Category: Kids

MUMBAI: Pogo is ready to recharge its pre-school block Tiny TV with popular children‘s animations, come 5 July.
The three- hour block will run from Monday-Friday at 9 am to showcase Oswald, Noddy, Bob The Builder and Thomas.

With Thomas & Friends, children enter a world of imagination. As children embark on a fun-filled journey with their engine friends, adventures unfold that lead to timeless life lessons. The show will be telecast at 9 am.
 
Based on the unforgettable Noddy stories created by children‘s author Enid Blyton, Make Way For Noddy aims to combine the magic of the original books with the best in modern animation technology, bringing the colourful imagery of Toyland even more vividly to life. There will be two versions of Noddy that will be telecast from 9.30 am to 11 am.

After laying a foundation of friendship and teamwork with children all over the world, Bob the Builder now brings his tools to India. The programme follows the adventures of Bob and his lovable gang of friends and talking machines as they work together to solve problems. It will be aired at 11am.

Oswald, to be aired at 11.30 am, talks about the fun adventures of a blue octopus and his quirky mix of friends that take place in the mythical metropolis of Big City. Joining Oswald is his best friend, a fussy penguin named Henry and his pet hot-dog named Weenie.
 

MUMBAI: Nick India is ready for the change.
Come 25 June, the kids entertainment channel, clad in its Indian suit, will dress up in an absolute new logo that will help it realign and unify globally with its international network.

Unlike before, the new logo will be the single point of representation for the channel across the globe.

The logo reflects Nick‘s change in its branding strategy wherein the focus will shift from ‘kids only‘ to ‘kids first and then family audience‘.

Said Nickelodeon International senior VP Steve Grieder, “Globally the change got initiated in fall last year and we finished up with the entire transition across America, Europe and Asia. India is the last major market that will undergo this makeover.”
 
On the content front, Nick will move away from acquiring properties that have a twin appeal, targeting girls and boys. The channel will now acquire content aimed individually at girls and boys while also addressing family audiences.

As for Nick India, the move is an indication of the channel going aggressive as it readies to address a new era of Gen Y kids across the country.

Said Nick India senior VP and GM Nina Elavia Jaipuria, “On the programming front, Nick will launch Artzooka, an art and craft show, on 27 June. The show will be telecast every Sunday at 10 am and every Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm. Complimenting the football season, the channel will also launch Dreamkix, a football-based show, in July. It will run from Monday-Friday at 6 pm.

That apart, Nick will also look at exploiting its digital medium to channelise revenue streams and get advertisers for this medium too.

“Over the last two years, we‘ve been the fastest growing brand in the kid‘s entertainment space. With innovative, pioneering initiatives across platforms, we aim to further dominate our leadership and widen the gap with other players in this space,” said Jaipuria.

Most recently, Nick forayed into the south market with two more languages – Tamil and Telugu. The channel is now available in four languages including Hindi and English.

MUMBAI: Turner‘s kids entertainment channel Pogo has firmed up its Sunday 8 pm band with a treat of Barbie movies to attract kids viewership.
The line up will include the titles Barbie & The Diamond Castle on 27 June, Barbie & Barbie Thumbelina on 4 July, Barbie Christmas Carol on 11 July, Barbie and The Island Princess on 18 July and Barbie Mariposa on 25 July.

In Barbie & The Diamond Castle, Barbie and Teresa tell the fairy tale story of two best friends who share everything including their love for music.

One day their simple lives change when they are given an enchanted mirror and befriend the girl trapped inside. To save their new friend, Liana and Alexa embark on a dangerous journey to the hidden Diamond Castle that will put their friendship to test. But through the power of songs and with the companionship of two adorable puppies, the girls face their challenges together and learn that friendship is the true treasure.
 
Barbie Thumbelina presents the story of Thumbelina. In this movie, Thumbelina and her friends have their patch of wildflowers uprooted and are transported to a lavish apartment in the city. When the magical world of the Twillerbees is threatened, Thumbelina sets out to prove that even the smallest person can make a big difference.

Barbie in A Christmas Carol is a story filled with Christmas carols. The tale stars Barbie as Eden Starling, the glamorous singing diva of a theatre in Victorian London. Along with her snooty cat, Chuzzlewit, Eden selfishly plans to make all the theatre performers stay and rehearse on Christmas Day.

Not even Eden‘s costume designer and childhood friend, Catherine can talk Eden out of her self-centered tantrum. It‘s up to three very unusual Christmas Spirits to take Eden on a fantastical holiday journey that will open her heart to the spirit of the season and the joy of giving.

Barbie and The Island Princess is a full-length, original musical featuring nine fantastic new songs. After being shipwrecked on an island as a little girl, Rosella (Barbie) grows up learning to talk and sing with a family of loving animals: the red panda Sagi, the peacock Azul and the baby elephant Tika.

Barbie Mariposa is a butterfly fairy who loves to read and dream about the world outside her home in the land of Flutterfield. Flutterfield is protected by the Queen‘s glimmering magical lights, but when the Queen is poisoned by the evil fairy Henna, the special lights begin to go out one by one. It‘s up to the brave Mariposa and her friends to journey beyond the safe borders of the city in search of a hidden antidote that will save the Queen.
 

 
MUMBAI: Hyderabad-based DQ Entertainment (DQE) has signed a co-production agreement with Neo Network to produce high-definition 2D digital animated series titled The Qpiz.
The pre-production of the Qpiz series will be done by Neo Network while the animation work will be executed by DQE.
 
Italian pubcaster Rai‘s satellite pay-TV offering RaiSat has already confirmed the distribution of the series on its platform.

Says DQE CEO Tapas Chakravarti, “The Qpiz is a unique concept and we are happy to partner with Neo Network on this delightful project. I am confident that this series will be very popular with its target audience and we are confident of its popularity and success especially in DQ territories for distribution, licensing and merchandising.”

The Qpiz series consists of 52 two and a half minute interstitials regarding a group of self-styled super heroines of love who valiantly and humorously try to smooth out the love troubles of others who are not successful always.

The multi-platform TV series, an original idea created by Neo Network , has a combination of slapstick humour with romance and is aimed at girls aged between 6 to 12 years.

Comments Neo Network director of Kids Entertainment Cristina Flumara, “The Qpiz is not only a fun and fashion forward TV series but most importantly it is 360 degree multi-platform project for girls that includes a website, Facebook activities, the launch of an online game and several partnerships on llicensing and merchandising that are currently taking place. It‘s a very challenging and exciting project that we hope will conquer hearts of girls.”

Neo Network is the digital entertainment company of Zodiak Entertainment, a leading creator, producer and distributor of multi-genre content for TV, internet and mobile phones.
 

MUMBAI: Cartoon Network has announced that Scooby-Doo will be back in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated from 12 July.
Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and their talking dog Scooby-Doo are back, solving mysteries in the spooky town of Crystal Cove.
 
Crystal Cove is a sleepy coastal village that boasts a long history of ghostly sightings, werewolves and glowing deep sea divers. Because of all the mystery, Crystal Cove has become a tourist hotspot, taking in major profits and the townspeople don‘t appreciate the meddling of the renowned sleuthing team.

In Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, the curious gang investigates every circumstance with a questioning mindset. Ghosts and monsters may exist, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof and the gang will stop at nothing to learn the truth of Crystal Cove. The gang will be portrayed as real teens with real problems, dealing with situations that arise in their families and personal relationships within the group.

From Warner Bros. Animation, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated features the voices of Frank Welker as Fred/Scooby-Doo, Mindy Cohn as Velma, Grey DeLisle as Daphne and Matthew Lillard as Shaggy.

MUMBAI: Elephant Capital has acquired stake in children‘s book publisher Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) for around Rs 220 million.
While the percentage of the stake is not disclosed, it is learnt that it is close to 30 per cent. The investment will be made through Elephant Capital‘s Mauritian subsidiary, Tusk Investments Fund 1.

Said Elephant Capital LLP Managing Partner Gaurav Burman, “We believe there is a huge amount of value in ACK and look forward to working with the team to fully realise the potential the business holds. I believe this will be a very successful investment for Elephant Capital.”
 
While Elephant Capital‘s co-investment vehicle will invest 500,000 pounds, Burman will invest 300,000 pounds.

Besides, the company will appoint two directors to the board of ACK, Gaurav Burman and Amit Jain, who will represent one-third of the board seats.

Gaurav Burman, incidentally, is the son-in-law of Lalit Modi. His company Elephant Capital Invests invested $ 10 million in Global Cricket Ventures that bagged the digital and mobile rights for IPL till 2017.

Amar Chitra Katha is one of the leading children‘s media companies in India with a catalogue of over 500 print and 100 digital products and 25 proprietary characters with pan-Indian recognition.
 

MUMBAI: Sun TV is ready to dress up its kids channels with localised content. As part of that gameplan, the company has entered into a broader agreement with Hyderabad-based DQ Entertainment for animated content that would include localised programming.
For starters, DQE will provide 117 hours of international animated programmes, co-produced with major European, Canadian and US partners, including the four renowned properties – Casper‘s Scare School (3D TV Series), Benjamin Bear Season 1 (TV Series), Leonardo (TV Series) and Pet Pals (TV Series).
 
The second step will be to source localised content from DQE. Says Sun TV Network channel head – Chuttii TV Kavitha Jaubin, “Localised content such as Little Krishna and Chota Bheem have been doing well amongst audiences. We have, thus, struck a broader association with DQE wherein the initial footsteps will be in international content but slowly expand to local content.”

Sun TV has the rights to broadcast these programmes in four languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across their network in India, Sri Lanka and other countries with Indian diaspora.

Sun TV, which has kids channels in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, plans to launch its Malayalam version soon. “We will be launching our Malayalam channel soon which will also be fed with local content,” admits Jaubin.

Sun TV will be targeting older kids with such content. Says Jaubin, “We are right now very strong in the pre-schooler and the 4-14-age-group segment. And now, our focus will be the 8-14-year-olds.”

DQE, which separately controls exclusive audio, visual and licensing & merchandising rights for India and many other countries, will now be able to expand its commercial opportunities through the Sun TV agreement.

Says DQE Group chairman & CEO Tapaas Chakravarti, “We believe this broadcasting contract will open up a number of potential revenue generating opportunities for these four international properties in publishing, merchandising and home entertainment.”

Elaborating further, Chakravarti notes that the Sun TV network has an extremely strong presence in India and neighbouring countries for these regional languages and “we are happy that we have started a new business journey with such a large and successful broadcaster.”

Adds Jaubin, “Our strategy has always been to provide great content and this agreement would help in proving our stronghold as a buyer in the Indian market. The titles are those which will create a good viewing base and will attract newer audiences.”
 

MUMBAI: Summer vacations are done with and children are back to school. Consequently, Disney Channel India is firming up a new lineup with Bollywood movies and local content to help keep the present audiences ticking while fetching new eyeballs through family viewership.
The focus will primarily be on Bollywood films at 11 am on weekends that will not only cater to the kids audience but drive in an entire family viewership. Currently, the acquired films that form part of the Disney library are Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Bend it like Beckham, Andaz Apna Apna and Vaah! Life Ho To Aise.
 
Said Walt Disney Television International India associate director, programming Devika Prabhu, “There is nothing better than Bollywood movies that can drive in an entire family viewership. Therefore, we are looking at more Bollywood content and are in the process of acquiring five movies. Also, we have already acquired three animated movies which are in Hindi that including Cric X, Feluda – The Kathmandu Caper and Little Pandavas.” Feluda will be premiered this month.”

For the year, the channel is also looking at live action and a complete localization route to pull in family viewership.

Elaborates Prabhu, “Our acquired live action such as Shararat, Karishma Ka Karishma, Son Pari, Majooba Ka Ajooba and Dost Bana Ghost fetched us good eyeballs. Thus, we forayed into original local production with Kya Mast Hai Life. And now we are expanding this lineup with the second season of Kya Mast Hai Life, Ishaan and Big Bada Boom.”

The channel will also launch the animated The Donald Duck show, a Classic Disney animation, this month for the Indian audience in Hindi and English.

MUMBAI: Turner International India has inked an exclusive broadcast deal with DQ Entertainment to telecast the first and second sequel of the animated feature, Balkand, on its kids channels – Cartoon network and Pogo.
This new deal with the Hyderabad-based animation and gaming art company for Turner‘s South Asia feed underscores the latter‘s aggressive move to invest and promote its “Desi-Toons” strategy.

Just recently did the company launch Kumbh Karan on Pogo, the brainchild of Turner‘s original production team and the animation being produced by Mumbai-based Cornershop.
 
Says Turner International India director programming Krishna Desai, “Promoting and supporting Indian animation is a critical mandate of Turner in India. We have been aggressively executing our “Desi Toons” strategy that includes acquiring and creating Indian intellectual property as well, providing local animations the perfect launch platforms in the form of the number one and two kids‘ channels of India – Cartoon Network and Pogo. Kids across India enjoyed Balkand on Pogo and we are sure that their response to sequels will be equally encouraging.”

This latest content agreement augments Turner‘s Indian animation library, taking the tally to 40 plus local titles acquired and/or produced by Turner in India.

Balkand, sequel one and two, follows the debut of Balkand on Pogo in 2009. Created and produced by DQE, each sequel comprises 70 minute animated features, split into three episodes of 22 minutes each.

Says DQE Group Chairman & CEO Tapaas Chakravarti, “We are very happy to partner with Turner Entertainment Networks. We appreciate their foresight and dedication to encourage production of local Indian content. This deal will help in adding to our library of Indian content and embarking on a new and exciting venture for producing Indian content.”
 

MUMBAI: South India Tamil channel Kalaignar TV launched its new kids channel ‘Chithiram TV‘ today, June 3rd, 2010 which happens to be the birthday of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi, the owner of the channel. Targeting children in the age group of 2 to 14, the regional kids channel will be a host to mostly international animation content. The channel will available on DTH throughout the world.

It has also acquired from Accel Animation, ‘Thirukkural kadhikal‘ meaning Thitukkural stories. The international content includes shows such as ‘He-Man‘, ‘Charlie Chaplin‘, ‘Hello Kitty‘, ‘Sonic Hedge Hog‘, ‘Dennis the Menace‘, ‘King Kong‘, ‘Archir & Sabrina‘ and many more. 
 
Speaking to Animationxpress.com Kalaingar TV General Manager Florent C.Pereira said “The channel would be an info edutainment channel and would focus on not only providing entertainment to the children but will also inform and educate them. The ‘Thirukkural kadhikal‘ would be aired in a format which will appeal to the Tamil audience, with ‘Kural‘ recital and narration by eminent personalities which would educate the children.”…Read more