HALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNCES THE START OF PRODUCTION ON "JINGLE & BELL," A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL ANIMATED SPECIAL FOR HOLIDAY 2012

Half-Hour Special is Second Story to Star Hallmark's Lovable Jingle the Husky Pup

Hallmark Channel announces production will soon commence on "Jingle & Bell," a Hallmark Channel Original Animated Special, which will premiere on the network this Holiday season. "Jingle & Bell" is the second story and animated special to star one of Hallmark's most lovable characters, Jingle the Husky Pup(TM). The Hallmark Channel Original Animated Special, "Jingle All the Way," was a ratings success for the network and generated tremendous response for the Interactive Storybook and Story Buddy(TM) at Hallmark Gold Crown Stores.

In "Jingle & Bell," Jingle the Husky Pup and his buddy Andrew meet some new friends. A girl Andrew's age, Sofia, and her Husky pup, Bell, have moved from sunny Palm City to Pineville weeks before Christmas. With no friends yet and not knowing what to expect, Sofia and Bell's world is upside down and it looks like it might be the worst Christmas ever. But with a little help from Jingle and Andrew, Sofia and Bell will soon discover that Christmas joy isn't about where you are -- it's about who you are with!

"Jingle & Bell" is a Bent Image Lab Production. Jodi Schade, Diana Stuart, Shawn McClaren and Ray Di Carlo are Executive Producers. Tsui Ling Toomer is Producer. Chel White directs from a teleplay by Allan Neuwirth.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of 87 million subscribers. The top-tier program service is distributed through approximately 5,500 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading destination for quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies and specials, as well as some of television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, Frasier, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons. The channel is also home to The Martha Stewart Show and other lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.