ITV

Category: Kids

  • ‘Ni Hao, Kai-lan’ to premiere new episodes on Nickelodeon
















    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon‘s half -hour animated series, Ni Hao, Kai-lan will premiere four new episodes between 13 to 16 October that will introduce preschoolers to Chinese culture and language. This is as part of the channel‘s play-along, think-along series. The series has been created by Karen Chau.



    Rintoo Makes a Splash premieres on 13 October. This will highlight ‘Shui‘ that means water in Chinese. The story revolves around the characters in a water park.

    The Ants Dance premieres on 14 October and has talent show as the backdrop of the show.

    On 15 October, Stompy Rides Again premieres. This episode will focus on the Chinese colors Lanse (blue) and Chengse (orange).


    Rintoo‘s Big Flip will telecast on 16 October with the target word being Yuan xing, meaning circle.

  • ACK Media set to bring Suppandi on silver screen
















    MUMBAI: India‘s first stereoscopic 3D animated film based on the popular Tinkle Toon Suppandi is set to invade the silver screen.



    Publisher of the 28-year old comic series, ACK Media is producing a stereoscopic 3D animation film with Suppandi as the protagonist. The film to be completed in November 2010 is expected to cost around Rs 10 crore. Preliminary work such as scripting and character sketches has already started.

    Since Tinkle‘s core readers are Indians, the film will primarily find an audience only in the domestic market and the Indian community abroad.

    To reduce the cost of production, the media house has developed a model in which all steps of filmmaking


    run parallel to each other. The new model has helped trim costs considerably and the cost of production is only one-tenth of what it would have been otherwise.


    “Instead of following the usual steps of pre-production, production and post-production, we‘re working in a manner where all the steps are integrated. For instance, if all the teams work together from the beginning then the script team will not write a scene that the production team cannot execute. This saves both time and money,” says Fable Farm head Biju D.


    Said ACK Media CEO Samir Patil, “We have been working on the economics of production for more than a year. The entire production will be done in-house but we may outsource some processes such as the rendering.”


    On the distribution front, ACK Media is looking to tie-up with studios to distribute the film. While the film will release in approximately 100 3D screens, it will also release in a non-3D version.


    Going forward, ACK media is looking to convert some of its other properties into animation films and also produce a live action film.

  • Joe Godwin is BBC Children’s director












    MUMBAI: Joe Godwin has been appointed as director of BBC Children. He will be responsible for all aspects of CBeebies and CBBC.


    Godwin has spent the past 20 years working in children‘s media – both inside and outside the BBC – and is currently Head of News, Factual and Entertainment for BBC Children‘s, responsible for key shows such as Newsround, Blue Peter, Serious, TMI and The Slammer.

    His role as director will be to lead one of the corporation‘s great content and broadcasting areas for one of its crucial audiences, serving kids throughout the UK.


    Godwin is expected to take up the post in November 2009, replacing Richard Deverell, who moves up to be BBC North COO. He will be based in Salford Quays as part of the move of Children‘s to BBC North in 2011.


    CBBC controller Damian Kavanagh and CBeebies controller Michael Carrington remain responsible for all content on their channels and websites and report to Godwin.


    Says BBC Vision director Jana Bennett, “The BBC‘s children‘s services are the cornerstone of the BBC and Joe Godwin‘s 20 years of experience working in children‘s media makes him the ideal candidate to build on the reputation of BBC Children‘s and lead the team to its new home as the creative heart of BBC North.”

  • BBC Vision to invest ? 25 million in children’s programming












    MUMBAI: BBC Vision director Jana Bennett has announced that investment in children‘s programmes would be increased by at least ?25million across the next three years.



    She made the announcement during a speech delivered at the BBC Vision Forum, an annual event for in-house and independent programme makers focussing on BBC Vision‘s creative and business priorities.



    Bennett said, “In response to a firm recommendation from the BBC Trust that we should strengthen our role as the cornerstone of home-produced children‘s output in the UK, I‘m pleased to say that we‘ve identified more funding for Children‘s – at least ?25 million over three years – which we‘ll be formally discussing with the Trust.


    The Children‘s and Drama investment has been achieved through re-prioritisation across BBC Vision and by re-investing efficiencies that have already been made.

  • Corus Entertainment to add Nickelodeon to its portfolio












    MUMBAI: Canada-based kids broadcaster Corus Entertainment will add the 24-hour MTV Networks International‘s (MTVNI) Nickelodeon channel to its portfolio of kid-focused services on 2 November.


    Under the agreement, Nickelodeon in Canada will be dedicated exclusively to Canadian kids and feature a line-up of Nick properties, ranging from current live-action comedies and animated favourites to classic hits.





    Said MTV Networks International president Bob Bakish, “The launch of a fully localised, 24-hour Nickelodeon service is a direct reflection of how successful this holistic approach has been with viewers and partners.”


    The Nickelodeon schedule will offer a line up of Nick programming, including the Canadian premieres of the new animated series Fanboy and Chum Chum, and the live-action series The Troop and the Kids‘ Choice Awards.


    The schedule will also showcase SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Dora The Explorer and The Backyardigans and bring back series such as The Mighty B!, Danny Phantom and Avatar: The Last Airbender.


    The service will also bring viewers classic library titles from Nickelodeon such as Ren & Stimpy, Angry Beavers, Rocko‘s Modern Life, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Rugrats.


    The channel will feature original Canadian series including Grossology, Max & Ruby, Storm Hawks and My Friend Rabbit.

  • CBeebies’ two new shows to celebrate UK’s cultural diversity












    MUMBAI: CBeebies controller Michael Carrington has announced two new in-house commissions for transmission in 2010. The shows are Let‘s Celebrate and Same Smile.


    Both series focus on live action filming of real children‘s lives to celebrate the nation‘s culture and diversity as experienced by the under-sixes.

    Carrington says, “Both these series will hold up a mirror and reflect the varied and colourful lives of our young viewers and their families, with an engaging, thought-provoking and celebratory feel to life across the UK and the cultures and faiths that make up 21st century Britain.”


    From Chinese New Year to Christmas, Let‘s Celebrate shows how children experience different religious and cultural festivals around the UK. The show visits a different UK community each episode to join in the fun and excitement of their celebrations by visiting a family or group of children who are getting ready for a festival – be it dressing up, decorating the house, preparing food or exchanging gifts.


    The programmes then showcase a musical



    or dramatic performance which tells the story behind the festival before returning to the children and their families at a party or event in full celebratory mode.



    Presenter and children‘s performer Patrick Lynch introduces the festivals from his ‘party house‘ which literally tingles with excitement – it seems that this house and the street outside can‘t wait to celebrate… and each show ends with a call for young viewers at home to join the celebrations as a street party explodes into life.


    Other festivals featured in the series include Vaisakhi, Eid-ul-Fitr, Holi, Wesak, Purim, Diwali, Easter, St Patrick‘s Day, St David‘s Day, St George‘s Day, St Andrew‘s Day and Norouz.The show targets four-to-six-year-olds.


    Carrington adds, “Behind the festivities, the fireworks and the feasting are stories and customs which underpin the whole event. Let‘s Celebrate does just that – engaging and encouraging our young viewers to celebrate along with their peers.”


    Same Smile blends live action and animation as presenter Nisha Anil cycles across the UK with her group of three cuddly pandas visiting children to discover that they are just like them but different.


    A collaboration involving teams from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London, the series is being created for two to four year olds offering a window on the world of young children and celebrating the diversity of their lives.


    In each episode, Nisha and her trio of bears will visit a nursery or group of children and then delve into the Same Smile box to discover the theme for the day – be it a favourite place, favourite food, the garden or family.


    Whilst Nisha stays with the group to play games or creative activities, two of the cuddly pandas go home with two children to explore their own versions of the day‘s theme.


    Carrington adds, “Same Smile is really owned by the children who take part in the series, they‘re absolutely at its heart. Each episode, children take the pandas home and introduce them to their worlds and their imaginations. So each film is a unique look at a child‘s life and their world, showing us that we are all the same, but different.”


  • Disney to premiere ‘Wizards of Waverly Place – The Movie’ on 27 September












    MUMBAI: Disney Channel is set to premiere Wizards of Waverly Place – The Movie on 27 September.



    To be aired at 11 am, the movie is based on the Disney Channel‘s Wizards of Waverly Place series.


    Wizards of Waverly Place – The Movie premieres on 27 September at 11 am. The movie is part of the channel‘s one-month-long magic celebrations under the ‘Wiztember‘.


    Walt Disney Television International India associate director programming Devika Prabhu saysm, ” This is the 77th Disney Channel Original Movie and it continues the channel‘s mission to engage kids and families through fun and aspirational storytelling.”


    “The show has witnessed great success in the series format and the movie is a wonderful way to extend the premise further. I am certain that it will enhance the viewer experience beyond expectations,” adds Devika.



  • Hungama TV launches ‘Twisted Whiskers’ on weekdays












    MUMBAI: Kids entertainment channel Hungama TV has launched Twisted Whiskers, a CG-animated TV series co- produced by DQ Entertainment International (DQE), American Greetings and Mike Young Production.



    The series will be aired from Monday to Friday at 5 pm with a repeat telecast at 9 am on weekdays.


    Every episode of the show will feature zany cats and dogs interacting in typical pet situations that will become “twisted” as the animals get into funny and unexpected adventures. Each animal will have very distinct and recognizable personality, and will be seen in a variety of themes, places and situations.


    Walt Disney Television International India associate director, programming Devika Prabhu said, “Twisted Whiskers is a perfect fit with the mad fun premise of Hungama TV. Kids will enjoy the unique and extremely funny take on whiskered animals as they land in funnily ‘twisted‘ situations on the show.”

  • DQE, Gruppo Alcuni to co-produce fourth series of ‘And yet it moves’

    MUMBAI: DQ Entertainment (DQE) has signed a co-production agreement with the Italian based animation and entertainment group Gruppo Alcuni to co-produce the fourth season of the animated television series, And Yet It Moves.Under the co-production deal, while both the parties will retain 100 per cent of the revenues generated from their exclusive territories through property exploitation, DQE and Gruppo Alcuni will look at a 33:77 share of revenue spawned from exploitation of audio-visual rights globally in the shared territories.


    The series will be broadcast on Rai Fiction, Italy and other networks.


    In the new series, And Yet It Moves – Galileo, each episode includes a different story line or theme which tackles issues such as water resources, waste, pollution, climate change, the extinction of animals species and plants, intercultural exchange, food, alternative energy sources and urban planning.


    The series is set in an animation studio, where two human characters, the head artists Sergio, and his assistant Francesco, interact with a number of cartoon characters. At the end of every episode there is a segment dedicated to scientific experiments which can be recreated at home by young viewers.


    Gruppo Alcuni CEO Francesco Manfio said, “We believe that the relationship between Gruppo Alcuni and DQ Entertainment is based on a shared vision of the fundamental role which animated productions represent in children‘s development. Pet Pals, Leonardo and especially And Yet it Moves, are very much focused in this direction.”


    The first three seasons of the series were broadcast in September 2005 on Rai Fiction, Italy and was the first European series to combine both animation and live action.

  • Pogo unveils special line-up to celebrate ‘Dussehra’












    MUMBAI: On the occasion of Dussehra, kids entertainment channel Pogo has lined-up a special selection of shows and movies that will be aired on 28 September from 9:00 am onwards.


    The line-up includes classic saga – Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, the escapades of Chhota Bheem and an account of the life journey of demon king – Ravan in Ravan Mahayodhya.

    Says Turner International India director programming Krishna Desai, “Resonating the true spirit of the festival, we are offering a suite of our shows and movies that reminds the true message of this festival – good always rules over evil and offer kids and families an enriching experience.”


    The channel will begin the celebrations with Chhota Bheem‘s adventures at 9 am.


    Ravan Mahayodhya, the story revolves around the life-journey of the king of Lanka, will be showcased at 12 noon.
    Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, meanwhile, will be aired at 2 pm.