CYNOPSISKIDS!
04.15.14 Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 15, 2014, and this is your first early morning briefing.
Multiplatform digital distribution network The Orchard is beefing up its children’s offerings. As part of a new exclusive agreement with Scholastic Media, beginning this week Clifford the Big Red Dog and Goosebumps are available in the iTunes Store for distribution via The Orchard, which operates in more than 25 global markets across hundreds of digital, physical and mobile outlets. Other classic Scholastic TV series will be rolled out in the coming months via The Orchard to other digital stores, including Microsoft Xbox, Vudu, Sony Entertainment Network, Target Ticket, M-GO, YouTube, and Google Play. The Orchard will also distribute new custom video compilations of popular Weston Woods animated stories such as Chicken Little, The Snowy Day and Wheels On The Bus, all for release through digital retailers later this year. "We are delighted that The Orchard will serve as our distributor, thereby expanding our content reach to children and families," says Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media and EVP of Scholastic Inc. Other Scholastic programs that will be available digitally in the coming months include Clifford’s Puppy Days, The Magic School Bus, I Spy and Maya & Miguel.
Although it looked like Disney‘s deal to acquire online video producer Maker Studios for $500 million had hit a snag, yesterday’s Maker shareholder vote approved the Disney bid. The move swiftly knocked out a counter-offer from Relativity. Maker co-founder and former CEO Danny Zappin and three other former execs last week filed a lawsuit to prevent the takeover, claiming documents Maker sent to shareholders about the merger agreement neglected to mention a pending lawsuit that alleges Maker directors issued shares to themselves to dilute Zappin’s stake. Yesterday, in a prepared statement, a Maker spokesperson said: "As per the announcement made on March 24, Maker Studios has entered into a merger agreement with The Walt Disney Company. The agreement has been approved by Maker Studios’ Board of Directors and the majority of its shareholders and is expected to close in the next few weeks, subject to regulatory approval." Further sealing any doubt the acquisition remains on track as planned, a judge yesterday denied the Zapplin restraining order.
Is DreamWorks Animation looking to grab a stake in online music video service Vevo? The studio, which took a big leap outside the animated film-making box with its purchase of AwesomenessTV and more recently Big Frame, reportedly wants a piece of Vevo, according to Recode. An article on the site says DreamWorks chief Jeffrey Katzenberg has submitted a bid to Vevo’s owners.
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DIGITAL UPDATE
Scholastic is launching two digital and blended learning education programs for the international market this week: a math program developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Singapore, and a literacy program that helps teachers track Lexile levels. Scholastic PR1ME Mathematics is a mathematics proficiency program for grades 1-6 based on the successful instructional methods of top-performing countries in mathematics. The program incorporates the best practices of Singapore, Republic of Korea, and Hong Kong. These countries have consistently been top performers in international assessments such as Trends in Mathematics and Science Survey and Performance in International Student Assessment. Scholastic Literacy Pro is a digital reading comprehension assessment program for students from ages 7-18 that combines Scholastic Reading Inventory’s (SRI) computer-adaptive assessment test with the Lexile-based independent reading program Scholastic Reading Counts!, which tracks student success on the books they read in and out of school.
Disney Interactive and Harmonix Music Systems are adding new tracks to the upcoming Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved videogame. New selections span the gamut from Elton John to Mozart. The game soundtrack in total comprises 30-plus songs in genres including contemporary, classic rock, classical and hip-hop. Other featured artists include Peter Gabriel, Gorillaz, Cee Lo Green, Avicii, Lorde and White Stripes.
Grab your magic carpet. Kids online destination Poptropica and Penguin Young Readers Group today will name Sarah S., a 10-year-old from South Carolina, winner in the "Create Your Dream Poptropica Island" contest. Her winning entry, Arabian Nights Island, which sends Poptropicans on a quest across the desert to rescue a sultan’s genie from the Forty Thieves, will debut on Poptropica later this year. More than 2,000 children submitted entries to the contest, which gave kids between the ages of 8-12 the opportunity to envision a new island on the site
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and toy merchandise company 3A are partnering for a line of official limited-edition figurines based on the popular PlayStation-exclusive Killzone videogame franchise. Among the figures is a 12.5-inch Hazmat Trooper that features the character’s signature light-up red eyes and will retailing for $160.
French channel TF1 has renewed Zodiak Kids company Tele Images’ animated series The Ranch for a second season. The new season will bring the total number of available episodes to 52; production is set to begin in the fall, with delivery anticipated for Q2 2015. The new season will have extensive tie-ins to The Ranch website, which totals 35,000-plus registered users. In France, the licensing rights are managed by TF1 Licences in partnership with Tele Images. Lansay is developing a brand new range of toys based on the characters of the series.
Mary Marotta is joining the Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division as VP/Deputy Publisher for the Aladdin Books, Little Simon, Simon Pulse and Simon Spotlight imprints. Marotta, who has been serving as S&S’ VP/Director of Children’s Sales, will fill the role formerly held by Mara Anastas.
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May 1, 2014 | 8:30 AM | Hosted at Shareablee | Register Now! Cynopsis Media will be presenting a Digital Investors’ roundtable, with several prominent VC’s gathering to talk about what they look for when investing, how they see the state of digital transforming, and what they see as upcoming trends. ****Add it to your Digital NewFronts Calendar**** Registration: Pete Romas, 203.899.8483 | Sponsorships: Mike Farina, 203.218.6480
Answer to yesterday’s Trivia Question: How did every episode (except the last) of Welcome Back, Kotter end? With Gabe Kotter telling his wife, Julie, a joke, "Did I ever tell you about my uncle… " Kudos to: Heather Floore; John May, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Atlanta; Brad Stern, Bellavia Blatt, Mineola, NY; David Garber, Linzack Publications, Chatsworth, CA.
Today’s Trivia Question: What animal did Orkans evolve from? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone.)
Cheers — Cathy Applefeld Olson
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04.15.14
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