Cynopsis: Kids!
6/06/07
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, June 6, 2007 and this is your first early morning briefing.
Marathon, a French animation production/distribution company, is up for sale with several suitors a-knockin’ on their door, per Reuters. Those in line to purchase Marathon include Endemol and de Agostini. Marathon was acquired by Bridgepoint about two years, is estimated to be worth upwards of $400 million.
Entertainment Arts Inc. has formed EA Casual Entertainment, a new unit that will focus on lighter games for families and new users, for use across multiple platforms and devices (e.g. consoles, PCs, handheld, mobile phones). Kathy Vrabeck has been tapped to lead the group as President, EA Casual Entertainment. No licensing deals and/or game titles gave been announced as of yet.
NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
YTV has picked up RollBots (26×30′), a 3D animated action/comedy from Amberwood Entertainment. Targeted to K6-11, the series begins production this month with partial funding from YTV and the Canadian Television fund. Based on an original idea by Michael Milligan, RollBots are round robots that roll at extreme speeds on roller-coaster type tracks through a community that contains 11 different tribes of rollbots.
MORE KIDS STUFF
In Canada, Teletoon launches six new shows this July 2007, three of which will run during Camp Teletoon, the network’s annual summer programming block (M-F, 8-11a), with the other three series bowing in July. Additionally, the network will offer a sneak-peek of four of the new shows on during the Spin Cycle block on Friday, June 29 from 4p, including George of the Jungle, Iggy Arbuckle, Bakugan and Chop Socky Chooks.
Joining Camp Teletoon, Monday, July 2, 2007:
- George of the Jungle – the new animated series gets its world premiere at 8a. This is an original Teletoon show produced with Studio B Productions and Classic Media.
- Making their Canadian debut are the animated series Iggy Arbuckle and Coconut Fred’s Fruit Salad Island on at 8:30a and 10a respectively.
Launching on Sunday, July 8, 2007:
- Total Drama Island, an animated reality series has its world premiere on Sunday, July 8 at 8p with two episodes. The show follows 21 teens trying to survive the summer at a run down, bug infested summer camp. An original Teletoon show, produced with Fresh Animation, Total Drama Island. The series will air regularly Thursdays at 8:30p.
- Bakugan, an anime action game series makes its Canadian premiere at 10:30p, and will then air in its regular time Sundays at 10:30a. Bakugan is produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec and is co-produced by Sega Toys, Spin Master, Nelvana Enterprises/TMS Entertainment, Ltd.
- Chop Socky Chooks bows on 6:30p, and will air regularly on Saturdays at 8a. The series is an original Teletoon production produced in association with Aardman Animation and Decode Entertainment.
Following up on a publishing partnership announced last year, Tokyopop and HarperCollins have set July 2007 to publish Avalon High: Coronation #1: The Merlin Prophecy, the first of a three-part manga series from author Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries, All-American Girl, Teen Idol etc). An extension of Cabot’s teen-targeted book Avalon High, the manga titles feature artwork by Jinky Coronado. As a bonus for Cabot fans, the manga will also contain the first chapter of her new book, Pants on Fire.
In other Tokyopop news … This past Saturday morning high schoolers dragged themselves out of bed early to take the dreaded SAT college boards, and similarly this Saturday students will take the ACT, the other college exam. So, why am I telling you this? Two reasons, first and foremost is because I am so happy that it isn’t me and secondly because Kaplan Publishing, publisher of academic/professional resources that help prep kids for the SAT/ACT exams, has teamed with Tokyopop to publish a manga series laden with vocabulary words. The concept being, if teens are reading something they enjoy, they are more likely to learn and retain information and thus better test scores. Kaplan has published SAT Vocabulary novelized versions of several classic books (e.g. Frankenstein). The graphic novels are paperback books 6×9, versus those huge SAT/ACT books, and each in the series features 300+ vocab words throughout the text, definitions on the same page as the highlighted word and a word pronunciation guide. The initial titles in the new series are: PSY-Comm, Volume 1; Warcraft, Volume 1; and Van Von Hunter, Volume 1.
MARKETING/LICENSING
Electronic Arts Inc. and H&M, the fashion retailer, have teamed in a promotion to get fans of The Sims to take part in The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway by designing virtual apparel in support of this month’s release of the expansion pack, The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway. Players can create their own fashion designs using The Sims 2 PC videogame and their designs might be featured in a virtual runway broadcast that will be hosted on Yahoo! as well as www.TheSims2FashionRunway.com and www.hm.com. Consumers will also be invited to vote on designs. Go to The Sims 2 website listed above for the rules and further information.
STONE SOUP
Kids are picking up and using consumer electronic (CE) devices at a younger age according to The NPD Group’s new report, Kids and Consumer Electronics Trends III. The average age that a kid began using their first CE has dropped markedly from 8.1 years in the 2005 survey, to 6.7 years in 2007. Meanwhile the youngest kids, about 4 or 5-years-old, have initial exposure to TVs and desktop computers, with satellite radios and portable digital media players showing the oldest exposure, not hitting until kids are about 9-year-old. The survey found that the average age of that kids have initial use has declined for just about all of the different electronic devices, specifically for DVD players and mobile phones, neither of which is too surprising. However, what is an eyebrow raiser is that the report found that the average number of CE devices both owned and used by kids is down a bit versus last year and in 2005, as are the number of households that own these devices. Even more curious is that upwards of 25% of HH surveyed reported they had no purchased electronics over the last 12 months.
This is very cool now maybe I wish that I was in High School again (ummm, or not). The Museum of Science, Boston, and Key Curriculum Press have unveiled plans to publish a new high school science and engineering curriculum, Engineering the Future: Science, Technology, and the Design Process (EtF). The curriculum, developed by the Museum of Science’s National Center for Technological Literacy is designed to get teen students involved in hands-on design and building challenges that real engineers might face. The Engineering the Future textbook, Engineer’s Notebook and Teacher’s Guide will be available August 2007.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
MTV has named Dan Hart as SVP and GM, MTV Digital, as well as upping Paul j. DeBenedittis to VP/Operations and Colin Helms to VP/Programming. Hart, who previously served as VP/Online Games Strategy and Operations, MTV Networks, will be responsible for continuing to grow MTV.com and creating integrated experiences across all screens, music programming online and new product development in the digital arena. He will report both to Christina Norman President, MTV and Brian Graden, President/Entertainment, MTVN’s Music Group. Hart will work under Courtney William Holt, EVP/Digital Music and Media, on developing digital strategy and initiatives for MTVN’s Music Group, as well as working with Dave Sirulnick, EVP/MTV Multi-Platform Production, News and Music.
Kathy Vrabeck has been named as President of Entertainment Arts Inc.‘s newly established EA Casual Entertainment. Vrabeck was formerly President of Activision Publishing, where she oversaw the company’s worldwide studios. Previously, she served in management roles in marketing and sales for Pillsbury Company, Quaker Oats and ConAgra.
RATINGS
Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K2-11 (000) 5/28-6/3/07 :
Total Day (000) Primetime (000)
NICK°: 1162 DSNY*: 1358
DSNY*: 907 CARTOON: 816
CARTOON: 685 NAN**: 520
NAN**: 318 TOON DIS: 201
ADSM**: 291 ESPN: 104
TOON DIS.: 161 DISCOVERY: 96
NOG/THE N: 115 NICKTOONS: 93
NICKTOONS: 66 MTV: 83
DISCOVERY: 59 ANIMAL PLANET: 72
MTV: 52 TLC: 70
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) 5/28-6/3/07 :
Total Day (000) Primetime (000)
NICK°: 642 DSNY*: 1092
DSNY*: 631 CARTOON: 626
CARTOON: 503 NAN**: 402
NAN**: 247 TOON DIS: 126
ADSM**: 224 ESPN: 68
TOON DIS.: 93 DISCOVERY: 64
DISCOVERY: 40 MTV: 57
NICKTOONS: 40 TLC: 50
MTV: 37 ANIMAL PLANET: 49
ANIMAL PLANET: 35 NICKTOONS: 48
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) 5/28-6/3/07 :
Total Day (000) Primetime (000)
DSNY*: 539 DSNY*: 928
NICK°: 445 CARTOON: 438
CARTOON: 363 NAN**: 349
NAN**: 256 MTV: 147
ADSM**: 275 BET: 97
MTV: 99 COMEDY: 90
BET: 63 ESPN: 84
DISCOVERY: 51 THE N: 75
COMEDY: 49 DISCOVERY: 70
ESPN: 41 TOON DIS.: 66
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, June 2, 2007, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1254; K6-11 839; TWEENS 9-14 599
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 976; K6-11 611; TWEENS 9-14 444
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 846; K6-11 684; TWEENS 9-14 489
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 159; K6-11 96; TWEENS 9-14 58
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Sunday, June 3, 2007, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1220; K6-11 849; TWEENS 9-14 645
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 1040; K6-11 658; TWEENS 9-14 496
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 785; K6-11 629; TWEENS 9-14 502
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 139; K6-11 80; TWEENS 9-14 33
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Monday, June 4, 2007, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1290; K6-11 605; TWEENS 9-14 438
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 1008; K6-11 724; TWEENS 9-14 630
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 688; K6-11 504; TWEENS 9-14 351
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 166; K6-11 101; TWEENS 9-14 57
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Answer to Yesterday’s trivia question: What series is based on the adventures of six teenage fairies that use magic to defend themselves and protect the Realm of Magix from evil? THE WINX CLUB. Kudos to: Hayley Ostrager-Chorion Silver Lining/NY; Bill Graham-Cartoon Network/NY; Christine Ferrara-WSBK TV/Boston; Catherine Pirrone-Nickelodeon/NY; Katherine Kaufman-Porchlight Entertainment/LA; Claire Wilmut-Boomstone Animation Inc./Ottawa Ontario;
Today’s Trivia Question: What series would you be on if you cheer on the Bayside Barracudas? ( 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 Cynopsis: Kids!
06.06.07
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JOB OPENING: ACCT EXEC/ Warner Bros Domestic Syndication-L.A: Program or Spot TV sales exp pref; extensive travel req’d; degree req’d. Strong presentation skills/Nielsen research. Email: [email protected] RE: UCTC/79243BR.(6/13)
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JOB OPENING: NATIONAL ACCT DIR/SCREENVISION/CH: Dev, present & sell integrated media prgrms to clients in the midwest mrkts. Nat’l Sales exp B’cast, Cable, Print ind. a must. Much travel req’d. Email res: [email protected] (6/13)
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JOB OPENING: SR. BUYER/Job Share/SPOT TV/Active Int’l Pearl River NY(15 miles from NYC): 3 days-24hours total, 7 yrs+ agency Buying Spot TV exp a must; Resumes to: [email protected] or call 845-732-8943 (6/19)
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