Fanlala Unveils New Production Facility, New Web Series; Nickelodeon Star Keke Palmer Makes A Guest Appearance

From Kidscreen's iKids column:

Fanlala launches production facility, new web series

Tween online lifestyle community Fanlala is boosting its production output thanks to a newly launched Santa Monica-based studio that will focus on creating original new web series.

A range of Disney and Nickelodeon celebrity guests – including singer Keke Palmer and the band IM5 – have made appearances at the studio, which will churn out a crop of new web shows including a weekly music countdown series called The Fanlala 5ive, an online VOD series hosted by Radio Disney personality Daphne Blunt [...] entitled Daphne's Look of the Week, and a new fictional comedy series called Josie and Her Celebrity Friends.

While such content will continue to be showcased on the Fanlala website, the company is now also working with key distribution partners including YouTube, AOL On, Blinkx and Kabillion on Demand.

Along with quizzes and pools, new video content contributed to Fanlala’s growing traffic numbers last year. The social destination also features customized music, entertainment news as well as community features.

Tags: Disney, Fanlala, Nickelodeon

US Television Networks No Longer Kid Around

From Variety:

Nets no longer kid around

Cultural scolds lack reliable argument on media curbs

A common refrain emerges during the "Superheroes" chapter of "Pioneers of Television," the PBS documentary series returning this month that nostalgically looks at the medium's past.

In almost every program -- from "Wonder Woman" to "The Incredible Hulk" to "The Greatest American Hero" -- performers talk about chafing against interference from "the network," which invariably wanted to make the shows lighter, broader, more comedic.

This impulse to tone down material might have been maddening, even infantilizing, but it wasn't wholly misguided, since back then kids still represented a major part of the networks' primetime audience. And while it's clear a more mature approach has resulted in better TV and movies -- there's no comparing the campy '60s Adam West "Batman" played to Christian Bale's "Dark Knight" -- excising children from the equation is one of the least understood elements in the darkened nature of our media.

Kids haven't been forgotten, of course, but rather sequestered -- segregated onto their own brightly colored island, where they can safely pick from a bountiful menu of items like Pixar movies and Nickelodeon. Even disadvantaged kids have more options, as marketers eagerly slice the youth audience into tiny niches, from preschool to tweens.

Blocking access to baser media amounts to a giant technological game of Whac-a-Mole, but parents serious about governing their young kids' media needn't worry quite so much about children idly flipping on the TV looking for something to watch. In this personalized environment, it's all waiting there for them, mediated by devices or services like DVRs and Netflix.

As for kids seeing inappropriate fare on broadcast TV, for all the media children under 12 devour, they're simply no longer a significant component of the audience.

During the current season, a mere handful of primetime shows on the major networks average a 2 rating or better among kids, and they're a pretty innocuous bunch: "Sunday Night Football," "The Voice," "Once Upon a Time," "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Simpsons." A decade ago, the number was six times that high.

Networks are more than happy to ignore tykes because -- like most of their grandparents -- they can't sell them to advertisers. The watershed moment came in the 1990s, when Fox began scheduling edgier fare earlier in the evening, and NBC moved "Mad About You" and subsequently "Friends" into the 8 p.m. slot.

The so-called "Family Hour" had always been an ephemeral notion -- advanced mostly by cultural scolds -- but as TV exec Garth Ancier said at the time, "When Fox started moving shows that did well with adults (to 8 p.m.), it was like a dam was broken, and everybody started programming differently."

Removing kids from the conversation, however, leaves those fretful about the relationship between media and society with at best a wobbly leg to stand on. Politically speaking, protecting children has always been a winner -- the kind of argument it's difficult to rebut.

Seeking to curb what adults choose to watch is more problematic. Granted, some might think Fox's new serial-killer drama "The Following" pushes too far into the realm of grim and icky, or find CBS' "2 Broke Girls" too raunchy, but others won't. Beyond speculating about what might potentially inspire disturbed minds, such a debate is purely subjective.

Concerns pertaining to children represented the system's one reliable brake to restrain entertainment standards, for good and ill. With that responsibility diminished (if not, perhaps, wholly removed), the foundation for policing content begins to crumble. Sure, slap on ratings or advisories to assist parents, try shaming those who deserve it, but after that it's let the marketplace decide and the media buyer beware.

Some critics won't easily relinquish the gauzy ideal of a collective hearth where families gather around the TV together -- an image as dated as a clunky old cathode-ray-tube set.

Even so, shifting technology and exploding choices have conspired to undercut "Save the children" as a battle cry for those alarmed by a perceived coarsening of the media environment.

That's not to say such considerations lack merit or don't warrant discussion. Still, for those who see the steady drip toward greater creative license as a tide of raw sewage, invoking the kids won't turn back the clock to TV's pioneer days.

Nickelodeon & "Victorious" Star Ariana Grande Unveils New Video Of Jai Brooks Trying To Do Her Make-Up

From the Daily Mail:

'Blush is just for cheeks, right?' Teen star Ariana Grande posts video of boyfriend attempting to do her make-up... and the disastrous results

For many men, the contents of a woman's make-up bag are something of a mystery. And the boyfriend of Ariana Grande is no different.

In an adorable video posted on YouTube, the actress and singer, 19 exposes Jai Brooks' disastrous attempt at doing her make-up for the first time.

Clearly baffled by the choice of products on her dressing table, Jai, a member of the Australian group The Janoskians, applies lipgloss to his girlfriend's eyes, and brown eyeshadow to her cheeks.

Scroll down for video

Clueless: Singer Ariana Grande lets boyfriend Jai Brooks apply her make-up - with disastrous results

What have I let myself in for? Ariana looks at the camera on her dressing table with dread
The running commentary is just as amusing. Instructed by Ariana to tell viewers what he is doing, he describes each product as it appears to him.

'I have no idea what this is... Eyebrows?' he says, picking up a mascara.

'If you think that's what that's for, this is going to be really interesting,' she replies.

Unfamiliar with the concept of foundation, Jai picks up her DiorSkin and begins with what he thinks is 'fake tanner'.

He seems to struggle to decipher from the packaging what each product is, muttering: 'These don't even say what they do.'

Step-by-step: Jai is not entirely misguided when he begins with foundation - only he thinks he is using fake tan (left). It all begins to go wrong when he puts mascara on Ariana's eyebrows though (right)

Is this blush? Jai applies brown eyeshadow to his girlfriend's cheeks and forehead (left). The makeover is completed when he lines her lips with eyeliner (right)
Next up, Jai continues, is 'this nice pink thing... that goes on your eyelids.'

Impressed with his efforts, he adds: 'Actually it looks alright.'

Unfortunately, Jai's mistake is revealed only when Ariana turns to the camera and says: 'So far, he's put Lancome lipgloss all over my eyelids.'

Things only get worse though. Picking up a mascara, he proceeds to comb her brows with it. His explanation? The brush 'reminds [him] of eyebrows.'

Ariana's expression as she peers in the mirror speaks volumes, though, prompting an apology of: 'I'm sorry! It seemed right at the time!'

This nice pink thing... What Jai thinks is eye product actually turns out to be Lancome lipgloss

Wait - where are you going with that? Jai brandishes a mascara wand, aiming at Ariana's eyebrows
Undeterred, Jai rubs a large brush into a concealer compact, which he believes is 'blush', and proceeds to circle it on his girlfriend's cheeks.

'This one's gotta be right,' he says, adding: 'Is blush just for cheeks?'

He then proceeds to do the same with some eyeshadow though - this time taking it up to her forehead, telling viewers: 'This is brown, this is the outer layer of the face.'

His makeover is completed by lining Ariana's lips with what can only be eyeliner.

Does this hurt? Jai circles Ariana's eyes with black kohl

You did a great job: Ariana's expression fails to mirror her words as she inspects her new look
Almost speechless at the results, she says: 'Please look at what you did to me.'

His response? 'You look hot.'

Ariana Grande is most famous for playing Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon's Victorious. Her debut album, Daydreamin' is due for release early this year.

The pair have apparently been a couple since the summer, however the pair did not actually meet in person until last month, when Jai flew to New York to spend New Year with Ariana.

Video: My boyfriend does my make-up



Read more: Boyfriend Does My Makeup Tag - Ariana Grande & Jai Brooks

Weetabix And Nickelodeon UK Partner For Ready Brek's Brand New "The Ready Brek Super Smooth Guarantee" Promotion

Campaign, the UK's leading weekly magazine for the advertising industry, is reporting in an article on their official website, campaignlive.co.uk, the Nickelodeon UK news that the food processing company Weetabix Ltd., (also known as the Weetabix Food Company) has partnered with Nickelodeon UK for Ready Brek's brand new "The Ready Brek super smooth guarantee" advertising campaign. As part of the deal, the official Nickelodeon UK website, nick.co.uk, will host a special "The Ready Brek super smooth guarantee" website will allow everyone to punish Ready Brek staff and to "watch, win & laugh" the forfeits for their chance to win a brand new iPad Mini. As part of Ready Brek's "super smooth guarantee" campaign, the London, UK-based creative company 101 has designed and created the following 30 second TV spot which will run and be shown on British television channels:

Ready Brek "The Ready Brek super smooth guarantee" by 101

101 has created a campaign for Ready Brek. A TV spot, "The Ready Brek Super Smooth Guarantee", shows the ridiculous forfeits real-life employees will perform should any child find a lump in their porridge. A dedicated hub on Nickelodeon.co.uk will allow children to punish Ready Brek staff. The work was written and art directed by Thomas Ilum and Zoe Sys Vogelius. It was directed by Rafael Lopez through Stink.


At Ready Brek, we've always made super smooth porridge. In fact, we're so sure you'll never find a lump, that we're introducing the The Ready Brek super smooth guarantee. So, if you do find one, Alex, from the Ready Brek factory, will perform a ballet piece at your birthday. [...] Or switch his favourite bike to this one [really small bike]. Or Steve here will wrestle two huge Scottish wrestlers. You can do it, Steve! (No, he can't!) So try and find a lump in your Ready Brek, we're waiting. Readybrek.co.uk CREDITS Copywriters: Thomas Ilum, Zoe Sys Vogelius Art directors: Thomas Ilum, Zoe Sys Vogelius Creative director: Augusto Sola Production company: Stink London Director: Rafael Lopez Keywords: Grocery Food, United Kingdom, Ready Brek, 101, Food & Drink, Agency, Ad campaign, Agencies, Television campaign, Global, Creative agency