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LONDON � Another children's channel is to be launched across Europe, but significantly the upstart will not launch in the highly competitive U.K. market.

Liberty Global subsidiary Chellomedia is teaming up with Hit Entertainment to launch the new pre-school web across European cable and satellite platforms later this year, with Africa and the Middle East to follow.

It will take its name, JimJam, from the pre-school web available on Sky Italia that has been bought by Chellomedia.

Shane O'Neill, president of Chellomedia, said: "A joint venture between one of the world's most influential producers of pre-school children's programming with a world-class portfolio of children's properties, and our own international channel management experience, backed by Liberty Global, is a great combination and will produce exciting opportunities in children's programming."

Chellomedia subsidiary Zonemedia will launch and distribute JimJam internationally.

No U.S. launch, where Hit already operates a channel with PBS, is planned.

Sparrowhawk Media recently launched KidsCo in Europe, excluding the U.K.