GENIUS BRANDS INTERNATIONAL ISSUES SHAREHOLDER LETTER

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International, Inc. “Genius Brands” (NASDAQ: GNUS), the global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia entertainment content for children, released a letter to shareholders from Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. The complete letter follows and to view in browser, please visit Genius Brands International.

Dear Genius Brands’ Shareholders:

At a time when we are all rightfully focused on the health of our families and our communities, I am happy to share with you that the health of Genius Brands International (GNUS:NASDAQ) is strong. Tuesday morning we announced an $11 million financing of Senior Secured Convertible Notes. I was pleased to participate and help lead in this financing based on the strong and growing numbers of our two tentpole series, RAINBOW RANGERS and LLAMA LLAMA, in both global broadcast and retail. Additionally, our upcoming series, STAN LEE’S SUPERHERO KINDERGARTEN, which we are co-producing with the largest company in China, Alibaba (NYSE:BABA), continues to gather steam, and we plan to announce our U.S. broadcast partner next week on one of the most dynamic and important platforms in the world.  Meanwhile our programming service, Genius Brands Network, a 24-hour on-demand kid’s animation platform carried by Comcast, Cox, Dish, Roku, Amazon and a dozen major OTT platforms across over 100 million U.S. TV households, is now growing rapidly, both in gaining viewership, and exceeding internal revenue forecasts. 

I want to talk today, about why our Company is on such a strong footing, in these very uncertain times.

1. First, we have the money that is necessary to operate our business and we significantly enhanced our balance sheet by paying down debt.
2. Second, our two tentpole brands (Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama) are now proven hits. They are working, and that means that consumer products coming into the marketplace and shelves this year should have tremendous recognition and appeal to our audience of kids and moms. 
3. Third, our business model is stronger than ever. It is the same model as the Walt Disney Company. We make animated entertainment which we distribute worldwide for fees, and we license toys and hundreds of consumer products based on characters from our animated programs worldwide. Which brings me to the question I've been increasingly asked in recent days…

“In light of the COVID-19 coronavirus, will Genius Brands be affected like other businesses?”