ITV

Tag: MTVN Kids

  • Nickelodeon’s president Cyma Zarghami meets president Bush to discuss child obesity

    Nickelodeon’s president Cyma Zarghami meets president Bush to discuss child obesity

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami, joined president Bush and the first lady at the White House to discuss the current effort towards the fight against childhood obesity on 1 February. They joined by other food and beverage industry and entertainment executives and CEOs, the Ad Council and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
    Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami

    The meeting stemmed from the recent announcement by HHS, the Ad Council, Dreamworks SKG, Nickelodeon, and others about the launch of a new series of public service advertisements designed to help prevent childhood obesity featuring characters from the movie Shrek.

    Nickelodeon will premiere the Shrek “Be A Player” PSA on 1 February at 8 pm. ET/PT and air it throughout the year as part of the network’s on-going “Let’s Just Play” campaign, which strives to encourage kids and families to make healthy lifestyle choices, informs an official release.

    “Nickelodeon is honored to be a part of this forum today, and to be able to discuss with the President and First Lady, and many leaders in the food, beverage and media industries, how we can all work together to further the solution to childhood obesity,” said Zarghami. “We’ve taken great strides as a company to encourage healthy lifestyles among kids, and we’re pleased to see so many corporations collaborate to move the needle on this issue.”

    Participants, along with Zarghami, included: Indra Nooyi, CEO, PepsiCo, Inc.; Marc Belton, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Health, Brand and New Business Development, General Mills; Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, The Advertising Council; Alexander “Sandy” Douglas, Jr., President and COO, Coca-Cola North America; Roger Enrico, Chairman of the Board, DreamWorks Animation SKG; Ivelisse Estrada, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Community Relations, Univision Communications, Inc.; Lance Friedmann, Senior Vice President, Global Health and Wellness and Sustainability, Kraft Foods, Inc.; Jeff Montie, Executive Vice President of North America, Kellogg Company; Tom Seddon, CEO, Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust; and Don Thompson, President, McDonald’s USA.

    More than 10 million school-age children in the United States are now considered overweight. The proportion of overweight kids tripled among adolescents over the last 25 years, and nearly doubled for children ages 6 to 12. This increases their risk for adult heart disease and diabetes, lowers life expectancy, and creates additional health-care costs. The Federal government spends more than $600 million annually to fight obesity, adds the release.

    The channel claims to have committed more than $30 million and 10 percent of its non-programmed airtime to health and wellness messaging. This year marks the fifth year of Nickelodeon’s “Let’s Just Play” pro-social initiative, which is a multi-media campaign that empowers kids to recapture the spirit and benefits of active play for themselves and their communities. The campaign builds on

    Nickelodeon’s connecting with kids through all its lines of business including online, magazines and on-air messaging. Over the past two years, Nickelodeon has also awarded approximately $2.5 million in grants and through its “Let’s Just Play Giveaway” to schools and after-school programs to help provide resources that will create and expand opportunities for physical play.

     

  • Kids & parents in the US vote TV as top relaxation tool: Nickelodeon study

    Kids & parents in the US vote TV as top relaxation tool: Nickelodeon study

    MUMBAI: A research study conducted by Nickelodeon in the US, titled “The Digital Family” suggests that kids and parents believe that the television has become their medium of choice to relax. Contrary to popular belief, parents are embracing technologies just as much as kids, and view cell phones as essential part of managing their lives, while also providing kids more freedom.

    “In today’s modern family, parents and kids identify technology as a homework helper, virtual babysitter, time-keeper and a center piece of a lot of family time,” said Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami. “We found that technology has brought the need for new skills while seemingly lessening the need for others. What is very apparent is the critical role technology is playing in helping modern families functions.”

    “The Digital Family” research incorporates findings from Nickelodeon’s “Living in a Digital World” research project (2006), which explores technologies including: the internet, television, cell phones, mp3 players and more. “The Digital Family” offers insights from kids 8-14 and parents of kids 0-14, and references several findings from Nickelodeon commissioned studies (Multicultural Kids Study 2006 and Nickelodeon Wireless Study 2006), as well as Nielsen Media Research.

    The research revealed that television is still front and center in family life. No other technology has been able to take its place. In fact, television usage has increased over the last four years (since 2002) by approximately two hours a week for both kids and parents.

    Out of all the tech devices, TV seems to serve a different purpose, not only entertaining but also providing a key tool of relaxation for kids and parents in their daily lives.
    Infact, 49 per cent of parents said that TV helps them escape from their daily lives, while a larger percentage of kids (75 per cent) said it helps them escape from stress.

    Due to the use of the computer and internet – 26 per cent of parents and 24 per cent of kids agreed that it’s no longer necessary to read the newspaper. Some kids and parents also believe that because of the internet, they no longer need to be good spellers or learn to read a map.

    What’s more, the effect of mp3 players suggests that:

    – 23 per cent of parents and 33 per cent of kids 8-14 think there is no longer a need to make casual conversation.
    – 21 per cent of parents and 31 per cent of kids think there is no need to listen to the radio anymore.
    – 55 per cent of parents and 45 per cent of kids no longer see the need to purchase musical albums or CDs.

    “The Digital Family” incorporated a deprivation study, where cell phones, the internet, television and mp3 players, among others, were taken away from participating kids and parents for a period of 10 days. The deprivation research identified how parents and kids value various technologies. In particular, it found that kids and parents equate safety and piece of mind to the cell phone and no other device provides these two values the way cell phones do. And because of “digital supervision” cell phones provide, kids are gaining more and more independence.

    One parent said, “It’s a tool for me to keep in touch with them and know where they are, and allow them a little more responsibility while still having my little claws on them.”

    Tech devices like computers and the internet have become essential tools in daily living, making kids and parents much more productive and self sufficient. In some instances, the internet has almost become part of the family.

    Kids are as likely to use the internet for informational purposes as they are for entertainment. Nearly three quarters of kids use the internet for school work, says the study.

    Challenging the conventional assumption that kids bring most of the newer technologies into the home and demonstrate to their parents how to use them, most parents interviewed reported that they are actually as tech savvy or more so than kids:

    Additionally, parents are actually own cell phones, mp3 players and other devices just as much, or more so than kids. Only 2 per cent of parents are not online users and 29 per cent of kids are not using the internet.

  • Nick, MTV Family Group in the US unify magazine division

    Nick, MTV Family Group in the US unify magazine division

    MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon and MTV Kids and Family Group have announced several promotions in its ad sales department and a unification of its magazine sales division.

    Among the promotions, Jim Tricarico has been named as Nickelodeon senior VP ad sales. Nelson Boyce is now The N VP, ad sales. Noreen Rafferty, Noelle Wojciehowski and Donna Sabino have assumed VP positions within the Nickelodeon Magazine Group. The announcement was made by Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group executive VP of 360 Brand Sales Jim Perry for into whom all five positions will continue to report.

    In addition, Perry will now lead the ad sales force for Nick at Nite, the night time basic cable network serving Adults 18-49, in addition to the other Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group divisions including Nickelodeon, Noggin, The N, Nicktoons Network, Nick Online, Neopets, and emerging and digital media.

    Perry says, “As we broaden our reach with parents with initiatives like ParentsConnect.com and the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn, it makes sense to unify our sales team and to add Nick at Nite to our portfolio in order to have a more comprehensive offering for marketers trying to reach all demographics in the kids and parenting space.

    “We now have the most effective sales team in the industry to serve our marketing partners with 24-hour programs reaching preschoolers, kids, tweens, teens, parents and families.”

    Tricarico is responsible for the television sales of Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons Network, Noggin and video-on-demand. Perry adds, “Jim knows the advertising sales business inside and out with close to 25 years of media experience under his belt. As we expand beyond kids into the parenting and family market, Jim will serve us well. He has had tremendous success building relationships with new partners and establishing our brand as the primary way for marketers to get their messages to a kids and family audience.”

    The Rafferty, Wojciehowski and Sabino promotions institute a merger between the previous advertising sales teams for the individual magazines, into one unified group that sells Nickelodeon Magazine, Nick Jr. Family Magazine and Custom Publishing to marketers. Rafferty assumes the role of Vice President, Associate Publisher of Nick Jr. Family Magazine, Wojciehowski is now Vice President, Associate Publisher for Nick Magazine and Custom Publishing Director for the Nick Magazine Group, and Sabino is Vice President of Strategic Development for the Nick Magazine Group.

    Perry says, “Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group have been tremendously supportive of the Magazine ad sales business. Both magazines will continue to play important role in our multiplatform efforts to reach kids and families.”

    “The promotions within the Magazine Group will unify the sales team, which takes a more client centric approach and allows us to take this business to new heights. Noreen, Noelle, and Donna have proven to be leaders in their respective areas. Working together, they will broaden the opportunities in both magazines for our partners and further our publishing business even more.”

  • MTV Networks and Nexon announce ‘global online’ gaming partnership

    MTV Networks and Nexon announce ‘global online’ gaming partnership

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks and international game publisher Nexon have announced a partnership to create a new user experience for MTVN’S Neopets. one of the youth communities on the internet, and includes MTVN’s marketing of the launch of Nexon’s casual MMOG game titles in North America via its portfolio of television and online brands.

    The announcement was made by MTVN kids and family group executive vice president Stephen Youngwood and Nexon Japan CEO David Lee at the GSTAR 2006 Gameshow.
    Two of the first titles to be marketed under the alliance will be Maple Story and Kart Rider .

    This new service will provide users the ability to purchase premium level virtual items for customisation and personalisation, in addition to those currently available on the site. Nexon will also provide marketing and promotional support in Asia across its games portal for the new Neopets services.

    MTVN will also become a strategic marketing partner for the launch of Nexon’s first three games to be distributed in North America. Marketing campaigns will be run across a portfolio of MTVN television and online brands including MTV, MTV2, MTV U, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, The-N, Neopets.com, Shockwave.com, Addictinggames.com, Gametrailers.com and XFire.
    “We are delighted to establish this mutually beneficial partnership with one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms and the premier media partner in North America for Nexon’s wide ranging target audience. We are confident that through the alliance, Neopets will gain strong momentum in successfully serving its users with more value added services and that Nexon will be able to rapidly expand in the North American market,” said Lee.

    Neopets senior vice president and general manager Kyra Reppen added, “We are very excited about this opportunity to further widen the creative net for Neopets. This premium level experience will provide our members with an exciting new means to enhance their personal involvement with the site and represents a significant new business opportunity for our company in Asia, where Neopets will benefit tremendously from Nexon’s creative and marketing expertise.”

  • Jim Perry promoted to Nickelodeon, MTVN Kids & Family Group EVP

    Jim Perry promoted to Nickelodeon, MTVN Kids & Family Group EVP

    MUMBAI: Jim Perry has been named executive vice president, 360 Brand Sales, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. This announcement was made by Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami and MTV Networks U.S. ad sales president Hank Close.

    In this role, Perry will oversee ad sales for multiple brands across a wide variety of platforms, including Nickelodeon, Noggin, The N, Nicktoons Network, Nick Online, Neopets, the Nickelodeon Magazine Group, and emerging media. Based in New York, Perry will report to Zarghami and Close, informs an official release.

    “In his 15 years at Nickelodeon and MTV Networks, Jim has done an amazing job not only generating new partnerships with clients, but also cultivating a unique relationship between Marketing, Programming and other departments at Nickelodeon Networks to provide our partners with the best 360 degree opportunities to reach kids and families,” Zarghami said.

    “Jim has shown the strategic vision to grow the Nickelodeon services in the kids’ market, and has also unlocked the Nickelodeon value proposition for adult advertisers,” said Close.

    A 15-year veteran at MTV Networks, Perry joined in 1991 as a sales planner in the advertising sales department. In this capacity, he was exposed to all of MTV Networks cable properties — MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon. In 1992, he was promoted to account executive at Nickelodeon. In 1999, he was promoted to vice president of Nick New Business and in 2002; he was promoted to Senior Vice President, of Nickelodeon Advertising Sales.

  • ‘Nick News’ with Linda Ellerbee turns 15

    ‘Nick News’ with Linda Ellerbee turns 15

    MUMBAI: The Emmy, duPont and Peabody award-winning Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, the longest-running and most-watched kids’ news show in television history, celebrates 15 years on Nickelodeon in May 2006.

    Informed by a philosophy that ignorance is not bliss, that kids deserve and need information about the world and events that shape it, Nick News has covered major world events and other issues that affect kids in a way that no show on television ever has, earning the respect of parents, educators and, most important, kids.

    To celebrate this milestone, Nickelodeon will air Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Celebrating 15 Years of Nick News on 28 May.

    The half-hour, commercial free special is a retrospective of 15 of Nick News’ most compelling stories over the last decade and a half, and a fast-forward to meet some of the players and see what their life is like today, when they’re grownups. It shows how Nick News — and kids-have never shied away from talking, in no-nonsense language, about the crucial issues of our time-war, AIDS, terrorism, natural disasters, gay parenting, homelessness, racism, genocide-and how kids have responded by working to change their world for the better.

    “No other show gives kids the opportunity to speak their minds on important issues quite like Nick News. Nick News and Linda Ellerbee present stories about issues in a manner that empowers kids and enables them to take action. The show provides a great way for kids to initiate a dialogue with their parents. Nickelodeon is proud that for the past 15 years, we have been able to offer our audience a unique outlet like Nick News to help them do that,” said Nickelodeon Television president and MTVN Kids and Family Group head Cyma Zarghami.

    “I am the luckiest journalist in television. We tried to teach kids about life. Instead, they taught me what life is all about. I look forward to my continuing education on Nick News,” said Nick News host and executive producer Ellerbee.

    A sneak peek of Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Celebrating 15 Years of Nick News will be broadcast on TurboNick, Nickelodeon’s broadband video service on Nick.com, two weeks before the on-air special.

  • Nickelodeon ups Crosby to SVP strategy and business development

    Nickelodeon ups Crosby to SVP strategy and business development

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon has named Dominique Crosby as Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids & Family Group senior vice president strategy and business development. The announcement was made by executive vice president strategy and business operations Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, to whom Crosby will continue to report.

    “With her gift for strategic thinking and process organisation, Dominique has been a major contributor to the growth of our business. She’s a talented executive whose proven leadership will insure greater coordinated strategic thinking across lines of business and that all of our strategy and business development activities get value added input and oversight,” said Kirshbaum Levy.

    In her new role Crosby will oversee all strategy and business development at Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group and will be responsible for identifying, analysing and recommending new business opportunities, as well as providing long-term strategic analysis and vision for existing lines of business.

    Crosby joined Nickelodeon’s business development team in 2001 as director strategy and business development and was named vice president in 2002. She has spearheaded the strategy work for Spike TV’s repositioning, Nickelodeon’s long range plan and Nick’s digital television networks’ positioning and expansion. She was also a key player in vital projects including Nickelodeon’s acquisition of the online site Neopets and MTV Networks’ foray into Video-on-Demand.

    Prior to joining Viacom, Ms. Crosby was an Associate in J.P. Morgan’s Venture Capital and Private Equity group focusing on the telecommunications, technology and media industries, and also worked in the mergers and acquisitions and debt capital markets departments.