Cynopsis: Kids!

04/08/08

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 8, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Who knows what evil lurks … I’ll tell you who, the folks at Nerd Corps Entertainment as they launch their new original property, The League of Super Evil! (26×30).  Targeted to K6-11, The League of Super Evil! is a YTV (Canada) commission in collaboration with the BBC’s kid’s channel CBBC (UK), which has acquired the show as well.  Meanwhile picking up the series in the US is Animania HD, a Voom HD network, where the series will air in widescreen HD.  Additionally, Nerd Corps will produce 30-second shorts tied to each episode.  The series revolves around The League of Super Evil! (a.k.a L.O.S.E.), which includes four under achieving and not-so successful evil villains who seek neighborhood domination. 

MORE KIDS STUFF –  MIPTV 2008

Amberwood Productions inks a co-production pack with Belgium-based Studio 100 for the new animated series, Super Mega Hyper Pets (26×30 0r 52×11).  Targeted to K4-6, Super Mega Hyper Pets is produced in HD and follows the adventures of Timmy (8-yrs-old) and his three pet pals, Spike, Fuzzy and Julius.

Hit Entertainment unveiled plans for a new CGI animated version of Angelina Ballerina, with co-production partners Thirteen/WNET New York and Nick Jr. UK.  Entitled Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps (40×30 or 80×12), the new series is slated to premiere on PBS Kids (US) and Nick Jr. UK in fall 2009.  Based on the Angelina Ballerina books by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps is being produced by SD Entertainment with Karen Barnes serving as executive producer from Hit.

Disney Channel Australia and New Zealand acquires rights to Beyond Distribution’s kid’s series, New Macdonald’s Farm (54 episodes).  The preschool series will begin airing in Australia and New Zealand as part of the Playhouse Disney lineup in July 2008.

BRB Internacional’s The Imp (65×90) is acquired by MTV Poland, 2×2 TV Channel (Russia) and Xeip Canal Once (Mexico). The series is co-produced by Red Kite Animation, Screen 21 and TVC.

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) announced at MIPTV that they have signed a multi-year production deal that will see them invest in multi-media TV projects.  Together FME and MDA expect the partnership to generate US$12 million over the course of the next two years.  MDA and FME will jointly select projects to invest in from Singapore-based producers, with FME taking the distribution rights for the projects across all platforms worldwide.

Outside of MIPTV there is even more good kid stuff …

PBS Kids Sprout will launch The Sprout Sharing Show on May 5, 2008, 3-6p.  Set inside a homemade cardboard puppet theater, the block will be hosted by a group of hand puppets, the Sprout House Band, which will perform songs and present viewer submitted videos featuring preschool viewers that demonstrate sharing, imagination and family interaction.  The Sprout Sharing Show will wrap around regular Sprout long-form programming including the new series Picme, a Sprout linear exclusive.  Picme is a Jam Media show licensed by Hit Entertainment.  The Sprout Sharing Show takes over the time period for The Let’s Go Show, which will move to weekend afternoons.

BabyFirst, the 24/7 channel for babies/toddlers/parents, has launched on satellite provider Digiturk (Turkey).  The channel will also offer information and tips specifically designed for the Turkish audience.

PorchLight Home Entertainment picks up the US DVD distribution rights to the animated series 64 Zoo Lane from Millimages UK.  Based on books by author/illustrator/producer An Vrombaut, 64 Zoo Lane currently airs on Noggin (US) and BBC (UK).  PorchLight will release 64 Zoo Lane on DVD on July 29, 2008.  Hodder and Stoughton is set to publish six of Vrombaut’s books on April 28.

Correction: Chorion’s new animated Olivia series is set to deliver in fall 2008, while Five (UK) has yet to unveil the premiere plan for the series.

MARKETING/LICENSING

Teen-targeted virtual world Habbo.com inks an exclusive in-game advertising pact with Double Fusion, an indie in-game ad-sales company.  Moving forward, Double Fusion will manage media sales and coordinate in-game, integrated marketing campaigns for brands within the Habbo.com world.  Google Analytics reports that 9.5 million unique users worldwide visit Habbo.com each month.

If there was any doubt that kids enjoy American Idol, well here it is Beginning April 11, McDonald’s Happy Meals will feature eight new American Idol premiums.  Each American Idol character toy represents a different musical genre and plays a tune.  Additionally, customers are invited to log onto www.happymeal.com where they can vote for their favorite American Idol-based Happy Meal character, with the winner announced next month on the site.  The eight American Idol characters: Disco Dave, Country Clay, Rockin’ Riley, Lil’ Hip Hop, Hippy Harmony, New Wave Nigel, Soulful Selma, and you guessed it (or not) Punky Pete.  The site also features an American Idol sweepstakes, entitled You’re Going to Hollywood.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Anna Woo is upped to VP/Business Operations and Finance, Disney Channel and Disney-ABC International Television, Asia Pacific.  Based in Hong Kong, Woo adds business operations, financial management and planning for Disney Channels, Playhouse Disney Channels, and Toon Disney/Jetix among other cable and satellite platforms across the region.  Additionally, she will oversee development and financial management of new business efforts across Asia Pacific to support Disney’s goals, including production of local original long and short-form content.  A 13-year Disney veteran, Woo will report to Jewell Engstrom, EVP and CFO/Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, and Robert Gilby, SVP and MD/Disney-ABC International Television, Asia-Pacific.

Starz Entertainment names Neal Massey as Executive Director/Marketing, Sales and Corporate Research.  Working out of the Starz HQ in Colorado, Massey reports to David Charmatz, SVP/Product Planning and Development.  Most recently, Massey was President, MultiChannelStats, Inc.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, April 4, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1215; K6-11 580; TWEENS 9-14 423
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   849; K6-11 545; TWEENS 9-14 426
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   503; K6-11 289; TWEENS 9-14 211
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   154; K6-11   80; TWEENS 9-14   39
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

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Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  Foodini, Pinhead and Jolo were characters from what children’s TV show?  FOODINI THE GREAT (originally titled LUCKY PUP) (1948-1951)    Kudos to:  Eddy Gregory/NY; Jeff Berkwits-Upper Deck Entertainment/Carlsbad, CA; Claire Wilmut-Boomstone Animation Inc./Ottawa

Today’s Trivia Question: What is the name of the wolf-like cyborg with a British accent that sometimes “cheaply” assists the evil Hacker on the animated series Cyberchase? (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 Cynopsis: Kids!
04.08.08

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