Nickelodeon Announces The Pickup Of iCarly

From PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance:

MTVN's Nickelodeon Brings Next Generation of Convergent Entertainment to Kids With iCarly: First Scripted Series That Will Incorporate Kid-Created Original Content

Thursday March 8, 9:00 am ET

Kids Will Have Opportunity to Participate in Series, Starring Drake & Josh Alumnus Miranda Cosgrove, By Posting Their Original Content Online

Series Adds to Nickelodeon's Menu of Interactive Experiences for Kids, Joining ME:TV, Nicktropolis and TurboNick

NEW YORK, March 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing its lead in providing the most innovative entertainment content for today's digital generation, Nickelodeon announces the pickup of iCarly, an all-new live-action comedy series that will not only feature a lead character (Drake & Josh's Miranda Cosgrove) who hosts her own home-grown web show, but will for the first time incorporate content from real kids as part of a scripted series. The show will launch in September 2007 on Nickelodeon.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070308/AQTH039)

iCarly is a show within a show that converges the television screen and the web for kids. During the course of the series, Carly will give viewers a specific assignment that relates to the context of a particular show. Kids will be directed to a website to post their kid created original content, which may be either scripted into a future iCarly episode or become part of Carly's web cast online.

"We are giving kids more and more ways to connect the dots of their linear and digital entertainment experiences through Nickelodeon, from the social networking of Nicktropolis, to the ability to mash up our content on TurboNick, to allowing them to send and control their own user-generated content on ME:TV," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. "iCarly will bring it all together and reflect what real kids are doing today. The show could be in no better hands than creator Dan Schneider, who has delivered hit after hit for us."

iCarly joins the numerous convergent entertainment experiences launched by Nickelodeon over the past few months. Nickelodeon's ME:TV is the first-ever live TV programming block (Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.), featuring original kid-generated content. In the three weeks since ME:TV has launched, there have been tens of thousands of content streams on the site http://www.nick.com/metv. Nicktropolis, Nickelodeon's kid-targeted virtual world, surpassed 1 million unique, registered kids this February. And TurboNick 2.0, Nick's broadband video platform which gives kids the opportunity to control their individual entertainment, had its most successful month ever in February with more than 77 million streams, an increase of +511% versus February 2006.

In iCarly, Miranda lives with her twenty-something brother/guardian Spencer (Jerry Trainor) and produces her web casts from a makeshift third- floor loft studio. Grappling with adolescence, she never aimed to gain fame as a rising star/underground celebrity to kids. As events unfold in the pilot, it all happens by accident when a teacher (guest star Mindy Sterling, Austin Powers' Frau Farbissina) puts her in charge of the school talent show. She and her sassy best bud Sam (Jeannette McCurdy) turn the audition process into a show, which Carly's tech savvy smitten friend Freddy (Nathan Kress) tapes -- including their hilarious banter and great chemistry -- and posts on the web unbeknownst to them. The online audience clamors for more, and a pop phenomenon blooms, with Miranda and sidekick Sam's regular web casts ultimately featuring everything from comedy sketches and talent contests to interviews, recipes and problem-solving.

"Hit-maker Dan Schneider has created a cutting edge TV show that integrates the web with the tube in a totally unique way," commented Marjorie Cohn, Executive Vice President of Development and Original Programming, Nickelodeon. "We have a rich history of putting kids in control with convergent programming like the Kids' Choice Awards, SpongeBob's 'Best Day Ever' and ME:TV; iCarly takes that kid empowerment strategy one step further."

Nickelodeon has green-lit 13 episodes of the comedy series. Cameras will begin to roll in Los Angeles in late March.

Underscoring the Nick kid-empowerment philosophy, Schneider says, "iCarly aims to give kids an unfiltered voice with Carly's web cast and by showcasing kids' ideas, inventions and talents. It's a series that is intended to involve real kids across America and illustrate how they are currently experiencing entertainment."

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, in its 28th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 92 million households and has been the number-one- rated basic cable network for almost 12 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA - News, VIA.B - News).

About MTV Networks and Viacom

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA - News, VIA.B - News), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 135 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Viacom is a leading global entertainment content company, with prominent and respected brands in focused demographics. Engaging its audiences through television, motion pictures and digital platforms, Viacom reaches its audiences wherever they consume content. Viacom's leading brands include the multiplatform properties of MTV Networks, including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 135 networks around the world, as well as digital assets such as Neopets, Xfire and Atom Entertainment; BET Networks; Paramount Pictures; Paramount Home Entertainment; DreamWorks; and Famous Music. More information about Viacom and its businesses is available at http://www.viacom.com.

Source: Nickelodeon