ITV

Tag: Nickelodeon

  • Nickelodeon greenlights first new global series to be produced in Viacom’s Miami studio

    Nickelodeon greenlights first new global series to be produced in Viacom’s Miami studio

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon has announced the first series that will be produced in the new state of the art Viacom International Studios in Miami. The studio, which boasts two 15,000 sq. foot stages and was completed in late 2015, will serve as a multiplatform production hub for all of Viacom’s brands.

     

    I Am Frankie, originally produced as Yo Soy Franky by Nickelodeon Latin America in Colombia was created by Argentine writer Marcela Citterio. The English language version, I Am Frankie, is now being adapted for global audiences by Catharina Ledeboer, who has written multiple Nickelodeon hits, including most recently Every Witch Way, which completed four seasons and Talia in the Kitchen.

     

    I Am Frankie, is the story of Frankie – an experimental android who navigates the perils and wonders of being a teenager.

     

    Already in development, production on I Am Frankie will begin in the second half of 2016. Nickelodeon has ordered 20 x 30 minute episodes, which will be distributed to Nickelodeon’s global audiences spanning 160 countries and territories via the brand’s more than 80 channels and branded blocks.

     

    Viacom’s Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami said, “Miami has been a content hub for Nickelodeon for some time, creating global hits such as Every Witch Way, among others. Our talented team in Miami is truly expert at the daily serialized format – and continues to innovate their approach to both content and platforms. I Am Frankie is a fresh and different format and has incredibly talented team behind it.”

     

    Viacom International Media Networks, Americas president Pierluigi Gazzolo added, “Viacom’s commitment to top quality productions is greater than ever before – as audiences continue to demand more and more content. I am delighted that this innovative new show is among the first to be produced in this new turnkey facility.”

  • Nickelodeon greenlights first new global series to be produced in Viacom’s Miami studio

    Nickelodeon greenlights first new global series to be produced in Viacom’s Miami studio

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon has announced the first series that will be produced in the new state of the art Viacom International Studios in Miami. The studio, which boasts two 15,000 sq. foot stages and was completed in late 2015, will serve as a multiplatform production hub for all of Viacom’s brands.

     

    I Am Frankie, originally produced as Yo Soy Franky by Nickelodeon Latin America in Colombia was created by Argentine writer Marcela Citterio. The English language version, I Am Frankie, is now being adapted for global audiences by Catharina Ledeboer, who has written multiple Nickelodeon hits, including most recently Every Witch Way, which completed four seasons and Talia in the Kitchen.

     

    I Am Frankie, is the story of Frankie – an experimental android who navigates the perils and wonders of being a teenager.

     

    Already in development, production on I Am Frankie will begin in the second half of 2016. Nickelodeon has ordered 20 x 30 minute episodes, which will be distributed to Nickelodeon’s global audiences spanning 160 countries and territories via the brand’s more than 80 channels and branded blocks.

     

    Viacom’s Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami said, “Miami has been a content hub for Nickelodeon for some time, creating global hits such as Every Witch Way, among others. Our talented team in Miami is truly expert at the daily serialized format – and continues to innovate their approach to both content and platforms. I Am Frankie is a fresh and different format and has incredibly talented team behind it.”

     

    Viacom International Media Networks, Americas president Pierluigi Gazzolo added, “Viacom’s commitment to top quality productions is greater than ever before – as audiences continue to demand more and more content. I am delighted that this innovative new show is among the first to be produced in this new turnkey facility.”

  • Chrome week 51: English Entertainment gains 3.3%, Hindi GECs drop by 0.0%

    Chrome week 51: English Entertainment gains 3.3%, Hindi GECs drop by 0.0%

    MUMBAI: In week 51, the English Entertainment genre benefitted the most while the Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) genre dropped by 0.0 per cent, according to Chrome opportunity to see (OTS).

    The English Entertainment segment in six metros increased by 3.3 per cent OTS with Zee Café leading the chart with 50 per cent OTS. 

    Next in the list was English Movies genre, which recorded 2.7 per cent rise in the six metros with Movies Now as the top gainer in the section with 50.7 per cent OTS. 

    The Religious genre in Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) saw a growth of one per cent OTS with Aastha channel leading the genre with 94.2 per cent OTS. 

    Last but not the least, the Hindi News genre in HSM went up by one per cent with India TV topping the chart with 94.4 per cent OTS.

    Kids, Business News, Hindi Movies and Hindi GECs genres were among the losers in week 51. The Kids section dropped by 0.2 per cent with Nickelodeon leading the chart with 76.3 per cent OTS.

    The Business News genre saw a fall of 0.1 per cent OTS with CNBC Awaaz leading the segment with 75.7 per cent OTS. 

    The Hindi Movies and Hindi GEC genres in HSM dropped by 0.1 and 0.0 per cent OTS respectively. Max and DD National led the chart with 91.3 per cent and 95.5 per cent OTS respectively.

  • Nick HD+ set to launch on Tata Sky

    Nick HD+ set to launch on Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon’s HD channel Nick HD+ is all set to launch on the Tata Sky direct to home (DTH) platform in India.

     

    This will be the first HD channel for kids in the Indian market. Viacom18 has announced its intention to launch the channel earlier this year. 

     

    Available on Tata Sky’s channel no. 611, Nick HD+ will telecast an exclusive range of shows like Big Time Rush, Marvin Marvin, Kung Fu Panda and Zack and Quack.

     

    Viacom18 kids cluster EVP and business head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Nickelodeon has always stayed ahead of the curve and entertained kids across the length and breadth of India. With the launch of Nick HD+ our viewers will get to watch their favourite characters in high definition quality. We are certain this latest offering from the Nickelodeon franchise will further strengthen the bonds our viewers have forged with their favourite characters.”

     

    “Tata Sky’s best in class technology clubbed with the great content of Nick HD+ is sure to delight our little subscribers. Children are very important audience for us and we have been working towards brining innovative & exciting offerings for them. Pioneering to launch Nick HD+ in the country is one such proud moment,” added Tata Sky chief content and business development officer Paolo Agostinelli.

     

    Nick HD+ will also showcase local content like Motu Patlu and Pakdam Pakdai along with shows like Ninja Hattori, Shaun the Sheep, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Square Pants and Power Rangers. 

  • Nickelodeon’s ‘Shiva’ is highest rated kids show in India

    Nickelodeon’s ‘Shiva’ is highest rated kids show in India

    MUMBAI: It’s been a little over a month since its launch and Nickelodeon’s newest original kids show Shiva is already a leader in its genre. Topping the kids’ programming ranks for the last two consecutive weeks as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India’s data, Shiva has claimed the title of the most watched kid show in India.

     

    Viacom18 EVP and business head – kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria shares that she was sure Shiva had the makings of a great show for kids, as the character resonates with millions in the target group.

     

    “For any show to work in the kids category, the character has to have all the right attributes, which the kids of today want and value. With Shiva, I think we got that perfect winner yet again. Before the launch of Shiva,we had syndicated an Ormax True Value (OTV) study with boys and girls across Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. Shiva ranked highest on the OTV score in comparison to all competitive players. The testament of this character’s success lies in the ratings where Shiva has been leading the charts across the four weeks since its launch,” Jaipuria explains.

     

    Nickelodeon’s latest gift to their tiny tot audience across the country, Shiva has not just helped in maintaining the channel’s high ratings but has also taken it to a new level. If one was to take out the average of the channel’s weekday ratings for the time slots when the show airs in the last four weeks, Nick leads the category by a large margin.

     

    Shiva currently airs at 1:30 pm, 4 pm and 6:30 pm on weekdays. 

     

    Going by the time band of 1:30 pm, Nick’s ratings stand at 584 (Rat 000s), followed by Cartoon Network at 268 (Rat 000s), Pogo TV at 344 (Rat 000s), Hungama TV at 192 (Rat 000s) and Disney Channel at 298 (Rat 000s). Similar is the case with time bands starting at 4 pm and 6:30 pm with Shiva amassing ratings of 440 (Rat 000s) and 807 (Rat 000s) respectively.

     

    According to BARC India’s week 48 ratings, the show leads the top five kids program list with a rating of 691 (Rat 000s), followed by Nick’s Motu Patlu in Wonderland with a rating of 675 (Rat 000s) and Cartoon Network’s Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii at third position with 662 (Rat 000s).

     

    Jaipuria says that Shiva commands 11 per cent of Nickelodeon’s ratings and contributes to eight per cent of the channel’s slots. “In week 48, seven out of the top 10 slots belong to Shiva. With my years of working in this category, there are only a few shows which get such a heartwarming opening. Shiva topped the charts in the first week of its launch itself and continues to lead its slots,” she adds.

     

    Given the show’s popularity, advertisers are naturally buoyed. “Nickelodeon has been on a strong growth trajectory and we have been clear leaders in the genre. We have seen a huge growth in our ad rates, with advertisers continuing to show great interest in us and our characters,” Jaipuria reveals.

     

    The growing popularity of the show has also made Shiva a viable character for merchandising. “In the coming financial year, you will see a host of Shiva merchandise in the market. Stating from apparel, bags to even watches and bicycles, we will be launching Shiva merchandise across multiple categories,” Jaipuria informs.

     

    With ample faith in their home grown content, the channel also plans to take Shiva international. “All our local productions are being syndicated internationally. We presented Shiva this year at MIPCOM and talks of international syndication for our new hero are underway,” she adds in parting.

  • 5 homegrown animated characters we love on TV

    5 homegrown animated characters we love on TV

    MUMBAI: Out of all the things a 90s kid would envy a late millennial for, the joy of rooting for a desi cartoon character will probably be somewhere on top. While international animated series still enjoy a major audience patronage, kids today are increasingly preferring home grown shows where their favourite animated characters not only speak their language, but also belong from relatable cultures.

    Keeping that in mind, Indiantelevision.com compiled a list of five animated characters, which were conceptualised and launched in India.

    Read on…

    Bheem from Chhota Bheem

    When Green Gold Animation gave India Chhota Bheem in 2008, they weren’t prepared for its overwhelming reception by their tiny tot audience. This comedy adventure series that airs on Pogo gave kids their own little super hero, albeit inspired by Bheem from Indian mythology but delivered in a completely new avatar. With over 360 episodes spread across seven seasons and still running, Chhota Bheem became a household name and kids are happy to embrace him in their lives not only through television, but through various merchandising products as well. Add to that the appeal of a fascinating city like Dholakpur, and you have your perfect fiction series for kids!

    Chhota Bheem is easily one of the most popular animated characters for kids on television right now.

    Motu and Patlu from Motu Patlu

    Adapted from the classic Indian comic strip Lot Pot, this CGI animated series not only raised the bar for animated television series for kids in India but also for slapstick comedy in cartoons. It brought us even closer to the Lot Pot stars Motu and Patlu, whose witty and engaging exchanges would have us in splits in no time.

    Comparatively new to hit the television (2012) on Nickelodeon, the characters have already garnered a massive fan following and market for their merchandise. Today, Motu and Patlu not only command a massive fan base in India but enjoy an audience in Pakistan too, where it is also aired.

     Kris from Roll No 21

    Another innovative take on mythology from a modern day standpoint, Kris is modelled after Lord Krishna, but his ‘just another kid at school’ vibe is what brings him closer to the target audience. Needless to say, Kris appeals to not just the toddlers but also the preteens in the demography. In fact, the show owns its similarity to the mythology by having Kris as an incarnation of Lord Krishna himself. The story also reflects a modern take in Krishna and Kansa’s rivalry, which is shown through Kris’s continuous struggle to thwart Kanishk’s plan.

    Shiva from Shiva

    The new kid on the block, Nick’s latest original character Shiva has garnered a considerable fan base in just a month since launch. His character design and story backdrop makes him akin to international teenage superhero shows like Ben 10, which were a huge success worldwide. With his cool gadgets and charming appearance he easily stands out as a teen idol in the kids genre on television.

    Chote and Bade from 9XM

    One can argue that Chote Bade don't have a show to themselves but that doesn't change the fact that they are an iconic pair of animated characters that connected with millions of Indian youth through 9XM. In fact, the animated duo, to some extent, form the channel’s identity as its mascots. They are not only popular onscreen but their offline avatars along with their witty screenplay has often entertained us in various on ground marketing events for the channel as well.

    Their concept was an innovative way to keep the audience engaged even during intervals and breaks during segments of show, but eventually Chote and Bade evolved as characters and are considered an important part of the Indian television’s animated character family.

  • Chrome week 47: Sports genre tops the chart with the growth of 4. 1 per cent

    Chrome week 47: Sports genre tops the chart with the growth of 4. 1 per cent

    MUMBAI:  Sports genre  emerged as the top gainer across India with the growth of 4.1 per cent, making DD Sports the number one channel with 74.1 per cent Opportunity To See (OTS) in week 47, according to the Chrome Data Analytics & Media.

     

    Kids genre grabbed the second place with 1.0 per cent of growth. Nickelodeon claimed the position of the top gainer in section with 77. 6 per cent of OTS throughout India.

     

    Third on the list is Music genre in Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) witnessing a growth of 0.5 per cent. Within the section, 9XM grabbed the first place with 84.8 per cent of OTS.

     

    In infotainment section, which is fourth place in the list with a rise of 0.4 per cent, the week saw History TV 18 emerging as the top channel with 79.4 per cent of OTS.  

     

    English Entertainment, Business News, English Movies and Hindi news failed to garner enough eyeballs this week, making them the losers.

     

    English entertainment witnessed a drop of 2.2 per cent in six metros while Zee Café lead the genre with 51.4 per cent of OTS in week 47.

     

    On the other hand Business news genre dropped by 2.0 per cent in six metros. CNBC Awaaz emerged as the top loser with 76.6 per cent of OTS.

     

    On the other hand, English news took the third place after a drop of  1.2 per cent in six metros. Within the genre, Loksabha TV got 92.8 of OTS, while Hindi news genre dropped by 0.9 per cent.  India TV led the genre with 94.7 per cent of OTS.  

  • Viacom to open production studio in Miami

    Viacom to open production studio in Miami

    MUMBAI: Viacom Inc will open a two-stage, 88,000 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Miami, Florida. 

     

    The new studio, which was built by the Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) as a public-private partnership with EUE/Screen Gems Studios, will serve as a production hub for Viacom’s global entertainment brands including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

     

    “We are creating more content than ever before across all of our brands at Viacom. The Viacom International Studio in Miami will offer a turnkey facility where we can create even more original, high quality content to meet the increasing demand for long-and-short-form content on all of our global platforms,” said Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) president and CEO Robert Bakish. 

     

    “We have had terrific success with the recent live action productions we have coming from Miami, and we are very excited to be committed to doing more. We are constantly looking for new creative ideas and content formats that allow us to tell stories in a completely different way, and this facility will certainly forward that effort,” added Viacom Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami.

     

    “Viacom has demonstrated again and again that hits come from all over the world. With an established track record of multi-lingual hits including Every Witch Way and Talia in the Kitchen being produced in Miami for multiple audiences simultaneously, in global collaboration with the US and local Latin American teams, we’re excited to have the opportunity to further expand our production capabilities in the market,” said VIMN Americas president and Nickelodeon International EVP Pierluigi Gazzolo.

     

    Located in central Miami, the studio location offers access to a highly skilled, multi-lingual talent pool essential to creating global productions in multiple languages. The facilities will include two modern sound stages equipped to create a variety of content simultaneously, from daily scripted series, music specials and game shows to short form content for mobile, digital and on-air.

     

    “We welcome Viacom as a long-term partner at our new Miami studios. Our company has worked closely with Viacom to develop a facility worthy of a dynamic content producer. Today, we celebrate our relationship with Viacom, and we applaud our partners at the Omni CRA, whose vision and efforts have made this building possible,” said EUE/Screen Gems Studios COO Chris Cooney.

     

    EUE/Screen Gems has entered into a long-term lease with Miami’s Omni CRA to operate the new facility.

  • Viacom to roll out mobile TV apps suite across 180 countries in Q4-2015

    Viacom to roll out mobile TV apps suite across 180 countries in Q4-2015

    MUMBAI: Viacom has launched a suite of mobile TV apps under the brand name Viacom Play Plex, which will allow its distribution partners to offer smartphone and tablet users around the world access to the best content from all its international TV brands, anytime and anywhere.

     

    Starting in the fourth quarter of 2015, the Viacom Play Plex apps will be available to launch in every one of the 180 international territories in which Viacom owns and operates TV channels, including India.

     

    There will be a separate mobile Play app for each of Viacom’s international TV channel brands namely Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Channel, Spike and BET – offering video-on-demand (VOD) access to a range of current and library content, as well as a live, local linear stream of the relevant channel, and other content including games for Nick Play.

     

    Viacom is exploring a number of different distribution options for Viacom Play Plex, with the suite of apps being offered on both a collective and standalone basis to existing pay TV partners in every territory to integrate into their TV Everywhere services where available. A number of pay TV providers have already signed deals with Viacom to offer subscribers authenticated access to the Nick app, including NOS in Portugal, while Viacom is collaborating with a number of other providers on upcoming launches including Foxtel in Australia and OSN in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Nick app, which has been rolled out in five international markets since 2013, is being updated and rebranded as Nick Play internationally to become part of Viacom Play Plex.

     

    Viacom will also look for new distribution partners for the Viacom Play Plex apps, including mobile network operators.

     

    Viacom International Media Networks president and CEO Bob Bakish said, “Viacom Play Plex offers us maximum flexibility in distributing our content as the way viewers consume their favorite TV shows continues to evolve. These apps are designed to complement our linear pay TV channels and to allow our existing distribution partners to deepen and improve the entertainment experience they offer their subscribers. But, Viacom Play Plex also opens up new distribution opportunities for us, particularly in the fast-growing mobile TV sector, and, ultimately, positions us to succeed in a world of more personalised entertainment services and greater consumer choice.”

     

    Each branded Play app will be localised for each country in which it is made available, both in terms of language and available content, giving users more ways to access Viacom’s shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Catfish: The TV Show and Lip Sync Battle, as well as local productions.

     

    Mobile TV viewers everywhere will enjoy an intuitive, video-focused user interface and enhanced video player, which reduces loading and buffering times, as well as an algorithmic menu that adapts to their tastes. Apps will include social and sharing components, and will be available in both iOS and Android to download from the Apple App store and Google Play store respectively.

     

    Bakish added, “Viacom Play Plex allows viewers across the globe to watch the TV shows they love from their favorite Viacom brands anytime and anywhere. We believe no other international entertainment company is offering this type of innovation at this scale, serving every major demographic in every major TV market.”