Magic Johnson Entertainment and Blackboard Form Educational Multimedia Venture

Posted on March 11, 1999

Magic Johnson Entertainment (MJE) and independent children's studio Blackboard Entertainment have signed an exclusive joint venture to create educational and curriculum-based multi-media for children. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, Oakland City Council Member Ignacio De La Fuente and Blackboard Entertainment CEO Marcela Davison Aviles will announce the venture at Oakland's Manzanita Elementary School, 2409 East 27th Street, at 12:30 p.m., on March 15.

The venture will create, produce and distribute a new brand of children's educational multimedia products, including curriculum-based comic books, home videos, educational software, audio programs and interactive games. The co-production deal also includes television development for educational, non-prime time children's programming and motion picture development.

"This project is all about the kids," stated Johnson, president and CEO of MJE. "Everybody knows about the importance of children's educational programming. We're going to deliver new, exciting, multimedia that gives kids something to think about and something to do after the TV or the computer is turned off. And we're going to not only deliver it through normal distribution channels, but directly to communities that need access to quality educational programs the most."

"Our vision is to raise the bar in children's programming and interactive multimedia to the highest levels. We have assembled a stellar creative and marketing team and we're very fortunate to have attracted the talent, magnetism and business acumen of Earvin Johnson and his group," stated Davison Aviles.

Blackboard Entertainment, a leading independent distributor and producer of multi-award winning children's programs, is a Hispanic-owned company located in an economic enterprise zone in Oakland's Fruitvale District.