ITV

Category: Kids

  • UK’s RDF Kids inks multiple distribution deals for Tricky TV, Finger Tips

    NEW DELHI: RDF Kids, the kids distribution division of UK-based RDF Media, has inked multiple distribution deals with various international broadcasters for its kids-based programme, Tricky TV and Finger Tips.


    The distribution arm has signed deals for Foundation-produced magic show Tricky TV with France’s Canal+, Germany-based Super RTL, Japan’s Disney Channel, India’s Nickelodeon, Mediacorp from Singapore and Cartoon Network Asia.


    The arts and craft series Finger Tips, meanwhile, have been acquired by Germany-based Super RTL, Taiwan’s Yo Yo, Kuwait based Vision Media and True Visions from Thailand.

  • FUNimatation Entertainment inks digital content deal with Toei Animation

    NEW DELHI: FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, has inked a digital content deal with Japanese production studio Toei Animation.

    As per the partnership, FUNimation will distribute seven English-subtitled series, including Air Master, Captain Harlock, Digimon Adventure 02, Fist of the North Star, Galaxy Express, Pretty Cure and Slam Dunk, by streaming via FUNimation’s online video portal, www.funimation.com/video.


    FUNimation will telecast one complete series each week for seven weeks, taking the total number of episodes to more than 500.

  • Pogo to air The Jungle Book & Chhota Bheem from 5 & 6 April

    NEW DELHI: Pogo is all set to telecast the new season of Chhota Bheem from 5 April at 9:30 am every Sunday and The Jungle Book from 6 April at 5:30 pm.

    Says Turner International India director- Programming Krishna Desai, “As leaders in kids’ entertainment we consistently refresh our compelling programming mix to sustain appeal and novelty factor amongst kids across India. Pogo’s delighted to showcase The Jungle Book series, a first across any kids’ network in India and the new season of one of Pogo’s star attractions, Chhota Bheem.”


    Produced by Hyderabad-based Green Gold studios, Chhota Bheem launched in April 2008 and is inspired by the character of Bheem from the Mahabharata. The show revolves around iconic Bheem, as a nine-year-old brave and intelligent boy from an imaginary village Dholakpur, who loves to eat and always offers a helping hand to his friends and other villagers.


    The Jungle Book, a product of Nippon animation studio, is based on the popular book of Rudyard Kipling which is about Mowgli, a boy lost in the jungle as a child and adopted into a family of wolves and his adventures.

  • Disney extends local content; launches new show on 27 April

    MUMBAI: Disney channel India seems to be creating a strong impetus to extend its local content in a bid to build its viewership base.

    Starting 27 April, the channel will launch its new local show, Kya Mast Hai Life, targeting the tween segment comprising the 8-12-year-olds.


    Says Walt Disney Television International (India) senior vice president and managing director Antoine Villeneuve, “India is a very important market that is key on local content. Therefore, Kya Mast Hai Life adds a very significant dimension to Disney‘s programming slot.”


    Kya Mast Hai Life will run from Monday to Friday at 7 pm. The show is based on the story of five friends and marks the debut of Shaheer Sheikh, Nazneen, Sana Sheikh, Shweta Tripathi and Ashish Junija.


    “The tweens (8-12-year-olds) are a growing segment of the Indian audience sector and that‘s what our focus zone is. But since we also aim to captivate the complete family audience segment too along with the target group, we have placed the show at the 7 pm slot,” states Walt Disney Television International (India) associate director and head-proramming Devika Prabhu.


    Disney Channel has commissioned the new property to Sol (of Coffee with Karan fame), which marks its debut in the production of fiction programming with Kya Mast Hai Life.


    Says Sol managing director Fazila Allana, “Sol has always had an upper hand in non-fiction programming and television events. And now with Kya Mast Hai Life, we look forward towards establishing similar success in the fiction genre too.”



    “Currently, we are concentrating on the first 13-week episodes of the show. As the story progresses we will move forward with our production process,” Allana adds.


    The channel has adopted a 360 degree blanket approach for marketing and promoting its new property amongst its target groups.


    As part of the intiative, the show will be cross-promoted across network channels. Promotions will take place in malls, multiplexes and coffee stores through outdoor media. There will also be in-cinema spots for the series along with roadside hoadings across the country.


    Disney channel will also promote Kya Mast Hai Life online through a dedicated site. Mobile will be used as a means for series downloads.


    Disney Channel has been playing on local content for quite sometime now. It has already produced three long-format shows – Vickey Aur Vetaal, Dhoom Machao Dhoom and Agadam, Bagadam, Tigadam, which have reached their season-ends.


    Disney Channel India is also running locally-acquired content such as Shararat and Son Pari and now, it is also experimenting with Bollywood content to draw in more eyeballs. The channel has bought two Aamir Khan movies, Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, that will be showcased as part of its summer lineup this season.

  • Toonz, Spectra to produce animated TV series for $7 mn

    MUMBAI: Toonz Animation India has partnered with Canada-based Spectra Animation to co-produce 52 episodes of the preschool animated TV series, ‘Paddy‘s Pages‘. The episodes will run for 11 minutes each.


    The budget of the project is pegged at $7 million and will be jointly financed by both the parties. “Paddy‘s Pages is a local product perfected for the world to enjoy. We aim to take the series to the masses by early 2011,” says Toonz Animation CEO P Jayakumar.
    Conceived by Toonz Animation senior designer and concept artist KP Muraleedharan, the concept of Paddy‘s Pages has been further developed at Spectra Animation, which is led by Raymond Lebrun, director of the international preschool series, Toopy and Binoo.


    “Paddy‘s Pages is yet another testament of our dedication to bringing quality series to preschoolers around the world,” says Spectra Animation president and executive producer André A. Bélanger.


    Paddy‘s Pages, which chronicles the adventures of a 6-year-old boy who is fond of reading books, was an official selection to the Chicago International Children‘s Film Festival in 2007.


    “Paddy is a typical child of today, always inquisitive and has an unbridled hunger for knowledge. It is impossible to visualize the imagination of a child when he reads a book. Paddy‘s Pages is an honest effort to portray that,” quips Muraleedharan.

  • Reebok launches juniors concept store

    MUMBAI: Reebok has launched a new juniors concept store with Indian cricketing sensations “The Pathan Brothers”.


    The Juniors store is rooted in sports ideology and is a one stop shop for apparel, footwear, accessories and sports equipment for kids in the age group of 4 – 14 years. The brand also launched a new kids’ collection of apparel and accessories in association with India’s number one kid’s channel Cartoon Network called Cartoon Network for Reebok.


    The price range of the collection is Rs 699 – Rs 1499.


    The collection caters to boys and girls between the age group of 4 and 9 years, with contemporary designs revolving around popular toon stars Ben 10™, and The Powerpuff Girls (PPG Modern Girls™). TThe new range will be available across all Reebok stores beginning 15 April.


    Reebok India executive director product and marketing Sajid Shamim said, “Juniors as a category has huge business potential and we are opening the concept store across the country to provide a one-stop-shop offering an ever exciting and attractive themed product line for kids.


    “Today’s kids are sporty and conscious of what they wear and our products which are high on style and technology cater to their needs and help them fulfill their potential. We realized that kids love toon characters and this prompted us to partner with Cartoon Network and develop merchandise by licensing their iconic characters.”


    Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) associate director Jibi George said, “We at Cartoon Network Enterprises, the specialised licensing and merchandising division of the number one kids’ channel Cartoon Network, strongly believe in innovative and strategic alliances and are consistently exploring options that enhance the availability and popularity of our products.


    ” Our partnership with Reebok brings together two market leaders in their respective genres to offer kids the best of both worlds – Cartoons and Sport. The “Cartoon Network for Reebok” range provides a fresh, new stylized approach to kids‘ sportswear featuring the globally popular and kid’s favourite Cartoon Network characters like Ben 10™, Ben 10: Alien Force™, Dexter’s Laboratory™, Johnny Bravo™ and The Powerpuff Girls (PPG Modern Girls™) that will have mass appeal with kids across India.”


    The Spring Summer 2009 “Cartoon Network for Reebok” Boys range, features the action packed Ben Tennyson from one of the network’s biggest and most successful properties worldwide Ben 10™. The line is a collection of casuals with a focus on outdoors. The navy, deep reds, olive and white color palette ensure hours of non-stop action. Additionally to apparel, kids’ can also treat themselves to cool bags.


    The “Cartoon Network for Reebok” girl collection with The PPG Modern Girls™ is inspired by international fashion trends for spunky girls with active lifestyles. The collection’s theme has a bitter-sweet flavour with pre-dominant pinks, whites and blacks with dashes of yellow, lavender and greens. The graphics are playful and inspired by urban life. The emphasis is on cute and bubbly nature of the PPG modern girl’s, also a direct reflection of Reebok‘s target audience. Accessories include trendy bags.

  • Mickey Mouse ears get redesigned for charity

    MUMBAI: In a bid to raise funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital in UK, celebrities such as Phil Collins, Geri Halliwell, Estelle, Daisy Lowe, John Terry, Amir Khan, Luella Bartley and Giles Deacon have given Mickey Mouse‘s ears a new makeover altogether.


    The celebrities have redesigned the Mickey Mouse ear that will be put on auction on 5 May at Disneyland in Paris during the launch of the charity event.


    Through this event, Disney plans to celebrate Mickey‘s Magical party, a year-long event beginning from 4 April.

  • twofour54 ibtikar partners with 3Line Media to produce children series

    MUMBAI:: twofour54 ibtikar and UK‘s 3Line Media will co-produce Driver Dan‘s Story Train, an educational Arabic/English children‘s series.



    The series will be broadcast in the UK on BBC‘s CBeebies from spring 2010. The format will be made available globally and can be customised for the Indian market.”With the deal to co-produce Driver Dan‘s Story Train, twofour54 is taking its first steps towards establishing a sustainable media and content industry in the MENA region,” says twofour54 CEO Tony Orsten.


    Under the deal, twofour54 ibtikar will be responsible for developing and producing property for the Arabic speaking region. Instead of dubbing, live action footage of actual children responding and play acting to the story will be produced and will constitute a key part of the show format.


    “One of our objectives is to stimulate and produce high quality, original content for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and ‘Driver Dan‘s Story Train‘ offers us the opportunity not only to co-produce a new children‘s property but also to directly develop its content in an appropriate direction for the region and its culture,” says Orsten.


    Says 3Line Media director and executive producer Estelle Hughes, “We are looking forward to collaborating with twofour54 ibtikar to shape the project directly for the Arab world. The MENA region has one of the world‘s fastest growing child populations with an increasing demand for relevant and high-quality children‘s content.”


    Driver Dan‘s Story Train is an animation and live action television series



    developed to introduce young, pre-school age children to the delights of storytelling and reading books.


    twofour54 ibtikar has also plans of launching the ibtikar creative lab later this year. It will be involved in providing primarily grant funding to UAE Nationals, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, for ideas across all media platforms.

  • Will Smith, Jack Black triumph at Nick Kids Choice Awards

    MUMBAI: Stars Beyonce, Will Smith, Jack Black and The Jonas Brothers were among those who captured the coveted orange Blimp trophies at US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon‘s 22nd Annual Kids‘ Choice Awards.


    Hosted by Dwayne Johnson, the awards show at UCLA‘s Pauley Pavilion honoured kids‘ favorite TV, movies, music and sports stars, and delighted the crowd with torrential superstar slime showers.


    Kids voted High School Musical 3 as their favourite movie. Madagascar Escape 2 Africa won for animated film. Jack Black won for his voice work in Kung Fu Panda. Will Smith and Vanessa Hudgens won for favourite actor and actress. American Idol won for reality TV show while iCarly was voted the favourite TV show. Miley Cyrus and Jesse McCartney were voted favourite female and male singer respectively. The Jonas Brothers triumphed in the music group category.


    The show highlights included Will Ferrell who set the world record for the first-ever “Slip n‘ Slime” by traveling over 200 ft. on the green goop, The Jonas Brothers got a sliming like no other, Jesse McCartney was soaked with slime and Hugh Jackman and Sandra Bullock were surprised with the green goo. Going green, too, albeit in a different manner, Leonardo DiCaprio accepted the first-ever Nickelodeon Big Green Help Award for his environmental efforts from last year‘s Wannabe Award recipient, Cameron Diaz.


    Noisier and more animated than ever, competitors for The Burp Award – judged on the Orange Carpet by iCarly‘s Jerry Trainor – were all Nickelodeon animated stars. Nick star Victoria Justice Zoey 101, Spectacular travelled by submarine all the way down to Bikini Bottom, where she encountered burp award hopefuls SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Squidward.


    And when Trainor declared The Penguins of Madagascar‘s Rico the best burper, the animated champ joined a roster of past proud best belchers including Cameron Diaz, Jessica Alba and Steve Irwin, Justin Timberlake (two-time winner) and Hugh Jackman.


    And the voting didn‘t stop there. During the award show, viewers were asked to vote live on which skill the show‘s host Johnson should learn. Almost 600,000 viewers opted to see him learn how to dress like Miley Cyrus, who was on hand for the tutorial, beating out learning how to sing opera or knit.

  • DQE to reincarnate ‘The Jungle Book’ with German broadcaster ZDF

    MUMBAI: Hyderabad-based animation, gaming and entertainment company DQ Entertainment (DQE) has partnered with German broadcaster ZDF and its distribution and licensing arm ZDF Enterprises to reincarnate Rudyard Kipling‘s ‘The Jungle Book‘ for the first time in high definition television series and television feature format.


    The budget of the project is pegged at approximately €9 million (Rs 606.53 million) and will be funded through pre-sales and co-production deals across the globe.


    ‘The Jungle Book‘ deal will be led by DQE wherein the company will hold the majority global rights including television, distribution, home video, VoD, publishing and licensing and merchandising.


    As co-producers, ZDF/ ZDF-E will have the right to appoint executive producers for the project with full editorial and distribution rights for Europe (excluding French, English and Irish territories), Middle East



    and Latin America.


    “This is a major milestone for the growth of DQE‘s home grown IP initiatives, and represents a bold step forward in terms of international production, licensing and distribution for our company,” said DQE Group chairman and CEO Tapaas Chakravarti.
    To exploit the product in France and other French territories, DQE has collaborated with French broadcaster TF-1 Broadcasting and its distribution and licensing arm TF-1 Enterprises.


    London-based NBC Universal, meanwhile, has been given the responsibility for distribution of the project‘s home video in territories such as UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and Japan while it is in advance negotiations for other territories also.


    “Joining hands with ZDF Group of companies from Germany, TF-1 Group of companies from France and NBC Universal, London has added tremendous strength to the production of this brand Jungle Book,” Chakravarti quipped.


    “This has almost guaranteed very strong distribution for all platform of television, video, VOD and merchandising in entire Europe, Middle East and Latin America while, Asian nations and North America are joining hands shortly,” added Chakravarti.


    According to DQE, the company is currently in talks with other European and international distributors for co-production and acquisition deals for the forthcoming series.



    The book will be visually translated into a 52 episode animated series wherein the first season of the 52×11 minute series will be delivered by 2010. This will be followed by a 60-minute TV feature.


    Said ZDF international co-productions and acquisitions for children‘s and youth programming – head Nicole Keeb, “‘Jungle Book‘ is a classical property and with its modern 3D adaptation perfectly fits into ZDF‘s programming. We particularly like the idea that Mowgli and his friends will come to life in their homeland:INDIA.”