A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM DISNEY ABC KIDS NETWORKS

CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis: Kids!

02/09/06

Good morning. It’s Thursday, February 9, 2006 and this is your first early morning Kids! briefing.

Do you want to know who won at the Grammy Awards that aired last night on CBS, live from LA?  I couldn’t tell you, even though I watched the entire show … every minute of it.  Why?  Because it just didn’t matter. With 26 or more performances  with different combinations of performers  the show was great!  I haven’t watched the Grammy Awards all the way through in years, but this year each performance was better than the prior and many of them included artists I don’t even like.  Even the set was memorable.  The only thing that remains to be improved, and this goes for most awards shows, is shots of the bored industry executives in their suits, except for Clive Davis who always looks like he is having some fun.  Advice, if anyone is listening:  1) Put out a soundtrack from last night’s show.  2) Academy Award producers: if you didn’t see the show last night  you should.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

DIC Entertainment and investor extraordinaire Warren Buffett, have partnered to create The Secret Millionaire’s Club, a direct-to-DVD animated series.  The goal of the DVD series is to promote financial literacy to kids as well as entertain.  Currently in production The Secret Millionaire’s Club will be comprised of 13 titles with the first two slated for release in fall 2006.  Mr. Buffett’s voice and likeness will be featured throughout the series as he introduces and explains financial concepts and lessons through kid-friendly characters and real situations.  Throughout the stories the kid characters will be involved in various adventures and seek out Buffett’s advice.  The Secret Millionaire’s Club, will be released by a major home entertainment distributor and will be available for worldwide distribution.

Artists Inc. has entered into an agreement with Just Cause Inc. and producer Thad Weinlein to co-develop Code Runners (13 x 60 min) a mixed animation/live-action “spy-fi” series.  Code Runners are a group of young undercover hackers who are also martial arts experts that have been hired by the National Security Agency and sends the group out on classified missions.  Portions of the series will be produced specifically for weekly iPod and V Cast distribution to promotionally support the series.  The animation for Code Runners will be produced in both the US and Argentina.  Compulsion Entertainment‘s Beth Fraikorn is handling the series marketing.

MORE KIDS STUFF

The new animated preschool series The Wonder Pets! (20 episodes) is set to premiere simultaneously on Nick Jr. and Noggin on Friday, March 3 with back-to-back episodes (11:30a-12:30p).  The Wonder Pets revolves around three classroom pets and their superhero lives once all the humans have gone home.  The series features all original music created by a range of Tony and Grammy winning artists/composers and performed in operetta style.  From creator/Executive Producer, Josh Sleig of Little Airplane Productions, The Wonder Pets! will air on Nick Jr. weekdays at 11:30a.  The music-based series will also be introduced to the audiences on Nickelodeon’s preschool platforms:

• Nick Jr. Video, NickJr.com’s broadband video service, will stream a 12-min. peek at the series from February 17
• Clips of The Wonder Pets will be available on Verizon Wireless’ V Cast broadband service beginning February 24
• The VOD window including behind the scenes clips from the first two episodes on Comcast, Cox, Cablevision and Charter, begins March 6
• Additional activities and information about The Wonder Pets can be found on NickJr.com as well as Nick Jr. Parents TV.

Toon Disney will premiere a special two-part widescreen episode of the animated series Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go during its Jetix action programming block.  Part one, Wormhole, will bow Monday, February 13 (8:30p), with part two premiering the following Monday, February 20 (8:30p).

MARKETING/LICENSING

Max Entertainment, the exclusive agent for Jay Jay The Jet Plane throughout Middle and South East Asia, has signed license agreements on behalf of PorchLight Entertainment with Singapore-based Baby Concept and SinQuest.  Baby Concepts has introduced a line of Jay Jay toy products through Singapore’s high-end department stores, with its line of backpacks and stationery expected to hit the shelves later this year.  SinQuest will launch its initial line of Jay Jay preschool apparel in Singapore’s retail outlets late 1-2Q of this year.

Madacy Latino has partnered with Scholastic Media to produce and market branded music products based on the Maya & Miguel TV series, which airs on PBS Kids Go!  Madacy Latino will release several English and Spanish Maya & Miguel music CDs this year, with the initial title Best Friends available at retail in the US on March 28, as well as for download on iTunes.  Best Friends features songs recorded by the kid’s band, The Tweens.  The CD releases will be supported by a marketing campaign that include custom merchandising materials in English and Spanish; in-store play copies; trade advertising; and cross promotions with other Maya & Miguel licensed products.  Upcoming Maya & Miguel CD titles include Radio Favorites and Party Fiesta, currently slated for release summer 2006.

The Weinstein Company has teamed-up with FamilyMediaGuide.com to develop a new interactive online game and sweepstakes to support its upcoming animated movie Doogal that will be released February 24.  The Meet Doogal and Friends Matching Game introduces players to the characters from the movie and can be played by visiting both the Doogal website and FamilyMediaGuide.com.  Once visitors have completed the matching game they can enter the sweepstakes.

Big Tent Entertainment has named Thirsty Girl Productions as the US booking agent for pop music group, The Star Girls.  Under the agreement, Thirsty Girl Productions will book venue dates and sponsorships for The Star Girls tour being planned for summer 2006.  Last summer the kid and family friendly group from Australia toured the Northeast tri-state region on its Rock This World tour.  Thirsty Girl Productions will focus on booking live performances at amusement parks, state fairs and other local music venues across the country.  Additionally, The Star Girls second album is expected to be released following the 2006 summer tour.  The Wiggles, Hi-5 … hmmm must be something in the water in Australia.

BKN International has awarded Grand Toys International Limited the worldwide master toy licensee for the Legend of the Dragon property.  The product line will include action figures, playsets, role-play, radio-control, electronic games and party goods, and will be available from early spring 2006 in select markets.  Additionally, JTMG will serve as the North American licensing agent for the property handling all third-party licensing and merchandising in the region.  The Legend of the Dragon TV series will debut fall 2006 in the US as part of the Jetix block that airs on Toon Disney and ABC Family.

STONE SOUP

The nominations for the 33rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced yesterday.  The Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out Friday, April 28, airing on ABC (8-11p) live from the Kodak Theater, marking the first time that the Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast from Hollywood.  As usual, the Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards will be presented at two ceremonies on Saturday, April 22, one in New York City and the other in Hollywood.  This year’s televised program will be produced by White Cherry Entertainment.   Below are some of the 33rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards kid/youth categories and those nominated for outstanding achievement.  You can find the full list of nominees, including other children based categories, at: http://www.emmyonline.org/emmy/33rdAnnual_daytime_nominees_only.html.

Children’s Animated Program:

Arthur – PBS

Baby Looney Tunes – Cartoon Network

Dora the Explorer – Nick Jr.

Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks – PBS

Peep – Discovery Kids

ToddWorld – Discovery Kids

Children’s Series:

Between the Lions – PBS

Endurance: Tehachapi – NBC

Postcards From Buster – PBS

Strange Days at Blake Holsey High – NBC

Zoom – PBS

Pre-School Children’s Series:

Blues Room  Nickelodeon

Hi-5 – Discovery Kids

PAZ – Discovery Kids

Sesame Street – PBS

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Nickelodeon outlined several executive shifts in the group yesterday, including Tom Ascheim named as EVP/GM, Nickelodeon Television, and confirming Jeff Dunn, COO/Nickelodeon Networks Group and President/Nickelodeon Films and Enterprises, will leave the company.

• Tom Ascheim expands his current role to include oversight of the day-to-day operations for all of Nickelodeon’s TV businesses, which includes Nickelodeon, Noggin, The N and Nicktoons Television.  The 16-year Nickelodeon veteran and all around great guy will be responsible for all programming, production and marketing for these channels.  In addition, Ascheim will head a production and creative group that will produce and program content across multiple platforms.
• Steve Youngwood has been upped to EVP/Nickelodeon Digital Media.  Youngwood will manage expansion across digital platforms and all online efforts, as well as the group’s wireless, gaming, interactive television and digital video initiatives. 
• Sarah Kirshbaum Levy has been promoted to EVP/Strategy and Business Operations, Nickelodeon.  In addition to her current responsibilities she will oversee Nickelodeon Recreation and Magazine divisions. 

Andrew M. Nigolian and Christine Carrier have been upped to SVP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing, Starz Entertainment Group LLC.  Nigolian and Carrier will report to EVP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing, Edward L. Huguez.  Nigolian, who is based in Philadelphia, manages the Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright House, Adelphia and Bresnan accounts.  Carrier has responsibility for Cox, Charter, NCTC, Mediacom, Insight, and CableOne; she works out of SEG’s Atlanta office.

Cookie Jar Entertainment has appointed Hally A. Bayer to the newly created position of Director/Business Development Digital Media.  In her new role Bayer is responsible for growing the company’s brands into the area of digital media of all kinds.  Bayer will report to Ken Locker, SVP/Digital Media.  Most recently Bayer was VP/Promotions Scholastic Book Club, Scholastic Inc.

RATINGS

Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Tuesday, February 7, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:            K2-11 1210; K6-11   540; TWEENS 9-14 394
DISNEY CHANNEL:       K2-11   671; K6-11   367; TWEENS 9-14 312
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   542; K6-11   312; TWEENS 9-14 251
TOON DISNEY:              K2-11     94; K6-11     38; TWEENS 9-14   24
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to Yesterday’s trivia question: This company proclaimed all the people eating their product in Soviet Georgia were living past the age of 100. Says who?  DANNON YOGURT  Kudos to:  Joanne Milano-RJ Palmer/NY; John R. Molish-Brighter Minds Media/Worthington OH; Brad Stern-Long Island Childrens Museum/NY; Ronnie Krauss-Grand&Me Inc/Irvington NY; Liz Stahler-SupperTime Entertainment/LA;

Today’s Trivia Question:  During this commercial, a guy loves bragging about his lavish lifestyle, until he admits “He’s in debt up to his eyeballs”.  Who does he claim makes his life possible to live this way? (click here 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 Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis Kids!
02.09.06 – 3:56a
Ad Sales – Barbara Shapiro – 203-583-1224 / [email protected]
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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2006

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JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/MKA/NY: Full service ad agency seeks AE for major cable network account (creative & media.) 5 yrs exp. in mrktng or advertising & stellar organizational skills req. Send resume to: [email protected]  (2/16)

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