CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis: Kids!

03/16/06

Good morning. It’s Thursday, March 16, 2006 and this is your first early morning Kids! briefing.

As predicted, PlayStation fans will have to wait a little longer for their PS3. Sony Computer Entertainment announced yesterday it has postponed the launch of its PlayStation 3 next generation video game console to early November 2006, when the console will be launched simultaneously in North America, Europe and Japan.  That is a year to the month that Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 next generation game console.  Why the delay? Sony says it’s still working on the copyright protection technology for the Blu-ray discs on which the games for PS3 will be formatted.  Sony did say the new PS3 will have a 60GB hard drive and Sony plans to launch PlayStation Network Platform, a free online gaming service.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Microsoft Games Studio introduced the world to Viva Piñata, a sister property to the animated TV series being produced 4Kids Entertainment at Bardel Animation in Vancouver.  The game was created and developed by Rare Ltd., with its TV and merchandising partner 4Kids Entertainment and is designed exclusively for use with Xbox 360 and its online live component.  You’ve probably always wondered, what do Piñatas do when they aren’t hanging around at birthday parties and where do they go?  Well, on Viva Piñata they go to Piñata Island where they are repaired and live pretty happily, except for a few evil piñatas.  While the game and TV series will be released in different languages, there is currently no bilingual educational component.

• The game is slated for a holiday 2006 release.  In the game players create customizable garden environments on the island using various items to attract any of the 60 different piñata species.  Players must care for their piñata and protect them, or they could return to the wild.  To build gardens players can collect tools and call on a number of human characters to help them build and care for their pets.  Players can create their own tag to affix to their piñatas, and just about any item can be shared or sent to a friend via Xbox Live.  Shane Kim, GM/Microsoft Games Studios explained Viva Piñata is targeted to the “next generation of gamers,” and that with this property the company hopes to broaden the audience for Xbox 360 console to include kids.  Generally speaking Xbox 360 players are young male hard core gamers who play titles that aren’t kid friendly.  The younger kid game title realm has traditionally been held by Nintendo.
• The Viva Piñata (26 x 30 min) TV series is slated to premiere in fall 2006 on the 4Kids TV Saturday morning programming block on Fox.  The series follows a group of piñata friends with different personalities as they take off on humorous adventures on Piñata Island.  Characters include: Hudson Horstacio (donkey); Franklin Fizzbear; Paulie Pretztail (Fox) among others including some evil doer piñatas.  No licensing deals have been announced, but merchandise based on the property is expected to be available in 2007.

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. has named Cartoon Network as the exclusive US broadcaster for newly-combined 2D and 3D animated Fantastic Four (26 x 30 min) series.  Cartoon Network will debut the series in fall 2006.  Co-produced by Marvel Studios and Moonscoop, the new series is based on Marvel’s Fantastic Four Super Hero franchise.  Last year Cartoon Network acquired the worldwide broadcasting rights for the series outside the US in an agreement with Moonscoop, the global distributor of the series.  The sequel to the last summer’s Fantastic Four feature film is currently slated for summer 2007.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Kids will get to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the kid way with special programming tomorrow:

• Boomerang enjoys a Bit of the Blarney with five popular episodes of The Flintstones airing multiple times during the day. Those episodes feature none other than the great green one from outer space, The Great Gazoo.  An extra quick trivia question for St. Patrick’s Day: who played the voice of The Great Gazoo?  Okay, you don’t have to write in – the answer is the one and only Harvey Korman.
• Disney Channel will air a three hour That’s So Raven O’Snap O’thon (5-8p).  During the marathon viewers who count how many times Raven employs her favorite phrase “Oh Snap,” and then enter the final total online at 8p.  The correct number will unlock behind the scenes pix of the series.  Additionally, kids/tweens are invited to call in and record their version of the expression, with a selection of the recordings airing during the on-air event.
• Toon Disney will host Jake Long’s Save St. Paddy’s From The Baddies marathon (2-5p).

PBS Kids Sprout will celebrate trees and the environment with Sprout’s Spring Surprise, a three-hour interactive on-air event on Arbor Day, April 28, 9a-12p.  The Spring Surprise will be hosted by Big Bird and the Birdkateers, who will sing, make crafts, play games and plant trees all focusing on the caring for the environment in short segments that will wrap around nature-themed episodes of regular series.  Leading up to the on-air Sprout’s Spring Surprise, kids and parents can log onto www.sproutletsgrow.com that will feature a leaf project that kids can do at home, which includes writing a promise for the environment on it and then sending it in.  Big Bird will show some of those leaves on TV beginning April 14 and hang them up to create a “Wishing Tree,” which will be shown in full decoration on Arbor Day.

Beginning this month, some 20,000 US elementary school librarians and media teachers will receive teaching aides that support The Big Wide World of Books, a new program that features the Strawberry Shortcake brand.  Developed by American Greetings Corp. and DIC Entertainment in collaboration with Young Minds Inspired, curriculum specialists, the initiative was designed to improve students’ library skills, encourage reading readiness and foster an interest in books and geography.  The program, which features a Spanish-language component, includes a range of activities, which are based on the Strawberry Shortcake World of Friends DVD from Fox Home Entertainment and book from Grosset & Dunlap.  The Big Wide World of Books meets national standards in language arts and social studies.  American Greetings is the creator and owner of the Strawberry Shortcake brand and DIC is the exclusive worldwide licensing agency for the property.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Shiraz Akmal has been tapped to lead THQ Inc.’s newly formed XDG (External Development Group) unit that will streamline the company’s development outsourcing needs.  The video game publisher hopes to increase its production capabilities and cost efficiency across the studio system.  Previously, Akmal was Director/Research and Development at THQ’s Heavy Iron Studios.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:            K2-11 1293; K6-11 607; TWEENS 9-14 449
DISNEY CHANNEL:       K2-11   802; K6-11 450; TWEENS 9-14 313
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   583; K6-11 342; TWEENS 9-14 250
TOON DISNEY:              K2-11   183; K6-11   91; TWEENS 9-14   49
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to Yesterday’s trivia question: This loveable Irish vagabond  lived in a mythical, magical place called Hobo Junction. She sported a floppy green hat, red hair,  and a face full of greasepaint as she entertained a generation of children. Who was she?   HOBO KELLY    Kudos to: Sally Anne Syberg-Flickerlab/NY; Keith Manzella-EastWest Marketing Group/NY; Kristne Tuinstra-Zonderkidz/Grand Rapids MI; Greg Lock-Nickelodeon/Chicago; Karen Lavin-The WB 100+ Station Group/LA; Roxanne Lettman-CBS Paramount; Cynthia Kennedy-A & E Television Networks/London

Today’s Trivia Question: This company’s slogan was “The King and Queen Might Eat Thereof and Noblemen Besides”.  What did they eat? (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!
03.16.06 – 3:50a
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