Nickelodeon UK Confirms Plans To Premiere Two Brand New Episodes Of "Victorious" In February 2012

Nickelodeon UK and Ireland have announced and confirmed on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK) that Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK will be premiering and showing two brand new episodes of the hit Nickelodeon sitcom "Victorious" In February 2012.

According to Nickelodeon UK's Tweet on Twitter, Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD will be premiering the brand new episode of the popular Nickelodeon show "Victorious" called "Beggin' on Your Knees" on Monday 20th February 2012 at 6pm (repeated at 7.00pm on Nick Replay UK), and the brand new episode of "Victorious" titled "Locked Up!" on Friday 24th February 2012 at 6.00pm (repeated at 7.00pm on Nick Replay UK).

OMG DYING ARE YOU REALLY SHOWING LOCKED UP & BEGGING ON UR KNEES IN FEB?

@NickelodeonUK - Mon 20th (Beggin') & Fri 24th (Locked Up) 6pm!!!

In the brand new episode of Nickelodeon's "Victorious" titled "Beggin' on Your Knees", Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) falls for a handsome classmate named Ryder Daniels (portrayed by guest star Ryan Rottman) who asks her to sing a duet with him, only to find out his little secret, and decides to get revenge on him at the Full Moon Jam. Meanwhile, Robbie Shapiro (Matt Bennett) undergoes a makeover to attract girls and Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) keeps getting emergency calls on her new cell phone (mobile telephone).

In the brand new episode of Nickelodeon's "Victorious" called "Locked Up!", Tori and the Hollywood Arts High School gang are offered a week-long trip to Festus' (Marco Aiello) home country of Yerba to perform for the chancellor. Their vacation is not at all like they expected, with prisoners breaking into their hotel, nasty living conditions and Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III) being bitten by a vampire moth, but the gang is forced to stay and put on a show for the chancellor. However, due to a "shoe malfunction" (Tori's shoe slips off and hits the chancellor in the eye), Tori is sentenced to four years in jail for assault. The rest of the gang follows suit when trying to bail Tori out (Robbie accidentally murders the chancellor's octopus). They have a rough time in prison until Sikowitz (Eric Lange) disguises himself as an Yerbanian prison guard and, while watching Cat teach her prison gang how to dance, Tori devises a plan with another woman to sneak out of prison. Although Nick UK and Ireland and Nick HD UK will premiere the "VicTORIous" episode "Locked Up!" on Nickelodeon Television on Friday 24th February 2012 at 6.00pm, Nickelodeon UK previously held the UK premiere of "Locked Up!" at a special exclusive "Meet And Greet The Cast Of Victorious" Nickelodeon event which Nickelodeon held at a cinema in London, UK in October 2011.

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, coming soon to Nickelodeon!" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering two brand new episodes of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" in February 2012:

This February...

[Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III): Somebodies gonna ask me about something.]

...Make It Shine on Nickelodeon...

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Yay!]

...with two massive brand new Victorious episodes!

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Awesome!]

Don't miss brand new Victorious, coming soon to Nickelodeon!

Also posted by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK):

OMG theres NEW Victorious... When is it on

@NickelodeonUK - Mon 20th (Beggin') & Fri 24th (Locked Up) 6pm!!!

Also:

When will Locked Up be on TV?!

@NickelodeonUK - Its coming SOOON! Friday 24th Feb! Oh yeah... let the countdown begin :D

And:

when will there be more new @Victorious episodes on♥

@NickelodeonUK - Beggin on Mon 20th Feb, Locked Up on Fri 24th Feb! Its Victastic!

Also:

The holidays [February Half Term 2012] may nearly be over BUT its ok because next week its double doses of BRAND NEW @Victorious ! First serving coming up Monday 6pm!

And:

Locked Up premieres on Friday! To stop myself going wild with excitement Ive been playing the Locked Up game http://ow.ly/8WUsS [direct link to Nickelodeon's "Locked Up" online game on the official Nickelodeon UK website, Nick.co.uk]

And:

Whos excited for brand new @Victorious #LockedUp tomoro? What a way to finish the 1st week bk at school with a whole hour at Hollywood Arts!

Also:

ITS TIME! @Victorious #LockedUp Tori & the gang decide to take a holiday trip to 'exotic' Yerba thinking it will b like Hawaii. But is it..?

And:

YES!!! #Victorious Locked Up is on!!! Been waiting all week for this!! This episode is gonna be EPIC! :D

@NickelodeonUK: I know! Me too!

Also:

already seen #LockedUp [...]

@NickelodeonUK: Yes you were first in the UK! [...]

And:

Does anyone else think Trina might have an anger issue?! Wow, poor dad! #LockedUp

Also:

I wish I could watch Locked Up, but i'm going to see a movie. Will it be on tomorrow?

@NickelodeonUK: Sure thing! Midday & 6pm!

And:

Gosh, would NOT want a hug off Jade. Would you be brave enough? #LockedUp

Also:

I would definitely want a hug off Jade I just would make any comment to annoy her while she was doing it haha

@NickelodeonUK: Very wise!

And:

Uh oh, the @Victorious gang ahve got themselves in a real mess this time havent they! Andres neck - ew!

Also:

Oooh I love this song! Who's excited to hear them perform All I Want Is Everything? #LockedUp

And:

Dont you love the #LockedUp special credits? Tori still manages to look really great in the prison clothes!

Also:

Oh Robbie, now what have you done?! That octopus looked kinda scary :/ @Victorious #LockedUp

And:

Dont worry if u missed @Victorious #LockedUp (or want to watch again because its soooo good) its encour-ing @ 8pm! AND midday & 6pm tomorrow

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, Monday 20th February, on Nickelodeon!" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering the brand new episode of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" called "Beggin' on Your Knees" on Monday 20th February 2012 at 6.00pm (7.00pm on Nick Replay UK):

This February, get ready for Tori's biggest performance yet!

Don't miss brand new Victorious, Monday 20th February, on Nickelodeon!

Also available on Nickelodeon HD

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, coming the 20th of February at 6pm" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering two brand new episodes of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" in February 2012:

This February...

[Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III): Somebodies gonna ask me about something.]

...Make It Shine on Nickelodeon...

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Yay!]

...with two massive brand new Victorious episodes!

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Awesome!]

Don't miss brand new Victorious, starts Monday 20th February on Nickelodeon!

Also available on Nickelodeon HD

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, coming the 20th of February at 6pm" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering two brand new episodes of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" in February 2012:

This February...

[Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III): Somebodies gonna ask me about something.]

...Make It Shine on Nickelodeon...

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Yay!]

...with two massive brand new Victorious episodes!

[Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande): So exciting!]

See Tori and the gang like you've never seen them before...

[Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies) to Tori: You've looked better.]

...in Locked Up!

[Andre: No need to stare.]

[...] It's Tori's biggest performance yet...

[Tori: I'd love to go out sometime! Wow, your arm is large!]

...In Beggin' On Your Knees.

[Tori: Awesome!]

Don't miss brand new Victorious, starts 20th of February, only on Nickelodeon!

Also available on Nickelodeon HD

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, this Monday at 6pm, only on Nickelodeon!" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering the brand new episode of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" called "Beggin' on Your Knees" on Monday 20th February 2012 at 6.00pm (7.00pm on Nick Replay UK):

Brand new Victorious!

Tori's in love!

[Tori Vega: Did I just bite you're lip?

Ryder Daniels: A little bit.

Tori: Mmnn]

But when she discovers his true intentions,...

[Tori: He was just using me to get a good grade?

Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies): You must feel pretty stupid right now!

Beck Oliver (Avan Jogia): Okay, that's a time out!

Jade: No, I was just trying to...

Beck: Go sit on the steps!]

...will she break their hearts? Or will she come back victorious?

Don't miss brand new Victorious, this Monday at 6pm, only on Nickelodeon!

Below is a streaming video and transcript of Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Don't miss brand new Victorious, Friday at 6pm, only on Nickelodeon!" trailer/promo which Nickelodeon UK is broadcasting on-air to promote Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon UK HD premiering the brand new episode of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" called "Locked Up!" on Friday 24th February 2012 at 6.00pm (7.00pm on Nick Replay UK):

In brand new Victorious...

[Tori Vega (Victoria Justice): Okay, we've got our plane fares, our hotel rooms, and all we have to do is one performance that night!]

...Tori thought she'd planned the perfect getaway...

[Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III): This dump is our hotel?!]

...but this holiday is far from paradise!

[...]

But just when they thought it couldn't get any worse...

[Yerbanian Chancellor: Four years in Yerbanian prison!]

...Tori and the gang get locked up!

[Tori: I think I know how we can can break out of this place!]

Don't miss brand new Victorious, Friday at 6.00pm, only on Nickelodeon!

Also available on Nickelodeon HD

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland's Press Office on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUKPR):

Amazing Friday so far and it gets better we're all going to nibble on some chocolate and watch new episode of #VicTORious #lockedup at 6pm!

Nickelodeon And Televisa Break New Creative Ground With "Reach For A Star", First-Ever Telenovela Adapted For The U.S., To Air On Nick At Nite USA

Below is a Nickelodeon Press Release from PR Newswire:

Nickelodeon and Televisa Break New Creative Ground With "Reach For a Star", First-Ever Telenovela Adapted for the U.S., to Air On Nick at Nite

80-Episode Daily Series Centers Around Teenage Girl Who Reaches Stardom and Wins the Love of Her Teen Idol; Produced in Association with Sony Pictures Television

MIAMI, Jan. 24, 2012 /Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite Press Release/ -- Nickelodeon, in partnership with Televisa, has ordered 80 episodes of a groundbreaking, original one-hour U.S. adaptation of the popular Mexican telenovela, Reach for a Star (Alcanzar una Estrella) for Nick at Nite, it was announced today by Cyma Zarghami, President of Viacom's Nickelodeon Group; and Jose Baston, President of Television and Content from Televisa. The first telenovela ever adapted for the U.S. audience, Reach for a Star is a single-camera, daily series following a teenage girl whose life changes completely when she becomes a star and wins the love of her teen idol. Reach for a Star will be produced in association with Sony Pictures Television and is set to premiere later this year on Nickelodeon's nighttime block for families--Nick at Nite. Production begins in March in Los Angeles, Calif.

"We have experienced first-hand the popularity of the daily scripted format with our kid audience through the success of House of Anubis and our teen audience with DeGrassi: The Next Generation," and our Nick Latin American channel has already had great success in producing telenovela's with Televisa," Ms. Zarghami said. "This partnership brings together Televisa's un-matched leadership in the telenovela genre with our expertise in making content, and we're looking forward to introducing this first true English-language telenovela to Nick at Nite's family audience."

"As part of the steps towards building a strong presence in the Anglo TV market, Televisa is excited to coproduce with Nickelodeon one of the many successful scripts from our library in a daily series format," said Baston. We are convinced that the daily series will be well received by Nick´s family audiences, and will capture their attention daily as it has happened in different markets in the world where Televisa has exported its production capabilities. The Televisa and Nick alliance will certainly result in a successful formula, and we envision Reach for a Star as the first of many joint projects.

"For more than a decade Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) and Televisa have been strategically building upon their regional partnership that today encompasses, distribution, consumer products and co-productions," said Pierluigi Gazzolo, Chief Operating Officer, VIMN. "Reach for a Star marks a dynamic new phase in our partnership and VIMN is incredibly excited to once again be expanding our content portfolio with Televisa."

Reach for a Star follows Nickelodeon's success with its live-action serialized series, House of Anubis and Degrassi. Nickelodeon has also experienced tremendous success with the format in Europe and Latin America. The Reach for a Star series is an adaptation of the hit Mexican telenovela, Alcanzar una Estrella, first broadcast on Canal de las Estrellas and Univision in 1990. The success of the series led to a film and sequel telenovela starring Latin American pop sensations, Ricky Martin and Sasha Sokol.

Reach for a Star follows a smart, shy and independent high school senior, Loren, who has ambitions of being a songwriter and secretly sends her song lyrics to her celebrity crush, rock superstar Eddie Wild. Loren's wildest dreams come true when she not only wins a songwriting competition sponsored by Eddie, but strikes up a friendship with her idol. Eddie sees beyond Loren's potential as a songwriter and gives her a first break as a singer, and when the truth about his less-than-faithful girlfriend Chloe is revealed, Eddie and Loren's friendship blossoms.

The series will be co-executive produced by six-time Emmy Award-winner Jill Farren Phelps (General Hospital, One Life to Live) and Hisham Abed (The Hills and The City). Josh Griffith (Young and the Restless, As the World Turns) will serve as head writer.

Nick at Nite is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming block that features popular hit family comedies including the Emmy Award-winning series Friends, My Wife & Kids, George Lopez and The Nanny.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd 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 and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

About Televisa

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world based on its market capitalization and a major participant in the international entertainment business. It has interests in television production and broadcasting, production of pay-television networks, international distribution of television programming, direct-to-home satellite services, cable television and telecommunication services, magazine publishing and distribution, radio production and broadcasting, professional sports and live entertainment, feature-film production and distribution, the operation of a horizontal internet portal, and gaming.

SOURCE Nickelodeon

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nick.com

Also, from C21Media:

Nick nabs Televisa novella

US kidscaster [kids broadcaster] Nickelodeon will follow hit teen dramas Degrassi and House of Anubis with a local version of a classic Televisa telenovela.

Nick has ordered an 80×60’ English-language adaptation of Televisa's Reach for the Stars (aka Alcanzar una Estrella), which the Mexican media giant created for Hispanic audiences two decades ago.

The new series will be produced in association with Sony Pictures Television and broadcast daily on Nick’s family-skewed Nick at Nite programming block later this year. Nick claims it’s the first telenovela adapted for the US market. Televisa and Sony signed a major copro pact earlier this week.

The single-camera series will tell the story of a high school girl whose life is turned upside down when she becomes a star and wins the love of her teen idol. The original ran on Televisa network Canal de las Estrellas and Univision in the US in 1990 and lead to a film and sequel novella that starred pop act Ricky Martin.

Shooting begins in LA in March. Jill Farren Phelps (General Hospital) executive produces with Hisham Abed (The Hills and the City). Josh Griffith (The Young and the Restless, As the World Turns) will pen the scripts.

The order follows Nick’s success with it serialised live-action dramas Degrassi: The Next Generation and the House of Anubis, the latter of which was the US company’s first internationally coproduced show of its kind.

“We have experienced first-hand the popularity of the daily scripted format with our kid audience through the success of House of Anubis and our teen audience with DeGrassi, and our Nick Latin American channel has already had great success in producing telenovelas with Televisa,” said Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami.

“This partnership brings together Televisa’s unmatched leadership in the telenovela genre with our expertise in making content, and we’re looking forward to introducing this first true English-language telenovela to Nick at Nite’s family audience.”

Televisa’s president of television and content Jose Baston added the production was “part of the steps toward building a strong presence in the Anglo television market” and that he saw it as the “first of many joint projects between his company and Nick.

Jesse Whittock
25-01-2012
©C21Media

Also, more from C21Media:

Blurring the language lines

As attendees arrive home from Natpe 2012, Michael Pickard looks back at how drama fared during this week’s market in Miami.

One of the main lessons to be drawn from Natpe this week in the drama space was that the lines between English- and Spanish-language content producers and broadcasters are becoming increasingly blurred.

Venezuela’s Cisneros Group of Companies (CGC) is moving into original English programming that will air on its US partner Univision or cable networks, and plans to produce a comedy in the style of Desperate Housewives. CGC is also aiming to develop English-language scripted web content.

Meanwhile, Univision, which ranks as one of the biggest networks on US television, told delegates it will begin to target English-speaking audiences by adding subtitles to some of its biggest shows, beginning with telenovela El Talismán, coproduced with Venevision.

Mad Men producer Lionsgate and Mexican media group Televisa have partnered on a long-term programming and development venture to create English-language content for US broadcast and cable networks.

The move comes on the back of their movie joint venture Pantelion Films, which launched in 2010, and the new television arm will focus on developing between six and eight scripted and unscripted original projects each year, as well as format adaptations of Televisa’s vast telenovela library.

Projects already underway include From Prada to Nada, Pantelion’s debut film that is being turned into a comedy series; Badlands, a scripted drama at ABC made in coproduction with ABC Studios and based on Televisa’s telenovela Soy Ty Duena; Terminales for ABC Family; and Teresa, based on another telenovela.

Televisa has also linked up with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) in an exclusive first-look, coproduction deal for scripted and telenovela formats, and won a commission from Nickelodeon in the US for an adaptation of the telenovela Reach for a Star (aka Alcanzar una Estrella). The show will air on Nick at Nite and is produced in association with SPT.

You can read C21Media's news article about the Natpe 2012 conference fully here on the official C21Media website, C21Media.net. NATPE stands for "National Association of Television Program Executives".

Nickelodeon Benelux Picks Up The Rights To "Mia and Me"

From Kidscreen:

New broadcast deals for Mia and Me

German brand management and media company m4e AG, its subsidiary Telescreen B.V. and its Italian co-production and distribution partner Rainbow S.r.l., have scored new sales for live-action/animation hybrid series Mia and Me (26 x 23-minutes).

The deals include Nickelodeon for free- and pay-TV in [Nickelodeon Benelux] [comprising of Nickelodeon Belgium, Nickelodeon Netherlands/Nickelodeon Nederland, and Luxembourg] and pay-TV with DR (Denmark), MTV3 (Finland), TV2 (Norway), ULTRA (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia), POP (Slovenia) and Televisa (Latin America) through a deal with Rainbow, OKTO (Singapore), RTM (Malaysia), and MT Entertainment (Indonesia).

Pay-TV rights were also sold to Finland’s MTV3 Juniori and Minimax TV in a multi-territory deal for Eastern Europe including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia.

Girl-targeted Mia and Me is set to air in all territories by the middle of 2012 and plans are in the works to expand the brand into consumer products.

m4e also recently increased its preschool portfolio by acquiring the merchandising rights for the Little Princess series.

Bin Weevils Reveals Master Toy Partner At The London Toy Fair 2012

According to this news article on Licensing.biz, "Bin Weevils", a 3D virtual world created specifically for children and which used to be a 50/50 joint venture between Prism Entertainment and Nickelodeon U.K. in the mid-2000's, and the British toy company Character Group announced at the London Toy Fair 2012 on Tuesday 24th January 2012 a multi-year toy partnership that will feature "Bin Weevils" collectible figurines, "Bin Weevils" plush toys and "Bin Weevils" play-sets amongst other toy products featuring characters from the 3D virtual world created specifically for children, "Bin Weevils":

Bin Weevils reveals master toy partner

Character Options to launch range of toys in the autumn for kids online social world.

Character Options will become the latest licensee to join the growing Bin Weevils licensing programme, with the announcement of a multi-year toy partnership unveiled at London Toy Fair today.

The product range is currently in creative development, but will feature collectible figurines, plush and play-sets amongst other toy product.

Already ranked number 2 in the UK, amongst children’s social worlds (Source: Comscore November 2011), BinWeevils has shown rapid growth in both number of users and number of licensing partners over the last year. Its popularity with its audience led to its winning the ‘best kids web-site’ children’s BAFTA award in November ahead of such competition as Moshi Monsters, Club Penguin, Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and CBBC.

Amelia Johnson, director and co-founder of Bin Weevils, said: “Our growing digital audience has been hounding us to release physical Bin Weevils toys. In response to this noisy demand, we chose Character Options as our partner in this key category because of their unparalleled track record in producing great toys and their unique understanding of how kids want to interact, personalise and collect Bin Weevils in the 'real' world.”

Jon Diver, joint MD, Character Group said: “Bin Weevils is a leading name in the world of kid’s social media and we are delighted to be working with such a creative and innovative brand. Later in 2012 Character will launch a range of toys that will replicate the fun, interactive, entertaining and educational experience that the millions of users enjoy when visiting the Bin Weevils site.”

Following on from the Best Website win at the Bafta Children's Awards in November, the Bin Weevils site had its biggest ever month in December, with over two million kids aged six to 11 visiting the site.

The licensing programme already includes Macmillan, which will be releasing a further eight new book titles in 2012, and Egmont which will launch their monthly magazine in time for February half-term. Other products currently available at retail include Top Trumps, and Bin Weevils membership cards which are available nationwide in over 3,000 UK stores.

Also, from The Guardian:

Disney's Club Penguin to launch magazine in UK

Virtual world for children makes first foray into print as it takes on British rivals Bin Weevils and Moshi Monsters

Disney's Club Penguin – until now a virtual world for children – is launching a print magazine in the UK that it hopes will increase the appeal of its snow-covered Penguin land against increasingly fierce competition from British rivals Bin Weevils and Moshi Monsters.

The Club Penguin magazine will launch on 9 February priced at £2.99. Disney says it will be a test for launching print titles in other countries, as the media group tries to develop its brand across different media.

Lane Merrifield, one of the three co-founders of Club Penguin who sold the site to Disney in 2007 for a $350mn, said that a dedicated magazine was particularly attractive to the UK market: "This type of printed magazine for kids is certainly more popular in the UK than elsewhere in the world."

He added that he expected children to contribute to its content. "We get literally tens of thousands of pieces of artwork sent to us every month which we share on the site and give kids points in-world," said Merrifield. "It's imperative that we also have kid-created content in the magazine as well."

Printed under a license deal with Panini Magazines, the Club Penguin monthly title will be judged not just by how many are sold but by how many of the game codes and "extras" included in the magazine are redeemed online by Club Penguin's target market of seven- to 11-year-olds.

Moshi Monsters launched its own print titles in several countries a year ago and now sells up to 100,000 issues a month in the UK, currently the biggest-selling UK kids' magazine. Not to be outdone, Bin Weevils will unveil its own eponymous print title a few days after Club Penguin on 15 February.

Club Penguin is the biggest global virtual world for kids reaching 150 million users internationally, but in the UK the Disney property is in fierce competition with locally owned competitors. Moshi Monsters and Bin Weevils ranked number one and two respectively, based on unique visitors to the site in November 2011, beating Club Penguin, according to Comscore data.

Egmont has the licence to publish the new Bin Weevils magazine and Watney says more off-line products are in the works under an aggressive licensing plan, including books and the first toys based on Bin Weevil characters including Tink and Clott to appear this autumn. Bin Weevils, which is privately held and counts Nickelodeon as a minority owner, has seen 300% revenue growth in the past 12 months, according to its CEO and co-investor Richard Watney.

Merrifield believes the new Club Penguin monthly magazine will bolster his concept of creating "entertainment in the cloud" where content is dispersed across many media and works to create multiplatform "fun and magical" entertainment experiences for kids.

Last September Club Penguin rolled out its first mobile app around Club Penguin fluffy pets called Puffles. In December the first-ever Club Penguin TV short cartoon, called Never Wake a Sleeping Sensei, started airing on Disney-owned television channels and on the internet. Merrifield said more TV-like content is planned for roll-out later this year.