ITV

Category: Kids

  • Disney to premiere Ratatouille on 21 September

    MUMBAI: Disney Channel will premiere Ratatouille, an Academy Award winning film for best animation, on 21 September at 10 am.

    The movie is produced by Pixar Animation Studios who have also made Cars, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.



    In this animated-adventure, a rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family’s wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau.


    Despite the apparent dangers of being an unwanted visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy’s passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down. Remy finds himself torn between his calling and passion in life or returning forever to his previous existence as a rat.

  • Jim Henson company to debut animated shows at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: The Jim Henson Company will debut next month two new CGI-animated series, Dinosaur Train and The Skrumps, at the television trade event Mipcom Jr. in Cannes, France.



    The announcement was made by The Jim Henson Company president and COO Peter Schube.

    Created for 3-6 year children, Dinosaur Train features a steam engine that carries all kinds of dinosaurs to the many prehistoric eras. The world of Dinosaur Train is seen through the eyes of Buddy, a preschool-age Tyrannosaurus Rex. Rescued and hatched by a female Pteranodon, Buddy soon realises that he looks quite different from his siblings.


    In response to Buddy’s enthusiasm to learn more about himself and other dinosaurs, mom takes her family for adventures on the Dinosaur Train. Kids will get on board with Buddy and his family to meet all kinds of dinosaurs and learn new fascinating facts about these incredible creatures.

    Also debuting at the market for pre-sales is The Skrumps, a series based on characters created by artist John Chandler and made popular by his line of collectible figures and illustrated storybooks. The Skrumps, a uniquely colorful troupe of Skrumpland residents, is currently in active development for long-form direct-to-DVD production with a future television series also anticipated.


    The characters are performed using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. Several short videos, including a music video and several character video-blogs, were initially produced and distributed on Yahoo Kids! in January 2007 to launch the brand. The Skrumps were also featured in their first interactive game launched on Yahoo in March 2008.

    Schube says, “Based on input from paleontologists, science educators, and early childhood education experts, Dinosaur Train has developed an ambitious, creative curriculum and harnesses children’s enthusiasm for and curiosity about dinosaurs, sparking children’s interest in life science and natural history.


    “The innovative and irreverent quality of The Skrumps continues our legacy of creating families of engaging characters that audiences around the world will connect with and we are excited to launch this new property across all media including on-line content and television productions, as well as merchandising and licensing.”

    The company‘s head of international sales Sam Ewing says, “The Skrumps and Dinosaur Train offer tremendous creativity and a level of quality that broadcasters associate with The Jim Henson Company, and we are extremely proud to present both series to the international television marketplace for the first time at Mipcom”.

  • Disney to air ‘Break Time Masti Time’ in October

    MUMBAI: Disney channel is set to air Break Time Masti Time, a two-minute interstitials, in October.


    Break Time Masti Time aims to showcase “the spirit of growing up years captured on camera through a school corridor.”



    Each segment of the interstitials is six minutes long which is again divided into three mini-stories of two minutes each. These stories will be aired daily between 6 pm to 7 pm.


    The interstitial will have nine main characters dealing with “typical” school problems like surprise tests, competitions and quiz contest. It is a varied but close group of friends who share emotions, thoughts, experiences and offer each other advice, claims the channel.


    Walt Disney Television International (India) SVP and MD Antoine Villeneuve said, “Disney Channel aims to connect with the audience through their own idioms. Break Time Masti Time reflects the lives of tweens, their dreams and their aspirations. It echoes the voice of its audience through its distinctive themes, characterisations and unique storytelling technique.”


    The format is already running in Italy, Australia and USA.


    Disney Channel has roped in a cast of young actors such as Devansh Doshi, Sagar Sawarkar, Parth Muni, Benazir Shaikh, Tanvi Hegde, Shivshakti Sachdevhas, Umang Jain, Rahul Joshi and Akash Bhatija who have already featured in various serials such as – Studio Disney, Son Pari on Disney Channel, Hungama TV series- Hero, Disney Channel’s comedy sitcom – Agadam Bagadam Tigadam, among others.

  • Fitrzroy Media to showcase ‘Bidzerk’ at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: FitzRoy Media is set to launch worldwide its flagship children‘s brand, BidZerk! next month at the television trade event Mipcom.


    This announcement was made by the company‘s CEO, Hamp Hampton.



    Specialising in children‘s entertainment, created for a variety of new and emerging media platforms including mobile, internet and interactive broadcast television, FitzRoy will be selling format rights of BidZerk!, a game show concept for kids ages 9-14.



    A 21st century Auction Game for kids, BidZerk! combines the “excitement of an online auction with the knowledge skills needed for television‘s top quiz shows”. The game is designed to be played across multiple media platforms including, web portals and wireless networks, along with an interactive game board.



    Hampton says, “We established FitzRoy Media to take advantage of kids‘ growing consumption of multi-media content, especially content offered outside of broadcast television, and to leverage other companies in that space who have proven success in distribution, licensing and production to complement our efforts.”


    “BidZerk! is designed to take advantage of this trend toward new platforms for entertainment and the emergence of these platforms as both complementary and alternative destinations to broadcast television, that will build global brands for children,” he adds.



    As part of the company‘s strategy to become a global supplier of multi-media content, FitzRoy Media recently completed an “exclusive” financing agreement with Wall Street investors for the marketing of the company‘s current slate of programming and development of future properties.

  • CBBC to hunt for a ‘true leader’ in UK







    MUMBAI: BBC has announced that its children‘s channel CBBC is joining forces with political aficionado Jonathan Dimbleby in a search across the UK to find a true leader amongst the country‘s young people in Election.



    10 children from across the nation will undergo a series of leadership tests and tasks in this dynamic new political reality TV series, culminating in a face-off between the two finalists at the House of Commons.



    Over the course of 10 programmes, the participants aged between 11 and 14, from across the UK, will be whittled down to one – a vibrant and charismatic figure who wants to change the world.



    Selected from hundreds of hopefuls, the ten successful candidates are energetic and passionate kids who care about changing their future and the world they live in for the better.



    On day one, they move into the Election Leadership House and their campaigns to reach No. 10 get underway.



    The show‘s executive producer Matt Paice says, “Britain‘s young people don‘t get much good press. In this series, ten of the brightest and best are given the chance to prove they are worthy leaders.



    “This next generation of political hotshots shows the rest of us their passion for changing Britain for the better.”



    For each episode, the group are set a series of rigorous and character-revealing exercises which will separate the leaders from the followers.



    Over the weeks they will be moulded, mentored and shaped in their quest for the top spot.



    The challenges will explore the skills needed to perform like a great modern politician including public speaking, recruiting people to their cause, diplomacy, debating, media skills and campaigning.



    They will be judged on their abilities to adapt, learn and win over their audience.



    The leadership challenges will be set by guest mentors including Michelle Dewberry, Ken Livingstone, Ann Widdecombe and Vince Cable.



    The teams‘ efforts will then be judged by a group of experts before a member of the losing team is eliminated by head judge, Jonathan Dimbleby.



    The series is hosted by presenter and politics graduate, Angellica Bell.



    CBBC controller Anne Gilchrist said, “We hope that Election will help engage young people with politics. Not in a party political sense but by helping them see for themselves what it takes to be a great leader and how it is possible to change and influence the world around them.”



    The series culminates with the two finalists going head to head at the House of Commons.



    Here they will present their own manifestos in a grand Election to an audience of school children from around the country who will vote to select the ultimate winner.



    The prize is a trip to No. 10 to present their manifesto to the Prime Minister. Election is made by Diverse Production for CBBC.

  • BabyFirst’s BFTV Productions to make shows for pre-schoolers

    MUMBAI: BabyFirst has formed BFTV Productions, an in-house unit established to produce original television programming for the preschool market.


    The announcement was made by BabyFirst CEO Guy Oranim.



    BabyFirst SVP programming, Arik Kerman, will serve as GM of BFTV Productions.



    Making its debut at MIP TV Jr., BFTV Productions will roll out two original preschool properties namely The Greenies and Hello Around The World.



    The Greenies is a non-dialogue series that presents three characters who learn to “protect the planet in various adventures”. Hello Around The World aims to teach young viewers “how to say hello in different languages”.



    “The original productions produced by BabyFirst’s in-house production unit, such as I Can Sign and Harry The Bunny, have won accolades from parenting organisations and acclaim from child development experts and pediatricians throughout the world. We feel it is a natural evolution for us to expand into the creation of quality preschool programming for the global marketplace with the formation of BFTV Productions,” said Kerman.

  • Hungama to air ‘Are You afraid of the Dark’ from 15 September

    MUMBAI: Hungama TV will launch a new show Are You Afraid of the Dark on 15 September. The show will air daily (Monday-Friday) at 8:30 pm.


    ‘Are You Afraid of The Dark’ revolves around a group of teenagers who call themselves “The Midnight Society”. Every week, at a secret location in the woods, one member narrates a scary story to the group. These stories usually revolve around paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, goblins, magic, haunted houses, magical curses and the like.

  • Cartoon Network to unveil Bakugan: Battle Brawlers from 15 September

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network will premiere new animated series ‘Bakugan: Battle Brawlers’ in India.


    The globally popular action-adventure animated will make its debut on 15 September and will telecast from Monday to Friday at 5:30 pm.



    Turner International India director programming Krishna Desai said, “As resident kids’ experts, we consistently look for opportunities to grow from strength to strength and bring home the world’s best animation. ‘Bakugan: Battle Brawlers’ is yet another offering from our diverse animation bouquet and is anticipated to create frenzy amongst kids as an exciting action-adventure property. A runaway success in global markets, we are confident it will be an instant hit with the kids in India too.”
    The name ‘Bakugan’ is derived from the Japanese words ‘baku,’ meaning ‘to explode,’ and ‘gan,’ meaning ‘sphere.’ The story of ‘Bakugan: Battle Brawlers’ revolves around two parallel universes Earth and Vestoria and Bakugan’s quest to find Naga, who holds the destructive powers. The series follows the pursuits of Dan Kuso, a 12-year-old boy who is the leader of ‘Bakugan: Battle Brawlers’ and uses strategy and skill to unleash the Bakugan power and save the Earth from destruction.


    The story begins with kids around the world discovering interesting and varied character cards falling from the sky. Unknowingly, the kids create a battle game with them only to realise later that the cards actually correspond to an alternate world called Vestroia, where Bakugan warriors have been waging war.


    Bakugan are small, circular spheres from a far-off universe that morph into powerful warriors. When the war in Vestroia spirals out of control, the Bakugan spheres are sent to Earth trapped inside ‘field cards.’ Now, it is up to Dan and his friends to save both Vestroia and Earth from destruction, using their Battle Brawling skills.

  • Nick announces winner of Nick School ka Hero

    MUMBAI: Nick has announced Karan Agarwal from Mumbai as the winner of Nick School ka Hero. Karan is one of the five lucky winners to get an opportunity to invite Nick toons ‘Ninja Hattori’ and ‘Perman’ to their school and host a theme party for their friends.





    The initiative was announced by the channel in July 2008. Through this initiative, Nick gave kids a chance to throw a party with their favourite toon stars.


    Kids had to tune into Nick between 5 pm to 8 pm daily and answer simple questions on their favourite Nick Super Heroes – Perman, Ninja and Niyander.


    Commenting on this Nick India SVP and GM Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Every kid wants to be a superhero and Nick gives them a chance to fulfill this dream amidst all their peers & friends. Over the years Nick knows the pulse of kid’s and has a deep insight into what makes them tick. It is our constant endeavor to give the kid’s what they want by giving them a truly engaging Nick experience.”

  • Ricky Sprocket to air on 29 Nick channels worldwide







    MUMBAI: Bejuba! Entertainment has licensed its animated comedy series Ricky Sprocket – Showbiz Boy to 29 new international territories through a deal with Nickelodeon. The announcement was made by Bejuba! Entertainment president Tatiana Kober.



    The series is co-produced by Studio B Productions, a subsidiary of DHX Media Ltd, and Snowden Fine Animation in association with Bejuba! Entertainment.



    The new agreement with Nickelodeon licenses Ricky Sprocket – Showbiz Boy (26×22‘/52×11‘) for broadcast on the Nickelodeon channels in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Malta, Nigeria, Turkey, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Israel and The African Continent.



    “We are thrilled to expand the reach of this entertaining property to children throughout the international marketplace following Ricky Sprocket’s recent success as part of Nicktoons’ extensive international roll-out across 12 Nickelodeon channels, which included Nick UK and Nick Australia,” said Kober. “This new deal underscores Ricky’s universal appeal as a kid who, despite his stardom, has many of the same experiences and must deal with the same issues regular kids face every day.”



    The 2-D comedy is currently aired on Nicktoons Network US, Teletoon Canada, and Nickelodeon UK, Australia, Latin America, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Scandinavia.



    Ricky Sprocket – Showbiz Boy (26×22‘/52×11‘) chronicles the adventures of superstar child actor Ricky Sprocket as he tries to balance family, friends and school with the pressures of his crazy showbiz life.