Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) The Americas has announced the appointment of Ezequiel “Quelo” Fonseca Zas as its new Senior Vice President (SVP) of Emerging Business.
In this newly created position, Fonseca Zas adds to his responsibilities the development of emerging businesses on new platforms. Fonseca Zas will also continue to oversee the complete portfolio of digital products for all of Viacom's brands and business lines in Latin America, Brazil, Canada and the Hispanic market in the United States. He will also continue to report to Juan “JC” Acosta, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VIMN Américas.
In his new position, Fonseca Zas will be focused on developing the emerging business area for VIMN Americas. This includes the detection and development of new opportunities in the distribution of short content; in the audio, voice and music businesses; in video subscription products; in augmented and virtual reality (AR & VR); in interactive events; and in new products for YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, among others.
Fonseca Zas joined VIMN Américas in 2014 as Vice President (VP) of Digital Media and has since led the multiplatform strategy, product management, digital ad sales planning, direct consumer business development and operations for the entire Viacom brand portfolio for Latin America, Brazil, Canada and the U.S. Hispanic market (Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, Telefe Argentina, Porta dos Fundos and Paramount Channel).
Under his leadership, VIMN Américas has been able to position Noggin, Nickelodeon's subscription video on demand (SVOD) service for preschool children, as one of the company's leading OTT services globally. Currently available in Latin America in various distribution formats (including iOS and Android app stores, OTT services such as Claro Video, and mobile and broadband services such as Oi in Brazil), Noggin has quadrupled the number of new subscribers in the past 12 months.
With more than 14 years of experience in the world of media and entertainment companies in Latin America and Brazil, Fonseca Zas began his career as a communications and marketing manager for several companies and institutions. He then worked for nearly a decade in the news industry (newspapers and magazines) in its process of digital migration.
"Since Quelo joined the company, his vision and management of our digital business has brought continued growth for VIMN throughout Latin America," said Acosta. "In order to continue to create innovative products for our audience, we are confident that Quelo's strategic vision and creativity in new business will allow us to continue to lead in the emerging business field, both with our strategic partners and customers, and directly with our users," he said.
Hug me, brotha! Drake & Josh premiered on this day 15 years ago, Sunday, January 11, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the TEENick programming block!
The TEENick line-up that night:
6:00pm - As Told By Ginger ("The Right Stuff")
6:30pm - Romeo! ("He Got Blame")
7:00pm - My Life as a Teenage Robot (half-ep, to allow time for TEENick segments)
7:30pm - Drake & Josh ("Pilot")
8:00pm - Drake & Josh ("Pilot")
8:30pm - Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Did you hear? Josh Peck and his wife, Paige O’Brien have just welcomed a baby together! Meet Max Milo Peck!
Don't miss NEW EPISODES of Lip Sync Battles Shorties with your fav co-host JOJO SIWA! Get up off your feet and get ready for lip sync BATTLE every Friday at 7pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon USA and every Saturday at 5pm E/P on YTV!
Visit ytv.com, nick.com and nick.tv, as well as the YTV GO, Nick App and Nick Play apps for more Lip Sync Battles Shorties!
¡Por fin! Dante le preguntó a Kally si quería ser su novio. ¡Revive este épico momento #Dally! Y prepárate que muy pronto llega Kally´s Mashup 2 a Latinoamérica.
Play a Sunny Day guessing game with your preschooler and see what surprises are behind Sunny’s salon doors! Find more Sunny Day in the FREE Nick Jr. App.
In this video, a salon-shaped box opens up and little toy surprises are revealed. Those surprises belong to one of your favorite cartoon characters. Can you guess who? Is it Sunny, Rox, Blair, or maybe Doodle? Take a closer look at the clues before making a guess. A doll of the correct character will appear to collect her belonging. When the guessing game is over, watch a bonus clip from a full episode of Sunny Day where Sunny and her friends clean the glam van while having a sudsy sing-along.
Sunny Day toys are available in stores now!
Kids can watch their favorite Nick Jr. shows weekdays on Nickelodeon and all week long on the Nick Jr. channel: http://nickjr.com/tvschedule/
Preschoolers can watch full episodes online, play games, and discover silly surprises in the free Nick Jr. App and at NickJr.com. Stream Nick Jr. for free in the Nick Jr. App on Roku and Apple TV or download full episodes for offline viewing on iTunes or Google Play.
You can also download premium apps featuring your child's favorite Nick Jr. shows on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, including Nick Jr. Draw and Play and Nick Jr. Let’s Learn!
Jamie Lynn Spears is taking us back to Pacific Coast Academy for a nostalgic throwback, and also setting the record straight about the reason that her hit Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 really came to an end.
Jan. 9, 2019 marked the 14th anniversary of Zoey 101, the beloved teen drama that made Jamie Lynn Spears a star in her own right, and Spears celebrated the occasion by reposting the show's iconic theme song. But Jamie Lynn Spears' Instagram about Zoey 101 did more than just celebrate the past — she also revealed the real reason why the series got canceled.
It has officially been 14 years since Zoey Brooks first arrived at Pacific Coast Academy, even though it may not feel like it was that long ago. Zoey 101 premiered at the start of 2005. The series aired along other nostalgic live-action favorites from the network including Drake & Josh, Unfabulous, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and iCarly. It also held the distinction of being Nickelodeon's most expensive production ever since it was filmed on location in Malibu. But most importantly, the show introduced fans to beloved characters like Zoey Brooks, Chase Matthews, and Logan Reese.
The Zoey 101 theme song "Follow Me" also quickly became iconic, showcasing Jamie Lynn Spears' singing talents for the first time. So it was a fitting tribute for Spears to post a snippet of the song to honor the 14th anniversary of Zoey 101's premiere.
It is a sweet, nostalgic post, but the real scoop came in the hashtags that Jamie Lynn Spears wrote in the caption. Alongside the video, Spears emphasized that Zoey 101 did not end because of her pregnancy:
“Are you ready?” she captioned the post, which features a clip from the show’s irresistible theme song. “14 years later...still a jam. #itdidNOTendbecauseofpregnancy #contractwasfinished.”
At the end of 2007, as the third season of Zoey 101 was about to finish airing, news broke that then 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant by her then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge. Zoey 101 premiered its fourth season just a couple of weeks after its third season ended, and concluded the show with that as its final season. The final episode of the show aired in May of 2008 and Maddie was born in June of that same year. In addition to Maddie, Spears is also mother to 8-month-old daughter Ivey Joan, whom she shares with husband Jamie Watson. Because of the timing, fans naturally assumed that Spears' pregnancy must have been the reason for the show's abrupt cancellation. But now Jamie Lynn Spears is finally revealing the truth, it seems. According to her captions, Zoey 101 ended simply because the contracts were up after four seasons.
Shortly after Jamie Lynn formally announced her pregnancy in December 2007, Nickelodeon released a statement expressing “respect” for her “decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation.” They added, "We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn's well being."
Fans flooded the comments with support, as well as follow-up questions about that tea-filled hashtag. “Oh wow you didn’t quit because you were pregnant, you waited this long to tell us,” one follower wrote. Jamie Lynn replied, “Nope...I went home to finish high school and was going to pursue movies."
“Would the contract have been extended if not for pregnancy?” another asked. “No,” Jamie Lynn then responded.
Spears also took to her Instagram Story to share a series of pictures with the Zoey 101 cast.
"Seriously tho, so thankful for this show, and everyone who loved and supported it," Spears wrote alongside one cast photo. "I grew up on this show, so it was pretty much my childhood also. Love y'all."
"Honestly, since soooo many people keep asking us I'm just curious, how many of you would watch a reunion/reboot of Zoey?" Spears asked, posting a poll.
In response, 96 percent of people have voted yes, please!
The clarifications weren’t really necessary, however, because for years, Jamie Lynn has maintained that it was her decision to leave the show. When she found out she was pregnant in 2007, she had already gone home to Louisiana with the intent of graduating and planning her next move. The show had reportedly already wrapped, although there will still episodes that had yet to air. “After we wrapped shooting, I just wanted to go home to Louisiana and finish high school, be a cheerleader, all that,” she told Glamour in 2012. “Then I found out I was pregnant.”
Lots of publications got the story wrong at the time, while gossip sites speculated rudely and offensively about the reasons for her pregnancy and her child's paternity. Friendly reminder: at any age, pregnancy is not scandalous or shameful — it's also not anyone else's business.
Media outlets, meanwhile, are still misreporting this story, some as recently as this year.
While it's sad to hear that Zoey 101 was already on the chopping block before her pregnancy, Jamie Lynn's candid Instagram posts hopefully will clear things up for the future — and hey, fans wouldn't be mad at a future Zoey 101 reboot.
Now, someone pass me a cup of sassafras tea.
Speaking of reboots,tThere have been some rumblings of Zoey 101 possibly returning to television in some form in the future, especially after the cast reunited to film the "Did Did Zoey Say?" 10-year reunion video back in 2015. The 5-minute clip showed Chase learning that Zoey considered him to possibly be her soulmate while they were at PCA together, and ends on a cliffhanger of Chase running to Zoey.
In a recent interview with Teen Vogue, Jamie opened up about the possibility of reviving Zoey 101, and her answer is almost as good as the Where Are They Now short from 2015.
"I can't make those kind of decisions. I actually haven't spoken to [Dan Schneider]... I haven't spoken to really anyone yet," she said. "We would need to have an actual reunion before that would happen. I do get comments all the time about Chase looking for me."
Though Jamie admitted she doesn't have much say in the fate of the show, she at least revealed her idea of a happy ending for Zoey and Chase. "I would assume that Zoey would be doing some type of perfect job, and maybe he would be like the dad at home with the kids," she said. "I would think that would be kind of because he seems like he still would be a kid."
At least Jamie's up for the idea and since she was the star, that's a pretty solid base. Hopefully Nickelodeon and the rest of the cast picks up on her excitement and get on board.
Jamie Lynn Spears seems less focused on her acting career these days, though, so a full reboot is likely out of the question. Spears currently lives in Louisiana, where she raises her two daughters Maddie Briann Aldridge and Ivey Joan Watson with her husband Jamie Watson.
Would you like to see a Zoey 101 reboot? Vote in the poll and comment below!:
The under-‘Doug’: the story of Nickelodeon’s enduring cartoon
Doug Funnie and Porkchop. Credit: Nickelodeon
“Dear Journal ... Hi, it’s me, Doug.”
For kids growing up in the 1990s, Nickelodeon’s Doug was the animated show that represented all the anxieties of adolescent life. Unlike the flashy, more bombastic cartoons of the era, Doug focused on an imaginative 11-year-old kid dealing with everyday problems.
“Patti, you’re the Mayonnaise for me.” Credit: Courtesy of Nickelodeon.
The show was created by cartoonist Jim Jinkins, who gave the show a distinctly quirky look, a minimalist sound and a strong moral center. “If you were a film theorist you would call this the auteur-driven cartoon,” says Linda Simensky, who worked in Nickelodeon’s animation department at the time.
“Doug” character designs from the show’s production bible. Credit: Jim Jinkins.
In this oral history by Studio 360, the staff behind the scenes — Jinkins, Fred Newman (actor/composer), Yvette Kaplan (animation director), Ken Scarborough (head writer), Kenneth Lonergan (writer) and Constance Shulman (actor) — talk about creating the show, its most controversial episode and the show’s enduring legacy. And comedian Wes Hazard and other fans reflect on the impact that Doug had on them growing up.
Listen to this episode of Studio 360 by clicking play on the audio player below:
Like Studio 360 on their Facebook page and Twitter.
Send your emails to incoming@studio360.org.
Watch all your '90s Nickelodeon favorites on NickSplat, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! NickSplat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 11 PM ET/PT on TeenNick USA, and anytime you want on NickSplat on VRV! #NickSplat!
Original source: PRI; Additional source: Slate.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, NickSplat and Doug News and Highlights!
Original APM Music Press Release via Multichannel:
Iconic Production Music Track "Sweet Victory," Administered by APM Music, Embraced by Over One Million "SpongeBob" Fans Via Online SuperBowl 2019 Petition-
APM Music to Donate Funds to ALS Foundation in Honor of the Late "SpongeBob" Creator Stephen Hillenburg
Hollywood, CA, January 10, 2019 – On November 26, 2018, the world said goodbye to the gifted Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the globally beloved “SpongeBob SquarePants,” an animated cartoon character who lives in “a pineapple under the sea,” and has been entertaining the world consistently since making his first appearance on the Nickelodeon cable TV network on May 1, [1999]. The cause of Hillenburg’s death was ALS.
“Sweet Victory” was co-written in 1997 by David Glen Eisley, a veteran hard-rock singer who fronted the bands Giuffria and Dirty White Boy in the 1980s, and Bob Kulick, a guitarist who has worked with Lou Reed, KISS, W.A.S.P., and Michael Bolton, among others. “Sweet Victory” was released in 1998 by APM Music on their Bruton Music Library album “American Games,” and has become one of the most well-known and iconic songs in the “SpongeBob” repertoire.
APM Music is the world’s leading supplier of original production music for producers of film, television, videogames, commercials, and all other types of audio visual programming. APM Music has had a long relationship with Nickelodeon, and has long been a vital part of the sound of the “SpongeBob” series since the show’s inception.
In Hillenburg’s honor, APM Music is donating a portion of revenues from the song “Sweet Victory” to the ALS Association.
Said Adam Taylor, President of APM Music, “We are truly thrilled that ‘Sweet Victory,’ a production music song, has crossed over into the mainstream of America’s consciousness, and has become an iconic, ‘Can-Do,’ rock anthem, thanks to the remarkable creativity of the late Stephen Hillenburg, and composers David Glen Eisley and Bob Kulick. We are grateful for the many years of joy and humor ‘SpongeBob’ has brought to all of us.”
Taylor adds, “APM provided music for the very first episode of ‘SpongeBob,’ right after we received our reference copy on VHS tape, and it’s been an honor for us to have supplied music for every season of this landmark children’s program since its debut. We send our deep condolences to Stephen’s family and friends - he will be remembered and missed.”
APM Music also played a role in the making of the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004), with the original score for that film having been composed by APM Music’s Gregor Narholz, composer and producer for the Sonoton Production Music Library. The movie also included a number of additional APM Music tracks as well.
David Glen Eisley and Bob Kulick recently reminisced about their collaboration on the making of “Sweet Victory”:
Says Kulick, “Dave and I wanted to write something that would be an inspirational song in the same way that some rock songs have become iconic within the sports field, for example the Queen song ‘We Are the Champions,’ and the song ‘Eye of the Tiger’ from the ‘Rocky’ movies. These songs have become anthems that touch people in an inspirational way. ‘Sweet Victory’ was our power ballad entry into this area. As soon as we recorded the track, we knew it was something monumental, especially given Dave’s great voice. In fact, we were told that Nickelodeon even had the ‘Band Geeks’ episode written specifically to highlight the song, and it became the most dramatic song ‘SpongeBob’ ever sang.”
Adds Eisley, “When I came up with the line: ‘You don’t win no silver, you only lose the gold,’ that became the hook for the song – it expanded out from there. After that line came to me, the rest of the song began to reveal itself. The idea behind it was, ‘If you get knocked down, you get back up, and if you really try hard enough, at the end of the day you can pull a rabbit out of the hat.’”
“The first time I watched that ‘SpongeBob’ episode, I was in shock! You rarely see a needledrop track used within a TV series by having the lead character of the series actually singing it. Tracks like these are usually used as background music. Remarkably, this song BECAME the scene itself. ‘SpongeBob’s’ performance and the reactions of his fellow animated characters while he’s singing the song were so great, my mouth dropped open. The scene presented a really clever adaptation of both the song and the emotion behind it,” Kulick adds.
Said Eisley, “Back in 1998, I was watching TV in the living room when my daughter, India, about eight at the time, came running in from her room, yelling, “The sponge is singing, and it’s your voice!” I watched the episode with her, and just scratched my head. It was pretty bizarre to see that little yellow guy perform so passionately with my voice – it was funny, but kind of startling at the same time.”
The “SpongeBob” producers picked “Sweet Victory” from a catalog of tunes at APM Music, which administers the song in the United States and Canada.
Kulick and Eisley are amazed that a song they wrote 20 years ago continues to resonate so widely—and that an online petition has brought it so much renewed attention. “Even people who are not fans of the style of music that Dave and I do, if you tell them that we wrote ‘Sweet Victory,’ they’ll say, ‘I know that song!’” says Kulick. “It’s touching a lot of people, way, way beyond anything we ever could have imagined. I never realized the magnitude of what this song meant to so many people from all over the world,” Eisley notes.
The two men have just re-recorded and remixed two NEW updated versions of the song, one of which features a complete orchestra. And while they’d be happy—thrilled, even—to perform it at the Super Bowl (“It would be so cool if the original voice and the original guitarist both could play it there!” Eisley enthuses), the composers say they want to make sure that no matter what happens, the song stands as a tribute to Stephen Hillenburg’s memory. “We’re open to doing whatever would make sense to honor him, and put the song out there as something really positive. That, to us, is the most important thing about it,” they conclude.
APM Music (a joint venture of EMI Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing), is the leading production music library for entertainment and media producers, providing production clients with exclusive access to hundreds of thousands of top quality tracks of music produced specifically for use in film, television, radio, video games and new media productions.
A short list of some of APM Music’s key clients include NBC, ABC, CBC, Corus, Fox, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, MLB, PGA, Universal, Discovery, MTV, BBDO, Electronic Arts, Activision, SCEA, Ubisoft, Microsoft, and thousands of others.
Some of APM Music’s recent credits include: Film: A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Crazy Rich Asians, Green Book, Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet, Incredibles 2, The Shape of Water; TV: Barry, Kidding, The Good Place, The Americans, Pose, Silicon Valley, The Handmaid’s Tale, Empire, This is Us, Blackish, Modern Family, Big Bang Theory, Saturday Night Live; Video Games: MLB: The Show ’18, WWE 2K18, Wreckfest, Destiny 2, LawBreakers, Skylanders: Imaginators, Call of Duty: WWII, Agents of Mayhem.
