A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM RADIO DISNEY

Cynopsis: Kids!
09/20/12

Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 20, 2012, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Saban Brands furthers its digital efforts with the acquisition of Zui, an aggregator of kid-safe online content. The addition of San Diego-based Zui will add 12 employees to Saban. Zui’s flagship site, Zui.com (www.zui.com), and allows kids to access a large library of videos and online games. Zui.com also features a safe, social media experience for kids (including a personal profile page, their own avatar, “like,” “vote” and “favorite” content), and add friends with no open messaging. Zui also operates KidZui, a downloadable browser with access to 6+ million a kid-safe websites, online videos, pictures and games. Zui.com and KidZui combined generate upwards of 2.3 million visitors per month, with the average visitor coming back three times per week and spending nearly 30 minutes per session. In support of its new Saturday morning Vortexx block on The CW, Saban Brands recently launched MyVortexx.com. Additionally, over the summer Saban acquired mobile game developer and publisher, The Playforge.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Corus Entertainment’s YTV (Canada) orders the new adventure competition series Cache Craze (10×60) from 9 Story Entertainment. Based on the popular activity of geocaching, 9 Story has begun production in Toronto on the series, which is targeted to kids/families and slated to debut on YTV in spring 2013. The GPS-assisted treasure hunt style series is hosted by comedian Ryan Horwood (Monster Warriors, Howie Do it).

Winnipeg, Manitoba-based companies Opus Visual Effects and Buffalo Gal Pictures have established a new animation studio, called Opus Animation. Opus Animation, also based in Winnipeg, has already begun hiring animators for its first project – a CGI 3D feature film called Emma’s Wings: A Bella Sara Tale. A co-production between Buffalo Gal Pictures, Opus Visual Effects, and Toronto-based Entremedia Digital Films, Emma’s Wings: A Bella Sara Tale is the first movie based on Bella Sara, the popular virtual fantasy world of horses that originated in Denmark. The Bella Sara movie will be released in 2013. It is the first animated feature being produced in Winnipeg.

Mondo TV S.p.A. inks a deal with Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), a division of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the co-production and distribution of an animated TV series based on the popular cartoon character Modhesh (Arabic for amazing), a first for the character. This will mark the first Modhesh animated series, which will be comprised of 26 episodes and produced in 2D. Additionally, this is the first time that Mondo TV will create an animated TV series in the Middle East. The series will be funded by both entities, which will both share in the worldwide licensing and distribution revenues of the series and its merchandising. According to the agreement, Mondo TV will own worldwide distribution and licensing rights for a term of 5 years. Modhesh was created by DEPE in 2000 as a jack-in-the-box for a TV ad campaign promoting the region’s popular summer event – Dubai Summer Surprises. Modhesh’s current look, created in 2001, features a full body and two feet and continues to serve as an icon representing summer fun across the Middle East.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

LICENSING

The Jim Henson Company taps Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products to represent the merchandising for its preschool brand Dinosaur Train in the UK and Ireland. Dinosaur Train debuted earlier this year in the UK and Ireland on Nick Jr. Existing Dinosaur Train licensees in the UK include global master toy licensee TOMY, which will introduce new products for the brand in 2013, including a line of small, medium and large Dinosaur Train InterAction Figures featuring SmartTalk technology, as well as a wide range of Dinosaur Train characters and train cars. Also on board is Puffin for publishing products including paperback storybooks and board and novelty books.

memBrain Licensing inks a license deal with Evy of California, a manufacturer of apparel for girls and Juniors, to develop and manufacture an Emily the Strange fashion collection with a special line of apparel for girls 4-16 that is created exclusively for sale at Target stores. Together memBrain and Evy of California sold the program in to Target. Debuting this Sunday, September 23, 2012, the new Emily the Strange Girls for Target collection includes graphic tees (in-store and online), which will feature a special gift with purchase Emily the Strange pin and a hangtag that reads “Be Yourself.” September 23 also marks the 20th birthday of the creation of Emily the Strange. Also as part of the Emily the Strange 20th anniversary in 2013, memBrain will rollout a range of new tween-targeted products, as well as a line of classic themed apparel for juniors.

MARKETING

LeapFrog Enterprises and Putumayo Kids partner to bring Putumayo’s music to LeapFrog’s multimedia platforms. Putumayo Kids music is now available for purchase through the LeapFrog App Center for LeapPad1 and the recently launched LeapPad2 and LeapsterGS. This is the first time that Putumayo Kids albums will be available digitally, and provides Leapfrog with the exclusive digital distribution rights through 2012.

Wowopolis (www.wowopolis.com) is teaming up with SeaWorld Orlando for SeaWorld’s annual family-targeted Halloween Spooktacular event in Orlando, Florida. The partnership will see Wowopolis’ Puzzle Match memory game integrated into SeaWorld’s 2012 Halloween Spooktacular event, during which kids can trick-or-treat, dance with sea creatures, watch shows and take part in various sea-themed activities including the sampling of Wowopolis’ fun new Puzzle Match game. Wowopolis’ ocean life themed Puzzle Match is a memory game that challenges kids to find two halves of one whole image, rather than the traditional memory game of finding two identical images. Once the interlocking pieces are found, the images can be assembled into a giant illustrated scene featuring dolphins, turtles, and exotic fish among other sea creatures.

MORE KIDS STUFF

It is that time of year again when Nickelodeon empowers kids to get up and get active as the network hosts its ninth consecutive Worldwide Day of Play (WWDoP) event, Saturday, October 6, 12n-3p. During the annual event Nickelodeon and its other TV channels, Nicktoons, Nick Jr. and TeenNick, and their respective websites go off-air and off-line to encourage kids to get outside of the house. At 5p, Nick will premiere the half-hour special, I Play Because, which will feature Nickelodeon stars and appearances by First Lady Michelle Obama, David Beckham, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists Nastia Liukin and Apolo Ohno, musical performances by The Wanted and Rachel Crow, and will showcase celebrities checking in on how kids around the world took part in WWDoP (www.nick.com/thebighelp). The day will kickoff on-air with Jeff Sutphen, host of Nick’s game show Figure It Out, from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Race for Kids in NYC at 9a. Nickelodeon is already running kid aimed health and wellness messaging via its Road to Worldwide Day of Play on-air campaign, which encourage kids and organizations to get active on WWDoP. The network also launched the I Wanna Play sweepstakes on www.thebighelp.com, giving kids an opportunity to submit what their schools or community organizations are doing to celebrate play for a chance to win a grand prize custom Nickelodeon playground, which will be announced during the special. Nickelodeon will award secondary prizing grants to local organizations that aim to promote active play.

Classic Media acquires the international distribution rights for the new preschool CGI TV series Team Franco (52×11) from Formula Fun Entertainment. Team Franco is inspired by the thrills and spills of motor racing and features six-year-old Franco, a car racing fan, taking his racing team, including Susie the Safety Car and ten transforming cars, on discovery-filled adventures around the world to learn about different cultures and environments.

Brain Power Studio and distributor Bejuba! Entertainment sells the mixed animated/live-action preschool series Fuzzy Tales (50×5) to Disney Channel Australia. Brain Power has also received a second season pick-up from CBC (Canada). Produced by Canada-based Brain Power Studio, Fuzzy Tales is set in Fuzzy Phil’s Pet Shop, and stars Gertie the Guinea Pig as the narrator. The series puts a unique twist on classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes, for instance its version of Little Red Riding Hood stars a duckling. Brain Power and Bejuba! will showcase Fuzzy Tales at Mipcom next month in Cannes.

DHX Media completes a European broadcast deal for its CGI preschool series Pirates, Adventures in Art (46×12), with Super RTL (Germany). An original commission by CBC (Canada), the art-centric series can also be seen across Asia on KBS and Kids Talk Talk in Korea, Mediacorp (Singapore) and Astral (Malaysia), and on Discovery Kids Latin America.

Mark your calendars for the Cynopsis: Kids Webinar on October 4th – http://ow.ly/dwqjJ.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

TCG expands its senior management team with the appointment of Jessica Gavin as VP/Marketing and Licensing. Gavin will be responsible for trade and consumer marketing, product ideation, brand building and licensing. She previously served as Director/Product Development, Buzz Bee Toys, and prior to that as Director/Marketing, iToys. TCG was formerly known as The Canadian Group.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 6am-6am, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL:          K2-11 711; K6-11 410; TWEENS 9-14 371
NICKELODEON° :            K2-11 675; K6-11 306; TWEENS 9-14 234
CARTOON NETWORK** :  K2-11 452; K6-11 288; TWEENS 9-14 221
DISNEY XD:                   K2-11 149; K6-11 117; TWEENS 9-14 104
NICKTOONS:                  K2-11   59; K6-11   40; TWEENS 9-14  34
°Nickelodeon Total Day: Mon-Thurs 7a-8p; Fri 7a-9p; Sat 6a-10p; Sun 6a-8p
**Cartoon Network & Adult Swim share channel space ADSM airs Sat.-Thurs. 9p-6a
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Speakers:
Jamie Gutfreund: Sr Dir of Business Development & Strategy [ The Intelligence Group]
James Lema: Director, Product Development [ Poptropica ]
Jim Mollica: SVP, Consumer Marketing [ Nickelodeon ]
Scott Thomas: VP, Consumer Marketing [ Cartoon Network]

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question: What did Withiepoo want from Jack on H.R. Pufnstuf? Freddy the Magic Flute. Kudos to: Mike Doyle-Spot On Media Consultants, LLC/Madison CT; McPaul Smith-BBC America/NYC; Linda Morris-Hallmark Cards/Kansas City; Merrie Dudley-tollytots ltd./kowloon, HK.

Today’s Trivia Question: What kind of animal was H.R. Pufnstuf? (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.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Later — Gwen
Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
09.20.12

Denise O’Connor: Group Publisher, Media Entertainment
Diane K Schwartz: Senior Vice President, Media Communications Group

Cynopsis Ad Sales: Mike Farina | VP Sales & Marketing | 203-218-6480
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