All great things must come to a end, and sadly, Nickelodeon's epic original animated series (Nicktoon) "The Legend of Korra" is no exception.
Nickelodeon USA and Bryan Konietzko have announced the bittersweet "Legend of Korra" news that Nickelodeon USA will digitally premiere the one-hour series finale episode of "The Legend of Korra", "Day of the Colossus" (part one) and "The Last Stand" (part two), TONIGHT (Thursday 18th December 2014) at Midnight Eastern / 9:00pm Pacific on nick.com and on the networks Emmy Award-winning Nick App!
Following the digital debut of the final episode of "Legend of Korra", Nickelodeon USA will premiere and show the final four episodes of "The Legend of Korra" Book Four, the fourth and final season of Nickelodeon's epic original animated series (Nicktoon), titled "Balance", on the networks animation and action channel, NickToons USA, on Friday 19th December 2014 from 9:00pm (ET).
Bryan Konietzko has mentioned on his official Tumblr blog that he's "pretty sure" Nickelodeon will be releasing the last episode of "The Legend of Korra" on other digital platforms at their normal times on Friday 19th December 2014. Bryan has also requested for fans to tag any spoilers whilst posting on social media for those who can't watch the finale early.
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Welcome to NickALive!, bringing you the latest Nickelodeon news for Nickelodeon channels around the world.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Nickelodeon Suites Resort To Kick Off 2015 With A Spectacular Preschool Celebration Featuring "Julius Jr."
Nickelodeon Suites Resort has announced the exciting news in the following press release, from Business Wire, that Nickelodeon Suites Resort (also known as the Nick Hotel / Nickelodeon Hotel) will be rolling out the orange carpet for an exciting preschool extravaganza featuring Nick Jr. USA favorite "Julius Jr." which will take place at the only Nickelodeon-themed resort of its kind in the world between Friday 9th and Sunday 11th January 2015. The weekend-long Preschool Celebration event will also include a cast of characters and activities from some of Nickelodeon's most popular preschool shows, such as "Dora and Friends: Into the City", "Blaze and the Monster Machines", "Bubble Guppies" and "Dora the Explorer".
Original Nickelodeon Suites Resort Press Release:
Nickelodeon Suites Resort to Kick off 2015 with a Spectacular Preschool Celebration Featuring Julius Jr.
December 18, 2014 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon Suites Resort will roll out the orange carpet for an exciting preschool extravaganza featuring Julius Jr. and taking place Jan. 9 - 11. The weekend-long event will also include a cast of characters and activities from some of Nickelodeon’s most popular preschool shows, such as Dora and Friends: Into the City, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies and Dora the Explorer.
The Preschool Celebration weekend will also include activities that younger kids and their families can all enjoy, such as:
* Live character stage shows
* A Julius Jr.-themed dance party for kids of all ages
* Breakfast with Nick Jr. costumed characters
* Character meet and greets
* Photo booth with fun Julius Jr.-themed props
* Special episode screenings of Julius Jr., Dora and Friends, Blaze and the Monster Machines
* Cool prizes and giveaways
"We are thrilled to have our favorite Nick preschool characters on hand to celebrate the start of the New Year as we kick-off our 10 year anniversary," said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for Nickelodeon Suites Resort. "January is the perfect time for our littlest fans and their families to enjoy this special weekend at the resort with all of their beloved cartoon friends."
Join the Nick Hotel Club.
Follow us on Twitter @nickhotel.
Join our Nick Hotel Facebook Fan page.
Additional photography is available upon request or by visiting Nick Hotel on Flickr.
About Julius Jr.
Julius Jr. is an animated preschool series based on the creative spirit and lovable characters from the world of Paul Frank. The show follows Julius Jr. and friends who use equal doses of imagination and inventive spirit to help each other overcome challenges big and small – teaching kids that the best inventions are the ones that help your friends. Together, they build a playhouse out of a simple cardboard box, but when they walk inside, to their surprise and delight, they discover that ordinary objects magically come to life and adventures are just a door away. A property of Saban Brands, Julius Jr. airs on Nick Jr. in the U.S. weekdays at 4:30 p.m., Saturdays at 6 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. (ET/PT). Visit www.juliusjr.com for more information.
About Nickelodeon Suites Resort
Located in the heart of Orlando's tourism district, Nickelodeon Suites Resort, otherwise known as the Nick Hotel, is much more than a place for guests to lay their heads at night. From two over-the-top pool complexes with slides and flumes, to live entertainment and character breakfasts featuring Nickelodeon's beloved characters, to a multimillion dollar 4-D Theater, to the colorfully themed kid suites and gallons upon gallons of slime, Nick Hotel offers non-stop activity from dawn to dusk for the entire family any time of the year. For more information about the Nick Hotel, visit www.nickhotel.com or call (877) NICK-KID.
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Original Nickelodeon Suites Resort Press Release:
Nickelodeon Suites Resort to Kick off 2015 with a Spectacular Preschool Celebration Featuring Julius Jr.
December 18, 2014 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon Suites Resort will roll out the orange carpet for an exciting preschool extravaganza featuring Julius Jr. and taking place Jan. 9 - 11. The weekend-long event will also include a cast of characters and activities from some of Nickelodeon’s most popular preschool shows, such as Dora and Friends: Into the City, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies and Dora the Explorer.
The Preschool Celebration weekend will also include activities that younger kids and their families can all enjoy, such as:
* Live character stage shows
* A Julius Jr.-themed dance party for kids of all ages
* Breakfast with Nick Jr. costumed characters
* Character meet and greets
* Photo booth with fun Julius Jr.-themed props
* Special episode screenings of Julius Jr., Dora and Friends, Blaze and the Monster Machines
* Cool prizes and giveaways
"We are thrilled to have our favorite Nick preschool characters on hand to celebrate the start of the New Year as we kick-off our 10 year anniversary," said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for Nickelodeon Suites Resort. "January is the perfect time for our littlest fans and their families to enjoy this special weekend at the resort with all of their beloved cartoon friends."
Join the Nick Hotel Club.
Follow us on Twitter @nickhotel.
Join our Nick Hotel Facebook Fan page.
Additional photography is available upon request or by visiting Nick Hotel on Flickr.
About Julius Jr.
Julius Jr. is an animated preschool series based on the creative spirit and lovable characters from the world of Paul Frank. The show follows Julius Jr. and friends who use equal doses of imagination and inventive spirit to help each other overcome challenges big and small – teaching kids that the best inventions are the ones that help your friends. Together, they build a playhouse out of a simple cardboard box, but when they walk inside, to their surprise and delight, they discover that ordinary objects magically come to life and adventures are just a door away. A property of Saban Brands, Julius Jr. airs on Nick Jr. in the U.S. weekdays at 4:30 p.m., Saturdays at 6 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. (ET/PT). Visit www.juliusjr.com for more information.
About Nickelodeon Suites Resort
Located in the heart of Orlando's tourism district, Nickelodeon Suites Resort, otherwise known as the Nick Hotel, is much more than a place for guests to lay their heads at night. From two over-the-top pool complexes with slides and flumes, to live entertainment and character breakfasts featuring Nickelodeon's beloved characters, to a multimillion dollar 4-D Theater, to the colorfully themed kid suites and gallons upon gallons of slime, Nick Hotel offers non-stop activity from dawn to dusk for the entire family any time of the year. For more information about the Nick Hotel, visit www.nickhotel.com or call (877) NICK-KID.
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USA: Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Adds New Content From Nickelodeon
Original Amazon.com, Inc. Press Release via Business Wire:
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Adds New Content from Disney, Nickelodeon, Toca Boca, Sesame Street and More
FreeTime Unlimited selection is up 6x since launch
Subscribers can enjoy thousands of new age-appropriate books, apps and videos in time for the holidays
December 18, 2014 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced thousands of new titles in Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, available in time for the holidays, including popular titles such as Disney's Princess Story Theater and Frozen Freefall, Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Roof Top Run and Dora's Great Big World, Toca Boca's Toca Cars and Toca Hair Salon Me, Sesame Street's Monster at the End of This Book, Dr Seuss' Cat in the Hat, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as well as over 100 other Oceanhouse media titles. FreeTime and FreeTime Unlimited are available exclusively on Fire tablets, Amazon Fire TV, and Kindle e-readers—learn more about FreeTime Unlimited at www.amazon.com/freetimeunlimited.
"We've worked hard to bring the best kids content to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. Millions of kids and parents are using FreeTime and we're thrilled to add thousands of new titles in time for the holidays," said Nate Glissmeyer, Director, Amazon Kids and Families. "Parents tell us they love the selection in FreeTime Unlimited since it gives kids the freedom to discover and pick their next adventure. And, with new additions from Nickelodeon, Disney, Oceanhouse Media, Sesame Street and more, we can't wait to hear what parents and kids think."
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited now includes:
* Over 4,000 common core aligned books from National Geographic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Capstone Press, Lerner Publishing, Child's World, Cherry Lake, Sleeping Bear Press and Starwalk Kids Media
* Over 400 age-appropriate apps and games without any in-app purchasing or advertisements
* Thousands of hand-curated movies and TV shows, including iCarly, Avatar and the Legend of Korra from Nickelodeon, Daniel Tigers Neighborhood and Dinosaur Train from PBS, titles from Sesame Street and more
"Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited is a great platform for our content—kids can find their favorite Sesame Street characters and instantly access all the educational and fun titles they love in a kid-friendly FreeTime user interface," said Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Media, Sesame Workshop. "We're excited to bring more content to this platform and looking forward to continuing our work with Amazon."
"Amazon has created innovative parental controls with FreeTime Unlimited and we're thrilled to have Fireman Sam and Thomas & Friends titles included in the FreeTime library," said Sid Mathur, Vice President, Brand Activation, HIT Entertainment. "Parents have come to trust our content as entertaining and safe for their kids, and with the character search feature in FreeTime Unlimited, they can quickly and easily find Fireman Sam and Thomas titles to further engage with their favorite preschool characters when and where they want."
"As the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology, we're pleased to partner with Amazon to help raise parents' awareness of the educational content available in its FreeTime Unlimited library," said Amy Guggenheim Shenkan, President and COO of Common Sense Media. "Amazon’s ad-free environment and blocking of in-app purchases in FreeTime is beneficial for kids and reassuring to parents, and we commend Amazon's commitment to providing these family-friendly features."
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is an all-in-one subscription for kids that offers unlimited access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—all while blocking social media access and in-app purchasing so that parents don't have unwelcomed surprises. Amazon FreeTime also includes best-in-class parental controls, allowing parents to set daily time limits or restrict certain categories—like games and video—while leaving unlimited time for reading.
In celebration of thousands of new titles coming to FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon's Fire HD 7" Kids Edition tablet—the first tablet built from the ground up for kids (and their parents)—is now on sale for $159 (normally $189) for a limited time. Learn more about the Fire HD Kids Edition tablet at http://www.amazon.com/kids-edition-tablet.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
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Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Adds New Content from Disney, Nickelodeon, Toca Boca, Sesame Street and More
FreeTime Unlimited selection is up 6x since launch
Subscribers can enjoy thousands of new age-appropriate books, apps and videos in time for the holidays
December 18, 2014 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced thousands of new titles in Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, available in time for the holidays, including popular titles such as Disney's Princess Story Theater and Frozen Freefall, Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Roof Top Run and Dora's Great Big World, Toca Boca's Toca Cars and Toca Hair Salon Me, Sesame Street's Monster at the End of This Book, Dr Seuss' Cat in the Hat, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as well as over 100 other Oceanhouse media titles. FreeTime and FreeTime Unlimited are available exclusively on Fire tablets, Amazon Fire TV, and Kindle e-readers—learn more about FreeTime Unlimited at www.amazon.com/freetimeunlimited.
"We've worked hard to bring the best kids content to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. Millions of kids and parents are using FreeTime and we're thrilled to add thousands of new titles in time for the holidays," said Nate Glissmeyer, Director, Amazon Kids and Families. "Parents tell us they love the selection in FreeTime Unlimited since it gives kids the freedom to discover and pick their next adventure. And, with new additions from Nickelodeon, Disney, Oceanhouse Media, Sesame Street and more, we can't wait to hear what parents and kids think."
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited now includes:
* Over 4,000 common core aligned books from National Geographic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Capstone Press, Lerner Publishing, Child's World, Cherry Lake, Sleeping Bear Press and Starwalk Kids Media
* Over 400 age-appropriate apps and games without any in-app purchasing or advertisements
* Thousands of hand-curated movies and TV shows, including iCarly, Avatar and the Legend of Korra from Nickelodeon, Daniel Tigers Neighborhood and Dinosaur Train from PBS, titles from Sesame Street and more
"Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited is a great platform for our content—kids can find their favorite Sesame Street characters and instantly access all the educational and fun titles they love in a kid-friendly FreeTime user interface," said Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Media, Sesame Workshop. "We're excited to bring more content to this platform and looking forward to continuing our work with Amazon."
"Amazon has created innovative parental controls with FreeTime Unlimited and we're thrilled to have Fireman Sam and Thomas & Friends titles included in the FreeTime library," said Sid Mathur, Vice President, Brand Activation, HIT Entertainment. "Parents have come to trust our content as entertaining and safe for their kids, and with the character search feature in FreeTime Unlimited, they can quickly and easily find Fireman Sam and Thomas titles to further engage with their favorite preschool characters when and where they want."
"As the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology, we're pleased to partner with Amazon to help raise parents' awareness of the educational content available in its FreeTime Unlimited library," said Amy Guggenheim Shenkan, President and COO of Common Sense Media. "Amazon’s ad-free environment and blocking of in-app purchases in FreeTime is beneficial for kids and reassuring to parents, and we commend Amazon's commitment to providing these family-friendly features."
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is an all-in-one subscription for kids that offers unlimited access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—all while blocking social media access and in-app purchasing so that parents don't have unwelcomed surprises. Amazon FreeTime also includes best-in-class parental controls, allowing parents to set daily time limits or restrict certain categories—like games and video—while leaving unlimited time for reading.
In celebration of thousands of new titles coming to FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon's Fire HD 7" Kids Edition tablet—the first tablet built from the ground up for kids (and their parents)—is now on sale for $159 (normally $189) for a limited time. Learn more about the Fire HD Kids Edition tablet at http://www.amazon.com/kids-edition-tablet.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
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Viacom International Media Networks Announces Key Appointments
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) UK and Ireland has announced that they have appointed Michael Armstrong as Executive Vice President and General Manager (GM), International Brand Development. In this role, he is responsible for continuing to identify new market opportunities to launch BET, Paramount and Spike in addition to overseeing the strategy, branding and operations of those launches. Armstrong is credited with growing Viacom's BET brand significantly, which now has distribution reaching 20M households, with additional launches planned for 2015. Armstrong will now also spearhead the creation and distribution of Spike internationally – which will launch Free to Air (FTA) in the UK during early 2015, replacing VIVA on Freeview.
Additionally, the entertainment news website C21Media is reporting that Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has named Larissa Zagustin as Senior Vice President (SVP) and General Counsel for the company's brands and businesses in Latin America, Canada and the US Hispanic market.
As general counsel, Zagustin will be responsible for mergers and acquisitions, media distribution, financial transactions, intellectual property licensing, sponsorship and general commercial and regulatory matters.
She will cover Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Channel in Latin America, as well as Tr3s in the US. In addition, she will lead the business and legal affairs teams in the region.
Zagustin will be based in Miami and report to Scot McBride, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VIMN The Americas, and Roger James, general counsel for VIMN.
Prior to this role, Zagustin was deputy general counsel and VP of international business and legal affairs for Viacom International Media Networks.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon International News and Highlights!
Additionally, the entertainment news website C21Media is reporting that Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has named Larissa Zagustin as Senior Vice President (SVP) and General Counsel for the company's brands and businesses in Latin America, Canada and the US Hispanic market.
As general counsel, Zagustin will be responsible for mergers and acquisitions, media distribution, financial transactions, intellectual property licensing, sponsorship and general commercial and regulatory matters.
She will cover Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Channel in Latin America, as well as Tr3s in the US. In addition, she will lead the business and legal affairs teams in the region.
Zagustin will be based in Miami and report to Scot McBride, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VIMN The Americas, and Roger James, general counsel for VIMN.
Prior to this role, Zagustin was deputy general counsel and VP of international business and legal affairs for Viacom International Media Networks.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon International News and Highlights!
International Networks Acquire Rights To Festive Nickelodeon Programming
The entertainment news website C21Media is reporting the exciting Nickelodeon International News that broadcasters in North America, Europe and Asia have picked up the rights to a sleighful of festive Nickelodeon specials from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) to air during the holiday season!
In North America, Canadian broadcasters VRAK.TV and YTV will air Nickelodeon's brand-new Christmas holiday movie "Santa Hunters". The Canadian kids channel YTV will premiere "Santa Hunters" on Thursday 18th December 2014 at 6:00pm ET/PT.
In Europe, Atresmedia in Spain has picked up the rights to Nickelodeon's live-action/CGI "The Fairly OddParents" television movie "A Fairly Odd Christmas", while TF1 in France has acquired the "Dora the Explorer" Christmas special "Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure".
"Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure" has also been licensed by ABS-CBN in the Philippines, JKN Global Media in Thailand, BestTV Network in China and Television Broadcasts in Hong Kong.
Finally, the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation has licensed the "Drake and Josh" Christmas TV movie "Merry Christmas Drake and Josh" from VIMN:
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon International News and Highlights!
In North America, Canadian broadcasters VRAK.TV and YTV will air Nickelodeon's brand-new Christmas holiday movie "Santa Hunters". The Canadian kids channel YTV will premiere "Santa Hunters" on Thursday 18th December 2014 at 6:00pm ET/PT.
In Europe, Atresmedia in Spain has picked up the rights to Nickelodeon's live-action/CGI "The Fairly OddParents" television movie "A Fairly Odd Christmas", while TF1 in France has acquired the "Dora the Explorer" Christmas special "Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure".
"Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure" has also been licensed by ABS-CBN in the Philippines, JKN Global Media in Thailand, BestTV Network in China and Television Broadcasts in Hong Kong.
Finally, the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation has licensed the "Drake and Josh" Christmas TV movie "Merry Christmas Drake and Josh" from VIMN:
Int'l nets nab VIMN festive shows
North American, European and Asian networks have picked up festive Nickelodeon specials from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) to air during the holiday season.
In North America, Canadian broadcasters VRAK.TV and YTV will air Santa Hunters, the live-action TV movie that made its debut in the US on Nickelodeon late last month.
In Europe, Atresmedia in Spain has taken Fairly Odd Parents' special A Fairly Odd Christmas, while TF1 in France has acquired Dora the Explore spin-off Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure.
The latter toon has also been picked up by ABS-CBN in the Philippines; JKN Global Media in Thailand; BestTV Network in China and Television Broadcasts in Hong Kong.
Finally, the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation has licensed the Drake and Josh Christmas Movie Special from VIMN.
Nico Franks
17-12-2014
©C21Media
GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: Dora the Explorer, Fairly Odd Parents
COMPANIES: Nickelodeon, Viacom International Media Networks
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: Canada, France, US
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon International News and Highlights!
Australian SVoD Service Stan Acquires Rights To Raft Of Nickelodeon Programming Ahead Of Launch
The entertainment news website C21Media is reporting the exciting Nickelodeon International News that the Australian subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service Stan has bolstered its US content offering ahead of its January 2015 launch after striking a partnership with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Australia & New Zealand!
The multi-year, non-exclusive deal will see hundreds of hours of Viacom's hit shows becoming available on Stan, including children's, comedy, animation and reality series. Programming will include Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "iCarly", Comedy Centrals "South Park", and MTV's reality TV hits "Teen Mom", "Geordie Shore", "The Hills" and "16 & Pregnant".
Other series from VIMN networks including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central will also feature on Stan, which will be available in HD on devices including TVs, phones, tablets and computers for a monthly price, which is yet to be revealed.
Stan is jointly owned by Nine Entertainment and Fairfax Media and has been busy over the past month acquiring US content. It has also agreed deals with CBS Studios, BBC Worldwide, MGM and Sony Pictures Television.
The deal comes as competition in the Australian SVoD market intensifies, with rivals Foxtel and Seven West collaborating on their own venture, Presto Entertainment, earlier this month, and US giant Netflix launching in Australia locally in March 2015.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand News and Highlights!
The multi-year, non-exclusive deal will see hundreds of hours of Viacom's hit shows becoming available on Stan, including children's, comedy, animation and reality series. Programming will include Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "iCarly", Comedy Centrals "South Park", and MTV's reality TV hits "Teen Mom", "Geordie Shore", "The Hills" and "16 & Pregnant".
Other series from VIMN networks including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central will also feature on Stan, which will be available in HD on devices including TVs, phones, tablets and computers for a monthly price, which is yet to be revealed.
Stan is jointly owned by Nine Entertainment and Fairfax Media and has been busy over the past month acquiring US content. It has also agreed deals with CBS Studios, BBC Worldwide, MGM and Sony Pictures Television.
The deal comes as competition in the Australian SVoD market intensifies, with rivals Foxtel and Seven West collaborating on their own venture, Presto Entertainment, earlier this month, and US giant Netflix launching in Australia locally in March 2015.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand News and Highlights!
Viacom International Media Networks To Launch Two New Nickelodeon Channels In the Middle East
Broadband TV News, The Hollywood Reporter and C21 Media are reporting the exciting Nickelodeon International news in the following articles that Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is to launch three brand-new 24-hour channels on Dubai-based OSN pay-TV platform in the MENA region in January 2015!
VIMN will launch Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD on Monday 5th January 2015. They will join VH1, which VIMN already offers in the Middle East and North Africa. The addition of Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD will bring the total number of Viacom channels available on the OSN pay-TV platform to four.
While Viacom previously had branded programming blocks playing on free-TV in MENA, these channels mark the start of a prominent presence of 24-hour branded channels in the region.
Additionally, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. will be available in dual language (English and Arabic) from February 2015. The addition of an Arabic soundtrack is particularly significant as Nickelodeon will be the only international children's TV channel available in Arabic, produced in the MENA region, exclusively for OSN. Viacom's Dubai Media City team will handle the production of Nickelodeon HD.
Following the debut, each channel will also feature locally produced content, opening up opportunities for producers in the Arab world.
To complement the launch of Nickelodeon HD in the MENA region, Viacom International Media Networks and OSN will also launch the channels' localised official Nickelodeon website as well as a local version of the Emmy Award-winning Nick App, which will both be available in English and in Arabic. A local Nickelodeon Land theme park is also in the early development stages for the Middle East.
The launch of Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., both in Arabic, and the rebranded MTV Live HD will strengthen OSN's engagement with two of the key demographics – children and youth.
From Broadband TV News:
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for all the latest Nickelodeon International News and Highlights!
VIMN will launch Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD on Monday 5th January 2015. They will join VH1, which VIMN already offers in the Middle East and North Africa. The addition of Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD will bring the total number of Viacom channels available on the OSN pay-TV platform to four.
While Viacom previously had branded programming blocks playing on free-TV in MENA, these channels mark the start of a prominent presence of 24-hour branded channels in the region.
Additionally, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. will be available in dual language (English and Arabic) from February 2015. The addition of an Arabic soundtrack is particularly significant as Nickelodeon will be the only international children's TV channel available in Arabic, produced in the MENA region, exclusively for OSN. Viacom's Dubai Media City team will handle the production of Nickelodeon HD.
Following the debut, each channel will also feature locally produced content, opening up opportunities for producers in the Arab world.
To complement the launch of Nickelodeon HD in the MENA region, Viacom International Media Networks and OSN will also launch the channels' localised official Nickelodeon website as well as a local version of the Emmy Award-winning Nick App, which will both be available in English and in Arabic. A local Nickelodeon Land theme park is also in the early development stages for the Middle East.
The launch of Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., both in Arabic, and the rebranded MTV Live HD will strengthen OSN's engagement with two of the key demographics – children and youth.
From Broadband TV News:
Viacom adds 3 to OSNAlso, from THR.com:
Viacom International Media Networks is to launch three new channels on the OSN pay-TV platform in the Middle East.
Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr and MTV Live HD will launch on January 5. Added to the established VH1, it brings the total number of Viacom channels on the platform to four.
From February Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr will be available in dual language (English and Arabic).
The addition of an Arabic soundtrack is particularly significant as Nickelodeon will be the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic produced in the MENA region; exclusive to OSN.
Raffaele Annecchino, Executive Vice President & Managing Director South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Viacom International Media Networks said: “This partnership with OSN provides an ideal opportunity for VIMN to deliver a wide range of entertainment content to the MENA region. Our kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., along with our music-oriented channels MTV Live HD and VH1, create a perfect balance and provide programming that appeal to audiences ranging from preschoolers to the adult demographic.”
David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said: “With over 200 million youth in the MENA region and nearly 63 per cent of parents preferring to watch TV with their children as per recent research, the new additions make OSN the go-to platform for entertainment for the entire family.”
Viacom channels and content will be also available online through OSN Play.
Viacom Expands Middle East Presence With Three Channel LaunchesAlso, from C21 Media:
Viacom's Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) unit will expand its entertainment networks offering on OSN, a big pay TV operator in the Middle East and North Africa with three new 24-hour channels.
"This announcement signifies Viacom International Media Networks’ decisive move into the region and strengthens its ability to deliver high-quality content appealing to various key age demographics in MENA," Viacom said.
The new channels are Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD, which are set to launch on Jan. 5. The additions will bring the total number of Viacom channels in the region to four. The company has already offered VH1 in the region. VIMN channels and content will be also available on OSN Play, an online viewing platform.
Beginning in February, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. will be available in two languages, namely English and Arabic. Viacom's Dubai Media City team will handle the production of Nickelodeon HD, "transforming it into the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic produced in the MENA region exclusively for OSN," the company said.
Said Raffaele Annecchino, executive vp & managing director South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Viacom International Media Networks: "This partnership with OSN provides an ideal opportunity for VIMN to deliver a wide range of entertainment content to the MENA region. Our kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., along with our music-oriented channels MTV Live HD and VH1, create a perfect balance and provide programming that appeal to audiences ranging from preschoolers to the adult demographic."
Annecchino and his team have grown Viacom's businesses in Southern Europe and Africa. He recently told THR in an interview that there was more upside for the company in the region he oversees.
Arabic Nick nets prep MENA launchAlso, from Variety:
Localised versions of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr are to launch in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on pay TV network OSN at the beginning of next year.
Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr and a rebranded MTV Live HD will be available 24 hours a day in the MENA region from January 5.
It will bring the total number of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN)-owned channels available in MENA to four, along with the existing music network VH1.
VIMN is aiming to make both Nickelodeon HD and preschool channel Nick Jr available in English and Arabic by February.
The international media firm’s Dubai Media City team will take over the production of Nickelodeon HD, making it the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic in MENA, according to VIMN.
Meanwhile, the channels and content will be also available on VoD platform OSN Play, while an exclusive Nick app will also be launched soon.
Nickelodeon is aimed at kids aged between 7-14 and combines animation series such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with live-action sitcoms and formats.
Nick Jr, meanwhile, targets kids aged 3-6 with toons such as Dora and Friends, Paw Patrol and Blaze and the Monster Machines.
Finally, MTV Live HD will offer international music and entertainment programming, as well as coverage of music awards shows such as the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards.
Nico Franks
18-12-2014
©C21Media
GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: SpongeBob SquarePants
COMPANIES: Nick Jr, Nickelodeon, Viacom International Media Networks
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: US
Viacom International Makes Major Middle East Move In Pact With OSN (EXCLUSIVE)Additional sources: TBI Vision, Digital TV Europe, RegularCapital.com.
Viacom International Media Networks is making a major move into the Middle East by launching three new 24-hour branded channels, two of which, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. in dual language, English and Arabic, on Dubai-based OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV player. Besides prominent linear play, the channels will also get multi platform digital distribution in an area with a particularly high density of digital-savvy consumers.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is also an area where Viacom has considerable room for growth.
“We have a very broad geographic reach, however in the MENA region and the Middle East in particular we were relatively underrepresented,” said Viacom International Media Networks CEO and President Robert Bakish.
“If you look at the MENA region, with 113 million TV homes and pay-TV penetration at 15 percent, now up from around 5 percent in the year 2000, it’s a very young population; certainly among the youngest in the world,” Bakish noted. “These factors make it an important market and certainly over the next decade it is without question going to become a very important media market,” he added.
While Viacom previously had branded blocks playing on free-TV in MENA, these channels mark the start of a prominent presence of 24-hour branded channels.
The launch of two kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., and international music channel, MTV Live HD, is a good fit, likely to appeal to key age demographics in the Gulf region. It also opens up significant inroads for Viacom in the lucrative consumer products, entertainment theme parks, and live music events sectors in the Middle East.
The channels will be rolled out in January and the kids’ ones become available in dual language starting in February 2015. Going forward they will also comprise local content, opening up opportunities for producers in the Arab world.
Nickelodeon HD combines globally popular toons and live action shows for kids 7-14 years old, including “SpongeBob,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Breadwinners,” “Henry Danger” and “Sanjay & Craig.” Nick Jr. instead is dedicated to preschoolers 3-6 years old and features top shows in that segment such as “Dora and Friends,” “Paw Patrol” and “Blaze and the Monster Machines.” MTV Live HD offers a wide range of branded live shows and festivals including Isle of MTV and Roskilde and, of course, the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards.
There are now a total of four Viacom channels playing on the OSN platform which was already airing its VH1 music station.
“This is a region where 23 percent of the population are a young population under 16, compared with 16 percent in Europe or 19 percent in the U.S,” Viacom’s Executive Vice-President for South Europe and MENA region, Raffele Annechino pointed out.
“By entering directly in a very congenial market with brands like MTV and Nickelodeon we can now develop other recreational activities such as theme parks and bolster our consumer products potential,” he added. Earlier this year, the world’s second Nickeloedeon Store opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In May Annechino oversaw the opening of a large Nickelodeon Land section within Madrid’s main theme park, Parque de Atracciones, featuring Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob, Rugrats, Ninja Turtles and other characters on rides geared toward children from three to 13. He has similar plans in early stages for the Middle East.
For OSN, which is the top pay-TV player in a region – where, according to Viacom, pay-TV penetration will reach 19 percent of the population by 2019 – the agreement will boost entertainment and educational content offering toward a key demographic and significantly enhance its digital strategy.
“In a few months we will be launching a complementary website as well as an app with Nickelodeon, both in English and in Arabic,” said OSN Senior VP Business Development and Digital Emad Marcos.
“This supports how we are evolving in terms of our proposition to our subscribers, not just a linear proposition but also through a digital proposition as well.”
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