Germany's Super RTL Inks Deal With DreamWorks; Pact Includes Exclusive Access To DreamWorks Animation’s TV Series

The entertainment news website C21Media is reporting the German television industry news in the following article that the German kids and family channel Super RTL has signed a multi-year output deal with DreamWorks Animation as it prepares for the end of its existing agreement with Disney. The new pact gives Super RTL exclusive access to DreamWorks Animation's television series – often spin-offs from DreamWorks' high-profile movies – for the next five years, as well as the chance to license the series until 2020. It is currently unclear whether the deal also includes the popular animated Nickelodeon series (Nicktoons) "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" and "The Penguins of Madagascar", which Nickelodeon Productions co-produces with DreamWorks Animation, as both Nick shows currently air on Nickelodeon Germany (Deutschland; "The Penguins of Madagascar" as "Die Pinguine aus Madagascar"):

Super RTL links with DreamWorks

German kids and family channel Super RTL has signed a multi-year output deal with DreamWorks Animation as it prepares for the end of its existing agreement with Disney.

The new pact gives Super RTL exclusive access to DreamWorks Animation’s television series – often spin-offs from high-profile feature films – for the next five years, as well as the chance to license the series until 2020.

TV shows produced by DreamWorks include Dragons: Riders of Berk for Cartoon Network, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness for Nickelodeon and the Netflix series Turbo: Fast, based on the upcoming feature film of the same name.

Last July, the firm paid US$155m for Classic Media, a move that gave it ownership of brands such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Lassie and Noddy. It is also getting closer to launching its own kids’ television channel in the US with Fox.

The content agreement between Super RTL and Disney, which accounts for about 30% of its schedule, is due to expire on December 31. Disney holds a 50% share in the channel but it remains unclear if it will relinquish this.

In January 2014, Disney Channel Germany, an ad-supported free-to-air rival to Super RTL, will go live with a mix of local productions, acquired content and feature films targeting children and families.

Since Disney acquired Das Vierte in September last year, Super RTL has increased its library of third-party acquisitions, partly through a deal with 9 Story Entertainment.

Nico Franks
28-05-2013
©C21Media

GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: Dragons: Riders of Berk, Turbo: FAST
COMPANIES: Disney, DreamWorks Animation, DreamWorks Classics, Super RTL
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: Germany

The Stars Of Nick Jr. UK's "The Go!Go!Go! Show", "Peppa Pig" And "Poppy Cat" To Attend LolliBop 2013

UK Festival Guides, a website detailing upcoming festivals taking place around the UK, has announced in the following article the exciting Nick Jr. UK news that the stars and cast of the popular Nick Jr. Channel UK and Ireland preschool shows "The Go!Go!Go! Show", Peppa Pig and Poppy Cat will be attending LolliBop 2013, The Big Bash for Little People, which will be held over Friday 16th, Saturday 17th, and Sunday 18th August 2013 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, England, UK!

On the Lolli Live stage, the stars and cast of Nickelodeon UK and Eire's preschool channel, Nick Jr. Channel UK and Ireland, popular brand show, "The Go!Go!Go! Show" - Carl, Gemma, Jade, Holly, Steve, the inquisitive Mr. Baffled and Fluffalope - will be bringing brand new pop songs, catchy, easy-to-learn dance moves and loads of laughs to LolliBop 2013 attendees, whilst fans can watch and dance along with Poppy Cat with 'Copy Poppy'. Plus, Peppa Pig will also be hosting special meet and greet sessions with her fans all weekend!

You can find more information, including the current LolliBop 2013 guest programme, and book tickets to the festival here on the official LolliBop 2013 website, lollibopfestival.co.uk:

LOLLIBOP SET TO ROCK QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK THIS SUMMER

Lollibop Festival 2013

LolliBop, The Big Bash for Little People, is returning for 2013 to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, with an incredible line-up designed to delight mini festival goers.

Joining some of the hottest names in kids’ entertainment, as well as hundreds of activities, workshops and interactive demos, are the Mr. Men and Little Miss Village Green Event and Shaun the Sheep’s Championsheeps LIVE!

The ever-popular Mr. Men will be hosting a fun maypole activity area and favourite characters, such as Mr. Bump, Mr. Tickle and Little Miss Sunshine, will be meeting and greeting fans at the Mr. Men and Little Miss reading hubs.

Shaun the Sheep will be personally on hand at the Championsheeps with sheepy shenanigans, including Shirley’s Pie-athalon, the Naughty Pig’s Sack Race and Get Fit with the Flock. Kids and parents are ‘wool-come’ to get involved!

Other big names confirmed so far, include:

- LolliBop favourites Dick and Dom return with their special mix of madcap games, songs, jokes and a foam pie or two…

- Peppa Pig will be at the festival all weekend, meeting and greeting all her little fans

- Sid Sloane and Andy Day will be hosting their very own Big Birthday Bash and everyone is invited! Expect lots of energetic songs and silliness and plenty of audience participation

- Watch and learn how to ‘Copy Poppy’ with Poppy Cat on the Lolli Live stage

- Straight from Nickelodeon to the Lolli Live Stage, The Go! Go! Go! Show are bringing brand new pop songs, catchy, easy-to-learn dance moves and loads of laughs

- Sing and dance along with the adorable Cloudbabies mini show

- Older LolliBoppers will love The Diary of a Wimpy Kid activity, which include exclusive clips of the author Jeff Kinney talking about the books and a master class showing how he draws the characters. There’s also a Wimp Wars quiz

- Experience the life-size Transformer Optimus Prime Truck, along with the Transformers Station; showcasing the new Beast Hunters toys, viewings of the cartoon series Transformers Prime and free green screen pictures

- Witness the amazing wildlife showcase with National Geographic Kids Animal Man

- Laugh along with hilarious antics from the amazing 8ft Titan the Robot

Returning LolliBoppers will also see old favourites mixed with new attractions for 2013, including:

LolliBop Live – Popular CBeebies presenter Alex Winters is comparing the live stage which plays host to some of the biggest names in kids entertainment, with live music and performances from stars of stage and screen.

Lollipalladiam - is a live theatre tent showcasing performances from pioneering and internationally renowned companies and artists. This year it features Spooked, the critically acclaimed Broken Rose Performing Arts first show for children – a hilarious and spectacular blend of dance, theatre and spoken word featuring skeletons Molly, Jinny and Charlie.

Science Zone - Make a rocket, hold a dry ice cube, or get messy with gooey slime in the LolliBop lab - brimming with exploding experiments for pint sized guests to try! London’s Science Museum will also be attending with live demonstrations and interactive activities.

Run wild and have fun in the LolliSports area. With activities including retro favourites like swingball, hula-hoop and frisbee to football tournaments and sports day style races.

3ft and under is also making a comeback but this time is it within the brand new Itsy Bitsy Zone. Activities for babies and toddlers will include soft play, baby massage, storytelling, mini discos and much more

The Lolli Promenade – Situated on the River Lea!why not relax and enjoy an ice lolly at the Lolli Promenade which also features beach hut crafts and bandstands.

Discovery Zone - will host a number of educational, interactive and hands on activities where kids can learn a new skill like beatboxing in one of the many workshops.

Lolli Stops – Enjoy crafts from puppet making, and customised fashion workshops, to balloon modelling, and graffiti painting, there is a something to make and do around every corner.

The Meadows - A perfect spot to chill out, enjoy your lunch and watch the special street performers.

There is also a wide selection of food and drink stalls at LolliBop. Extensive covered buggy parks, baby changing and breast-feeding areas are also available.

Profile Of The Rise Of SpongeBob SquarePants' Popularity In Egypt

In the following article, the British national daily newspaper The Guardian takes a look at the rising popularity of Nickelodeon's hit original animated series (Nicktoon) "SpongeBob SquarePants" in Egypt:

How SpongeBob SquarePants became massive in Egypt

The cartoon marine sponge is soaking up his newfound fame in Egypt – appearing on everything from hijabs to boxer shorts



A vendor sells SpongeBob merchandise in Tahrir Square. Photograph: Patrick KingsleyStroll the streets of central Cairo today, and two faces stand out. The first is a symbol of resistance; Jika, a teenage protester shot dead late last year, whose likeness has been repeatedly stencilled across the walls of the city centre.

The second is rather less revolutionary. It belongs to SpongeBob SquarePants. The fictional marine sponge, historically found on kids' cartoon channel Nickelodeon, is now the ubiquitous face of Egyptian [merchandise] – printed on everything from hijabs to boxer shorts, complete with spelling mistakes. (In Egypt, where western Bs are often confused with Ps, SpongeBob sometimes becomes a variant of SpongePop.) Name [an item], and chances are that someone in Egypt can sell you a Spongified version.

His appearances have become so frequent that a blog – SpongeBob on the Nile – now documents his Egyptian adventures. Vice magazine was even forced to ponder: "Is SpongeBob SquarePants the New Che Guevara?".

The explosion started about a year ago, SpongeBob on the Nile's co-founder reckons. "I remember coming back in June 2012," says Elisabeth Jaquette, a longtime Cairo resident who had returned from a year in America, "and walking through Tahrir Square, where you used to see T-shirts that said 'Egypt' and 'Revolution'. But that June, half the T-shirts were just SpongeBob."

Soon the craze spread to other wardrobe items. "Men would ask me for SpongeBob boxer shorts," says stallholder Yasser Abdel Moneim. To meet demand, Abdel Moneim now sells three different SpongeBob pant designs – sourced from China – including one that overlays the sponge with the unlikely logo of Calvin Klein. "It's still the thing that sells out first."

Egypt is not the only country to have taken to SpongeBob. Jaquette's blog memorably shows someone celebrating the Libyan revolution dressed as SpongeBob. But Jaquette argues: "People are reproducing it in ways that are very distinctly Egyptian; there are traditional hand puppets that have SpongeBob on them, tissue-box covers –– a very Egyptian thing – with SpongeBob designs."

How this all started, no one really knows. SpongeBob is shown on a private Egyptian channel, but most won't have watched much of it. Whatever Vice's headline implied, SpongeBob doesn't have any political resonance. One theory is that SpongeBob's success is symptomatic of the way that urban space has changed in Egypt since the 2011 uprising. After the revolution, a breakdown in law and order made it easier for street traders to set up shop in city centres – a phenomenon that may have led to higher sales of Spongebob tat.

Jaquette, however, isn't convinced. There may have been fewer vendors before the revolution, she says, "but there has always been one shirt or other that has been popular". For now, SpongeBob's presence is everywhere – but it may not be for ever. At the height of his popularity, Tahrir vendor Mostafa Hamed sold 30 SpongeBobs a week. But this week? Just three.

The Russian Army has also taken a shine to Nickelodeon Superstar SpongeBob SquarePants - a recent video shows soldiers marching to the SpongeBob theme tune:



If there's anyone who can bring world peace and unite the world, it's SpongeBob!

Nickelodeon UK And Britvic To Hold The 2013 Nickelodeon Fruit Shoot Skills Awards At The O2 In Greenwich, UK

In a exclusive interview with the celebrity gossip and lifestyle magazine Female First, the Australian singer-songwriter, businessman and television personality Peter Andre, who is the ambassador of Nick UK and Fruit Shoot's "Get Your Skills On" campaign, has announced the exciting Nickelodeon UK News that Nickelodeon UK and Britvic will holding the Nickelodeon Fruit Shoot Skills Awards 2013 at The O2 (formally the "Millennium Dome"), which is situated on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, UK, on Saturday 7th September 2013!:

When should we expect the skills awards to take place?

It will be later this year at the O2 Arena and that is going to be great. It’s a big campaign and I think it will be great for people to give it a shot. They will be impressed.

You can find out more information about the 2013 Nickelodeon Fruit Shoot Skills Awards, including the Fruit Shoot Skills Crew (N.C. Flex, L.A. Trucks, Connor Boost, Matti Axel, Roxy Flo, Drew Hoops, and Laura Kicks) who will be travelling the UK as part of the The Fruit Shoot Skills Tour, where they'll be helping kids learn new skills, here on NickALive!.

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Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon UK and Nickelodeon's Fruit Shoot Skills Awards 2013 news!

Nickelodeon UK And Britvic Tap Peter Andre As Ambassador For The 2013 Nickelodeon Fruit Shoot Skills Awards

Yahoo!'s celebrity gossip website, OMG!, is reporting the news in the following article that Robinsons Fruit Shoot, the British soft drink brand owned by Britvic, and Nickelodeon UK have teamed up the Australian singer-songwriter, businessman and television personality Peter Andre to launch Nick UK and Fruit Shoot's "Get Your Skills On" campaign, as part of Nickelodeon's Fruit Shoot Skills Awards 2013 campaign, which aims to give kids across the UK the chance to get active and learn some great new skills! As part of his role, Peter Andre will serve as an ambassador of the campaign:

Peter Andre has teamed up with Fruit Shoot to launch the Get Your Skills On campaign,which gives kids across the country the chance to get active and learn some cool new skills! To find out more about the Fruit Shoot Nickelodeon Get Your Skills on Campaign, Tour and Awards or to upload a video check out www.fruitshoot.co.uk.

Also, the celebrity gossip and lifestyle magazine Female First has unveiled a exclusive interview they recently held with Peter Andre where they talk about Peter Andre's role as the ambassador of Nickelodeon UK and Fruit Shoot's "Get Your Skills On" campaign:

Exclusive interview with Peter Andre


Peter Andre is the ambassador of the Fruit Shoot Nickelodeon Skills Tour which will be starting this summer. Peter says about the tour: “As a dad of young kids, I know how much fun they have trying out different things and learning new skills so I’m delighted to be part of The Fruit Shoot Get Your Skills on Campaign.”

We caught up with the talented star and loving father to find out more about this fantastic tour for kids.

Hi Peter! So, Nickelodeon has teamed up with ‘Fruit Shoot Get Your Skills On Campaign’- Could you tell us a little more about this?

It’s trying to encourage kids and parents to get their kids to do this to start learning skills. Once they’ve learnt the skills they have got their confidence. A lot of the time kids are indoors playing on gadgets. It happens to me with my children, I know exactly what it’s like, and you think to yourself, “How do I get my children outdoors learning something new when the weather isn’t great?” So this is a tour going around the country teaching these kids skills and encouraging them to be active. There is a micro site which you can upload your own skills, and there will be kids that will be confident to do this, others kids won’t be, hence why it’s good for them to go and show what they can do to build that confidence. It’s a big campaign and it’s a great campaign and it kicks off for half-term. So I think a lot of parents should get their kids involved in this.

You have been chosen to front the campaign - Are you passionate about children keeping fit and active?

Yes I am. The thing is, technology has taken over. What is considered as keeping fit sometimes is playing tennis on your Wii, which is cool, but get a kid in a tennis court, they are out in fresh air, socialising, it’s a real fitness. There isn’t anything wrong with technology, but I think to get the kids out and give them the confidence to let them learn things is a brilliant idea.

What tips have you got for parents who are unsure of how to get their children started in sports and activities?

The first thing they can do is go to www.fruitshoot.co.uk, they will see all the videos other people have uploaded with their skills, and to see other kids doing these skills, it’s more than likely they are going to want to get involved.

What advice could you give parents who want to keep their children active but want to keep it entertaining and diverse?

The lucky thing we have got with technology is that you can type in 'activities for kids' on the internet and get a huge list of ideas. I think this tour ‘Fruit Shoot Get Your Skills On Campaign’ is a great thing for the kids to go to over the summer.

When you were a child, what did you do to allow yourself to keep fit but still maintaining the element of fun?

Well I was really skinny in school and I use to get picked on in Australia for being skinny and having curly hair. So all the Aussie guys were surfing and I couldn’t surf. So I went to the gym, but I couldn’t do the weights either. So I would do sit-ups for a full hour. So I would say to my brothers, “You reckon I’ll get abs by the time I’m 16?” and sure enough I was ripped, so then I started on the weights. I did a little Kung Fu and Bruce Lee got me interested in this. I just loved how cool he was and how guys wanted to be like him. He was disciplined, focused and humble.

How do you try and ensure that your children stay active?

First thing they do when they get home from school is their homework, then they get to be social for an hour, whether that be outside or inside drawing. Then they have an hour between then to dinner to use technology to play games. On the weekends we always try and do something. The first thing is to bake cakes, and then we go out and do an activity for the day. There are lots of things to do like rock climbing. That’s why I love this campaign because it’s not about getting kids out. They are learning new skills and it gives them a whole new thing that they want to keep practising. It’s also a responsibility of parents to ensure that their kids are keeping fit and active.

The kids can meet with the ‘Fruit Shoot Skills Crew’- What do the ‘Skills Crew’ offer for the kids?

They offer to teach them the skills. I mean what a great thing, one on one. Imagine a guy teaching you how to spin a basketball on your finger or learning how to beat box. I mean, I’d love to learn, let alone the kids! This is why it’s cool for the parents to take them because they will be just as fascinated as the kids.

Nickelodeon will be there to capture the kids performing their skills. The videos will have the chance to be shortlisted for the ‘Fruit Shoot Breakthrough Award.’ What do you think the judges will be looking for?

Well I think the judges should be looking for talent, confidence and skill. Don’t forget, some of the kids don’t have the confidence until they get through. Really, what I hope they are looking for is their skills and their presentation, but confidence comes with it. If you go out confident from the start then this will help. But the confidence will come if you get through as well.

When should we expect the skills awards to take place?

It will be later this year at the O2 Arena and that is going to be great. It’s a big campaign and I think it will be great for people to give it a shot. They will be impressed.

As well as fronting the 'Fruit Shoot Get Your Skills On Campaign' what else is on the agenda for you?

I’m doing my reality show, ‘Peter Andre: My Life’, the 60-minute make-over show which will be back on ITV and they have kindly asked me to be the presenter. So I have got a lot of things lined up, it’s going to be great.

Fruit Shoot Nickelodeon Skills Tour Dates:

West Quay, Southampton-25-27 May

Arndale Centre, Manchester- 31 May-2 June

Metrocentre, Gateshead/Newcastle- 8-8 June

Westfield Stratford, London- 15-16 June

Bullring, Birmingham- 22-23 June

Braehead, Glasgow- 29-30 June

Westfield London- 6-7 July

Nickelodeon Welcomes Back Layla Lewis; Promotes Shannon Friedrichs Higdon

The children's entertainment and media news website Kidscreen is reporting the Nickelodeon News in the following article that Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has announced the international division of Viacom has made two significant appointments, with Layla Lewis re-joining the company as Vice President of content acquisitions for Nickelodeon and Shannon Friedrichs Higdon being promoted to VP of content and brand management for Nickelodeon International.

Lewis, who previously spent more than a decade at Nickelodeon UK, rejoins Nickelodeon from Turner International's Hong Kong office. She will now oversee global acquisition strategies and day-to-day acquisition management for Nickelodeon's global network of channels (Planet Nick). She will also supervise all content acquisition proposals and will be integral in the greenlighting process of new programming and partnership content. Additionally, she will work with the company's programming heads in international markets to coordinate and develop pan-regional deals for Nickelodeon's more than 70 locally programmed channels.

In her new position, Friedrichs Higdon will manage the development and execution of Nickelodeon's global programming strategy. She'll also continue to oversee the creation of centralized programming events and stunts. Friedrichs Higdon joined Nickelodeon International in 2011 after being a member of the company's US programming team since 2005.

Both are based in New York and report to Jules Borkent, SVP of global acquisitions & international programming for Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon welcomes back Layla Lewis, promotes Shannon Friedrichs Higdon

Viacom International Media Networks has made two significant appointments, with Layla Lewis re-joining the company as VP of content acquisitions for Nickelodeon and Shannon Friedrichs Higdon being promoted to VP of content and brand management for Nickelodeon International.

Lewis [...] hails from Turner International’s Hong Kong office and previously spent more than a decade at Nickelodeon UK. She will now oversee global acquisition strategies and day-to-day acquisition management for Nickelodeon’s global network of channels. She will also supervise all content acquisition proposals and will be integral in the greenlighting process of new programming and partnership content. Additionally, she will work with the company’s programming heads in international markets to coordinate and develop pan-regional deals for Nickelodeon’s more than 70 locally programmed channels.

In her new position, Friedrichs Higdon will manage the development and execution of Nickelodeon’s global programming strategy. She’ll also continue to oversee the creation of centralized programming events and stunts. Friedrichs Higdon joined Nickelodeon International in 2011 after being a member of the company’s US programming team since 2005.

Both are based in New York and report to Jules Borkent, SVP of global acquisitions & international programming for Nickelodeon.

Tags: Layla Lewis, Nickelodeon, Shannon Friedrichs Higdon, Viacom International Media Networks

Also, from Broadcast:

Nickelodeon poaches Turner exec

Nickelodeon has poached former Turner exec Layla Lewis to become its vice president of content acquisitions.

Lewis, who was director of programming, acquisitions and development at Cartoon Network Asia, will be in charge of acquisitions for the kids channel across the world. She will be based in New York and will report to Jules Borkent, senior vice president, global acquisitions and international programming, Nickelodeon.

Before joining Turner International, Lewis worked at Nickelodeon UK for ten years across its acquisitions and programming team.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Layla back to the Nickelodeon family. She brings strategic and creative vision, proven expertise in negotiating acquisitions within the kids’ genre, and extensive experience in securing entertaining and compelling content,” said Borkent.

Separately, Shannon Friedrichs Higdon has been promoted to vice president, content and brand management, Nickelodeon International.

Also, from C21Media:

Nick acquisitions chief named

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has appointed an exec from Turner International’s Hong Kong office as its VP of content acquisitions for Nickelodeon.

Layla Lewis will oversee global acquisition strategies and day-to-day acquisition management for Nickelodeon’s global network of channels.

She is rejoining VIMN after working at Turner International in China, where she was responsible for the Asia Pacific acquisitions strategies for the company’s various brands.

Prior to joining Turner in 2010, Lewis spent over 10 years acquiring and overseeing editorial content at Nickelodeon in the UK.

Returning to VIMN, Lewis will now supervise all content acquisition proposals and will be “integral in the greenlighting process” of new Nickelodeon programming and partnership content, VIMN said.

Reporting to Jules Borkent, senior VP of global acquisitions and international programming for Nickelodeon, Lewis will also work alongside the company’s programming heads in international markets on pan-regional content deals.

Elsewhere at Nickelodeon, Shannon Friedrichs Higdon has been promoted to VP of content and brand management for Nickelodeon International, to manage the development and execution of the channel’s international programming strategy.

Friedrichs Higdon will “continue to oversee the roll-out of content across Nickelodeon’s international channels and the creation of centralised programming events and stunts to ensure Nickelodeon programming around the world is globally aligned,” according to VIMN.

Nico Franks
29-05-2013
©C21Media

TAGS: Nick UK alum joins Turner Asia
GENRES: Animation, Children's
PEOPLE: Layla Lewis, Shannon Friedrichs Higdon
COMPANIES: Nickelodeon, Turner International, Viacom International Media Networks
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: US