NickALive!: 09/25/14

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Nickelodeon Unveils New "The Legend of Korra" Video Game Preview

To celebrate Nickelodeon's upcoming highly anticipated brand-new downloadable video game based on the networks popular original fantasy steampunk-themed animated series (Nicktoon) "The Legend of Korra" by Activision and Platinum Games, Nick's official "The Legend of Korra" Facebook profile page, Facebook.com/LegendOfKorra, has unveiled a brand-new exclusive featurette titled "The Making of an Epic Game with Platinum Games" which takes a look at the video games game-play and features the games producers - Activision producer Robert Conkey and Platinum Games' producer Atshushi Kurooka - taking about how they made the all-new "Legend of Korra" video game, including the games final boss battle, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the brand-new TLoK game, which you can watch in the online streaming video clip below!:

Nickelodeon's brand-new "The Legend of Korra" video game will be released on PlayStation Network, for the Playstation 3 and Playstation 4, and PC on Tuesday 21st October 2014 and on the Xbox Marketplace for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One on Wednesday 22nd October 2014! Follow the discussion on social media using #KorraGame!

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Nickelodeon Australia Presenters Luke and Wyatt Talk About SLIMEFEST 2014; Cody Simpson Slimes Younger Sister Alli Simpson

To celebrate Nickelodeon Australia holding the networks 3rd annual SLIMEFEST event, SLIMEFEST 2014, the BIGGEST kid-powered, star filled family slimefest of the year, which this year is going to be bigger, better and SLIMIER than ever before and feature the most slime of all time, this weekend in Sydney and Melbourne, The West Australian has unveiled a exclusive interview with Nickelodeon Australia presenters Luke Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd, who will be hosting SLIMEFEST 2014, which you can read in the article below!

As part of their interview, Luke and Wyatt talk about hosting Nickelodeon, "Camp Orange" and SLIMEFEST, talk about how Nickelodeon is working on increasingly creative ways to deliver slime (a slime cannon is in discussions), and hint that SLIMEFEST could be visiting Perth, their hometown, as part of Nick's fourth annual SLIMEFEST event, SLIMEFEST 2015!

Additionally, in a separate article, The Daily Telegraph Australia is reporting that to further celebrate Nickelodeon SLIMEFEST 2014, Cody Simpson slimed his younger sister Alli Simpson with Nickelodeon's famous green slime in Sydney ahead of their performances at SLIMEFEST 2014, where Alli will be performing live for the first time ever! Alli also hints that she'll be getting slimed at SLIMEFEST 2014!

From The West Australian via Yahoo! News Australia:

It could get messy

Luke Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd. Picture: Mark Metcalfe. The West Australian.

For the past five years, West Aussie entertainers Luke Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd have had a blast as the hosts of Nickelodeon's children's game show Camp Orange. So when I suggest the now 30-year-old duo may be getting a little old school for the network's primary school demographic, the WAAPA-trained performers and best mates burst into laughter.

"Well I didn't think that, but I do now, thanks," Nixon-Lloyd says in mock shock.

"Yeah, we're getting old," Ryan agrees. "I just turned 30 and that's a scary age in kids' entertainment! When you turn 30 it's like 'jeepers creepers!' But the thing about Nickelodeon is that they're so supportive of us. They allow us to have that Peter Pan thing going on, where we don't have to grow up at work. We just get to be big idiots."

Big idiots is exactly what they will get to be, again, as Nickelodeon's third annual Slimefest gushes into Sydney and Melbourne this weekend with more concerts, games and icky sticky slime than ever before. More than 9000 screaming kids will get to enjoy free rides, games and non-stop performances from the likes of Ricki-Lee, Dami Im, Cody Simpson, Alli Simpson, Justice Crew, Sabrina Carpenter, The Collective, Timomatic and Savage.

"This is going to be the experience of a lifetime," said The X-Factor winner Im. "I'm not afraid to get messy, bring it on!"

Perth viewers will be able to catch the best bits of all the gooey action with a 90-minute special on Monday.

"We're really pumped because we're doing two cities this year," says Nixon-Lloyd, who has co-hosted the sludge-fest with WAAPA theatre arts graduate Ryan for the past two years in Sydney. "We're doubling the fun and we've got a great mix of local acts and great international names. It's going to be good clean messy fun!"

The emphasis, Nixon-Lloyd says, is on mess, with the annual slime-a-palooza aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the most kids slimed - ever!

"When we've been doing rehearsals, we have to keep stopping as they bring in forklifts carrying these big megalitre containers full of slime," Manjimup-raised Nixon-Lloyd explains. "And they bring in unending supplies of the stuff. After 70 or so containers I thought 'yeah, that's enough,' and then they bring in 70 more! So yeah, it's a lot."

"And in past Slimefests," Geraldton-raised Ryan adds, "the goo was distributed in inventive ways, such as a slime guns, a dunk tank and a slime shower. But Nickelodeon is working on increasingly creative ways to deliver dollops of goop. A slime cannon is in discussions.

"And there's a real possibility that we could tour it to our home town of Perth next year, because I really want to see that new Perth Arena covered in slime."

The duo made the move from Melbourne - where they were often roomies - to Sydney last year to be closer to Foxtel and Nickelodeon's HQ.

"It's been really great doing Camp Orange, lots of web stuff and Slimefest. We're involved in all the writing of things and are much more hands on," says Nixon-Lloyd.

The pair also perform various hosting gigs and stand-up comedy as solo and comedy duos. As for Camp Orange, there's no stopping the veteran hosts.

"It's just so much fun to do," Nixon-Lloyd says. "It's all about messing around and being a big kid.

"It's not mean-spirited. It's just great fun. We love doing it."

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand and SLIMEFEST 2014 News!

Netflix Orders "Winx Club WOW: World Of Winx" From Rainbow; "The Mystery Of The Abyss" To Debut On SVoD Service Following Theatrical Release

The entertainment and media news websites Variety and Deadline are reporting the Winx-Tastic news in the following articles that the subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service Netflix is expanding its original kids programming slate with "Winx Club WOW: World Of Winx", a spinoff from the popular "Winx Club" franchise!

Netflix has teamed with "Winx Club" producer Rainbow Studios, the company of the franchise's creator Iginio Straffi, for two seasons of the new series, which is due to debut in early 2016 and Autumn/Fall 2016. The seasons, each consisting of thirteen 22-minute episodes, will be exclusively available in all Netflix territories including France and Germany.

In "Winx Club WOW", the fairies embark on an undercover journey all around the world looking for talented kids in art, sports, music and science. These kids have their own kind of magic, and the Winx Club fairies are enchanted by them though it doesn't take long before trouble sets in, and a new and dangerous mystery for Bloom and the others to solve arrives. There will be a Netflix stamp on the storylines in the spinoff, which will be more serialized to fit the binge viewing patterns of the streaming company's customers.

The new series is produced by Italian animation studio Rainbow. "Winx Club WOW" will be exclusively available in all Netflix territories, including France and Germany. The first of the two seasons, each comprising 13 22-minute episodes, are slated to be available by early 2016 with the second to follow in the fall.

Under is existing pact with Rainbow Studios, Netflix offers prior seasons of "Winx Club" worldwide, as well as fellow Rainbow properties "PopPixie" and "Mia and Me". Additionally, the most recent "Winx Club" movie, "The Mystery of the Abyss", is slated to be available exclusively on Netflix in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and France shortly after this month's theatrical release.

As part of its efforts to ramp up kid content, Netflix recently hired Brian Wright, previously Nickelodeon's Senior Vice President (SVP) of live-action development, to head up acquisition of kids and family programming in July 2014.

Created by Straffi, "Winx Club" is regarded as one of the most successful Italian animated series ever. It is hugely popular in Europe and is the first Italian cartoon to be sold in the U.S. where it is carried by Nickelodeon and Netflix.

It is currently unknown whether "Winx Club WOW" will air on Nickelodeon channels around the world following the debut of the series on Netflix.

From Variety:

Netflix Orders 'Winx Club' Spinoff, as Streamer Keeps Up Kidvid Splurge

Netflix, in another move to bulk up on original children's programming, has ordered two seasons of “Winx Club WOW: World of Winx,” a spinoff of the “Winx Club” Italian toon franchise, in which girls embark on magical journeys looking for talented kids.

The new series is produced by Italian animation studio Rainbow. "Winx Club WOW" will be exclusively available in all Netflix territories, including France and Germany. The first of the two seasons, each comprising 13 22-minute episodes, are slated to be available by early 2016 with the second to follow in the fall.

The show is the latest addition to Netflix's kid-oriented fare — a key genre for parents to let their offspring binge-watch age-appropriate entertainment, without any advertising. The SVOD company has pacts with DreamWorks Animation, Scholastic Media, Mattel and others for original kids' shows. The DWA deal is the biggest of the deals, covering more than 300 hours of original programming including series "Turbo FAST" and new seasons of "DreamWorks Dragons." In addition, under a pact with Disney, Netflix will get pay-TV window rights to future theatrical releases from Pixar and Disney Animation starting in 2016.

"'Winx Club' is already a very successful show on Netflix in all our territories; it's exciting to be expanding our relationship with such a great European animation studio," Erik Barmack, VP of content acquisition at Netflix, said in announcing the spinoff.

In “Winx Club WOW,” the girls embark on an undercover journey all around the world looking for talented kids in art, sports, music and science. “We are very happy to be building a solid and wide collaboration with Netflix, so extending it to include new and original content is fantastic news,” commented Rainbow Group president and CEO Iginio Straffi.

Under is existing pact with Rainbow Studios, Netflix offers prior seasons of “Winx Club” worldwide, as well as other Rainbow properties “PopPixie” and “Mia and Me.” Additionally, the most recent “Winx Club” movie, “The Mystery of the Abyss,” is slated to be available exclusively on Netflix in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland and France shortly after this month's theatrical release.

As part of its efforts to ramp up kid content, Netflix in July hired Brian Wright, previously Nickelodeon's senior VP of live-action development, to head up acquisition of kids and family programming.

Also, from Deadline Hollywood:

Netflix Orders 'Winx Club' Spinoff Series

Netflix is expanding its original kids programming slate with Winx Club WOW: World Of Winx, a spinoff from the popular Winx Club girls fairy animated franchise. Netflix has teamed with Winx Club producer Rainbow Studios, the company of the franchise's creator Iginio Straffi, for two seasons of the new series to debut in early 2016 and fall 2016. The seasons, each consisting of thirteen 22-minute episodes, will be exclusively available in all Netflix territories including France and Germany.

In Winx Club WOW, the girls embark on an undercover journey all around the world looking for talented kids in art sports, music and science. These kids have their own kind of magic, and the Winx Club fairies are enchanted by them though it doesn't take long before trouble sets in, and a new and dangerous mystery for Bloom and the others to solve. There will be a Netflix stamp on the storylines in the spinoff, which will be more serialized to fit the binge viewing patterns of the streaming company's customers.

Created by Straffi, Winx Club is probably the most successful Italian animated series ever. It is hugely popular in Europe and is the first Italian cartoon to be sold in the U.S. where it is carried by Nickelodeon and Netflix. The most recent Winx Club movie, The Mystery Of The Abyss, will be available only on Netflix in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland and France shortly after its theatrical release earlier this month. "Winx Club is already a very successful show on Netflix in all our territories; it's exciting to be expanding our relationship with such a great European animation studio," said Erik Barmack, VP of Content Acquisition at Netflix.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Winx Club News!

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Northern Europe Expands Positions Of Three Executives

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Germany has announced in the following press release, from VIMN Germany's official Pressecenter, the Nickelodeon International news that Victor Coolman, Bettina Vogel and Vivien Hucke will be expanding their current responsibilities and take on leadership positions within the 'Kids & Family' group of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Northern Europe. As part of their expanded roles, they'll be responsible for the Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick and Nicknight brands in the Northern Europe regions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Poland.

Original Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Germany Press Release:

Nickelodeon: Ausbau des Managementteams in Nordeuropa

Victor Coolman verantwortet zukünftig Programming und Einkauf // Bettina Vogel übernimmt Leitung für Productions & Development // Vivien Hucke wird Brand Marketing & Communications Director

Victor Coolman, Bettina Vogel und Vivien Hucke bauen ihre Verantwortungsbereiche aus und übernehmen leitende Positionen innerhalb der Brand Group 'Kids & Family' von Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Northern Europe, zu der neben Nickelodeon auch Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick und Nicknight gehören. Ab dem 1. Oktober werden sie in ihren Fachbereichen für diese Marken in den Regionen Deutschland, Österreich und Schweiz, den Niederlanden, Belgien, Schweden, Dänemark, Finnland, Norwegen und Polen verantwortlich sein.

Victor Coolman, der derzeit die Bereiche Programming, Programming Analysis, Language Localization and Operations verantwortet, wird in Zukunft als Vice President Programming & Acquisitions zusätzlich die Leitung für die Identifizierung inhaltlicher Trends und Entwicklungen innerhalb des Kinder- und Jugendfernsehmarktes in Nordeuropa übernehmen. Zu seinen neuen Aufgaben zählen unter anderem die Akquisition neuer Inhalte sowie das fortlaufende Management und die Pflege der Beziehung zu aktuellen und zukünftigen Inhalteanbietern.

2005 begann Coolman seine Karriere bei VIMN als Praktikant im Bereich Program Analysis. Im Oktober 2012 wurde er zum Vice President (VP) Programming Nickelodeon North befördert. Bevor er zu Nickelodeon kam, war Victor TV Kritiker für die niederländische Radiostation BNR News Radio.

Bettina Vogel, die derzeitige Kreativdirektorin von Nickelodeon, ergänzt ihren Verantwortungsbereich durch die Abteilung Production & Development. Neben der Leitung des erfolgreichen und mehrfach mit Preisen, wie dem Cannes Design Lion, dem Telly und dem ADC Award sowie dem Promax/BDA Award, ausgezeichneten Nickelodeon Kreativteams, in dem sie unter anderem für das On Air Design sowie die Promotion der Marke zuständig ist, wird Vogel in Zukunft zusätzlich Verantwortungen im Bereich Produktion und Entwicklung übernehmen. Das Team um Production & Development kreiert unter anderem die Eigenproduktionen für den Sender, darunter fünf lokale Versionen der Kids Choice Awards, die erfolgreiche deutsche Show 'Alaaarm' sowie die bald in den Niederlanden und Belgien startende Game Show 'Nick in the Box'.

Bettina Vogel ist seit 2001 für das Unternehmen tätig. Sie begann als Creative Junior Producer in London für die Brand MTV und entwickelte sich innerhalb des Unternehmens weiter. 2009 wurde sie schließlich Creative Director von Nickelodeon für Deutschland und Nordeuropa.

Neu im Nickelodeon Team ist Vivien Hucke. Sie wird als Director Brand Marketing & Communications zukünftig sämtliche Marketingaktivitäten des Kinder- und Jugendsenders in ganz Nordeuropa steuern. Hucke ist bereits seit 2005 für VIMN tätig. Sie begann ihre Karriere als Praktikantin im Bereich Consumer Marketing und besetzte später verschiedene Marketingpositionen innerhalb des Unternehmens. Im Jahr 2013 übernahm Hucke die Rolle des Senior Marketing Managers für die Brand Group 'Comedy & Entertainment', in der sie unter anderem die Marketingaktivitäten für Comedy Central und VIVA verantwortete.

Huckes neue Verantwortlichkeiten beinhalten die Entwicklung von ganzheitlichen markenspezifischen und auf die nordeuropäischen Märkte angepassten Marketingstrategien über alle Regionen und Plattformen hinweg, die Integration von Franchiseprodukten wie 'SpongeBob Schwammkopf', 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' oder 'Dora' in die Marketingkampagnen des Senders sowie die ganzheitliche Steuerung des Markenbildes innerhalb der Zielgruppe.

"Unser neues Management Line-Up innerhalb des 'Kids & Family' Brand Teams verdeutlicht unser großes Engagement bei der Entwicklung von Talenten hier bei Viacom International Media Networks. Die jahrelange Erfahrung in unserem Unternehmen sowie hervorragende Leistungen machen Victor, Bettina und Vivien zu den perfekten Kandidaten, um diese neuen Verantwortungen zu übernehmen und zu meistern. Alle drei erfüllen ihre Rollen mit Kreativität, Wissen, Professionalität sowie Ehrgeiz und nicht zuletzt mit viel Spaß an ihrer Arbeit. Ich freue mich sehr, in Zukunft zusammen mit diesem großartigen Führungsteam Zuschauer in ganz Nordeuropa zu unterhalten" unterstreicht Milagros Aleman, Senior Vice President (SVP) und General Manager Nickelodeon Northern Europe.

Über Viacom International Media Networks:

Viacom International Media Networks Northern Europe gehört zu Viacom International Media Networks und agiert in Deutschland, der Schweiz und Österreich, Polen, Schweden, Norwegen, Finnland und Dänemark sowie den Niederlanden und Belgien. Mit MTV, Comedy Central, VIVA, Nickelodeon, Nicknight und anderen bekannten Entertainment-Marken bietet Viacom International Media Networks in Nordeuropa 37 Sender für die Zielgruppen Kinder und Familien, Jugendliche und Erwachsene an. Insgesamt wird das TV-Angebot von Viacom International Media Networks von mehr als 80 Millionen Haushalten in Nordeuropa genutzt. Auf mehr als 50 Webseiten in Nordeuropa bietet Viacom International Media Networks zudem noch mehr Musik, Nachrichten und Unterhaltung. Mit MTV Mobile bietet Viacom International Media Networks in Deutschland, der Schweiz, Polen, den Niederlanden und Belgien eigene Mobile-Marken an.
Advertising und Brand Solutions, die Sales Unit von Viacom International Media Networks, bietet Markenlösungen für die Zielgruppen Kinder, Jugendliche, junge Erwachsene und Familien auf dem internationalen Markt. Be Viacom bietet so Komplettangebote zur Markeninszenierung seiner Werbekunden in Verbindung mit den eigenen starken Entertainment Brands. Werbung, Promotion, Branded Content, Brand Experience, Digital Activation, Sponsorship und Licensing sind Bestandteile dieses Angebotsportfolios. Viacom International Media Networks gehört zu Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) und umfasst viele der beliebtesten Multimedia-Entertainment-Marken. Zu diesen zählen u.a. MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One und Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más, ein Sender für das hispanische Publikum in den USA. Die Viacom-Marken werden weltweit von mehr als 700 Millionen Haushalten in 170 Regionen und 37 Sprachen über 200 lokale Fernsehsender und mehr als 550 digitale und mobile Medienplattformen empfangen. Für mehr aktuelle Informationen folgen Sie uns auf Twitter (www.twitter.com/vimngermany) oder bei Facebook (www.facebook.com/VIMNGermany).

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Nickelodeon UK And KiCK! Magazine Release "Footy Quacks" Episode Two - Arsenal Vs. Spurs

To celebrate Nicktoons UK and Ireland, Nick UK's animation and action channel, premiering and showing brand-new episodes of Nickelodeon's all-new bread-tastic original animated buddy comedy series (Nicktoon) "Breadwinners" weekdays at 4:30pm, Nickelodeon UK and KiCK! have unveiled the second episode of their brand-new weekly Football-themed web series called "Footy Quacks"!

This week, Nick and KiCK!'s quack-tastic feathered footie fans David Beakham and Quack Wilshere are going quazy predicting the winners of the big North London Derby football game between Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur F.C being held on Saturday 27th September 2014. Who do the Duckies think will be victorious - the reds or the whites? Find out who David Beakham and Quack Wilshere think will win in this epic video! Whatever football team they pick, you can be sure that there's been no 'fowl' play!

Follow SwaySway and Buhdeuce's latest adventures in their jet-fueled Rocket Van by watching Nickelodeon's brand-new show, "Breadwinners", weekdays at 4:30pm, only on NickToons UK and Ireland! You'll LOAF it!

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon UK, NickToons UK and Breadwinners News!

Viacom Appoints Alan Musa As New UK Commercial Director Of Nickelodeon UK And Comedy Central UK

The television industry news website Broadcast is reporting the Nickelodeon UK News in the following article that Viacom has hired former Turner Broadcasting executive Alan Musa as commercial director of Nickelodeon UK and Comedy Central UK.

It is one of the first senior hires since the media company's £450m acquisition of the British free-to-air (FTA) broadcaster Channel 5.

In his new role, Musa will be responsible for Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) UK's pay-TV distribution agreements as well as business development for the popular kids and comedy channels, which are joint ventures with BSkyB.

He will act as the chief contact for the Sky Media team as well as Viacom's digital ad sales teams and will be a key member of the Nickelodeon senior management team, attending its board meetings three times a year.

He joins later this month (September 2014) after leaving digital business Shorts International, where he was president of EMEA. He previously held a number of senior roles within Turner Entertainment Broadcasting:

Viacom hires UK commercial director

Viacom has hired former Turner executive Alan Musa as commercial director of Nickelodeon and Comedy Central in the UK.

It is one of the first senior hires since the company’s £450m acquisition of free-to-air broadcaster Channel 5.

Musa will be responsible for Viacom International Media Networks UK’s pay-TV distribution agreements as well as business development for the comedy and kids channels, which are joint ventures with Sky.

He will act as the chief contact for the Sky Media team as well as Viacom’s digital ad sales teams and will be a key member of the Nickelodeon senior management team, attending its board meetings three times a year.

He joins later this month after leaving digital business Shorts International, where he was president of EMEA. He previously held a number of senior roles within Turner Entertainment Broadcasting.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon UK News!