Cynopsis: Kids!

05/21/08

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, May 21, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.

IAC Consumer Applications & Portals, Inc., which owns the teen-targeted Zwinky virtual world, acquires the Israel-based StarNet Interactive, parent company/producer of GirlSense.com, another teen girl aimed virtual community.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.  IAC’s other teen-targeted virtual properties include SmileyCentral and Webfetti.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Outdoor Channel is teaming with Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and Boys’ Life Magazine to develop the new original youth-centric series, Scouting for Adventures Presented by Boys’ Life.  Set to launch during Q3 2008, the six-episode series features Scouts on different outdoor trips, where they explore the wilderness and showcase their outdoor skills and BSA values (education, safety and team building).  The show will also include a segment called Eagle Scout Features, which celebrities and successful businessmen talk about the skills and lessons they learned as Scouts impacted who they are and their work.

Disney Channel has picked up Welcome to Mollywood, a new original live-action comedy that stars teen Demi Lovato, per Variety.  Slated to bow during Disney Channel’s 2008-9 season, Welcome to Mollywood revolves around a girl (Lovato) and her life on a teen sketch comedy series and her regular home life.  The series will be executive produced by Brian Robbins, Sharla Sumpter Bridgett, Steve Marmel and Michael Feldman.  Lovato is also the star of the network’s upcoming TV movies Camp Rock (June) and Princess Protection Program.  Disney’s Hollywood Records has inked a record deal with Lovato, who will be on tour this summer as part of the Jonas Brothers’ Burning Up tour.

Actor Jake Gyllenhall and Gemma Arterton are confirmed as the star of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ movie adaptation of the Ubisoft video game of the same name, per THR.  Mike Newell will direct the fantasy-adventure picture from a script by Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard, Jordan Mechner and Boaz Yakin, which begins production this July.  Mechner created the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time video game and its sequels, most of which are rated T for Teens.

Sony’s Columbia Pictures is in the midst of discussions to purchase the feature film rights to Flash Gordon from Hearst, according to THR.  Breck Eisner will be direct and executive produce the picture, which is based on the 1930s comic strip Flash, with Neal Moritz producing and his Original Films.  Moritz is also working on other movies for Columbia including adaptations of Goosebumps, The Green Hornet and 21 Jump Street.  Meanwhile Eisner is developing a remake of Creature From the Black Lagoon.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Skeye Inflight Entertainment is named as the exclusive airline distributor of Sesame Workshop programming.  Skeye Inflight is currently offering Sesame programs as part of its catalog, in multiple languages, including Elmo’s World, Pinky Dinky Doo, Play with Me Sesame and various Sesame specials.

Imira Entertainment heads into Licensing International Expo next month in New York City, having completed a number of new broadcast, home entertainment, and licensing and interactive deals for deals Lola & Virginia.

• In the broadcast arena, Imira inks deals with Nickelodeon Korea, with Digiturk (Turkey) taking the pay TV rights to the series (52×12).
• Acquiring the DVD rights to Lola & Virginia are Planet of Hits (Russia) and Quality Films (Chile).
• In Latin America, IMC Licensing takes the Lola & Virginia rights for Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.
• A VOD deal has been completed with Porchlight’s KidMango (US)
• Interactive content and virtual game developer/distributor Tribal Nova (Canada) takes the property for the website Kid Studio, including Canadian French and English-language VOD and gaming.

MARKETING/LICENSING

Columbia Records is set to release iCarly  Music From and Inspired by the Hit TV Show, based on the Nickelodeon series.  The album features four original songs performed by iCarly star Miranda Cosgrove, including the series theme song, Leave It All to Me, which features actor/singer Drake Bell.  The release also features artists including Avril Lavigne, Natasha Bedingfield, good Charlotte, Sean Kingston and a new song from the Naked Brothers Band.  The album is part of Nickelodeon’s new partnership with Sony Music Label Group.

Cartoon Network and kajeet, the kid-targeted pay-as-you-go mobile phone service, enter into a mobile content deal. Under the agreement, a selection of Cartoon Network’s original programming content will be available to kajeet users, including ringtones, wallpapers and games.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Cookie Jar Entertainment appoints Jennifer Picherack as its VP, Distribution/Sales Operations for Canada.  Picherack will secure and manage pre-sales, development deals and library sales across Canada.  Additionally, she will also handle home video and VOD sales in the region.  Prior to this Picherack served as Cookie Jar’s Creative Head of Production.

Rolando de Aguiar is appointed as EVP and CFO, Tween Brands Inc., the special retailer aimed at Tweens 7-14 with stores Limited Too and Justice.  Most recently, de Aguiar was a Sr. officer of Ames Department Stores.  Previously he served as Chief Administrative Officer with Gruma, S.A. de CV, and held Sr. finance positions with sears, Roebuck and Co.

RATINGS

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K2-11 (000) 5/12-5/18/08 :
Total Day      (000)   Primetime         (000)
NICK°:            1166    DSNY*:               1065
DSNY*:             668    CARTOON:            645
CARTOON:         503    NAN**:                467
NAN**:             247    NOGGIN:              248
NOGGIN:           218    TOON DIS:           148
ADSM**:           166    ESPN:                    95
TOON DIS.:       106    NICKTOONS:          83
NICKTOONS:       58    DISCOVERY:           82
DISCOVERY:        46    THE N:                   60
THE N:                35    ANIMAL PLANET:     53
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD 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.
°Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K6-11 (000) 5/12-5/18/08 :
Total Day      (000)  Primetime      (000)
NICK°:             576    DSNY*:             829
DSNY*:            438    CARTOON:        415
CARTOON:        306    NAN**:            342
NAN**:            179    TOON DIS:         70
ADSM**:          103    DISCOVERY:       61
TOON DIS.:        57    ESPN:                60
NOGGIN:           36    THE N:                53
NICKTOONS:      34    NICKTOONS:      44
DISCOVERY:       34    NOGGIN:           38
THE N:               30    TLC:                  37
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD 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.
°Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among Tweens 9-14 (000) 5/12-5/18/08 :
Total Day     (000)   Primetime    (000)
NICK°:           446      DSNY*:           747
DSNY*:          385      NAN**:           450
CARTOON:      222      CARTOON:      334
NAN**:          301      MTV:               111
ADSM**:        137      ESPN:               93
MTV:                64      COMEDY:          97
DISCOVERY:     49      DISCOVERY:     78
COMEDY:          46      BET:                75
ESPN:               44      THE N:             74
TOON DIS.:       40      TOON DIS.:      41
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD 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.
°Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Saturday, May 17, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1332; K6-11 854; TWEENS 9-14 674
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   843; K6-11 562; TWEENS 9-14 469
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   520; K6-11 358; TWEENS 9-14 279
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   153; K6-11   80; TWEENS 9-14   49
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Sunday, May 18, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:          K2-11 1257; K6-11 811; TWEENS 9-14 578
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   863; K6-11 576; TWEENS 9-14 497
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   642; K6-11 430; TWEENS 9-14 330
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   187; K6-11 104; TWEENS 9-14   70
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Monday, May 19, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1173; K6-11 519; TWEENS 9-14 375
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   676; K6-11 435; TWEENS 9-14 345
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   467; K6-11 270; TWEENS 9-14 184
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   127; K6-11   60; TWEENS 9-14   44
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  Budnick, Telly, and Dina were characters on what early ’90s show?   SALUTE YOUR SHORTS    Kudos to:  Stephanie Cimmino-TeleRep/NY; Maria Poulos-Nickelodeon/NY; Rachel Cooper-Insight Research Group/NY; Lauren Simon-Chorion Silver Lining/NY; Al Ovadia-Al Ovadia & Associates/Hidden Hills, CA; Shannon Estrada-Schiefer Media/Santa Ana, CA

Today’s Trivia Question:  Peppermint Fizz, Ginger Snap, Custard the Cat and Tea Blossom are just some of the characters that appeared in what series of TV specials that began running in the ’80s?  (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!
05.21.08

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