Cynopsis: Kids!

05/28/08

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, May 28, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Taffy Entertainment inks its first broadcast presales deal for the new kid-aimed animated series Geronimo Stilton (26×22) with Radio-Canada.  Currently in production, Geronimo Stilton is schedule to bow during the 2009-2010 TV season.  Based on the kid’s chapter-book series of the same name, the Geronimo Stilton TV series is produced by Atlantyca Entertainment and Moonscoop Productions, in association with Mike Young Productions.  The Geronimo Stilton books are available in 30+ languages, including in Italian, where they are published by Edizioni Piemme, a unit of the Mondadori Group, and in English, published in the US by Scholastic, in French, by Albin Michel Jeunesse and in Spanish by Editorial Planeta.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Vivendi Entertainment teams with DIC Entertainment in a digital distribution deal that will make DIC’s programming available via multiple platforms including on-line, mobile, VOD, and electronic sell-through and next generation of in-home devices.

AOL‘s KOL inks a content partnership with Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia’s kid-targeted financial virtual community MinyanLand.  MinyanLand, which has reports registering 100,000+ kids since its February launch, will have content throughout KOL.com, including the games and homework help areas.  On the flip side, KOL Super Gliders, a collection of original cartoon videos staring Ariel and Kiki, will be featured on MinyanLand’s Main Street Theater.  The deal also includes future content sharing opportunities.

Weekly Reader Publishing Group and CCI Entertainment are partnering in an exclusive development and production pact, under which they will jointly create/produce a range of content and products based on the Weekly Reader franchise.  The plan includes the development and introduction of content for TV, DVD, online and consumer products over the next several years.  CCI’s recently established brand and licensing division will also be seeking manufacturing partners to create interactive products to help extend the educational experience into new areas, including hobby play, home educational supplements, and quality time activities, beginning with the Canadian and US markets.

Season two of the short-form comedy series, As The Bell Rings, premieres Saturday, July 5 at 7:55p on Disney Channel.  The interstitial series (each runs betweens 2-5 minutes) revolves around six tween friends and life in the halls between classes.  Each new episode will air multiple times throughout the week.  As The Bell Rings is based on Disney Channel Italy’s short form series Quelli dell’Intervallo.

Gorilla Nation, the online ad rep firm, has been tapped to exclusively represent the online ad inventory for the Girl 8-18 targeted Horseland.com, a multiplayer game and community set in a virtual world.  The animated Horseland TV series airs as part of the Saturday morning KEWLopolis programming block on CBS.  The Gorilla Nation Kids portfolio also handles properties including MarvelKids, StarWarsKids, and Mattel’s Barbie.com and PollyPocket brands among others.

Granada International heads to DISCOP this June 17-20, 2008, in Budapest with a full slate of programming, including some aimed at kids.  Granada will launch The Pinky & Perky Show (52×13), an HD CGI series targeted to K6-11 that stars two pig puppets, Pinky and Perky.  The show revolves around Pinky and Perky who are given their own show at the local TV station, which features a mix of games, cartoons and celebrity guests and stunts and often gets a little out of control upsetting the adults.  The Pinky and Perky Show is a Pinky and Perky Enterprises, Method Films and DQ Entertainment Limited co-production for CBBC and France 3.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers will simultaneously publish picture book biographies of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton on September 2, 2008.  The books, Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by author Nikki Grimes, and illustrated by Bryan Collier and Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight by author Kathleen Krull, and illustrated by Amy June Bates, were acquired for the publisher by editor Alexandra Cooper.

MARKETING/LICENSING

VIZ Media releases the new Pokemon movie, Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai, on DVD this week.  In the movie, our undying young hero Ash returns for a new adventure.

Hollywood Records will release the new Jonas Brothers album, which will be titled A Little Bit Longer, on August 12.  The first single form the forthcoming album will be Burning Up, also the title of the group’s new tour that launches July 4.  The album is the band’s follow-up to hit Jonas Brothers CD.  This summer the band also stars in the new Disney Channel reality series Jonas Brothers, Living the Dream, as well as the network’s original TV movie Camp Rock, which also co-stars Demi Lovato.

Kraft Foods has unveiled plans for Kool-Aid, in an effort to grow the brand in the kid/family health conscious environment as well as bringing the products in line with Kraft’s own new nutritional guidelines.  Beginning this year, the 81-year old Kool-Aid brand will feature four reformulated products (powdered drinks, on the go packets, etc), and new products such as the Kool-Aid Burstin’ Waters, a ready-to-drink flavored water drink, which will be available in three flavors.  Additionally, Kool-Aid has partnered with Kaboom!, the nonprofit group, which together plan to build 24 playgrounds across the country over the next year, as well as provide grants for more playground builds.  Furthermore, Kool-Aid has also teamed-up with hip-hop icon Joseph Simmons (aka Reverend Run of Run DMC fame) to act as the brand ambassador for the Kool-Aid and Kaboom initiative.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Miklos “Mik” Perlus is named Head of Content Development, marblemedia.  Perlus will manage marblemedia’s TV, web and mobile content development slate.  A writer and story editor, Perlus wrote and co-developed CTV’s Instant Star, and served as writer/story editor for Degrassi: The Next Generation.  Perlus will be looking for a range of kid/youth-aimed programming (live-action, animated, cross-platform, scripted long form series) at the 2008 Banff World Television Festival.

Lara S. Chait is appointed SVP/Client Services, Kaleidoscope Youth Marketing Solutions.  Most recently, Chait was Executive Director/Marketing, Sports Illustrated Kids.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, May 23, 2008, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:          K2-11 1141; K6-11 493; TWEENS 9-14 375
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   753; K6-11 523; TWEENS 9-14 478
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   545; K6-11 326; TWEENS 9-14 210
TOON DISNEY:           K2-11   110; K6-11   59; TWEENS 9-14   41
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

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Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  On the animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, what was He-Man’s planet of origin?  ETERNIA   Kudos to:  Bryan Varga-HRP Detroit/Southfield, MI; Cassel Kroll-The Lexicomm Group/NY; Mark Moffatt-Anatomy Media/NY; Kevin Gamble-Classic Media, Inc./NY; Rosemary Cunningham-MMT/Chicago; Robert Ramirez-Oddbot Studios/LA; Chip Beaman-Soundelux Design Music Group/Hollywood; Al Ovadia-Al Ovadia & Associates-Hidden Hills, CA; Pat Brady-Cunningham*Escott*Slevin*Doherty/LA; Jon Banack-Spin Master Ltd./Toronto; Lee Williams-Boomstone Animation Inc./Ottawa; Claire Wilmut-Boomstone Animation, Inc./Ottawar

Today’s Trivia Question: On the first season of the animated series The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991) who provided the voice of Winston Zeddmore? (Hint: He later hosted a late-night talk show)   (Email Joanne@cynopsis.com 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!
05.28.08

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