ITV

Category: Kids

  • Cartoon Network turns 20; celebrates with new shows, contest

    Cartoon Network turns 20; celebrates with new shows, contest

    MUMBAI: As it celebrates its 20th anniversary in India this year, Cartoon Network is pulling out all stops to showcase shows, movies and contests in a month-long stunt.

     

    The Happy Birthday Cartoon Network programming line-up not only includes current shows such as Horrid Henry and Oggy and the Cockroaches but also reinvigorated versions of classic series such as The Flintstones, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Courage the Cowardly Dog. 

     

    Beginning 4 May, the shows will be aired from Monday to Friday at 11 am.

     

    Additionally, Cartoon Network is giving one lucky child and his/her family a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the recently launched Cartoon Network Amazone waterpark in Thailand. 

     

    All kids have to do is watch the Happy Birthday Cartoon Network block at 11 am throughout May and answer simple questions. Other exciting prizes such as tablets and PSPs will also be up for grabs.

     

    This summer, Cartoon Network will be launching new content not only from its international portfolio but also from its stable of local Indian shows such as Roll No 21 along with movies such as Mighty Raju: Superhero School, Sonic Boom Dhamaal Aur Dhoom and Sholay Adventures. 

     

    New episodes of Cartoon Network Originals’ global hit franchises Steven Universe and The Amazing World of Gumball will also be aired. In addition to this, the channel will be launching two brand new Cartoon Network Original series called Uncle Grandpa (in May) and Clarence (in June).

     

    Turner International India South Asia managing director Siddharth Jain said, “Since its inception in 1995, Cartoon Network has been the leading channel in the genre thanks to the adulation and loyalty of our fans across generations. We look forward to the future with innovative and engaging content forming our cornerstone to success.”

     

  • Turner Broadcasting inks multi-year SVOD deal with Hulu

    Turner Broadcasting inks multi-year SVOD deal with Hulu

    MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System and Hulu have entered into an extensive, multi-year licensing agreement that will grant Hulu the exclusive SVOD rights to previous seasons of Turner’s popular programming from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim as well as select current and upcoming series from TNT and TBS.

     

    The deal marks the first-ever licensing agreement between Turner Broadcasting and Hulu.

     

    All episodes from past seasons of TNT’s The Last Ship and Murder in the First will be available to stream exclusively for Hulu subscribers. Additionally, all episodes from past seasons of popular Adult Swim original series including Rick and Morty, Black Jesus, NTSF:SD:SUV and Cartoon Network original series such as The Amazing World of Gumball, Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall and Clarence will be made available to stream through an SVOD service for the first time ever on Hulu. All Cartoon Network series will be available to stream ad-free in the Hulu Kids environment.

     

    Full prior seasons of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network series such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Dexter’s Laboratory and Ben 10, as well as current juggernauts Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., Adventure Time and Regular Show will be available to stream exclusively to Hulu subscribers for the first time through the deal. Hulu will also become the exclusive SVOD destination to stream Adult Swim and Cartoon Network classics, including Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Sealab 2021 and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.

     

    Through the agreement, Hulu obtains exclusive SVOD rights to certain future series that will launch on TNT, TBS, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network over the coming years – including TBS’s upcoming series Angie Tribeca, which will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu after its full-season run on TBS.

     

    “This deal with Hulu demonstrates the power of Turner Broadcasting’s branded networks and the high demand for our programming in the marketplace. This is a great opportunity to grow the reach of the networks’ original programming and complements our strategy of utilizing multiple platforms – including SVOD – to drive sampling, introduce new viewers to our content and give current fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy Turner’s new and existing series in a branded environment,” said Turner Broadcasting president David Levy.

     

    “The addition of multiple titles from Cartoon Network represents a significant step forward in continuing to build a strong programming offering for the kids audience on Hulu. The adult animation series from Adult Swim, as well as the additional series from TNT and TBS, are a perfect addition to our current offering,” added Hulu senior vice president and head of content Craig Erwich.   

  • Discovery Kids launches summer programming in ‘Desi Dhamaal’

    Discovery Kids launches summer programming in ‘Desi Dhamaal’

    MUMBAI: This summer, watch Desi Dhamaal on Discovery Kids. Featuring kids’ favourite characters like Akbar Birbal, Tenali Raman and Sally Bollywood, Discovery Kids will entertain kids with intelligence, wit and humour all through the summer vacation.

     

    Desi Dhamaal will air every Monday to Friday from 12 Noon – 1 pm only on Discovery Kids.

     

    The heroes of Desi Dhamaal prove that intelligence and wit are not limited to adults or determined by age. These young characters use their brains to best much older people around them while displaying a great sense of humour at the same time.

     

    Join Sally Bollywood as she solves the most puzzling cases, Tenali Raman as he uses his wit to impress the king and other courtiers and Birbal as he uses his intelligence to outsmart everyone, sometimes including Emperor Akbar. Desi Dhamaal will entertain kids while also highlighting the problem-solving skills of each character.

     

    Rahul Johri, Executive Vice President & General Manager, South Asia and Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific said “Discovery Kids is home to some of the most popular Indian characters for kids. This summer, Discovery Kids brings an exciting line-up of programmes on Desi Dhamaal with renowned characters that will not just entertain but also encourage children to use their intelligence to solve problems.”

     

    Desi Dhamaal takes children back into the golden era of Kings and courts, poets and jesters featuring Akbar, Birbal and Tenali Raman whose folklores are widely narrated and have inspired millions of kids around the world. Sally Bollywood and Doowee take kids on new adventures every day and present solutions to the most intriguing cases.

  • Cartoon Network lines up new shows for summer

    Cartoon Network lines up new shows for summer

    MUMBAI: This summer, Cartoon Network is all geared up to entertain kids. The channel will be launching a new Cartoon Network Original (CNO) series called Uncle Grandpa, premiering a new Bayblade series as well as the final installment of the Kid Krrish movie franchise.

     

    Uncle Grandpa will air every Sunday at 10.30 am and will launch on 26 April. Uncle Grandpa travels around the world with his right-hand man – Belly Bag, a giant realistic flying tiger named Giant Realistic Flying Tiger, an egotistical slice of pizza called Pizza Steve and Mr. Gus, a dinosaur person.

     

    Indian superhero Kid Krrish is back on the channel in his final telefilm called Kid Krrish: Shakalaka Africa. The movie will be aired on 25 April at 12 pm. In his biggest adventure yet, Kid Krrish must align with Jadoo and the alien army force to find and retrieve intergalactic talismans of power buried in Africa before Dr. Para gets his hands on them.

     

    Cartoon Network will also launch a new Beyblade series called Shogun Steel, which will air every Sunday at 9 pm.

  • Cartoon Network named Best Licensor at Indian Retail Awards for ‘Ben 10’

    Cartoon Network named Best Licensor at Indian Retail Awards for ‘Ben 10’

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network’s Ben 10, one of the world’s biggest boys franchises, has earned yet another accolade. Cartoon Network Enterprises has won the ‘Best Licensor of the Year’ award in the entertainment category for the Ben 10 franchise at the fourth Indian Retail and e-Retail Awards 2015 organized by Franchise India.

     

    With over 5,000 SKUs, Ben 10 came out a clear winner among all the kids entertainment for having the largest assortment of products available across a single entertainment IP.

     

    In 2015, the franchise celebrates its 10th year. Ben 10 licensed products are sold across all product categories including apparel, back to school, home furnishings, FMCG and publishing among others. The brand recently launched themed tablets in partnership with Eddy – a first in the kids’ genre.

     

    Turner International India South Asia managing director Siddharth Jain said, “Cartoon Network Enterprises is a growing and important part of Turner’s business in India, successfully leveraging our on-air content to create household names. For a decade, the success of the Ben 10 franchise is a testament to the adoration and popularity it enjoys amongst children and our licensing partners. We are honoured to receive this award in recognition of our efforts.

  • ZeeQ undergoes major revamp; sees 35 per cent revenue growth

    ZeeQ undergoes major revamp; sees 35 per cent revenue growth

    MUMBAI: Taking a step towards fostering curiosity amongst children through fun and entertainment, Indian media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) forayed into kids television in 2012 with the launch of ZeeQ.

     

    The aim was to gain a foothold in a genre that was mostly dominated by foreign networks like Disney, Nickelodeon and Turner at that point of time. Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka during the launch mentioned that ZeeQ is an effort towards children learning in a safe environment.

     

    Now, three years since launch, the channel has undergone a major revamp. Kids is number three priority genre in Indian television and has high viewership not only among children but parents as well. Keeping this factor in mind, the channel has launched new programmes targeting SEC ABC 4-14 years.

     

    Additionally, the channel has been on an upward swing as it witnessed a 35 per cent revenue growth quarter-to-quarter basis.

     

    Now with summer kicking in, the time is just right to engage with the TG. Beginning 13 April, the channel launched a slew of 14 new shows across comedy, action and art and craft.

     

    When queried by Indiantelevision.com on the reason behind the revamp, ZeeQ brand and communications head Ashwin Sashital explains that like every other kids channel, its focus is on providing entertaining content during summer vacations. As per the trend, kids also prefer to view local content, he informs.

     

    Going the local way, ZeeQ launched two locally animated comedy shows – Bandbudh Aur Budbak and Pyaar Mohabat Happy Lucky along with a locally produced DIY show – The Art Room.

     

    To support the locally produced shows, the channel has a host of licensed properties like Burka Avenger, Shakimaan, He-Man, Sarah and Duckand Dino Paws to name a few.

     

    Barring two shows – Dinosaur Train and Zou, the entire content on the channel will be new. ZeeQ will launch new episodes of these shows, which are working well for them. Sashital says, “With the new high-concept shows on board, the ethos of the channel still stays healthy entertainment for the kids. We have designed shows where  parents can trust their kids to watch without supervision. For example, shows like The Art Room, which engages the kids in the art and craft genre and Burka Avenger, which addresses girl education etc. These programmes lay emphasis on knowledge, values and life skills in a very engaging way.”

     

    Unlike some players, who take feedback from their TG before a revamp exercise, ZeeQ did trend analysis based on TAM research data.

     

    While on the one hand, weekdays will be filled with new shows, weekends will be more for catch up stacked episodes and movies. Sashital says, “We have additional seasons of most of the shows and we will take a call depending on the response as to when they will launch.”

     

    To gain traction for its new shows, the channel has launched an extensive marketing campaign, which will be spread over a period of three months in the Hindi Speaking Market (HSM). The channel has started the rebranding with an extensive TV campaign on Zee network and other select channels.

     

    As part of the audience outreach programme, ZeeQ will organise on-ground activities and school contact programmes etc. based on the new shows. The channel is partnering with leading media houses for focused above the line (ATL) and below the line (BTL) promotional activities.

     

    “Activation plays a very critical part in engaging with kids. Summer workshops, school contact programs and mall activations are our key areas for promoting the shows and channels. About 60 per cent of our marketing budget is skewed towards activation,” concludes Sashital.

  • Nick Jr celebrates world creativity & innovation week with ‘Go Creative’ campaign

    Nick Jr celebrates world creativity & innovation week with ‘Go Creative’ campaign

    MUMBAI: Sketch it, paint it, colour it or create it! Nick Jr India celebrates for the first time – World Creativity and Innovation Week with Dora the Explorer. The campaign that aims to inspire the little geniuses to unleash their creativity will provide them with a unique opportunity to showcase their talent.

     

    The creativity drive will be driven by Dora – The Explorer, who will flag off the ‘Go Creative’ campaign by inviting young minds to participate in this fun filled, innovative week from 15 to 21 April, 2015. The week long initiative will kick start online wherein children will have to sketch, colour, paint or create Dora.

     

    They will then have to click a picture of their art and upload it on the website. The campaign will also come alive on ground through interesting multi-city engagement initiatives. 

     

    The World Creativity and Innovation Week has been celebrated across the world in 46 countries since 2001. Through this unique concept, Nick Jr urges children to unleash their creative side and bring out the best of their talent through the expressive medium of Art.

     

    Viacom18 EVP and business head, kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Art is the most apt form of expression and children with their curious and creative minds have always enjoyed being a part of such interesting activities.  The initiative is intended at spurring creativity and inspiring innovation amongst children. Our objective is to provide them a platform to bring out the innovative sketches and artistic strokes.”

     

    Dora the Explorer is as a seven-year-old girl who actively engages preschoolers in a play-along, adventure. Adored by children, every episode has Dora the educator invite young viewers to join her on an exploration with a clearly defined goal.  Dora also introduces kids to Hindi and English words and gives viewers the skills and the confidence needed to overcome challenges.

  • Cartoon Network activates live streaming app in Australia

    Cartoon Network activates live streaming app in Australia

    MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific has announced a major enhancement to its Cartoon Network Watch and Play app in Australia, allowing Foxtel subscribers to live stream Cartoon Network within the app via a new authenticated service.

     

    Moreover, Cartoon Network Watch and Play will also be available throughout Asia Pacific on the Android platform within the next two months.

     

    Effective 13 April, subscribers will be able to log-in to the free app using their Foxtel username and password to unlock an array of value-added services, which includes live streaming the channel on the device and access to full episodes on demand.

     

    “We are very excited to launch this Cartoon Network authenticated service with Foxtel. We’re always looking for new ways to connect Cartoon Network fans with our content and create truly unique and enjoyable second-screen brand experiences for kids to enjoy and for parents to trust. This partnership will clearly bolster our offering to fans,” said Turner International Asia Pacific VP and chief content officer – kids network Mark Eyers.

     

    Providing additional content exclusively for Foxtel through authentication provides a richer viewing experience for subscribers, while elsewhere in the region, TrueVisions, Thailand’s leading cable satellite television operator, recently authenticated the app.

      

    Aside from live streaming, new features also include access to recent episodes of popular shows including Adventure Time, Clarence, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball and Ben 10: Omniverse, as well as additional native arcade-style games.

     

    Cartoon Network Watch and Play first launched in Asia Pacific late 2013 and has already had more than 585,000 downloads, with more than a third of those from Australia. The App Store also featured Cartoon Network Watch and Play in its ‘Best of 2013’ selection of innovative kids apps.

     

    The app allows users to simultaneously watch their favourite episodes and play games with a simple rotation of the device. Cartoon Network’s app presence is growing in Australia, with new and inventive games set for release later in 2015.

  • Hungama to add 90 hours of original content this summer

    Hungama to add 90 hours of original content this summer

    MUMBAI: It’s that time of the year when kids say goodbye to schools, books and welcome the long summer vacation. It is not just an important part of the year for the kids, but also for the kids television genre.

     

    One such is Hungama, which is courting its viewers with different customized offerings to have a bigger bite in the viewership pie, this summer.

      

    It can be noted that the kids genre accounted for 7.3 per cent of the viewership share in 2014, making it the largest genre after Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) and movie channels.

     

    This summer, Hungama has a special strategy lined up to engage kids with a series of new shows and movies, spread across successful genres of action-adventure comedy. The channel will also add a new genre with chase comedies.

     

    Disney India media networks content and communications VP Vijay Subramaniam says, “If I have to replace the entire set of fun adjectives in one word, I will call it Hungama.”

     

    To stay ahead of the curve, the channel is set to add 90 hours of original programming to its kitty across the summer months. “That has been our constant endeavour on Hungama. While we give our audience innovative content we also increase the variety of offerings on our channel,” informs Subramaniam.

     

    The channel will have three major highlights this summer. The first in line is Pokemon, to which the channel will give a new dimension. With the ever-growing popularity of the character and the action-adventure comedy genre, Hungama is launching a new series in the same genre along with presenting Pokemon in long format for the very first time on Indian television with the premiere of Pokemon movie, which will air on 18 April at 12 pm.

     

    “Moreover, Pokemon has got maximum fan following. Week-on-week and month-on-month the numbers are only getting stronger,” reasons Subramaniam.

     

    A perfect complement to Pokemon, the channel will launch action-adventure series Beyblade on 13 April at 1.30 pm. “This is another demonstration of the fact that the channel is innovating and pushing content, which is active in the space of game play both in the world of television and real world. Pokemon and Beyblade will make a good compliment on-air,” asserts Subramaniam.

     

    On 3 May, Hungama will launch the third season of Vir: The Robot Boy, which is a series with a different identity in the space.

     

    Hungama has also been developing local animated series. The channel is set to launch a fundamental block, the offering for local animation shows that will be launched at the afternoon band. The three shows that will be launched are Bunty aur Billy, Hum Chik Bum and Eena Meena Deeka (working title), which will go on air on 18 May.

     

    As per reports, localization of content on kids channels continues with the average ratio for international to local content at 60:40 currently compared to 90:10 in 2008. 

     

    In 2014, Hungama reached out to 85.7 mn individuals (CS 4+) of which 19.0 mn were kids (CS 4-14 ABC) across all India during summers (AMJ’14).

  • Diamond Toons partners Fox Star Studios for ‘Chacha Chaudhary and Mr. X’ comic

    Diamond Toons partners Fox Star Studios for ‘Chacha Chaudhary and Mr. X’ comic

    NEW DELHI: Diamond Toons, the publisher of the famous Chacha Chaudhary comic series, has partnered with Fox Star Studios to integrate the comic book in the upcoming sci-fi thriller movie starring Emraan Hashmi in and as Mr. X.

                                    

    The publisher would create a special edition integrating Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu with Mr. X – the special edition has been titled as Chacha Chaudhary and Mr. X and will be released by Hashmi in Delhi.

     

    Produced by Vishesh Films and presented by Fox Star Studios, Mr. X will hit the screens on 17 April.

     

    The comic will feature Hashmi as Mr. X, the invisible superhero with the man whose brain runs faster than a computer – Chacha Chaudhary and his giant companion Sabu from Jupiter resolving cases and combat criminals with Mr. X.  This exclusive edition of comic will be printed in five different languages namely Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarati. The comic book with a print run of 5,00,000 copies will be available pan India before the movie release. Moreover, the comic will also be released exclusively on mobile platform by Newshunt.

     

    The idea behind this special edition was to reach out the massive fan following of the legendary character Chacha Chaudhary, giving a strong platform to Mr. X to connect instantly to people in multiple languages and genres.

     

    Diamond Toons will distribute, own and have final creative and storyboard of the complete comic book. Earlier, Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu have aligned with movies like Boss starring Akshay Kumar for promotional campaigns. They were also roped in with IPL cricket team – the Delhi Daredevils for a special comic edition. However, this is the first time; a sci-fi superhero movie is being integrated with the Chacha Chaudhary comic story.

     

    Fox Star Studios chief marketing officer Shikha Kapur said, “Mr X is an entertainer in the truest sense. It’s a tale of justice and redemption, replete with excellent special effects, thrilling chase sequences, designed to appeal to family audiences, especially kids who thrive on larger-than-life action heroes. The character of Mr. X is intriguing one–cloaked in his invisibility powers, he dares to use the law in his own way to correct the wrongs that have been unleashed in the system. We found a relevant and engaging connect with one the most endearing icons in Indian popular culture -Chacha Chaudhary – the tireless crusader of justice and beloved of children for so many years. We are really happy to have Diamond Toons to partner with us in this unique association: to come up with an exciting comic book featuring Chacha Chaudhary and Mr X – two characters separated by age, but united in their intentions to fight crime rampant in our society. We, at Fox Star Studios, have always believed in extending the appeal of our films beyond the traditional platform, and this association is a firm step in that direction.”

     

    Looking for the ways to capitalize the new trends in comics, Diamond Group chairman N K Verma added, “We are delighted to partner with Fox Star Studios for this exclusive edition of Chacha Chaudhary and Mr. X. Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu have captured the attention of numerous readers traversing various age groups. Emraan Hashmi has paid tribute to Pran by becoming a part of his latest comic Chacha Chaudhary and Mr. X. And according to me, this is the best way an artist can accolade another artist for his creations.”

     

    “The combination of Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu and Mr. X is definitely a step ahead in the Indian comic history. As the iconic character Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu have always portrayed the ideal combo of brain and muscle, adding the power of Mr. X and the three working together to fight against evil will be a new element for the comic lovers,” said brand custodian Nikhil Pran.