A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM DISNEY ABC KIDS NETWORKS

CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis: Kids!

02/01/06

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, February 1, 2006 and this is your first early morning Kids! briefing.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

MTV World will produce a live performance special featuring Korean pop artist Rain on February 3 from MTV’s studios in Times Square.  MTV Presents: Rain – Live In New York will be the first time the star performs in the U.S. as well as marking MTV World’s first live music production. MTV News’ SuChin Pak will host the show.  In addition to interviews and audience Q&A with Rain, the MTV World program will follow the artist as he prepares to perform twice at Madison Square Garden.  MTV Presents: Rain — Live in New York will air on MTV K during its launch week and on MTV Chi in March.

The Jim Henson Co. has named animator/producer/director Genndy Tartakovsky to direct Power of the Dark Crystal, per Variety.  Tartakovsky’s Orphanage Animation Studios will produce the CG animation portions of the puppet feature, which is of course a sequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 feature film The Dark Crystal.  A domestic distributor has not yet been named for the picture.

MARKETING/LICENSING

DreamWorks has inked a worldwide publishing deal with D3Publisher of America, Inc., to develop and publish video games based on its upcoming CG animated feature film Flushed Away.  The first Flushed Away games are slated to be released for PS2, GameCube, Nintendo DS and GBA in Q4 2006 to coincide with the release of the movie on November 14.  The Flushed Away action game will introduce new characters and environments in addition to those featured in the movie.

Amity Entertainment, Inc. has named Quattro Consumer Products (f/k/a J.A. Roth & Associates) to represent The Big Comfy Couch preschool property to manufacturers, retailers and other potential licensees.  The Big Comfy Couch TV series is currently in production on 22 new episodes slated for delivery summer 2006, for air on public TV stations in the US and Treehouse in Canada.  This licensing deal follows Amity’s recent partnership with Weekly Reader Corporation to reach kindergarten classrooms throughout 2006-7 with The Big Comfy Couch’s healthy lifestyle messaging.

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. has granted MGA Entertainment the license rights to its library of super heroes for the die-cast and toy vehicle category. The agreement covers the classic comic book look of the characters; upcoming Marvel-inspired films, including Ghost Rider and Spider-Man 3; and Marvel’s pre-school properties.  MGA plans to develop a range of Marvel Super Hero products, including personality- and movie-based die-cast cars and remote control vehicles. 

Producers Barunson and G&G Entertainment have sold the rights to their original comedy/action-adventure animated series Maskman to the Korea Broadcasting Service. In addition, they have awarded the broadcast and licensing rights for the property to Taiwan’s Mighty Media.  Barunson and G&G Entertainment’s future plans for the property include broadcast and licensing deals in East-Southern Asia (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia), as well as in Europe and the U.S.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Starz Kids & Family will air an exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of the animated movie Bambi II this afternoon at 3:50p.  Disney Home Entertainment will release The Bambi II on DVD on February 7.  Bambi II is part of the Disney Vault release series, and will be available for only 70 days before returning to the “vault” for seven or so years, before it is released again.  The movie cast includes Patrick Stewart as Bambi’s Dad and Alexander Gould as Bambi.

The N has picked up a second season of the original series South of Nowhere, which premiered on the network in November 2005.  Production on 13 new episodes will begin in late spring, with the new season slated to premiere in October 2006.  A reminder, the second part of the two-part season one finale will air on the network this Friday February 3, at 8:30p.  South of Nowhere was created and is executive produced by Tommy Lynch.

In other news, The N will premiere season two (13 episodes) of its series Instant Star on Friday, February 10, at 8:30p.  Instant Star revolves around 15-year old Jude, a singer/songwriter who finds herself in the throws of super stardom having won a national talent competition (a la American Idol). The second season picks up as Jude comes off of her summer tour.

4Kids Entertainment, Inc. has introduced Healthy 4Kids, a kid health and lifestyle area to its 4Kids TV website (www.4Kids.TV/healthy/). The new web component is designed to provide kids with information and support them in making healthy eating and physical activity choices through features such as: food facts; a food pyramid; downloads, a message board, trivia challenge among others.  Future Healthy 4Kids content will include public service announcements, a sports arena/games featuring characters from the Saturday morning 4Kids TV lineup, and interactive games and puzzles.

The BBC has launched BBC jam, a new broadband learning service targeted to kids/teens 5-16 yrs.  BBC jam combines curriculum-based activities, video games, audio and animation to enhance the learning process.  BBC jam will feature the debut of 20 newly-commissioned projects in 2006.  The service also aims to encourage parents to get more involved in their kid’s education.  The first six titles on the educational service are math and English, Science, Geography, French, and Business Studies, with future subjects including Design and Technology, History, Religious Education, Financial capability, and Citizenship.  Additional subjects will be added now through September 2008, with alternative materials available at www.curriculumonline.gov.uk.

Nominees for the 78th Annual Academy Awards were announced yesterday morning in LA by The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ President Sid Ganis and actress Mira Sorvino.  Nominations in three major categories which tend to include kid and family targeted films are below, while a full nominee list can bee found at www.Oscar.com. The Academy Awards will be handed out on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre in LA, with the ceremony airing live on ABC at 8p. 

Animated Feature Film:
Howl’s Moving Castle
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbi

Best Animated Short Film:
Badgered
The Moon and the son: An Imagined Conversation
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello
9
One Man Band

Achievement in Visual Effects:
The Chronicles off Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
King Kong
War of the Worlds

EXECUTIVE MOVES

John Carey has been named SVP/Production, CritterPix Studios.  Most recently Carey was VP/Production & Technology, Disney Pictures.  Carey will report directly to CritterPix Founder/CEO Kelly Williamson.  Additionally, CritterPix also recently named Dave Allen as its CFO. He had been CFO/Interwoven.

RATINGS

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K2-11 (000) 1/23-1/29/06:
K2-11 Prog Day 6a-11p (000)    K2-11 Primetime 8p-11p         (000)
NICK:                               1321    DIS. CH.*:                                 1406
DIS. CH*:                           874    CARTOON NET:                        807
CARTOON NET:               601    NAN**:                                        542
TOON DIS.:                       601    TOON DIS:                                 128
NAN**:                               542    BET:                                             95
NOG/THE N:                     106    ANIMAL PL:                                  88
MTV:                                    68    MTV:                                            88
BET:                                    52    DISCOVERY:                               75
ANIMAL PL:                         52    ESPN:                                          61
NKTOONS:                          46    NKTOONS:                                  45
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K6-11 (000) 1/23-1/29/06:
K6-11  Prog. Day 6a-11p        (000)   K6-11 Primetime 8p-11p         (000)
NICK:                                         691    DIS. CH*:                                    991
DIS. CH*:                                   507    CARTOON NET:                        558
NAN**:                                       405    NAN**:                                         405
CARTOON NET:                       386    MTV:                                              74
TOON DIS:                                  70    TOON DIS:                                    67
MTV:                                            53    BET:                                              63
BET:                                             35    ANIMAL PL:                                  56
ANIMAL PL:                                 34    DISCOVERY:                                50
DISCOVERY:                               27    ESPN:                                           37
ESPN:                                          27    COMEDY:                                      33
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.

Weekly, Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Networks, 1/23-1/29/06: Total Day and Primetime Rankings among Tweens 9-14 (000)
TWEENS 9-14  Prog. Day 6a-11p  (000)  TWEENS 9-14 PT 8p-11p (000)
NAN**:                                              590    DIS. CH*:                            418
NICK:                                                448    NAN**:                                442
DIS. CH*:                                          329    CARTOON NET:                286
CARTOON NET:                              279    MTV:                                   157
MTV:                                                 126    BET:                                     55
BET:                                                   53    COMEDY:                             44
COMEDY:                                           47    ESPN:                                   43
TOON DIS:                                         32    DISCOVERY:                        40
ANIMAL PL:                                        31    TOON DIS:                           35
NOGGIN:                                            29    ANIMAL PL:                          34
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.

Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Saturday, January 28, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:            K2-11 1551; K6-11 998; TWEENS 9-14 794
DISNEY CHANNEL:       K2-11   985; K6-11 558; TWEENS 9-14 448
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   845; K6-11 596; TWEENS 9-14 478
TOON DISNEY:              K2-11   207; K6-11 114; TWEENS 9-14   38
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Sunday, January 29, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:            K2-11 1517; K6-11 1059; TWEENS 9-14 843
DISNEY CHANNEL:       K2-11   974; K6-11 596; TWEENS 9-14 490
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   779; K6-11 528; TWEENS 9-14 349
TOON DISNEY:              K2-11   153; K6-11   87; TWEENS 9-14   43
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Monday, January 30, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:            K2-11 1332; K6-11   626; TWEENS 9-14 434
DISNEY CHANNEL:       K2-11   815; K6-11   454; TWEENS 9-14 375
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   515; K6-11   312; TWEENS 9-14 239
TOON DISNEY:              K2-11   122; K6-11     39; TWEENS 9-14   38
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to yesterday’s trivia question: Mr. and Mrs. Little were honoured big at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards.  Who exactly are they?  GINA DAVIS/HUGH LAURIE FROM STUART LITTLE   Kudos to: Jana Moncrief-KOL/NY; Emily Brenner-Harper Festival & Harper Kids Entertainment/NY; Robert Gotsis-MTV Networks/NY; Jeffrey Grant-Cartoon Network/NY; Heather R. Floore-KTVD/Denver; Sarah Stafford-Cartoon Network/Chicago; Patrick Medley-Brown-141 Premiere/Chicago;  Kelly Syers-Program Partners/Venice CA; Lisa Weiner-Random House Childrens Books/LA; Anita Frasier-NPD Group/San Diego; David Stern-BARD Entertainment/Oahu Hawaii; Cherie Oldenburg-Alliance Atlantis/Toronto Ontario

Today’s Trivia Question:  The original name of this store was changed to Over Our Heads after the store was destroyed by a fire. What was the original name of the store?  (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!
02.01.06 – 3:50a
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