Nickelodeon UK Unveils New "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Telephone Box Marketing Campaign To Advertise Nick UK Premiering Nickelodeon's Brand New "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Series From Monday 1st October 2012

To celebrate and promote that Nickelodeon will launch and premiere Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series on Nickelodeon's worldwide channels and markets (Nickelodeon International) from Autumn 2012 (Fall 2012), including on Nickelodeon UK on Monday 1st October 2012 at 5.00pm (BST (GMT+1)) and on Nickelodeon USA on Saturday 29th September 2012 at 11:00 am (ET/PT), Nickelodeon UK has unveiled a brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" telephone box advertising campaign which features characters from the cast of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" in a stance pose on the windows of telephone boxes! Nickelodeon UK's latest TMNT advertising campaign also includes a special QR code. Tina McCann, the Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK and Ireland, has Tweeted (posted) a photograph featuring one of the phone boxes which features "Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" advertising featuring Leonardo and Nickelodeon UK's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" marketing team on her official Twitter profile page (@TinaMcCannTV):

The Turtles are coming! Flanked by Nick UK's Turtle-tastic marketing team! pic.twitter.com/Ai14im2f

It is currently unknown whether Nickelodeon UK's latest "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" marketing campaign is exclusive to telephone boxes around London, UK, or involve telephone boxes around the UK and Ireland as well, and which telephone operator is carrying Nick UK's new TMNT advertising campaign.

Nickelodeon UK's Central London Studios And Offices Start To Move To Camden Lock In North London

Tina McCann, the Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK and Ireland, has announced on her official Twitter profile page (@TinaMcCannTV) that Nickelodeon UK and Ireland has started to pack up and move Nickelodeon UK's studios and offices from it's current address in Central London at 15-18 Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HU, where Nickelodeon UK's HQ has been situated since the early 1990s, to MTV Networks Europe's office building (and MTV's UK studios) which is located at 17-29 Hawley Crescent, Camden Lock, London, NW1 8TT, which is next to Regent's Canal, and which was the same building and television studios (then called "Breakfast Television Centre") that former UK breakfast television station "TV-am" used to broadcast from:

Goodbye Rathbone Place! Nick UK on the move - Camden here we come... pic.twitter.com/DT8RyNoy - - Wednesday 19th September 2012

And:

Team shot Nick UK leaving Noho! Sad but exciting.... pic.twitter.com/Lgfty31E - Wednesday 19th September 2012

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Confident About Nickelodeon's New Direction; Nickelodeon "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Merchandise Already Flying Off The Shelf And Selling Out

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Confident About Nickelodeon's New Direction

Dauman told audience at New York conference to tune into Nickelodeon in the next couple of weeks. "I feel really good what they are doing," he said.

Count Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman as a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Dauman used the opportunity at Goldman Sachs' 21st annual Communacopia Conference in New York to plug the latest incarnation of the franchise, telling the audience that the new series premiering Sept. 29 on Nickelodeon is "tremendous, a well-executed show," that he's "excited" for it and that the company already is selling out TMNT merchandise.

The investment types attending the conference are unlikely to watch, of course, but the premiere of TMNT matters to Viacom. Earlier this year, the company fended off analysts who grew noisy with speculation about why its Nickelodeon network was languishing in the ratings. Various explanations were given, from more competition in kids television to the growth of Netflix.

Dauman said he prefers to look forward rather than back at the rough patch.
Nickelodeon spent much of the year rethinking what it is doing, said Dauman. As a result, Viacom has focused more resources on the network, beefing up production and handling a reorganization. "We have over 70 percent more original shows [on Nick] than the comparable period last year," he said. "That shows the extent of production and development we've done."

Then, ticking off a list of new shows premiering soon, Dauman told the conference, "I feel really good what they are doing."

The ratings slide -- which has stabilized in recent months -- also has been speculated as being partly the cause of carriage disputes, such as Viacom's highly publicized standoff with DirecTV earlier this summer that caused a nearly 10-day blackout of Viacom channels including MTV and Comedy Central for the satellite service's subscribers.

STORY: Nickelodeon Chief Creative Officer Named Development, Production Chief

Dauman said the company has emerged from the ordeal in good shape. He is sticking to his guidance that affiliate revenue growth will be in the high-single-digit to low-double-digit range -- "probably at the upper end," he said.

Viacom still believes it has the stronger point when it comes to negotiations with cable and satellite companies. Dauman said distributors' profits have "far exceeded" the programming costs and that Viacom has benefited these companies in more low-key ways, including helping them upsell their broadband services.

As for those same cable and satellite companies that continue to maintain that programming costs need to be curtailed, Dauman noted that some of the biggest drivers of cost increases "have come from networks operating in sports, ironically owned by the distributors themselves."

Nickelodeon Needs To Improve Their Programming, According To New Report By Pivotal Research Group Analyst

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Analyst: Nickelodeon Isn't Pulling Its Weight at Viacom

The children's network needs to improve its programming, a Wall Street analyst said Monday.

The Nickelodeon cable network is dragging Viacom down, according to a 12-page report Monday from Pivotal Research Group analyst Brian Wieser.

Wieser told clients that his team analyzed Rentrak set-top box data from 8.5 million homes, compared it to Nielsen ratings and determined that TV viewership among children is up in the past 10 months, just not at Nickelodeon.

Wieser said that attempting to place the blame for Nickelodeon's lackluster performance of late on new technology is a nonstarter.

“Online video and Netflix equate to only 5 percent of the more than 40 billion person-hours of traditional linear television that is consumed in the course of a month in the United States. Among kids, the data is similar,” he writes.

Nielsen data, says Wieser, shows that “traditional television viewing among kids 2-11 has been on an upswing in recent years, year, “it is clear that Nickelodeon lost a substantial number of viewers over the past year.”

“Kids have not abandoned TV for new video platforms," the analyst writes. "There is no credible evidence that online video or Netflix impacts traditional TV viewing ... drops at Nickelodeon are still real."

Wieser said Nickelodeon’s domestic programming generated about $900 million in advertising revenue last year out of nearly $5 billion in total advertising for Viacom’s networks around the world, but he doesn’t expect growth until the second half of next year.

“This return to growth is highly dependent upon Nickelodeon improving its programming, including its content procurement, scheduling and marketing efforts,” the analyst wrote.

Wieser’s report includes a line graph comparing ratings for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Disney XD, Nick Jr., TeenNick, NickToons and The Hub going back to November, 2010.

Despite his down assessment of Nickelodeon, Wieser is bullish on Viacaom stock, with a target price of $73 and a “buy” recommendation. The shares closed a dime lower on Monday to $50.76.

Nickelodeon Star Elizabeth Gillies Records New Music At The Electracraft Music Works Recording Studio In New York City, New York, USA

According to Sonic Scoop, Nickelodeon Star Elizabeth Gillies, who plays the character 'Jade West' on the hit Nickelodeon original live-action comedy series "Victorious" and voices the character 'Daphne' on Nickelodeon's popular animated series "Winx Club", recently visited the Electracraft Music Works at The Fireplace Penthouse recording studio in Murray Hill, New York City, New York, USA to record a bit of new music:

Session Buzz: Who's Recording In & Around NYC – A Monthly Report

GREATER NYC AREA: For recording studios, this past summer had its typical ups and downs. But heading into Fall, bands like The Killers, The Vaccines and OneRepublic as well as artists like Tony Bennett, Kurt Vile, Sean Lennon, Rufus Wainright and more had been in NYC-area studios cranking on new and upcoming releases.

Starting in Murray Hill, Electracraft Music Works @ The Fireplace Penthouse hosted sessions with Mark Foster, of Foster The People, recording vocals for "Polartropic" – a soundtrack song for Tim Burton’s new film, Frankenweenie. Warren Babson engineered the session.

Also at Electracraft... Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost of the band FUN were in to work on some new material, with Matt Morales engineering... Melanie Fiona came through to record some live acoustic tracks for Cricket Mobile, with Sam Katz engineering... hip-hop artist Outasight recorded with producers The Elev3n and Morales engineering, and Liz Gillies (of Nickelodeon's Victorious) recorded some new music with Babson engineering.

You can read Sonic Scoop's full article about which artists have recorded recently in and around New York here on the official Sonic Scoop website, SonicScoop.com.

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Upbeat About Video-On-Demand Deals And Nickelodeon

From MediaPost Communications:

Viacom CEO Upbeat About VOD Deals, Nickelodeon

Viacom says many of its program deals with subscription video-on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Plus have been "additive" to the company, as well as its distributors.

Speaking at a Goldman Sachs investor conference, Viacom President and Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman says services like this help market the company's TV shows -- as well as for other Viacom distributors.

"It has been additive," says Dauman, in disputing that some of these SVOD [Subscription Video-on-Demand] program deals have been damaging, taking away viewers from the traditional TV program airings. He says some Viacom distributors have noted that these deals have been helpful from a marketing perspective.

Asked about Nickelodeon's sharp 30% dive ratings over the last year -- numbers which have stabilized recently -- Dauman says: "Clearly, we have to climb back out and look to getting progress for the rest of the year."

He notes that the big, crucial fourth-quarter period for Nickelodeon will see a 70% rise in original programming versus a year ago, highlighted by new shows, including an updated version of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." That said, Dauman notes: "It won't solve the problem completely" of the programming moves in the period. He adds: "We have learned a few things. You will see a sustained effort there."

Scatter advertising pricing has now picked up after the Olympics, says Dauman, which according to many analysts took money out of the market.

"We are seeing good demand. Scatter pricing is up in the teens [percentage gains] compared to upfront pricing. We are pleased we went into the upfront early," he adds.

But he says Europe is still in a tough advertising market due to many markets tough recessionary economies in many countries.

Tags: advertising, cable tv, media measurement, online video

Also from MediaPost Communications:

TV Diet Of Repeats Registers Viewer Dips

Just weeks before the new TV season is about to begin, broadcast and cable networks alike are looking to reverse some major declining programming trends -- including the all-important repeat programming.

A report from ad agency RPA says repeats only average 43% of the original episodes' C3 ratings (commercial ratings plus three days of DVR playback) among 18-49 viewers. This is down 3% for the 2011-2012 season. Repeats ratings were only 48% of the original episode ratings for all viewers, down 4% from the season before.

Broadcast networks are increasingly adding more repeat episodes to their prime-time lineups. Cable networks have long had a heavy diet of repeats of broadcast prime-time fare, as well as increasing their own originals.

Some of this repeat performance may have contributed to overall problems by both broadcast and cable networks. The five English-language broadcast nets were down 6% in 18-49 viewers among C3 ratings, to a collective average of 12.5 million viewers. Ad-supported cable networks were down 2% to 21.3 million. RPA notes that the bulk of cable viewing comes from the top 25 networks.

Looking at all viewers, both broadcast and cable were down 2% each in C3 -- broadcast to 32 million and cable to 52 million.

According to RPA -- in looking at C3 ratings -- CBS handled the 2011-2012 year well, down just 1% among 18-49 viewers to an average 3 million viewers. Fox fared worse -- thanks to a steep drop from its big "American Idol." It was down 15% to a prime-time average of 3.4 million. Fox still leads all networks.

NBC made big gains -- mostly due to rising ratings at "Sunday Night Football." It was up 6% to 2.8 million. ABC was down 6% to 2.5 million. Univision was down 4% to 1.8 million.

Big cable networks also generally went lower in 18-49 viewers as well as overall viewers. ESPN was down 11% to 1.3 million among 18-49 viewers, for example; USA was down 7% to 962,000; and TNT was down 22% to 793,000.

There were continued kid-viewer problems at Nickelodeon, which lost 16% of its average overall viewership to 2.3 million.

On the other side of things, thanks to reruns from "The Big Bang Theory," TBS was 14% improved to 1 million in 18-49 viewers and 12% higher to 1.8 million in overall viewers. History, another network with good news, was up 1% with 726,000 18-49 viewers and up 6% to 1.7 million in overall average viewers.

Broadcast network CW is now the 17th-ranked network -- broadcast or cable -- among all C3 average viewers. It had been 15th in the 2011-2012 season. CW was down 18% to 1.3 million viewers in the 2011-2012 season.

Tags: broadcast networks, cable tv, media measurement, tv

Former Nickelodeon Star Danny Tamberelli Jumps To Former Co-Star Amanda Bynes' Defense

From WENN via Orange UK News:

Amanda Bynes' former co-star jumps to star's defence

Amanda Bynes' former All That co-star Danny Tamberelli has reached out to the troubled actress, insisting he hopes she finds "the support she needs" as she battles a series of legal issues.

The Hairspray star worked with Tamberelli on the Nickelodeon children's sketch show, which ran from 1994 until 2005, and he admits he was saddened to hear of Bynes' recent run-ins with the law.

The actress' driving licence has been suspended after numerous traffic troubles and she is set to face trial on a DUI charge and two counts of hit-and-run next month, and Tamberelli has offered his sympathies to the 26-year-old star.

He tells TMZ.com, "Nickelodeon was nothing short of amazing to work for and they had their watchful eye on us all. They took care of us and tried not to let us go down the wrong path... (I am) very sorry to hear about Amanda's recent trouble with the law... (I hope) she can find the support she needs to work through any issues that may be going on."

Tamberelli also takes aim at another former child star, Lindsay Lohan, after she openly criticised Bynes in a post on Twitter.com in which she wrote, "Why did I get put in jail and a nickelodeon star has had NO punishment(s) so far?"

He adds of Lohan, "Given her own history with the law, it's absurd that (Lohan) would be so quick to judge another young woman under this kind of public scrutiny."

Lohan, who has been in and out of jail and rehab in recent years, suffered another setback herself this week when she was arrested in New York in the early hours of Wednesday for reportedly hitting a pedestrian while driving her Porsche Cayenne into a hotel car park in Manhattan. She was booked for leaving the scene of the accident.

Former Nickelodeon Star Danny Tamberelli starred and guest-starred in an array of Nickelodeon shows, including "The Adventures of Pete & Pete", "Space Cases", "100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd", "Figure It Out", and "All That", Nickelodeon's popular sketch show in which he co-starred with Amanda Bynes ("The Amanda Show", "What I Like About You").

Zodiak Kids Inks Master Toy Deals For Nick Jr.'s CGI-Animated Preschool Series "Tickety Toc"

From Kidscreen:

Zodiak Kids inks Tickety Toc North American master toy deal

Zodiak Kids has appointed Florida-based toyco Just Play as the master toy licensee in the US and Canada for its Nick Jr. CG-animated preschool series Tickety Toc.

It's also granted the US L&M rights to US agency Established Brands who will work with Zodiak Kids to launch a robust consumer products program for fall 2013.

Just Play will preview Tickety Toc at Dallas Toy Fair in October and launch a toy range (plush, collectable figures, plastic playsets, track and vehicle play, role play and novelty items) to mass retail partners in North America from fall 2013.

The latest deal comes on the heels of UK toymaker Vivid Imaginations being named UK and international master toy partner for the series taking distribution rights for the UK & Eire, France, Germany, Iberia, Benelux, and Nordics, as well as global manufacturing rights outside North America, Japan and Korea.

The 52 x 11-minute series is produced by The Foundation (part of Zodiak Kids) and Korea-based FunnyFlux Entertainment.

Tags: Established Brands, Just Play, Nick Jr., Tickety Toc, Zodiak Kids

Also from Kidscreen:

Zodiak Kids makes Tickety Toc master toy deal

Zodiak Kids has named UK toymaker Vivid Imaginations as the master toy licensee for its Nick Jr. CG-animated preschool series Tickety Toc.

The deal sees Vivid take distribution rights for the UK & Eire, France, Germany, Iberia, Benelux, and Nordics, as well as global manufacturing rights outside North America, Japan and Korea.

A range of toys including plush, collectable figures, playsets, puzzles and track and vehicle play are set to launch at retail in the UK and France.

The 52 x 11-minute series, produced by The Foundation (part of Zodiak Kids) and Korea-based FunnyFlux Entertainment, debuted on Nick Jr. in the UK this April and is set to launch on UK terrestrial block Milkshake! and France 5 this fall.

Additional broadcasters already on board for the series include Disney Junior (Canada), TG4 (Gaelic-language terrestrial channel in Ireland) and Pop TV (Slovenia).

Tickety Toc follows the fast-paced, comedic adventures of twins, Tommy and Tallulah Tockety and their friends as they race against time to keep the clock ticking. The series explores concepts of teamwork, social responsibility and problem solving.

Zodiak Kids owns worldwide rights to the series, with the exception of Korea and Japan. Tickety Toc consumer products are also expected to reach Canadian retail shelves after a recent deal with Toronto, Canada-based Studio Licensing.

Tags: Nick Jr., The Foundation, Tickety Toc, Vivid Imaginations, Zodiak Kids

Also, from Animation Insider:

Last month, Zodiak Kids reached an agreement for the UK toy rights for Tickety Toc, a new animated property whose Nickelodeon-enabled global rollout is on-going.

In September, Zodiak reached a deal that will land Tickety Toc toys in North America. Just Play is on board to produce a robust collection of plush dolls, playsets, role-play items, collectible figurines, and novelty products based on the preschool animation. Just Play will be targeting autumn 2013 as the projected retail date for many of its items. The CG series is produced by The Foundation (Maidstone, Kent) and FunnyFlux Entertainment (Seoul, South Korea).

The Jim Henson Company Appoints Nickelodeon And Viacom Consumer Products To Represent Their CGI-Animated Preschool Series "Dinosaur Train" In The UK

From Kidscreen:

NVCP hops on the Dinosaur Train

The Jim Henson Company has appointed Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products to rep its hit preschool property Dinosaur Train in the UK and Ireland.

NVCP will look to piggyback the licensing and merchandising success the IP has maintained in other global territories by bringing new product lines across all categories to the UK and Ireland where the series has been a hit with audiences since making its Nick Jr. debut in the regions on March 12, 2012.

Licensees in the UK market currently on board include global master toy licensee TOMY (InterAction Figures with Smart Talk Technology for 2013), and Puffin (paperback storybooks and board and novelty books), while additional European licensees are Evasion Communications (costumes), Shok ID (soft toys, France), Junior Productions (walk around characters, Sweden), Babel (publishing, Portugal), Secret Fragrancy (soap, shampoo, shower gels, Portugal), and iPlay (CDs, Portugal).

Boasting approximately 70 global licensees in total, Dinosaur Train deals were also recently inked for Latin America and Russia.

In the US, licensees include VTech Electronics (electronic learning products), MegaBrands (construction toys), Uncle Milton (science toys and kits), Pressman Toy Corp (board games), Patch Products (magnetic playsets and puzzles), Rail Events (live events), Hallmark (greeting cards, ornaments, party goods), California Costume Collections (Halloween costumes), and Crayola (Crayola Wonder, coloring books).

Dinosaur Train airs on PBS Kids and is co-produced with Singapore-based animation company Sparky Animation with participation and assistance of the Singapore Media Development Authority. UK production and financial support is provided by Ingenious Media.

Tags: Dinosaur Train, Ireland, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, Sparky Animation, The Jim Henson Company, UK

Nickelodeon Star Victoria Justice To Be A Guest On Today's Episode Of CBBC's Children's Magazine Show "Blue Peter"

Nickelodeon Star Victoria Justice, who plays the character Tori Vega on the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious", has announced on her official Twitter profile page (@VictoriaJustice) that she will be a guest on today's episode of the BBC's long-running children's series, "Blue Peter", which is the world's longest-running children's television show, today (Thursday 20th September 2012) at 5.55pm on the CBBC Channel, as part of Victoria Justice's latest visit and tour of the UK.

UK-ers! Don't 4get to tune-in to Blue Peter @ 5:55 PM today 2 watch my interview & other fun stuff. #IWantA http://instagr.am/p/PzUisUnIEy/.