ITV

Category: Kids

  • Turner International APAC appoints Shitiz Jain as Sr VP – Finance

    Turner International APAC appoints Shitiz Jain as Sr VP – Finance

    MUMBAI: Turner International is looking at tightening its bottom line and in pursuit of doing so has roped in Shitiz Jain, who takes up the role of senior VP Finance effective 17 March 2014.

     

    This executive new hire was announced today by Turner Broadcasting System International EVP & CFO Ray Hutton and Turner International Asia Pacific president Ricky Ow.

     

    Jain was most recently with Discovery Networks Asia Pacific as chief financial officer and head of corporate services. He will be responsible to lead Turner’s financial growth planning and assisting regional management to maximise financial results across the full portfolio of Turner’s kids, news and general entertainment brands, and businesses in the region.

     

    Commenting on the hire Hutton says: “Shitiz has more than 20 years of international financial management experience which we’re delighted to harness for this critical role within one of Turner’s most important regional operations. His track record in delivering growth and his evident commercial acumen and leadership skills, make him an ideal fit with Turner’s growth philosophy.”

     

    Jain will have a range of responsibilities which includes forecasting, budgeting and long range planning, defining and managing the achievement of goals, and providing financial analysis and counsel to all business heads. In this newly created role, he will develop a finance team that will be strategically aligned with the needs of the business. In addition, he will offer strategic and financial modelling support at both the Turner and Time Warner executive management level. 

     

    Supporting Hutton’s views Ow says: “Turner in Asia Pacific has ambitious growth targets which require robust financial support and I know Shitiz will serve as a key advisor for me in this regard. Shitiz’s strong CFO background and expertise in overseeing businesses across the Asia Pacific region will be undoubted assets for us as we take our business to the next level.”

     

    Jain joins Turner in Hong Kong after nearly 15 years at Discovery in India and Singapore, where his success in forging strong client relationships and creating new revenue opportunities, drove strong revenue and EBITDA growth. Prior to joining Discovery Networks, Jain served in a variety of financial, operating and strategic roles with Cargill Foods, Fujitsu ICIM and Phoenix Industries. 

  • POGO’s Chhota Bheem & Chutki and CN’s Tom & Jerry, Kris and Ben 10 walk the ramp

    POGO’s Chhota Bheem & Chutki and CN’s Tom & Jerry, Kris and Ben 10 walk the ramp

    MUMBAI: Asia’s largest fashion property ‘India Kids Fashion Week’ 2014 saw children dazzle the ramp by entertaining kids, parents and everyone with their favourite characters from POGO- Chhota Bheem and Chutki and evergreen Tom & Jerry, uber school student Kris(from Roll No. 21) and Ben 10 from Cartoon Network.

    The commencing show showcased Pooja Jhunjhunwala and Rachna’s collection on mythology with little angels. Indian superhero – POGO’s very own Chhota Bheem was the show stopper accompanied the couture designer Rocky S.

    Adding to the desi tadka, POGO’s Chutki (from Chhota Bheem series) walked the ramp with television actress Shraddha Arya and television actor Nandish Sandhu  for designer Kanchan Bawa who showcased a blend of Indian, western and indo-western party wear range.

    Other shows comprised of creations by renowned kids wear brand Max. The collection for young boys and girls had lightweight fabrics. Versatile TV actor Ali Asgar, immensely loved by all as ‘Dadi’ from Comedy Nights with Kapil along with the hilarious and legendary cat and mouse duo Tom & Jerry from Cartoon Network accompanied the little children on the ramp on this show. Another show by Sheena Creations created a mood to party and unwind through their collection showcasing party wear for little boys and girls. Ace choreographer Terrence Lewis along with the funny and smart Kris from Cartoon Network was seen dancing on the ramp. OKS Boys attracted positive attention through eclectic beach-wear, rockstar and casual wear. The highlight of OKS Boys when uber cool, alien superhero Ben 10 from Cartoon Network who walked the ramp with renowned singer Armaan Malik.

     

  • Disney Channel to premiere the all new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts this January

    Disney Channel to premiere the all new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts this January

    MUMBAI: The endearing, adventurous and comedic antics of Mickey Mouse, Disney’s #1 star and the world’s leading character franchise, will be premiered on Disney Channel in a new short-form series of 2D comedy cartoons. Disney Channel India which had earlier introduced viewers to two episodes of the short form series of 2D comedy cartoons on the beloved character’s birthday, will air 4 new episodes of the Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts on January 27th at 5pm. With the slapstick feel of classic Mickey Mouse, the series of cartoon shorts presents Mickey in a broad range of humorous situations that showcase his pluck and rascality, along with his long-beloved charm and good heartedness.  

     

    The new episodes ‘Yodelberg’, ‘New York Weenie, ‘Tokyo Go’ and ‘Stayin’ Cool’ will follow Mickey to places like New York, The Alps and Tokyo facing silly situations, quick complications and an escalation of physical and visual gags.  The episodes include ‘Yodelberg’ where Mickey longs to visit Minnie atop her mountaintop chalet but quickly realizes that the threat of avalanche has made the trek up the mountain more challenging than usual and ‘New York Weenie’ where Mickey hilariously chases after a runway hot dog through Central Park. Another special episode ‘Tokyo Go’ follows Mickey’s adventures in Tokyo, where he accidentally boards the wrong bullet train while the episode ‘Stayin’ Cool’ follows Mickey, Donald and Goofy as they must find creative ways to keep cool on the hottest day of the year. These stories feature heartfelt and heroic moments as Mickey experiences life with his comical partners Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto.

     

    The premiere of the Mickey Short – ‘No Service’ on Disney Channel rated 1.5 TVR among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC). It ranked #1 in the kids genre with a 28% share of viewing and ranked #2 across all TV during its time slot while the premiere of the Mickey Short – ‘Croissant De Triomphe’  rated 1.0 TVR among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC). It ranked #1 in the kid’s genre with a 33% share of viewing and ranked #2 across all TV during its time slot. (Source: TAM; TG: CS 4-14 ABC; Period: 18th Nov 2013; Market: HSM).The premiere of both these Mickey Shorts reached out to 7 million kids across India.

     

    While the direction and pacing of the new “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts are fresh and contemporary, they are, at the same time homage to the art direction and storytelling of Walt and his animators in the 1920s and ’30s. Geared towards kids aged 6-14 and families, and produced in 2D animation, the design esthetic for the “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts reaches back almost 80 years and borrows reverentially from the bold style of his 1930s design with a few contemporary touches. A must watch for the true eagle-eyed Disney fans, as the production team has also included the occasional homage to other icons from the Disney heritage.

     

    Don’t miss the special episodes of the brand new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts on January 27, 2014 at 5pm on Disney Channel

  • ‘Sofia The First: The Floating Palace’ premiers on Disney Channel and Disney Junior

    ‘Sofia The First: The Floating Palace’ premiers on Disney Channel and Disney Junior

    MUMBAI: Sofia and her family take to the high seas for a royal vacation in the first-ever “Sofia the First” primetime special, “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace,” premiering Sunday, on Disney Channel and Disney Junior on Saturday, 18 January. The undersea adventure, in which Sofia is magically transformed into a mermaid, features a special appearance by Princess Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” and also introduces a new character named Oona, a young mermaid.

     

    “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace” takes Sofia and her family on an extraordinary journey to Merriway Cove, where Sofia meets a young mermaid named Oona.  After helping Oona untangle her fin from a net, Sofia’s magical amulet transforms her into a mermaid too, allowing her to explore the underwater world with her new friend.  During their adventure, Sofia learns that mermaids mistrust humans and are angry that her family’s floating palace is in their cove.  When Oona is captured by a horrible sea monster, Sofia – with a little help from Princess Ariel – must find a way to save her and create harmony between their two worlds

     

    The simulcast of the premiere of the made-for-television movie “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess” on Disney Channel and Disney Junior reached out to more than 4 million audiences (CS 4+) of which 2.3 million were kids (CS 4-14) across All India. Disney Channel ranked #1 across all TV during its time slot garnering a 26% share of viewing within the kids genre among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) and 36% share of viewing among younger girls (CS ABC F 4-9). The series – Sofia the First launched on 24th August 2013 and has reached out to almost 25 million audiences during Sept-Dec 2013 (Source: TAM; TG: CS 4+; Period: wk 36-52, all days, 0700-2300 hrs; Market: All India)

     

    Fuelled by the popularity of Sofia, Disney Consumer Products currently has a line of Sofia branded products such as puzzles, scooters and will soon be launching an interesting range of ‘back to school’ merchandise such as school bags, colouring equipments, stationery sets and will launch Sofia bicycles, rainwear and footwear as well.

     

    Come, be a part of Sofia’s aquatic quest on Saturday, 18 January at 11:00 am on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.

  • New shows, movies and exciting contests all month long on Cartoon Network & POGO

    New shows, movies and exciting contests all month long on Cartoon Network & POGO

    MUMBAI: Turner International India is pulling out all the stops to continue its reign in 2014 in the kids’ genre with new content, magnanimous contests and ultimate entertainment on POGO and Cartoon Network! Kids are in for an unbridled dose of humour, adventure and excitement with new and popular characters!

     

    CARTOON NETWORK

     

    Defeat bad guys and win loads of prizes this Republic Day by tuning-in to special Roll No. 21 and Oggy and the Cockroaches episodes all day long! That’s not all! Every half an hour kids will get a chance to win exciting prizes on the Republic Day weekend. All they have to do is tune in to Cartoon Network from 12pm onwards on January 25 & 26, 2014 to win the treasured prizes.

    Be ready to enjoy Fridays like never before with Oggy’s Fun Friday. Get a chance to win a fun day out with your friends at the movies, shop till you drop, eat out with your friends and many more prizes including exclusive Cartoon Network merchandise. All kids have to do is tune-in to Cartoon Network every Friday throughout the month from 1pm onwards and answer the simple game based questions!

    Bringing kids more of their favourite shows, new episodes of Roll No. 21 continue to air at 1pm, Oggy and the Cockroaches wreck mayhem at 5pm and Cartoon Network Popcorn entertains with the best movies on weekends at 12pm. For more fun, keep tooning in to Cartoon Network and www.cartoonnetworkindia.com.

    POGO
     
    POGO has a new superhero this year who is cute, funny, naughty and haughty. Catch the adventures of Obochama Kun, a brand new series every Monday to Friday at 12pm on POGO.

    It’s double celebrations on POGO on January 26, 2014. In addition to celebrating Republic Day, POGO is also premiering a new movie called Chhota Bheem – Neeli Pahaadi at 12pm! Kids can also win exciting merchandise by participating in the Republic Day contest from January 20-26 every day from 10am onwards only on POGO.

    Everyone’s favourite laddoo-eating superhero Chhota Bheem has nonstop entertainment in store for his fans. Tune in to the Chhota Bheem Film Festival on POGO from January 15 to 25 every day at 5pm for back-to-back movies.

    Krishna Desai, Sr. Director & Network Head – Kids, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Every year we aim to bring shows and characters that captivate and entertain children. This year as well, we have an exciting blend of new and popular shows, movies and franchises coupled with engaging contests and online activations that is sure resonate with kids. We are thrilled to be the genre leader in 2013 and will make every stride to ensure the same in 2014.”   

    So buckle your seatbelt because it is going to be an exhilarating ride replete with new shows and movies, exciting contest with over the top prizes and more of your favourite cartoons!

     

  • Turner International Asia Pacific hires Julie Alfaro-Santiago

    Turner International Asia Pacific hires Julie Alfaro-Santiago

    MUMBAI: Turner International Asia Pacific today announces the key appointment of Julie Alfaro-Santiago to grow its business in the Philippines. Based in Manila, she takes on the role of director, distribution and client solutions, beginning today and is tasked with leading and implementing Turner’s growth strategy in this important territory.

     

    “This excellent addition to our team makes a big statement about the commitment to Turner’s in-market presence,” said Turner southeast Asia Pacific VP of sales and marketing Robi Stanton, “Capitalising on Julie’s 20 years of experience in the Philippine market, she will help us develop our existing business there and provide on-the-ground responsiveness – as well as target new, untapped opportunities for growth.”

     

    Julie has had earlier stints include – Publicis, where she was working for nearly seven years as media manager and later media group head and her last assignment was with ABS-CBN Corporation where she was heading the sales of its entertainment genre in cable channels and print media.

     

    Turner’s expanded presence in the Philippines brings Turner geographically much closer to its key local affiliates, advertisers and partners than before. This newly-created role is another example of the company’s plans to decentralise management in southeast Asia Pacific providing greater local empowerment. Alfaro-Santiago will be leading the charge in the Philippines – forging new partnerships and creating revenues beyond Turner’s core business.

  • Chhota Bheem, Honda to promote road safety among kids

    Chhota Bheem, Honda to promote road safety among kids

    MUMBAI: As the leading two-wheeler manufacturer to inculcate safe riding habits in India since 11 years, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd – the Only Honda in Indian 2Wheeler industry today announced its latest step for promoting responsible riding and road safety.

    Partnering with POGO, Brand Honda has associated with Chhota Bheem – India’s most loved animation character for safety promotion among kids along with their families.

    Honda wanted to promote safety riding among kids in a fun manner, as educating young minds on road safety is an effective way of spreading message to the entire family. As a next step, Honda saw perfect synergy & brand fitment in Chhota Bheem who is the role model to not just small kids but entire family. In his exploits with his friends in Dholakpur village, Chhota Bheem character conveys all the aspects of a superhero – be it strong values, might, courage, discipline or learning.

     
    Very soon ‘Honda Safe Riding with Chhota Bheem’ will be organized in 11 cities across India where Chota Bheem will engage and interact with kids and people at large. The national inaugural event at Delhi will be followed by Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Greater Noida and Nagpur.

    ‘Honda Safe Riding with Chhota Bheem’ will provide an opportunity for kids to learn safety riding tips, meet ‘Chhota Bheem and get clicked with their favorite Super Hero. Fun and interactive activities like understanding road sense in CRF 50, painting competitions etc. will drive home the message of road safety through fun times with family.

    Further, all Honda dealerships will carry new POP material for spreading road safety message amongst kids suitably supported with free distribution of Road safety education material in schools. We will also be running a Chota Bheem TVC on Pogo to spread road safety messages backed by aggressive digital media campaign.

    Excerpts from Company officials-

    “As HMSI expands in production capacity, the social responsibility of the company is getting bigger. HMSI has further built it’s commitment towards road safety by associating with Pogo and Popular character Chhota Bheem. Honda together with Chhota Bheem shall spread the message on importance of road safety across the country”, said Mr. Keita Muramatsu – President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India

    “Safe riding is Honda’s priority worldwide and in India too. Research showed us that not just 73% kids between 4-14 years but also a high percentage of parents regularly watch Chhota Bheem.  Hence, it was an obvious choice for Honda to align with POGO & we are delighted to welcome Chhota Bheem. With his lively presence, Honda will spread safety message forward among kids and their families”, said Mr. Y.S Guleria, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India

    Juhi Ravindranath, Vice President, Ad Sales, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. said, “POGO is excited to partner with Honda two wheelers on this noble initiative. Chhota Bheem’s immense popularity and   admiration with kids and parents only helps us reinforce the message of road safety.”

     

  • Discovery kids brings new animation series ‘The adventures of chuck and friends’

    Discovery kids brings new animation series ‘The adventures of chuck and friends’

    MUMBAI: This New Year, Discovery Kidspresents a new animated series THE ADVENTURES OF CHUCK AND FRIENDS. Woven with life’s lessons for children,THE ADVENTURES OF CHUCK AND FRIENDSfollowsincidents of Chuck,an animated dump truck who is always curious and loves to dream big.His zeal to go places and find out how things work brings loads of excitement making it a complete entertainment treat for kids on television.

    THE ADVENTURES OF CHUCK AND FRIENDSpremieres on January 20 and will air from Monday to Friday at 12 PM on Discovery Kids.

    Rahul Johri, Senior VP and General Manager – South Asia and Head of Revenue, Pan-Regional Ad Sales and Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks a-Pacific, said,”

    In its endeavour to push the bar for innovative and enriching programming, Discovery Kids is delighted to present a new series,THE ADVENTURES OF CHUCK AND FRIENDS. The new series will embark on a learning drivethrough its captivating narrative motivating children to explore their creative mind”.

    Chuck and his friends Boomer, Digger, Handy and others are pint-sized trucks with big appetites for fun. Running on imagination and enthusiasm, these trucks turn larger-than-life inspiration into adventures in their own backyards. The series is about thrill of discovering something new, unusual action, big adventures and most of all having fun with your close friends.

    Turn the key, floor the accelerator, ignite your imagination and join Chuck in his adventures, only on Discovery Kids.THE ADVENTURES OF CHUCK AND FRIENDSwill be shown in all the three languages – English, Hindi and Tamil.

    Committed to offering a comprehensive viewing experience and catering to diverse demands of children in India, Discovery Kids programming formats include highest-quality animation and engaging live-action series under multiple genres such as adventure, folklore, nature, history and science.

     

  • Makeover helps Hungama hike ad rates by 25%

    Makeover helps Hungama hike ad rates by 25%

    MUMBAI: A little over two months since its makeover and Hungama TV has already upped ad rates by 25 per cent on the back of an estimated 25 per cent growth in viewership.

     

    It was in October this year that Disney UTV’s kids’ channel underwent a reboot, wherein a local flavour was imparted while keeping its ‘unapologetically fun loving, mischievous and boisterous’ character intact.

     

    The three-pronged revamp saw a new tagline Hungama Machaya Kya?, a new on-air look and packaging as well as a fresh interactive feel.

     

    The strategy seems to have worked for ever since, the channel has registered a 25 per cent growth in viewership as per TAM ratings (CS: 4-14; Mkt: HSM; Data period: Wk 1-48’13 All Days; 0700-2300 HRS, Basic TVTs, Kids Genre).

     

    Elaborating on what tipped the scales in Hungama’s favour, Disney UTV kids’ network programming director Devika Prabhu says: “Apart from the refreshed look, we now have new shows like VIR: The Robot Boy and Ninja Warriors (dubbed by Javed Jaffery). New episodes of popular shows as well as new movie titles are also in the pipeline. Hence, apart from the new look and feel, children have new and exciting things to look forward to.”

     

    Buoyed by the growth in viewership, the channel has hiked ad rates by 25 per cent and roped in advertisers the likes of Hero Honda.

     

    Says Disney UTV media network ad sales executive director Nikhil Gandhi: “Our confidence has only grown and we see ourselves in the top position very soon. And our clients too believe in it and hence have come on board even after a hike in ad rates.”

     

    “Today, the kids’ genre isn’t about kids anymore. It is all about co-viewing and hence, advertisers feel that they can target the whole family through this genre as well,” he adds.

     

    Going further, Hungama will be focusing on home-grown content. “Vir has got an excellent response from the viewers and we would like to explore and expand Indian content,” signs off Prabhu.

  • Green Gold store opens shop in Rajasthan

    Green Gold store opens shop in Rajasthan

    MUMBAI: Green Gold Store, the merchandising arm of the company that created Chhota Bheem has opened its first store in Rajasthan.

     

    The store opening saw the kids in Jaipur meeting their favourite toon characters.

     

    “We are excited about the launch of our store in Rajasthan with the festive season right round the corner. At Green Gold Store, our young patrons need not buy anything. They can simply spend time here and keep themselves entertained with the merchandises for as long as they like. We are looking at creating unrivaled experiences for the young ones at our stores,” Green Gold Stores head Sudeesh Varma.

     

    Added Green Gold executive director Samir Jain, “From clothing to comics, bedroom decor to accessories, movies to apparel, board-games to puzzles the store is a one stop destination for every Chhota Bheem fan. Green Gold Store houses all essential Chhota Bheem merchandises and offers a unique experience to his young fans.”

     

    This is the 30th such store in India.