Warner Bros. Animation's
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¡MUCHA LUCHA! Enters The Ring On Cartoon
Network's
Prime Time Line-Up On March 5!
Hit series also airs Saturday Mornings on Kids'
WB!
CYNTHIA TURNER'S CYNOPSIS
Kids! 01/29/04
Good morning. It's
Thursday, January 29, 2004,
and this is your early morning
Kids!
briefing.
Giving it another try, Entertainment Rights has set another
proposal for the acquisition of Chorion, following a rejection to
their advances last month and another a year prior to that. This
time round, Entertainment Rights has offered upward of $80 million, a
combination of cash and stock that according to several UK reports puts
Chorion’s value at 35% premium to its avg. share price over the previous
six months. Chorion is said to be considering the proposal and will
respond by February 3, with just enough time for Entertainment Rights to
present an offer, which they must do by the following day February
4.
Additionally, Entertainment Rights Plc, announced it has inked a
number of licensing deals for third party brands. Mobile
phone content and games provider, Cascata has signed a deal to
produce interactive games, screensavers, wallpaper and ring tones based
on the kids TV series The Trap Door, which currently airs in the UK on
Channel Four, Nickelodeon and BSkyB. Additionally Pyramid
Posters has signed a license deal to produce a collection of posters
for the series.
Valentine's Day Programming Notes: -PBS Kids will air a Valentine’s Day episode of the mystery math
series Cyberchase, Hugs and Witches, Friday, February 13 (check local
listings). The episode features special guest Jane Curtain as the
voice of Lady Ada Byron Lovelace, along with the regulars Christopher
Lloyd (Hacker) and Gilbert Gottfried (Digit). Viewers can also log
on to
www.pbskids.org/cyberchase
to further investigate who Lady Lovelace is as well as to download printable Valentine cards and other activities.
-ABC presents, The Peanuts special, Charlie Brown Valentine, Saturday, February 14, 7p.
-Noggin celebrates Valentine’s Day with appropriately themed episodes of its preschool series all day long, February 14, from 6a-6p. The Valentine’s Day marathon includes episodes of Franklin, 123 Sesame Street, Gullah Gullah Island, Dora the Explorer and Little Bear.
The NPD Group reports that the retail sales of US video games, which includes portable and console hardware and software as well as accessories, dipped by a negligible 2.7% in 2003 ($10 billion) compared to 2002 ($10.3 billion). The PC game software industry showed signs of slowing with revenues from retails sales -14% from the previous year ($1.2 billion/2003 vs. $1.4 billion/2002) and the total console industry, both portable and PC game, was down -4% from the previous year ($11.2 billion/2003 vs. record breaking $11.7 billion/2002). The driving force in sales was led by the console and portable game software categories, which was up by a record breaking +5.4% in overall sales in 2003 ($5.8 billion/2003 vs. $5.5 billion/2002). Including PC games, total industry software sales moved slightly +1.5% ($7 billion/2003 vs. $6.9 billion/2002). The biggest decline came in the area of console hardware, which was -27% in dollar volume in 2003, but, portable hardware dollar volumes were +53% for the year ($750 million/2003 vs. $490 million/2002.
2003 Top 10 Console Video Game Titles, Sorted By Units Title Platform Publisher Release Date Avg Ret Price Madden NFL 2004; PS2 EA Aug. 2003 $49
Pokemon Ruby; GBA NOA Mar. 2003 $31
Pokemon Sapphire; GBA NOA Mar. 2003 $31
Need Speed: Underground; PS2 EA Nov. 2003 $49
Zelda: The Wind Walker; GCN NOA Mar. 2003 $47
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; PS2 Rockstar Oct. 2002 $41
Mario Kart: Double; GCN NOA Nov. 2003 $49
Tony Hawk Underground; PS2 Activision Oct. 2003 $47
Enter the Matrix; PS2 Atari May 2003 $46
Medal of Honor Rising; PS2 EA Nov. 2003 $49 Source: The NPD Group/NPD Funworld/TRSTS (Game Boy Advance=GBA; GameCube Nintendo=GCN; PlayStation2=PS2; Electronic Arts=EA; Nintendo of America=NOA; Rockstar Games=Rockstar)
2003 Top 10 PC Video Game Titles, Sorted by Units Title Platform Publisher Release Date Avg. Ret. Price The Sims: Superstar Expansion Pack; WIN EA May 2003 $29
The Sims Deluxe; WIN EA Sept. 2002 $39
Command and Conquer: Generals; WIN EA Feb. 2003 $45
Warcraft III: Frozen Throne Expansion Pack; WIN VU June 2003 $34
The Sims: Makin’ Magic Expansion Pack; WIN EA Oct. 2003 $31
The Sims: Unleashed Expansion Pack; WIN EA Sept. 2002 $28
Sim City 4; WIN EA Jan. 2003 $46
Call of Duty; WIN Activision Oct. 2003 $45
MS Age of Mythology; WIN Microsoft Oct. 2002 $38
Battlefield 1942; WIN EA Sept. 2002 $45 Source: The NPD Group/NPD Funworld/TRSTS (Windows=WIN; Electronic Arts=EA; Nintendo of America=NOA; Vivendi Universal=VU)
Disney Theatrical and producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher announced yesterday that they have found their Mary Poppins in actress Laura Michelle Kelly. The stage adaptation of the famous Disney movie Mary Poppins is slated to premiere at London’s Price Edward Theatre in December 2004, preceded by two months of tryouts in Bristol at the Hippodrome. Kelly is currently in the Broadway revival of Fiddler On the Roof (she plays Hodel, one of Tevye’s daughters), previously starred as Eliza Doolittle in Mackintosh’s UK production of My Fair Lady, and early on in her very young career she starred in Beauty and the Beast.
In other Broadway Disney news, 19-year-old Christy Carlson Roman, the actress who lends her voice to Disney Channel’s Kim Possible, will be the 13th actress to play the role of Belle when she joins the cast of the Broadway show Beauty and the Beast this February 17. And Micky Dolenz (yes the one who was the drummer of the Monkees) has joined the Broadway cast of the Elton John/Tim Rice musical Aida next month and co-star Michelle T. Williams of Destiny’s Child (who leaves the show next month).
theglobe.com has announced that its Computer Games Magazine will include Now Playing, a pop culture magazine within a magazine. Overseeing the creation and creative direction of Now Playing is Eric Moro, the newly named Entertainment Editor/Computer Games. Moro is the former Executive Editor/Cinescape Magazine. The goal of Now Playing both is to be a resource for the avid as well as the casual computer gaming fan while offering them a look at pop culture entertainment through behind the scenes features, previews, and reviews and stories about movies, TV, console games, music, comics, anime, PDAs, MP3 players and collectables. The first edition of Now Playing will be a 16 page insert in Computer Games Magazine’s April issue.
Former NFL player (49ers) Steve Young has signed on a supporter for the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Vision Service Plan’s newly launched national vision initiative, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye exams for all children. Young will be part of the initiative through a specific campaign called See Better, Play Better, which hones in on the connection between good vision and athletic performance.
Kid’s apparel retailer the Children’s Place Stores Inc. has named Gap Inc.’s former President/Outlet Division, Neal Goldberg as its new President. Goldberg fills the position that has been vacant for several years, with Children’s Place CEO, Ezra Dabah taking on the additional responsibilities of President. In his new role Goldberg is responsible for merchandising, marketing and retail operations.
Skechers USA Inc. has assigned United Legwear Co. a license to design, market and distribute a line of socks for infants, toddlers and kids as part of the Skechers Kids brand. Other licensed sock lines created by Legwear includes Paul Frank and Roxy.
Tom Gutteridge has been appointed to the newly created position of CEO/FremantleMedia North America. Gutteridge, who was until earlier this month, the Group Creative Director/The Television Corporation, a large UK independent TV production company, heading up the LA office. Gutteridge will remain in LA in his new role and he will report to Catherine Mackay, Regional CEO/USA/Australasia and Asia, FremantleMedia.
Nickelodeon President Cyma Zarghami announced yesterday that Tom Ascheim has been named to the newly created position of EVP/GM, Nickelodeon Digital Television. In his new role Ascheim will oversee all four Nickelodeon digital TV channels, Noggin, The N, Nickelodeon Games & Sports (GAS) and Nicktoons, as well as Nickelodeon Video on Demand. Adding to Ascheim’s direct reports are Mark Offitzer, GM/Nick GAS and Keith Dawkins, GM/Nicktoons. Ascheim has been the GM/Noggin & The N, since Noggin launched in 1999. Ascheim, a 13 year veteran of Nickelodeon/Viacom previously served as its VP/Business Development, Nickelodeon Publishing and Multimedia (1997-99) and prior to that as VP/Development & Business Development, Viacom New Media, beginning at Nickelodeon as VP/Entertainment Products (1990). Go Tom!!
Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Tuesday, January 27, 2004, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1346; K6-11 611; TWEENS 9-14 378
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 840; K6-11 446; TWEENS 9-14 337
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 762; K6-11 415; TWEENS 9-14 286
ABC FAMILY: K2-11 142; K6-11 106; TWEENS 9-14 136
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 136; K6-11 71; TWEENS 9-14 56 Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
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Now that's reach and efficiency.
Answer to yesterday's Trivia Question:What is the name of Clarissa Darling's pet gator? ELVIS on Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All. Kudos to: David Stern-Bard Ent/NY; Greg Janover-Kingworld/NY; EJ Offurum-Telerep/NY; Adam Wright-PorchLight Ent/LA; Rhona Medina-Tokyopop Inc./LA.
Today's Trivia Question: In what village will you find Gargamel? (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
01/29/04 6:01am Free Subscriptions-- SubjectKids! Searchable Archivewww.Cynopsis.com Cynopsis Kids! Ad Sales 203-526-8978 Submit Press Releases to Gwen Billings at
Copyright Cynthia Turner 2004
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