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Source: NHI, Explorer 2/2/04-2/8/04. M-F,
6:30p. Cvg Rating.
CYNTHIA TURNER'S CYNOPSIS
Kids! 02/17/04
Good morning. It's
Tuesday, February 17, 2004,
and this is your early morning
Kids!
briefing.
Yesterday the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company
announced it had unanimously rejected the proposal by
Comcast Corporation to acquire Disney. In rejecting the
offer the Board noted that ‘.78 of a share of Comcast is selling in the
market for $3.60 less than the market price of a share of Disney.’
Continuing on, the Board said that ‘the deficit of value in Comcast’s
proposal has existed from the very first day after Comcast announced it,
when the deficit was $3.24 per Disney share or a total of $6.6
billion.’ Additionally, the board stated its commitment to creating
shareholder value and would assess any future proposals in that
way.
Comcast responded to the Disney Board of Directors with
this statement: "Our proposal to acquire The Walt Disney
Company reflects a full and generous valuation based upon Disney's
prospects and performance over a long period of time, representing a
significant premium over Disney's unaffected share price during any
relevant measurement period over the last three years. We maintain
the belief that our merger proposal represents a sound and compelling
proposition for both sets of shareholders."
Fox's revival of Mr. Ed has cast Sherman Helmsley as the
voice of the horse. Helmsley joins Sherilynn Fenn as Mrs. Wilbur
Post, and David Alan Basche as Wilbur.
In early January Warner Bros Consumer Products and Play Along
inked a licensing deal for WBCP’s DC Comics Batman and
Justice League to be featured in Art Asylum’s new C3
line that is based around its Minimate block figures and
slated for release this summer. Yesterday at Toy Fair here
in NYC I ventured into the asylum and got a close look at the new C3
construction sets and the Minimates incarnations of Batman, Robin, Bruce
Wayne, The Joker, Catwoman, Superman, The Flash etc. And let me
tell you, the actual C3 sets are downright groovy. The come with
various Minimates and include the Batglider, Batmobile, and a Mini
Batmobile, Javelin 7 with The Flash, Superman vs. Darkside Throne Room
and of course there is what appeared to be the largest in the Batman
sets, the Batcave. I didn't see a Minimate Alfred, but really who
wouldn’t want one. My favorite might just be The Joker vs. Batman
Chemical Warehouse Playset where The Joker has Batman in his mechanical
clutches and can dip him into a vat of a pretend chemical of your
choice. C3 sets are all compatible with each other.
Still in the works is a line of The Lord of the Rings and Tony Hawk
Minimate sets. The Art Asylum showroom also featured very detailed
figures the company is known for including the Star Trek Legends
featuring the ships from the Star Trek series and action figures from
based on the Original series.
Kid/Tween/Teen TV series scheduled to be available at MIPTV
this spring (March 29-April 2, 2004), at the Palais Des Festivals,
Cannes, France:
Car Town (Target preschool); 3-D animation; Nelvana
(producer/distributor); Bill Joyce (creator/George Shrinks, Rolie Polie
Olie); Inhabited only by cars, Car Town follows the adventures of 6 yr.
old car Beep Beep, his friends, families and their community; (26 x
:30)
Broken Sky (Target K6-11); 2-D digital animation;
action/adventure; Nelvana (producer/distributor); based on the book
series by Chris Wooding; the comedic project features 16 year old twins
who live in a fantasy world of warriors, evil princes, beasts and must
use their ‘kick-a**’ powers to search for their missing father and fight
the forces of evil.
Grossology (Target K6-11); 2-D animation; Nelvana
(producer/distributor); series is based on the book by Sylvia Branzei;
(26 x 30)
Dawgz (Target K6-11); 2-D animation; Nelvana
(producer/distributor); Jeff Eamer (creator); the story of six
mix-matched best friends (that happen to be dogs) who stir up trouble
wherever they go; (26 x :30)
Maya and Miguel (target kids); animated; Scholastic
Clifford's Puppy Days (25 episodes); Target K4-7; animated -
Scholastic Entertainment (producer & distributor); a new animated
series based on the Clifford book series by Norman Bridwell. The series
debuted in the US Sept. 2003, on PBS.
I Spy (Target preschoolers) - stop motion animation -
Scholastic Entertainment (producer & distributor); the series is
based on the Scholastic I Spy book series; The series debuted in the US
fall 2002, on HBO Family.
Stellaluna (Target preschoolers); animated; Scholastic Video
Collection; the series is based on the book of the same name; MGM Home
Entertainment will release the VHS/DVD of Stellaluna in the US in 2004.
Decode Entertainment has promoted Dominique Bazay to
VP/Distribution, as well as Dan Fill to
VP/Interactive. Bazay has managed the distribution department
since its inception in 1999 and established numerous international
development partners as well, all the while reporting to Decode’s
London-based partner, Neil Court. Dan set up Decode Interactive, a
division of Decode Entertainment that develops finances and produces
online entertainment experiences; the group recently began developing
console games.
In conjunction with the opening of 101st American International Toy
Fair over the weekend, the Toy Industry Association held its fourth
annual T.O.T.Y. (Toy Of The Year) Awards, honoring the toy
industry’s innovations and innovators from the previous year in 14
categories. The 2003
T.O.T.Y. (by the way that is pronounced Toh-Tee) Award
winners:
Toy of the Year, as voted by retailers, media and
sales data: Hokey Pokey Elmo (Fisher-Price)
Most Innovative Toy of the Year*: Leapster Multimedia Learning
System (LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.)
Vehicle of the Year, (toy vehicle including remote and radio
controlled, die-cast, and other non-powered automobiles, planes etc.):
Regenerator R/C (Spin Master Ltd.)
Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year: Hokey Pokey Elmo,
(Fisher-Price) and Little Touch LeapPad Learning System (LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.)
Educational Toy of the Year*: Leapster Multimedia Learning
System (LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.). *defined as a toy that helps
develop special skills &/or knowledge through play.
Activity Toy of the Year: Clickits (Lego Systems Inc.)
*defined as a toy that inspires creative play through activity.
Game of the Year (including board, CD-ROM, electronic and card
game formats): Cranium Hullabaloo (Cranium, Inc.)
Specialty Toy of the Year: It's My Life Scrapbook Kit
(Creativity for Kids) *Toys distributed primarily through specialty
retailers.
Outdoor Toy of the Year: Bounce `Round (Spin Master Ltd)
*
Girl Toy of the Year: Bratz Formal Funk Runway Disco (MGA
Entertainment)
Boy Toy of the Year: Electronic Hulk Hands (Toy Biz
Worldwide)
Property of the Year, for the licensor that had the greatest
success spreading its brand or property throughout the industry while
generating interest and excitement: Bratz (MGA Entertainment)
Retailer of the Year / Under 25 locations, for the most
innovative retailer, offering diverse merchandise presentation and giving
specialty brands and product categories clear focus and value-added
appeal: Kazoo and Company
Retailer of the Year / 25+ locations, for the most innovative
retailer offering a wide variety of popular toys and games: Target
Marketing Campaign of the Year, for the individual, team or
company whose work represents the highest level of creativity and
implementation in creating a unified marketing, advertising, public
relations or promotion campaign for a toy or children's entertainment
product: Monopoly (Hasbro Games)
Caring For Children Caring for Children Recognition of
Excellence, recognition of companies with public service program that
profoundly impacts on the lives of children in their community and brings
credit to the toy industry: Crayola Dream-Makers Program (Binney
and Smith); Toy Run for Kids (Funrise Toy Corporation); Team Hasbro and
TOYChallenge (Hasbro, Inc.); Barbie Cares Supporting Children in the Arts
(Mattel); Target House and Ready… Sit… Read! (Target)
Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees: toy executives Neil
Friedman and George Ditomassi and the late game company founder, Milton
Bradley
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Answer to yesterday's Trivia
Question:Much like American
Bandstand (also a dick clark prod), this musical series was directed to
teenagers, hosted by Sam Riddle and Cass Elliot. Sadly it only ran
one season. What was the name of this short-lived music showcase
series? GET IT TOGETHER. Kudos to: Liz Stahler-L&G
Licensing/LA; Greg Rose-SD Entertainment/Conoga Park.
Today's Trivia Question:
Who had the 'one chair operation'? (To answer the
trivia, click hereand please remember to include your name, company, city and time
zone. Only the second four from each time zone will appear in
tomorrow's kudos list.)
Later -- Gwen
Gwen Billings for Cynthia Turner's Cynopsis Kids!
Publisher/Editor Cynthia Turner
02/17/04 5:43am Free
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