CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis: Kids!
01/10/06
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 10, 2006 and this is your first early morning Kids! briefing.
Hasbro, Inc. and Marvel Entertainment, Inc. have inked a five-year license agreement whereby Hasbro gets the toy and game rights to develop products based on the Marvel universe of Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men and others. That said, Marvel has concluded its licensing agreement with its longtime toy partner Toy Biz Worldwide Ltd., as of 12/31/05, one year sooner than their original license agreement. As of 2006 Marvel has taken over production of Marvel-branded toys for sale in 2006 and will use the year as a transition period to Hasbro. Hasbro will introduce its first Marvel based toy products to retail beginning January 1, 2007, with the first products lines expected to center on Ghost Rider and the upcoming movie Spider-Man 3, scheduled for release on May 4, 2007. Also under the deal with Hasbro, Marvel will get a guaranteed $205 million in royalty and service fee payments, $100 million of which to be paid Marvel upon the execution of the agreement. Another $70 million is paid when Spider-Man 3 is released, and $35 million with the release of Spider-Man 4. While Marvel says that its percentage royalty and fees will be lower than those paid by Toy Biz Worldwide, the company is banking on Hasbro providing them with a larger audience, volume and global marketing, promotion, distribution.
Clear Channel Radio’s Online Music & Radio unit has launched a beta test of its new Videos on Demand feature on 16 of its radio-station Web sites in NY, LA, Boston, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis. The Videos on Demand service offers music videos from 40 record labels, including big labels like Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, EMI Music with others will be available. Additionally, Videos on Demand will include a Buy CD link and Share Video viral component which will allow listeners to purchase the CD the video comes from and share links to the video with others. The company has also laid out plans to eventually sell advertisers 15 second video spots that will play prior to the music videos. Throughout the year, Clear Channel plans to expand the Videos on Demand program over Clear Channel radio-station Web sites across the country.
NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Nick Jr. has begun production on the new original animated series Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! (26 x 30 min) targeted to the preschool audience. The series follows Wubbzy, a preschool aged character, who calls on his friends Widget and Walden to help him out when he runs into everyday problems. Together they learn about each others strengths and how to share ideas, cooperate and to work together as a team. While Wow Wow Wubbzy isn’t slated to premiere on Nick Jr. until fall 2006. The network has partnered with Channel Frederator and Bolder Media for Boys and Girls, to offer a sneak peek of the show via video podcast today, January 10, billed as the first video podcast for preschoolers. The video podcast features an animated music video (5-7 min) from the debut episode of the series and can be downloaded at www.wubbzy.com, Nick Jr.’s broadband video platform www.nickjrvideo.com or www.channelfrederator.com . Each TV episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy Includes 2 x 10 minute stories with, and after each story is a music video underlining the theme of the day, which is followed by a direct-to-camera segment where any of the three main characters speak to kids at home. Created and Executive Produced by Bob Boyle (The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom), Wow Wow Wubbzy is a Bolder Media for Boys and Girls Production in association with IDT/Film Roman. Bolder Media for Boys and Girls is a joint venture formed by Susan Miller and Fred Seibert, both of whom serve as Executive Producers on the Wow Wow Wubbzy.
Actress Billie Piper (Dr. Who, Much Ado About Nothing) has been cast to play Sally Lockhart in the BBC’s adaptation of The Ruby In The Smoke, the first book in author Philip Pullman’s young adult series. Sally is a feisty 16 yr-old Victorian girl who is searching for the truth about her father’s death, as well as the meaning of the phrase The Seven Blessings and the journey is filled with danger, unanswered questions, strange letters and … well, read the book – it is great as are all of Pullman’s books. The Ruby In The Smoke is scheduled to begin filming in May 2006, and will be followed by the second novel in the series The Shadow In The North. The books are being adapted by the noted writer Adrian Hodges (Rome, Charles II: The Power & The Passion, The Lost World) for the BBC One production.
Entertainment Rights Plc has licensed the UK Broadcast rights to its new animated TV preschool series Rupert and Friends to UK broadcaster, Five. The new series features a combination of stop frame animation and CGI animation. Five has ordered 52 x 10 minute episodes of Rupert and Friends series from ER, and has scheduled the series to debut during its afternoon Milkshake programming block in fall 2006. The series is currently in pre-production at Cosgrove Hall (Dangermouse, Count Duckula, Engie Benjy and on). ER will launch both a consumer products and online campaign to support the series, and will release a DVD of the series in 2007. Entertainment Rights Plc acquired the Rupert Bear property, including the worldwide audio visual, licensing & merchandising, publishing, live events & new media rights, from Express Newspapers. Express retained the right to publish Rupert Bear comic strips in select Express publications. Created in 1920s by Mary Tourtel, the Rupert Bear comic strip has run in the Daily Mail for 80+yrs. Alfred Bestall illustrated the strip from the 1930s- early 1970s, and the Rupert is now illustrated by John Harrold
Captain Flamingo (26 eps), a YTV Original Canadian TV series, will bow Tuesday, February 7, at 4:30p on YTV during its The Zone programming block. The animated series that follows the adventures of Milo “a little guy” who wants to be a superhero, but doesn’t have any super powers. Despite all of this Milo perseveres, donning his terrycloth cape, pink boots and a flamingo beak and carrying his backpack filled with joke-store novelty items as he tackles everyday kid issues. Targeted to kids and parents the Captain Flamingo is described as a satirical comedy about being a kid in a grownup world. Joining Milo on his quests is his best friend Lizbeth, his over-achieving neighbor Tabitha, his book-worm buddy Sanjay, his cousin/nemesis Wendell and the over-protected only child Owen-Only. Created by Heroic Film Company and developed with YTV, Breakthrough Animation and Atomic Cartoons, Captain Flamingo is a co-production of Breakthrough Animation, Heroic Film Company, Atomic Cartoons and PASI Animation.
MORE KIDS STUFF
At the age of 94, legendary animator Joe Barbera has directed a new Tom and Jerry theatrical short that will have its world TV debut on Cartoon Network, Friday, Jan. 27, at 9p. Titled The KaradeGuard, the short runs 7 min and is produced by Warner Bros. Animation; it is the 162nd Tom & Jerry theatrical short in the cat and mouse duo’s 66 year career. The classic Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts were produced and animated by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at MGM and were shown in front of that studio’s films from 1940-1957. William Hanna passed away in March 2001.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy has inked a publishing deal with Scholastic to publish his first kid’s book titled My Senator and Me: A Dog’s-Eye View of Washington DC (56 pages). Featuring illustrations by David Small (So, You Want to Be President?, The Gardner) the book is the story of Senator Kennedy and his dog, Champion Amigo’s Seventh Wave (who also goes by the nickname, given him by his original owner, Splash), and a day in their life in the Senate going from meetings, to press conferences and following a bill as it becomes a law. The book is told from Splash’s point of view is designed to explain how the US government works. My Senator and Me: A Dog’s-Eye View of Washington DC will be published in May 2006. Senator Kennedy and Splash will donate their net proceeds from the book to charities.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. has acquired Irrational Games, the game development studio behind titles including System Shock 2 and Freedom Force (not for kids). Irrational Games joins the team of development studios under Take-Two’s 2K Games publishing label. 2K Games has multiple titles in development at Irrational’s North American and Australian studios. The first title to be published under the 2K Games label will be BioShock, a role-playing game that is not at all for kids, which is slated for release in early 2007.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Dawn Lee Williamson has been upped to VP/Ad Sales. Cartoon Network. In her new role, Williamson will oversee the ad sales efforts for Cartoon Network, CartoonNetwork.com, Kids’ WB, Adult Swim and adultswim.com. She is based in NY and will report to John O’Hara, SVP/Ad Sales and Marketing. Williamson has been with Cartoon Networks for six years most recently serving as its Manager/Ad Sales and in 2004 & 2005 led the kids upfront negotiations.
Susan Kolar has been named to the newly created position of EVP/Chief Administrative Officer, Sesame Workshop, she will report to H. Melvin Ming, COO. Kolar will oversee finance, legal and business affairs, human resources, facilities, information services and technical operations. Most recently, Kolar was SVP/Finance, Oxygen Media.
Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. has appointed Greg Gilhooly to VP/Business & Legal Affairs, he will report to Mark Chernin, SVP/Business & Legal Affairs. Prior to joining Cookie Jar Entertainment, Gilhooly was President/CEO, Wishbone Entertainment Inc., an independent Toronto-based production company. Previously he served as VP/Operations, Fireworks Entertainment.
Susan Bender has been appointed to the newly created post of President/Sales, Harmony Gold USA, effective January 23, 2006. Bender will report to Frank Agrama, Chairman/CEO, and Colleen Morris, President/Harmony Gold USA. In her new post Bender will oversee all of the company’s domestic and international sales activities. Additionally, she will also spearhead the company’s strategic development with the existing sales team which includes, Melissa Wohl, VP/Sales and Alan Letz, EVP/Business Development. Most recently, Bender spent 18 years at Paramount Studios and was VP/Latin American Sales, Paramount International TV.
RATINGS
Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Friday, January 6, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1244; K6-11 687; TWEENS 9-14 535
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 858; K6-11 529; TWEENS 9-14 414
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 577; K6-11 414; TWEENS 9-14 261
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 102; K6-11 52; TWEENS 9-14 29
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Answer to yesterday’s trivia question: This character’s first baby word was “Smoo”, which during the time frame of the show was considered to be quite vulgar. What TV character uttered this no-no? BABY ON DINOSAURS Kudos to: Kenny Mikey-Wake Up Media/West Palm Beach FL; Brett Ashy-The Ashy Agency/LA; William Beamon-Soundelux Design Music Group/Hollywood
Today’s Trivia Question: Ed Asner voiced one of the medieval heroic night creatures who was revived from a millennium long cursed hibernation in contemporary New York City. What animated show was it? (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!
01.10.06 – 4:06a
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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2006
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