Video search engine blinkx has announced a partnership with GONG, the first international on-demand, online anime channel in Europe and North America. Under the terms of the agreement, blinkx will transcribe and index video content from GONG, making it easier for users to find the best in Japanese anime, including sci-fi, horror, heroic fantasy and epic space opera content.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today condemned the controversial videogame MANHUNT2, calling its portrayal of mental illness irresponsible and stereotyped. "NAMI asks Rockstar Games to recall or further modify the videogame MANHUNT2 due to its irresponsible, stereotyped portrayal of mental illness," NAMI executive director Mike Fitzpatrick said in a statement. "We also ask retailers to be responsible in responding to public health concerns."
DECODE Ent.'s mega-hit FRANNY'S FEET begins its third season in the U.S. on Nov. 3, 2008 on PBS KIDS, when the eponymous star will embark on thirteen new adventures in Austria, Tibet, Israel, Africa, Great Britain, and ancient Greece and Egypt.
Granada Ventures today announced a restructuring of their licensing group designed to maximize sales potential from the brand portfolio.
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is launching two new channels in Africa -- the general entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television (SET), and Animax, the anime channel, in November on MultiChoice's digital pay-TV satellite platform DStv.
Launching under the tagline "100% Entertainment," SET features a mix of programming genres for the 15-49 age group. Currently seen in 100 countries, reaching more than 70 million households and broadcast in three languages, SET makes its debut in Africa on November 2.
Rodney, New Zealand-based La Luna Studios is set to launch five new animated kids' TV series. The two-year project, the largest yet for the fledgling studio, represents a significant step for the New Zealand entertainment industry.
"If New Zealand want to be leaders in the digital content arena, then companies should look at creating their own production instead of being just service providers for the rest of the world," said La Luna's founder and director Cris Casares, who noted that the series will create a significant bank of intellectual property for the company.
3D characters CRACK & BONKY continue to win over the Latin American market with a roster of newly added licensees. Among those signing on are Doobalo S.A/ de C.V. (socks); PIC S.A. de C.V. (sleepwear, underwear) and Manny Distribuciones S.A. de C.V. (coin purses, nylon wallets, markers, retractable erasers, pencil sharpeners).
Nickelodeon International has secured broadcast rights in six territories for the 30x11 kids' series FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT, reports KIDSCREEN. The deals for the CCI Ent. CG series based on the acclaimed book by Curtis Jobling include Spain, Benelux, Southeast Asia, Australia, Latin America and Israel. CBBC, ABC Australia, France 3 and Cartoon France have already signed up for the series. FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT is produced by Manchester, England's Mackinnon & Saunders and Kayenta Production, based in Paris.
Vancouver-based animation studio Bardel Ent. has expanded to Toronto, with the appointment of Sarah Haasz as their Director of Development. A long-time veteran of Corus Ent., Haasz spent ten years in the Original Programming Department of Corus Kids, where she worked as a production exec on over 1500 hours of original content for YTV, Treehouse TV and Discovery Kids Canada.
Hulu.com, the joint online venture of NBC Universal and News Corp, has been launched in beta. Featuring streamed and on-demand current and classic shows, as well as feature films, the site's content can also be viewed at partner websites, including AOL, Comcast's Fancast.com, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo. Among the shows being offered during the initial phase are THE SIMPSONS, HEROES, and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
Classic Media, an Entertainment Rights group company, today announced the appointment of Karyn Schneider to the position of VP, Licensing for its operations in North America, effective immediately. Based at the company's headquarters in New York, the position reports to Nicole Blake, SVP, Marketing.
Prominent members of the U.K. children's sector have criticized the recently announced staff and budget cuts at BBC Children's, calling the decisions "disappointing" and "a betrayal," C21 MEDIA reports. The reductions, which include the loss of 88 jobs and the equivalent of a US$201 million cut in programming budgets by 2012/13, will likely have repercussions throughout the industry.
U.K. global media group Entertainment Rights has teamed with Digital Stores to launch a dedicated online store for its key properties, including RUPERT BEAR, POSTMAN PAT, BASIL BRUSH and JIM JAM & SUNNY. The new online store further strengthens ER's multiplatform strategy and will enable licensees to further extend their product reach, presence and profile in an online environment.
4Kids Ent. has signed broadcast licensing agreements with several global broadcasters, including Mexico's Televisa, for the license of their animated series VIVA PINATA.
Jetix Europe has started broadcasting its first localized channel in Bulgaria, C21 MEDIA reports. Though the channel has been available in Bulgaria since 1998, children in the Balkan region will now be able to enjoy their favorite shows in their own language via Bulgaria's major cable and satellite platforms. To begin, 30% of the channel's output will be in Bulgarian, with an increase to 100% projected for early 2008.
DreamWorks' SHREK THE HALLS, a new half-hour of entertainment starring America's favorite ogre and his friends, will air Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Troll Company, the Danish owner of the rights to the iconic Good Luck Troll doll, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against brand management company DIC Ent. In a lawsuit filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, Troll Company charged that DIC fraudulently obtained licensing rights to the Troll by hiding its true financial condition and then conducted such a disastrously underfunded roll-out that the Troll was transformed from a "multi-billion dollar renowned property" into one that was unmarketable.
Cookie Jar Ent. has secured an expanded $40 million line of credit and has added Bank of America to its strategic lending relationships, led by RBC Capital Markets.
The extra capital will be used to finance an ever-growing lineup of new production in support of hit show THE DOODLEBOPS, evergreen classics such as CAILLOU, ARTHUR, and JOHNNY TEST, the newly launched HURRAY FOR HUCKLE and MAGI-NATION, and an extensive development slate for 2008 and 2009.
Zula USA, producer of ZULA PATROL, has completed a DVD and home entertainment deal with Liberation Ent., C21 MEDIA reports. The agreement for the computer-animated series covers all English-speaking markets, with distribution set to begin by spring 2008.
Chapman Ent.'s FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS is branching out from its U.K. roots and moving into Eastern Europe, reports KIDSCREEN. The move is facilitated by merchandising deals inked by U.K. licensing agent/distributor Target Ent.
Additionally, licensing agency One2Play is combing the former Yugoslavian territories for Fifi licensees; distribution outfits Modell and Hobby have signed with French toy company Jemini and Corgi to get Fifi into Hungary and Romania; and Target has made an exclusive toy distribution deal with Edutoys in Latvia and Estonia.
