Cynopsis: Kids!
05/12/08
Good morning. It’s Monday, May 12, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.
“Hey You Guyyyys!” Sesame Workshop begins production in New York City this month on the new version of the K6-9 aimed reading readiness TV series, The Electric Company. The original incarnation of the series ran on Public Television stations in the 1970s. Still one of my favorite TV shows from when I was a kid.
Walden Media has partnered with HarperCollins Children’s Books create the new kid’s publishing imprint Walden Pond Press, per Variety. Walden Pond Press will acquire and publish books, with Walden holding the option to develop and produce some of those titles into feature films. Set to be published in fall 2009, the first book under the new deal will be The Will of Will Wolfkin, a fantasy by screenwriter Steven Knight, who is currently writing the third Narnia movie in the Walden series of movie adaptations. Heading Walden Pond Press is Brenda Bowen, VP and Publisher, HarperCollins’ Bowen Press, and Deborah Kovacs, SVP/Publishing, Walden Media.
MORE KIDS STUFF
Sid the Science Kids (40×30), the new preschool animated series from The Jim Henson Company and Public Television’s KCET will premiere September 1, 2008 on PBS Kids. Currently in production, Sid the Science Kid focuses on exploration, discovery and science readiness. The series is being produced using Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary 3D animation technology that allows puppeteers to provide movement and voice in real time. An online site will bow simultaneously to the series at www.pbskids.org/sid , which will feature three areas, each offering various games and underlying series curriculum themes: The Super Fab Lab at Sid’s school, the playground, and Sid’s kitchen. Funding for Sid the Science Kid is provided by First 5 California (aka California Children and Families Commission), PBS and The Rose Hills Foundation.
Canada’s Tricon Films & Television and Corus Entertainment’s YTV have partnered with Universal Music Canada on the new original reality series, The Next Star (13 eps), which is set to premiere on YTV on Friday, July 18 at 6p. Six competitors, all under 15-years-old (as of May 2008), will be mentored by industry insiders as they go head to head to earn a recording contract with Universal Music Canada. Viewers will also get to take part by voting online for their favorite performers. (see casting note below)
KidsCo, the multiplatform channel for kids and families, has launched in Spain via local operator Teuve, with a VOD service set to bow later this year. In the region KidsCo offers preschool programming, in addition to feature films that will be included as part of the channel’s Family Zone. The KidsCo debut in Spain is the beginning of the channel’s rollout across Western Europe. KidsCo is a joint venture of NBC Universal, DIC Entertainment and Corus Entertainment,.
Distributor Echo Bridge Entertainment has completed a number of license deals from the Alliance Atlantis International Distribution catalog. Earlier this year Echo Bridge Entertainment acquired the distribution rights to Alliance Atlantis International Distribution’s library, which includes worldwide distribution rights, excluding Canada, to a range of first run and catalog programming. Newly signed broadcast deals for kids programming includes the following:
- Canal J (France) acquires Degrassi: The Next Generation (24×30) and Instant Star (13×30)
- MTV Spain and Portugal picks up the first three seasons of Instant Star (39×30)
- ABC (Australia) picks up the stop-motion animated preschool series Lunar Jim (20 episodes).
Casting : So the search is on in Canada for six kids under the age of 15 to take part in The Next Star reality series from Tricon Films & Television and YTV. The first of many open casting calls will be held in Halifax this Saturday, May 17. Further open calls will be held between now and early June in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Calgary. More information can be found at www.ytv.com .
MARKETING/LICENSING
Mammoth Brand, a marketing/manufacturing initiative of NSI International, has launched Doko, an online social network and trading game targeted to K7-13. Kids can collect and trade Doko discs (small 40 mm in diameter pieces), each of which features a Doko design and has a unique ID etched on its rim that can be registered online to receive points. When players trade/give a disc to another player and they register the code, both users Doko points (up to five times after the initial registration). Disc points can be used to unlock features on the website as well as be redeemed for real goods and services from Doko partners including www.toysrus.com , DK Publishing and www.etoys.com . Additionally, players can interact with one another through the virtual network via a range of games as well as via chats online and send messages to offline players. While the first Doko discs were distributed in cities around the world, as of launch the discs are available at Toys R Us, to be followed by other retailers.
FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) is named as the exclusive licensing representative for the PBS Kids series WordWorld in North America and English speaking countries. So, FME is now looking for licensing and co-branding opportunities in categories including publishing, apparel and accessories, interactive among others. WordWorld launched on PBS Kids in 2007, and is supported by a toy program with nationwide distribution at Target Stores and its website www.target.com . Created by Don Moody, WordWorld is presented by WTTW Chicago.
Following a review, Schwinn Bicycles names Philadelphia agency, Stick and Move, as its partner in developing a re-branding strategy and campaign effort focused on recreational cycling and build off of consumer and retailer nostalgia. The new campaign is slated to launch by the end of the summer. Schwinn is owned by Dorel Industries.
STONE SOUP
Weekend Box Office for kids/tweens/teens rated G, PG or PG-13; May 9-11, 2008:
Iron Man (Paramount) PG-13 $50.5m-2 wk total $177.1m
Speed Racer (Warner Bros.) PG Opening Weekend $20.2m
What Happens in Vegas (Fox) PG-13 Opening Weekend $20.0m
Made of Honor (Sony / Columbia) PG-13 $7.6m-2 wk total $26.3m
Baby Mama (Universal) PG-13 $5.8m-3 wk total $40.4m
The Forbidden Kingdom (Lionsgate) PG-13 $1.9m-4 wk total $48.3m
Nim’s Island (Fox) PG $1.3m-6 wk total $44.3m
Prom Night (2008) (Sony / Screen Gems) PG-13 $1.1m-5 wk total $42.8m
21 (Sony / Columbia) PG-13 $835,000-7 wk total $80.4m
The Visitor (Overture Films) PG-13 $764,000-5 wk total $2.5m
Source: Box Office Mojo
At the first annual Joan Ganz Cooney Center Symposium, Logging Into The Playground: How Digital Media Are Shaping Children’s Learning, featured three new reports all of which look at and understand ways that new media play or can be integrated into the education of our kids: The Power of Pow! Wham!: Children, Digital Media and Our Nation’s Future, which focused on recommendations of industry leaders concerning research and policy to speed-up kid’s learning; Getting Over the Slump: Innovation Strategies to Promote Children’s Learning, featuring possible strategies to promote kid’s literacy and learning; and a national survey, commissioned in association with Common Sense Media, in which parents and educators discussed their perceptions about new media’s educational potential. Held in New York City, the event was co-sponsored by Electronic Arts and McGraw-Hill Education in association with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS Kids Raising Readers.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Christopher Safford is named Director of Sales, Echo Bridge Entertainment. Based in London, Safford will oversee sales across Central and Eastern European and Middle East territories. Safford previously toiled for seven years at Alliance Atlantis International.
RATINGS
Top 10 Combined Broadcast/Basic Cable shows among Kids 2-11 for the week of 4/28-5/4/2008 , 6a-6a:
K2-11 Total Delivery (000)
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/2; 8-9p) 2705
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/2; 9p) 2608
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (5/3; 11:30a) 2272
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (5/3; 11a) 2254
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (4/28; 4:30p) 2070
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (5/3; 12p) 2069
NICK: iCarly (4/28; 5p) 2041
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (5/3; 9:30a) 1998
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7:30p) 1977
NICK: iCarly (4/28; 5:30p) 1975
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
Top 10 Combined Broadcast/Basic Cable shows among Kids 6-11 for the week of 4/28-5/4/2008 , 6a-6a:
K6-11 Total Delivery (000)
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/2; 8-9p) 2379
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/2; 9p) 2290
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7:30p) 1665
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/3; 8:30-9:30p) 1498
NICK: Zoey 101 (4/28; 6:30p) 1464
NICK: Zoey 101 (4/28; 6p) 1444
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/3; 9:30p) 1436
NICK: SpongeBob SquarePants (5/3; 11a) 1417
NICK: iCarly (4/30; 7:30p) 1408
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7p) 1406
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
Top 10 Combined Broadcast/Basic Cable shows among Tweens 9-14 for the week of 4/28-5/4/2008 , 6a-6a:
Tweens 9-14 Total Delivery (000)
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/2; 9p) 2356
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/2; 8-9p) 2338
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/3; 9:30p) 1488
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/3; 8:30-9:30p) 1465
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7:30p) 1446
FOX: American Idol (4/29; 8-9:01p) 1381
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7p) 1347
NICK: Zoey 101 (4/28; 6:30p) 1324
NICK: iCarly (4/28; 5:30p) 1320
NICK: Zoey 101 (4/28; 6p) 1316
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
Top 10 Combined Broadcast/Basic Cable shows among Teens 12-17 for the week of 4/28-5/4/2008 , 6a-6a:
Teens 12-17 Total Delivery (000)
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/2; 9p) 1443
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/2; 8-9p) 1353
FOX: American Idol (4/29; 8-9:01p) 1246
FOX: American Idol (4/30; 9-10:01p) 1096
FOX: Family Guy (5/4; 9-9:31p) 950
FOX: American Dad (5/4; 9:31-10p) 900
NICK: Zoey 101 (5/3; 9:30p) 883
NICK: Zoey 101 Movie/Chasing Zoey (5/3; 8:30-9:30p) 858
NICK: iCarly (5/2; 7:30p) 845
NICK: Zoey 101 (4/28; 6p) 833
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**New abbreviation for Adult Swim, which airs on Cartoon Network
Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Thursday, May 8, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 975; K6-11 440; TWEENS 9-14 345
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 621; K6-11 369; TWEENS 9-14 292
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 567; K6-11 333; TWEENS 9-14 231
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 110; K6-11 49; TWEENS 9-14 36
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question: On what early ’80s show did the teens attend Weemawee High School? SQUARE PEGS Kudos to: Christine Ferrara-WSBK/WBZ/Boston; Sara Zeglin-National Geographic Digital Media/Washington, D.C.; Melissa Baumgart/HBO/NY; Corey Nascenzi-WNET/Thirteen/NY; LeNea Ricks-KIDK/Idaho Falls, ID; Andrew Makarewicz-CineGroupe/Montreal
Today’s Trivia Question: On the animated series Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, what was the name of the farm in Ireland where Piggley, as a youngster, lived with his Mom, Dad and sister? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)
Later — Gwen
Gwen Billings for Cynopsis: Kids!
05.12.08
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