SpongeBob SquarePants And Patrick Star Perform At University Of Vermont Commencement

From The Huffington Post:

SpongeBob Squarepants, Patrick Star Perform At University Of Vermont Commencement (VIDEO)

Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami brought out two special guests at the University of Vermont's commencement ceremony -- SpongeBob Squarepants and Patrick Star.

Tom Kenny, a standup comic and the voice of SpongeBob, and Bill Fagerbakke, the voice of Patrick, rapped over the instrumental from Vitamin C's "Graduation (Friends Forever)."

Zarghami said SpongeBob was an appropriate topic at graduation because he represented "optimism and kindness."

"SpongeBob was oblivious to the bad things in the world, just hoping he could be the best fry cook ever," Zarghami said. "Every day for SpongeBob was, and is, the best day ever, and I hope today is your best day ever."

Watch Kenny and Fagerbakke speaking to the students in the video above.

Also, from WCAX:

SpongeBob life lesson for UVM grads

BURLINGTON, Vt. - The president of Nickelodeon, the popular children's cable channel, provided the final lesson for UVM graduates Sunday.

Cyma Zarghami, a former UVM student herself, delivered Sunday's commencement speech to more than 3-thousand grads. She told students to trust themselves, attack work and life with passion, be authentic, and try not to miss opportunities when the stars align. Zarghami says the character SpongeBob SquarePants does just that and represents the best aspects of the millennial generation.

"After just three years, it emerged as an icon of your generation. He represented pure optimism and kindness. SpongeBob was oblivious to the bad things in the world, just hoping he could be the best fry cook ever. Every day for SpongeBob was, and is, the best day ever and I hope today is your best day ever," Zarghami said.

After her speech, Zarghami introduced Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, the voices behind the show's two primary characters -- SpongeBob and Patrick.

WIN Tickets To MCM Expo London Comic Con 2012, Where Nickelodeon Will Host A Special "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Event (Including A Sneak Peek)!

According to the official SFX website, SFX.co.uk, SFX has launched an exclusive competition where you could win tickets to attend London, UK's upcoming MCM Expo London Comic Con 2012, where Nickelodeon will be hosting a exclusive "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" presentation on Saturday 26th May 2012 from 11.30am, which will feature a exclusive sneak peek showing of Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series, plus a exclusive Q&A session with the special panel stars Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", and Rich Magallanes, who is Nickelodeon's Senior Vice President for Current Animation!

COMPO Win Tickets To The London MCM EXPO

Britain's biggest pop culture festival, MCM Expo London Comic Con returns to ExCel London on 25-27 May with an awesome line-up of movie, videogame, sci-fi, comics, anime and cosplay content ready to entertain the show’s 60,000 plus visitors.

Highlights include:

* Hollywood legend Danny DeVito taking part in Universal’s panel on upcoming animated comedy The Lorax

* Comic Con visitors will get a sneak peek at the next generation of turtles, as Nickelodeon previews its upcoming CG-reimagining of the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animation with an exclusive presentation and Q&A

* Noel Clarke (Doctor Who, Kidulthood) and director Johannes Roberts in a panel on upcoming sci-fi horror movie Storage 24

* Falling Skies stars Seychelle Gabriel, who plays Lourdes, and Sarah Carter, who plays Margaret in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi drama following a group of resistance fighters in the aftermath of an alien invasion will be guests.

* Pascale Hutton, who played Abby Corrigan in Sanctuary will be presenting footage from her new show, the North America Primeval spin-off New World

* David Giuntoli, the star of Grimm

* Raphael Sbarge, Jiminy Cricket in Once Upon A Time

And, of course, there will be all the usual Aladdin’s cave of videogaming and anime stalls, cosplay compos and packed to bursting merchandise stalls.

For more information about the full programme, and who's on when, click here.

MCM Expo takes place at the London Excel in Docklands.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the event (which will be valid for either Saturday or Sunday) click here!

Tickets will be emailed and will need to be printed out in colour.

Competition is open until Wednesday evening. Winners will be informed on Thursday, to give them time to make plans if necessary.

You can enter SFX's exclusive MCM Expo London Comic Con 2012 ticket competition here, and you can find out more information about Nickelodeon's exclusive "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" presentation at MCM Expo London Comic Con 2012 here in this Nickelodeon News blogpost on NickALive!.

Tax Breaks 'No Cure-All For UK Kids'; The UK's Children's Content Business Voices Support For Government's Promised Production Tax Breaks

From C21Media:

Tax breaks 'no cure-all for UK kids'

The UK children's content business has voiced support for the government’s promised production tax breaks but warned problems with locally created programming remain.

Leading production and broadcast executives met last night at a Westminster Media Forum event in Central London to discuss financing children’s content, two months after the government proposed a tax break system for animation productions, drama and video games.

Sander Schwarz, FremantleMedia Enterprises’ (FME) president of kids’ and family entertainment, Zodiak Kids’ Nigel Pickard and Commercial Broadcasters’ Association (COBA) executive director Adam Minns were among those who supported the plan, although each warned of further hurdles for the UK toon business

In a speech, Schwarz said the tax breaks, details of which have not yet been revealed, would allow producers “to take more creative risks, invest in more series, and participate in the creation and production of a more diverse slate of content.

“The result will be a healthier, more vibrant industry, that will provide more jobs, income, cultural icons and, last but not least, valuable IP that will generate returns and profits to the UK and its economy for generations to come.”

Iain Harvey, founder of The World of Eric Carle prodco The Illuminated Film Company, said that assuming the tax breaks worked “in a similar way relative to the support for the film industry, it would lead to a significant expansion of jobs within the UK animation community.”

But Schwartz warned that while UK producers had “excelled” in preschool programming through series such as Teletubbies, Shaun the Sheep and FME’s CBeebies copro Tree Fu Tom, the same was not true of kids’ comedies – “particularly animated comedies with international appeal, or boys’ action-adventure series.”

“Both of these genres are rife with opportunities for growth for UK producers, both travel exceptionally well and there’s a strong demand from networks and other exhibitors around the world for this sort of fare.”

Pickard, CEO of kids' and family at Zodiak Media Middle East, Africa, Asia and the UK, later said tax credits would be “hugely advantageous” to the industry but warned: “It does little to solve the problem of the lack of UK-produced content on our screens.”

He called for more “plurality” and “range” in content and claimed: “In fact, there are some producers who fear that the tax incentive will mean more animation is commissioned at the expense of the budgets for drama and factual. Just look at the French children’s scene for a prime example of how this can happen.”

Meanwhile, Minns, whose COBA group represents channels such as Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, supported the proposed system and said commercial networks had “quietly become important investors in UK children’s programming.”

COBA members spend about £20m (US$31.6m) a year on new UK children’s content, he said, making them “collectively the largest source of investment for UK children’s programmes after the publicly funded BBC and [Welsh pubcaster] S4C.”

But Minns added that COBA welcomed the proposed system. “We see the tax credit as an opportunity to build on what the UK already has, by attracting shows that would otherwise be made overseas.”

Jesse Whittock
22-05-2012
©C21Media

TAGS: Tax breaks

GENRES: Animation, Children's

SHOWS: Shaun the Sheep, Teletubbies, The World of Eric Carle, Tree Fu Tom

PEOPLE: Adam Minns, Iain Harvey, Kay Benbow, Nigel Pickard, Sander Schwarz

COMPANIES: Cartoon Network, COBA, Disney, FremantleMedia Enterprises, Nickelodeon, S4C, The Illuminated Film Company, Zodiak Media

SECTIONS: C21 Kids

COUNTRIES: UK

Nickelodeon Asia To Hold Special "The SpongeBob Games" Events At Branches Of Isetan Singapore Throughout June 2012

According to the official Nickelodeon Asia website, Nick-Asia.com, Nickelodeon Asia will be holding three "The SpongeBob Games" Nickelodeon Events at branches of Isetan Singapore, where Nickelodeon Singapore is inviting Nickelodeon viewers and fans of the popular animated original Nickelodeon show "SpongeBob SquarePants" to come and "Meet and Greet SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Starfish" throughout weekends in June 2012.

Nickelodeon Asia's first "The SpongeBob Games" event will take place at Isetan Katong on Saturday 2nd June 2012 and Sunday 3rd June 2012 between 2.00pm and 5.00pm.

Nick Asia's second "The SpongeBob Games" event takes place at Isetan Scotts on Saturday 9th June 2012 and Sunday 10th June 2012 between 2.00pm and 5.00pm.

Nickelodeon Asia's third "The SpongeBob Games" event will take place at Isetan Serangoon Central on Saturday 23rd June 2012 and Sunday 24th June 2012 between 2.00pm and 5.00pm.

As a special promotion, if you spend over $30 on any SpongeBob SquarePants merchandise (on a single till receipt), you'll be able to receive a free "SpongeBob SquarePants" sports bottle (while stocks last).

You can find more information about Nickelodeon Asia's "The SpongeBob Games" event at branches of Isetan Singapore here on Nickelodeon Asia's official "What's Up - The SpongeBob Games" event page on Nick-Asia.com. You can also visit the official Isetan Singapore promotions and events page here on the official Isetan Singapore website, Isetan.com.sg.

Nickelodeon Asia To Hold Special "Nick Jr Playdate" Event At The SM Mall of Asia (MOA), Philippines, On Saturday 9th June 2012

According to the official Nickelodeon Asia website, Nick-Asia.com, Nickelodeon Asia will be holding a special Nick Junior event called "Nick Jr Playdate" at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA), in the Philippines, where Nickelodeon is inviting Nick Jr. viewers and fans of Nickelodeon's preschool shows, such as "Dora The Explorer", "Bubble Guppies", "Go, Diego, Go!", "Ni Hao, Kai-Lan", and "Team Umizoomi", to "Come and play to learn with us!".

Nickelodeon Asia will be holding Nick Jr. Asia's "Nick Jr Playdate" outdoor, off-air event at the Music Hall at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA), which is located in Bay City, Pasay City, Philippines (near the SM Central Business Park, the Manila Bay and the southern end of EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue)), which is a open-air venue which directly faces the sea, on Saturday 9th June 2012 between 3.00pm and 6.00pm, and entry will be free.

You can find more information about Nick Jr. Asia's "Nick Jr Playdate" event at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) in the Philippines, here on Nickelodeon Asia's official "What's Up - Nick Jr Playdate" event page on Nick-Asia.com. You can also visit the official SM Mall of Asia website here at SMMallOfAsia.com.

Also, from The Philippine Star:

Save the Nick Jr. play date

MANILA, Philippines - It’s gonna be a big day for Nick Jr. fans! Happy times don’t have to end with summer. As the school season kicks off this month, Nickelodeon will be treating its young fans to an exciting afternoon of games and activities with Nick Jr. Play Date on June 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, starting at 3 p.m.

Nick Jr. fans would definitely not want to miss a chance to spend a day with Dora, Diego, Kai-lan and the other Nick Jr. pals they adore. Kids will be delighted to experience what it’s like to learn and play in the happy and colorful world of their favorite Nick Jr. characters with Nick-themed booths, which feature amusing and educational activities. With hundreds of fellow Nick Jr. fans in attendance, it’s the coolest way to meet new friends by joining games, watching performances and an episode of a special Nick Jr. show. Kids will also get a chance to take home prizes from the sponsors and Nickelodeon.

Nick Jr. Play Date is free and open to all. It is presented by Progress Pre-school Gold and Toy Kingdom and co-sponsored by Cherifer Syrup, Del Monte Cheese Magic, Hapee Kiddie Toothpaste, Ocean Adventure, and Zesto.

Popular Nickelodeon Shows Deliver Great TV Ratings For Nickelodeon USA

From Kidscreen:

Ratings Watch Global

This week, EurodataTV has provided us with the ratings for the top-five program broadcasts with kids two to 11 in the US between March 5 and April 1, 2012.

The top-five programs are:

1. SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon (March 31, 5.8% rating, 23.2% share)

2. Tangled Ever After, Disney Channel (March 23, 5.5% rating, 20.3% share)

3. How To Rock, Nickelodeon (March 31, 4.8% rating, 18.5% share)

4. Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Nickelodeon (March 31, 4.8% rating, 19.1% share)

5. SpongeBob Truth or Square, Nickelodeon (March 25, 4.6% rating, 17.5% share)

** Ratings supplied by Eurodata TV Worldwide/ Nielsen Media Research

Tags: Ratings Watch Global, SpongeBob SquarePants, US