Cynopsis: Kids!

05/20/08

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, May 20, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Noggin has set the premiere of the new animated series Toot & Puddle (26×30) for October 2008 (exact date is TBA).  The original series is produced by National Geographic Kids Entertainment and Mercury Filmworks and based on the popular Toot & Puddle book series by kid’s author/illustrator Holly Hobbie.

Sing out Louise!  Disney Channel is inviting kids/tweens to take part in its My School Musical programming event during telecasts of the two High School Musical TV movies on Friday, June 13 at 6p and 8p, by making and submitting music videos.  The channel is asking viewers to make and star in music video versions of one of four songs from its two High School Musical movies.  Each music video submission should feature one person and be uploaded to www.disneychannel.com by Friday, May 30.  Kids can also view and vote on their favorite videos at the site, which of course offers a full set of instructions, rules and lyrics.

PBS Kids and PBS Kids GO has an active summer planned for kid viewers and it gets under way with launch of Get Up and Go Summer Road Trip on June 2 with healthy themed episodes of 10 series and online activities.  And what’s a Road Trip without music?  So, the summer will also include a new exclusive music video titled Get Up and Go, which features Arthur, Captain Huggyface (WordGirl) among others, and features music by the They Might Be Giants.  An extended version of the music video along with a printable and customizable dance sequence, as well as special kid-specific content, games and activities will also be available for download at www.pbskidsgo.org .  Additionally, www.PBSParents.org will provide parents with kid-related health and development content and resources. 

Shout! Factory and 4Kids Entertainment ink a new home entertainment deal for the animated TV series Dinosaur King.  Under the multi-year pact, Shout! Factory will serve as the exclusive DVD distributor for the property in the US.  The first DVD title is slated for release later this year.  Dinosaur King, which features a mix of cel and CGI animation, is based on Sega’s arcade and card game of the same name.  Dinosaur King currently airs in the US as part of the 4Kids TV Saturday morning programming block on Fox.

HandMade Films inks a pre-sale of UK distribution rights for its upcoming movie adaptation of Eloise in Paris to Entertainment Films, per Variety.  Based on the kids’ book of the same name by author Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight, the movie is directed by Charles Shyer.

MARKETING/LICENSING

The Simpsons Ride, a sort of action caper ride, officially opens at Universal Studios Hollywood, California this week.  The new attraction is the result of a collaborative effort between Executive Producer James L. Brooks, creator Matt Groening and Executive Producer Al Jean in association with Fox Television and the creative teams of Gracie Films and Universal Theme Parks.

Aardman teams with Iceni Waters, a UK-based mineral water company, for to promote the benefits of drinking water with a special edition Shaun the Sheep sports cap bottles.  The Shaun the Sheep bottles include labels featuring Shaun donning a diving mask and snorkel set and matching branded shrink-wrap packs for six bottles, available later this month in the UK via distributor Danfood Ltd.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Mark Greenberg is appointed President and CEO the new joint multiplatform entertainment venture formed by Viacom Inc., its Paramount division, MGM and Lionsgate.  Slated to launch in fall 2009, Greenberg will be responsible for management and development of the new entertainment service.  A 25-year veteran of the cable TV industry toiling in senior executive roles at HBO and Showtime, Greenberg most recently served as a strategic advisor to Lionsgate.

Don Weisberg is named President/Penguin Young Readers Group.  He takes over the reins from Doug Whiteman, who moves up to the new position of EVP/Business Operations, Penguin Group USA.  Weisberg was formerly EVP and COO, North America, Random House, and a member of the publisher’s senior leadership team, where he previously served as Prexy/Random House Sales Group.  Additionally, Weisberg has tapped Barbara Marcus as Strategic Advisor/Penguin Young Readers Group.  During her 22-years with Scholastic, Marcus served as President/Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution and EVP/Scholastic Inc.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, May 16, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1183; K6-11 494; TWEENS 9-14 365
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   842; K6-11 541; TWEENS 9-14 477
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   445; K6-11 280; TWEENS 9-14 198
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   124; K6-11   64; TWEENS 9-14   33
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  On the series Sweet Valley High, Elizabeth wrote for and was very involved with the school newspaper. What was the newspaper called?  THE ORACLE   Kudos to:  Nancy Pines-Brand Pharm/NY; Kristen Tuinstra- ZONDERKIDZ/Grand Rapids, MI; Kelsey Chao-Electronic Arts/San Francisco; Alex Dale-Momentum Talent & Literary Agency/LA; Tyffany A. Saucedo-KABC/Glendale, CA; Claire Wilmut-Boomstone Animation Inc./Ottawa

Today’s Trivia Question:  Budnick, Telly, and Dina were characters on what early ’90s show?     (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.)

Later — Gwen
Gwen Billings for Cynopsis: Kids!
05.20.08

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