– Sullivan picks up Sam and Max

Toronto-based Sullivan Entertainment’s distribution arm, Sullivan Releasing, has picked up three children’s series for home video distribution in French and English Canada.

The three half-hour series are Sam and Max from Nelvana and Eyewitness iii and P.B. Bear and Friends from the u.k.’s DK Vision.

P.B. Bear and Friends is an animated preschool series. Eyewitness iii, billed as a ‘fact-filled, discovery series,’ is currently airing on pbs.

The deal with Nelvana for Sam and Max (currently running on Fox Kids) is for four years, with plans to release episodes beginning in the late summer, according to Jeff Grottick, Sullivan vp of home video and acquisitions. Eyewitness iii and P.B. Bear and Friends are targeting a spring release.

– Paddington hitting video with Sony

Sony Wonder is bringing the Cinar animated series The Adventures of Paddington Bear to home video. Two videos will be released April 28, each containing three episodes of the half-hour series.

– Little Bear video release

Nelvana’s Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear: Parties & Picnics is one of four new-to-video titles from Nickelodeon’s top-rated kids’ shows being released by Paramount Home Video this spring.

– Life audience up

Atlantis Broadcasting’s Life Network has increased its weekly reach for its key target group of adults 25-54 by 15%, according to Nielsen Media Research. The increase was measured over the period of Oct. 1, 1997 to Jan. 25, 1998.

Over the same period, Nielsen People Meters indicates Life’s average minute audience in primetime grew 9%, a positive number, says Atlantis Broadcasting president Juris Silkans, considering the increase coincided with the launch of the new specialties.

Life’s new ‘real-life animal drama and people’ series Horse Tales, produced by Toronto’s Sleeping Giant Productions and TransAtlantic Films of the u.k., scored almost 200,000 viewers with three plays the week of Jan. 19, according to Nielsen People Meters, making it the third most-watched series on the network.

– WIC Cares recipient

WIC Western International Communications has chosen the national charity Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada and its In-School Mentoring Program as the 1998 recipient of the WIC Cares donation and promotion.

The charity will receive $50,000, commercial production and substantial free television and radio advertising to promote the mentoring program and the recruitment of volunteers.