Cynopsis: Kids!

07/14/09

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 14, 2009, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

Sesame Workshop‘s The Electric Company, targeted to K6-9, will strip Monday-Friday on PBS Kids Go! block on PBS beginning September 7, 2009.  The Electric Company website, pbskidsgo.org/electriccompany, has had nearly four million site visits and over 11 million video clips played since its launch in mid- January 2009.  Also this fall, The Electric Company will partner with local PBS stations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and after-school organizations to bring a “Shock” to 20 cities nationwide with The Electric Company 2009 Circuit Tour.  From August 8, The Electric Company’s star beat boxer, Shock, will host a 90-minute event in each city beginning with a 25-minute multimedia, interactive show that will also include literacy-centric hands-on activities for kids.  The Electric Company is part of PBS Kids Raising Readers, a national literacy initiative focused on using public media to improve the reading skills for K2-8, with an emphasis on children from low-income families.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Marvel Studios has cast actress Natalie Portman in the role of Jane Foster in its upcoming live-action movie Thor.  In the early Thor comics, Jane Foster was a nurse who became Thor’s first love, but Marvel says the character is being updated for the new movie.  Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the movie will also star Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as the evil Loki.  With principal photography on Thor set to begin in early 2010, the film is scheduled for release in the US on May 20, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Paramount Pictures is partnering with Joe Roth to make a feature film based on Mattel‘s extreme sports action figure line Max Steel, per Variety.  The Max Steel action figure revolves around a teen extreme sports crazed athlete that is recruited by a secret organization following an accident where he becomes a superhuman.  There was a Max Steel CGI animated series that ran for three seasons (2000-2002) the first seasons on Kids WB and the final one on Cartoon Network.  The Max Steel action figure, animated series and several animated movies and DVDs are very popular in Latin America.  Mattel plans to use the new movie as an opportunity to relaunch the franchise in the US.  There is no writer on the project as of yet.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Nickelodeon premieres the new hour-long special, Kai-lan’s Great Trip to China, on Friday, August 14 at 10a, and will be simulcast on Nickelodeon Mobile.  Based on its animated preschool series Ni Hao, Kai-lan, the special follows Kai-lan and her pals to China where they visit her great aunt and attend the naming ceremony of a baby panda.  Actress Ming-Na (ER, Joy Luck Club) lends her voice to Kai-lan’s great aunt.  The special will air on Noggin on Sunday, August 16 at 7p.  Additionally, Nickelodeon will support the debut with content from Kai-lan’s Great Trip to China across multiple platforms. From August 3 clips from the special and other new-to-VOD episodes of the series will be available on Nickelodeon On Demand; beginning August 10, Nick Jr. Video will stream a two-minute peek and clips from the special, as well as episodes from the series; and the two-minute peek will also be available via various wireless carriers from August 10.

Disney Channel will premiere the second season of Playhouse Disney‘s short-form animated series, Can You Teach My Alligator Manners?, with 10×5 new episodes airing Saturday, August 22 between 6:25a-10:55a.  This season features Mikey helping his pet alligator, Al, learn about using proper manners in new situations, including at family meals, at the supermarket and on an airplane trip.  

Correction: The title of the new Jerry Zaks family-targeted musical is The 101 Dalmatians Musical and not as it appeared here yesterday.  Additionally, I had a typo in yesterday’s edition, as everyone under the sun knows singer/songwriter/musician Dennis DeYoung, who created the score for the musical, is a founding member of the band STYX.  Sorry about that Dennis!

MARKETING/LICENSING

Marvel Entertainment enters into an expansive licensing deal with Hallmark Cards.  Under the new multi-year license agreement Hallmark takes the rights for the US and Canada to produce and market a wide range of social expression products, including products such as greeting cards (electronic and mobile greetings) and party goods — many featuring lights, sounds and personalization, based on both the “classic” comic book look of Marvel’s globally-known universe of characters, as well as product lines inspired by feature films and animated series.

As part of Nickelodeon‘s yearlong celebration of SpongeBob SquarePants‘ 10th Anniversary, the network and Madame Tussauds in NY will unveil a wax figure of SpongeBob this Wednesday at its Times Square location.  This marks the first time an animated character will get the full wax once over by Madame Tussauds.  Wednesday will also see Nickelodeon turn Times Square yellow and feature SpongeBob-themed activities, giveaways and prizes.  Viacom, which owns Nickelodeon, is headquartered in Times Square.

Planet Color by Todd Parr, a new line of apparel for kids (18-months to six-years-old) based on the picture book by artist Todd Parr, is set to debut this August at Nordstrom stores in the Midwest and Northeast.  Developed by Parr and marketing partner SupperTime Entertainment and manufactured by US-based Jen’s ideas (t-shirts, thermals, dresses, baseball caps) the Planet Color launch will be supported by both off and online activities.  In addition to direct marketing, Nordstrom will feature a point of purchase display and in-store signage, with Parr scheduled to appear for readings and autograph signings of his books at four Chicago area Nordstrom stores.  Meanwhile, online efforts include activities on www.toddparr.com and social networking sites and mom-centric blogs, as well as online advertising.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) promotes Hilary Hoffman to the expanded position of EVP/Marketing and Lea Porteneuve to SVP/Communications & Publicity.

• A 15-year veteran of USHE, Hoffman will oversee all marketing, including creative and content development, as well as continuing to head the marketing effort for all Blu-ray and DVD new release, catalog and TV titles, in addition to emerging digital platforms.  She will continue to report to USHE President Craig Kornblau, Universal Pictures President/Marketing and Distribution Adam Fogelson and Universal Pictures President/Marketing Eddie Egan.
• Among Porteneuve’s expanded responsibilities, she will serve as chief spokesperson for USHE, oversee all business, technology and executive communications and supervise strategic publicity initiatives for the Blu-ray and DVD releases of key film and TV titles. She reports to Hoffman and Universal Pictures EVP/Marketing and Publicity, Michael Moses.  Prior to USHE in 2004, Porteneuve toiled for close to a decade at MGM Studios, eventually serving as VP/Corporate Communications.

Bender/Helper Impact, marketing communications and public relations firm, appoints industry veteran Michael Hope as Executive Director of its interactive entertainment unit.  Hope will head up public relations strategy and execution for the company’s video game-related clients including 505 Games, Abandon Interactive, Freeverse, GameFly, Konami, Paramount Digital Entertainment, and Sony Online Entertainment.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Monday, July 6, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1260; K6-11 686; TWEENS 9-14 507
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1222; K6-11 927; TWEENS 9-14 729
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   511; K6-11 384; TWEENS 9-14 314
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   214; K6-11 156; TWEENS 9-14 131
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL:    K2-11 1334; K6-11 963; TWEENS 9-14 811
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1179; K6-11 686; TWEENS 9-14 564
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   601; K6-11 425; TWEENS 9-14 347
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   172; K6-11 127; TWEENS 9-14 102
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1330; K6-11 764; TWEENS 9-14 540
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1228; K6-11 881; TWEENS 9-14 693
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   488; K6-11 391; TWEENS 9-14 328
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   183; K6-11 151; TWEENS 9-14 112
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Thursday, July 9, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1389; K6-11 1044; TWEENS 9-14 808
NICKELODEON:          K2-11 1186; K6-11   641; TWEENS 9-14 524
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   566; K6-11   439; TWEENS 9-14 381
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   167; K6-11   124; TWEENS 9-14   88
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, July 10, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1234; K6-11 708; TWEENS 9-14 539
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1201; K6-11 903; TWEENS 9-14 739
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   622; K6-11 461; TWEENS 9-14 354
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   291; K6-11 191; TWEENS 9-14 131
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

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Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   Aunt Helen and Uncle Junior ran the family hotel -King’s Tower Hotel – along with Fancy, Braxton and the title character of what show?  THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW  Kudos to: EJ Offurum-Tru TV/NY; Robert Levy-Nickelodeon/NY; Alexis Taylor-Discovery Comm/Silver Spring; Al Ovadia/Hidden Hills, CA

Today’s Trivia Question:  Fill in the blank with this cartoon character:  “You thieves think I’m a regular passenger. Well, I’m not. In reality I’m ____________________. Does that strike a note of terror in your dastardly hearts?”   (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.)

ALERT:   CYNOPSIS EDITORIAL STAFF IS ON VACATION ALL NEXT WEEK RETURNING ON MONDAY, JULY 27

Later — Gwen
 Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
07.14.09

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