a prestigious A.N.T. (Advanced Natural Talents) program at a local high school. Along with her fellow A.N.Ts, Olive Doyle, an A.N.T. with a photographic memory and Fletcher Quimby, an artistic genius and practical joker, they discover the ups and downs of high school, three years earlier than expected. Adding to their high school experience are Lexi Reed, a popular cheerleader determined to outshine Chyna, and Cameron Parks, Chyna's older brother who is less than thrilled that his little sister is now enrolled in his school.

New episodes of "A.N.T. Farm" air FRIDAYS on Disney Channel. The series is a production of It's A Laugh Productions, Inc and carries a TV-G parental guideline.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 99 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.

Source: NTI, 12/27/10-11/23/11, most current trackage data with minimum 10 telecasts.