Friday, August 03, 2012

Nickelodeon Boy Band "Big Time Rush" Voted Best Boy Band In 'Parade Magazine' Poll

From Examiner.com:
Parade mag's 'Best Boy Band' poll names Big Time Rush No. 1, One Direction No. 2

Liam Payne of 1D, Logan Henderson of BTR, Louis Tomlinson of 1D, Kendall Schmidt of BTR, Harry Styles of 1D, Carlos Pena Jr. of BTR, Zayn Malik of 1D, James Maslow of BTR and Niall Horan of 1D; Credits: Getty Images

The results of Parade magazine and Wetpaint Entertainment's first "Best Boy Band" poll have now been announced: Big Time Rush (which stars in a Nickelodeon sitcom of the same name) came in at No. 1, while One Direction (which was created on "The X Factor" U.K. in 2010) came in at No. 2. The poll closed in June 2012, but Parade announced the results on August 2, 2012. Parade said that more than 800,000 votes were cast online in the poll. Because of winning the poll, Big Time Rush graces the cover of Parade's issue that will be in U.S. newspapers on August 5, 2012.

The poll asked people to vote for which boy band they consider "the best." Voters were given three choices: Big Time Rush, One Direction and The Wanted.

Parade did not reveal which percentage of votes each group received in the final results. The results of this poll are sure to be controversial with many One Direction fans, since One Direction has more fans than Big Time Rush does, based on music sales and fans on social media.

In February and March 2012, One Direction did its first North American tour as the opening for Big Time Rush, but music reviewers noted that One Direction outshone Big Time Rush, in terms of audience response. Many reviewers also reported that numerous people in the audience left the concerts after One Direction performed, leaving Big Time Rush to perform to sometimes half-empty venues.

Even though they are competitors on the charts, One Direction and Big Time Rush have said in interviews that they have a friendly relationship with each other. The ages of One Direction's members currently range from 18 to 20, while the members of Big Time Rush are currently 21 or 22.

One Direction signed a development deal with Nickelodeon, but sources say that One Direction will not be starring in a scripted show on the network.

In May and June 2012, One Direction headlined its first North American tour. Like all of One Direction's headlining tours, it sold out within minutes.

One Direction came in third place on "The X Factor" U.K. in 2010. The group's members (Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik) originally auditioned for the show as solo singers, but they were rejected as solo singers and then put in a group together by "The X Factor" executive producer Simon Cowell and other "X Factor" decision makers. Cowell was One Direction's mentor when he was a judge on the show. He also signed One Direction to Syco Music, the record company that is co-owned by Cowell and Sony Music.

One Direction has been spending most of the summer of 2012 working on the group's second album, which will be the follow-up to the One Direction's chart-topping debut album, "Up All Night."

Big Time Rush is headlining a summer 2012 tour of North America. Australian teen idol Cody Simpson and former "X Factor" U.S. finalist Rachel Crow are the opening acts on the tour.

One Direction has had No. 1 hits in several countries, while Big Time Rush has never had a No. 1 hit on any country's album or singles charts

Here are some other statistics comparing One Direction and Big Time Rush:

U.S. album certifications

One Direction - "Up All Night" (released in 2012), platinum certification of 1 million shipments

Big Time Rush -"BTR" (released in 2010), gold certification of 500,000 shipments. "Elevate" (released in 2011) has no gold or platinum certifications.

Biggest hit song in the U.S.

One Direction - "What Makes You Beautiful," No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 2012; more than 3 million in sales so far

Big Time Rush - "Boyfriend" (featuring Snoop Dogg), No. 72 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 2010; more than 500,000 in sales

Twitter followers on official band Twitter account (as of August 2, 2012)

One Direction - More than 5.5 million

Big Time Rush - More than 890,000

Number of "likes" on official band Facebook page (as of August 2, 2012)

One Direction - More than 8.4 million

Big Time Rush - More than 4.5 million

Nickelodeon UK To Show "One Direction: Up All Night Live" Concert Special On Saturday 25th August 2012

UPDATE - Missed Nickelodeon UK's "One Direction: Up All Night" concert special or just want to watch it again? Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK will be repeating the "One Direction: Up All Night" concert on Saturday 25th August 2012 at 9.30pm (repeated at 10.30pm on Nick Replay UK) and on Sunday 26th August 2012 at 11:30am (12.30pm on Nick Replay UK)!

Nickelodeon UK and Ireland has announced and confirmed on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK) the Nickelodeon UK News that Nickelodeon UK will premiere and show a special 'One Direction' live concert special which was recorded at one of the performances of the UK-Irish boy band's recent "Up All Night Tour", 1D's first headlining concert tour which showcased their debut album "Up All Night", on Saturday 25th August 2012 at 5.30pm (repeated at 6.30pm on Nick UK's plus one (+1) timeshift channel Nick Replay UK):
@onedirection Ok so don't scream too loud... One Direction's Up All Night live concert will air on Nickelodeon at 5.30pm on Sat 25th August
It is currently unknown whether Nickelodeon UK's brand new 'One Direction' live concert special, "Up All Night Live", will be the same video concert as on the One Direction's "Up All Night: The Live Tour" DVD, which was recorded at a live 'One Direction' concert held at Bournemouth International Centre on Tuesday 3rd January 2012, where Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson were captured on film during the band's first sold out tour, performing all their hits - "Na Na Na", "Stand Up", "I Wish", "I Gotta Feeling"/"Stereo Hearts", "Valerie"/"Torn", "Moments", "Gotta Be You", "More Than This", "Up All Night", "Tell Me a Lie", "Everything About You", "Use Somebody", "One Thing", "Save You Tonight", "What Makes You Beautiful", and "I Want" - plus a few surprises.

Also, from Sugarscape.com:
WE KNOW WHAT WE'LL BE DOING ON SATURDAY 25TH AUGUST...

Any One Direction fans out there? Yeah we thought so.

Well, for those of you that weren’t lucky enough to score a ticket to the boys’ sold out Up All Night concert , we have good news.

Really, really good news.

Because Nickelodeon have just revealed that they’ll be broadcasting the entire show in FULL on Saturday 25th August, at 5.30pm.

Are you squealing in excitement? Yeah, we thought so.

The Up All Night screening will include all the on-stage action, with Niall, Louis, Zayn, Harry and Liam performing a whopping 15 songs, including What Makes You Beautiful, Moments, Gotta Be You and Up All Night.

Harry was kind enough to spare a few words about the upcoming programme too: “The Up All Night Tour was our first headline tour and it was such a special moment in our career,” he said.

“We’re very excited to be able to share this moment with Nickelodeon viewers.”

Will you be tuning in?

Nickelodeon is available on Sky 604, Virgin 712 and TalkTalk 315.
Also, from Digital Spy UK:
One Direction 'Up All night' tour to air on Nickelodeon

One Direction's 'Up All night' concert is to air on Nickelodeon.

The boyband's show, which recently wrapped its US run, will be screened on Saturday, August 25 at 5.30pm.

© PA Images
"The 'Up All Night Tour' was our first headline tour and it was such a special moment in our career," Harry Styles said. "We're very excited to be able to share this moment with Nickelodeon viewers."

Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson are interviewed for the programme before going on stage, revealing their various likes and dislikes.

Horan admits that he hates The Only Way Is Essex, while Tomlinson confesses to loving Grease.

It was recently revealed that One Direction have sold 12 million records worldwide in just under a year.

The setlist for the 'Up All Night Tour' is as follows:

1. 'Na Na Na'
2. 'Stand Up'
3. 'I Wish'
4. 'I Gotta Feeling / Stereo Hearts'
5. 'Valerie' / 'Torn'
6. 'Moments'
7. 'Gotta Be You'
8. 'More than This'
9. 'Up All Night'
10. 'Tell Me a Lie'
11. 'Everything About You'
12. 'One Thing'
13. 'Save You Tonight'
14. 'What Makes You Beautiful'
15. 'I Want'

Watch One Direction performing 'Up All Night' [here on the official Digital Spy website, DigitalSpy.co.uk]
Also, from Unreality TV (blog):
One Direction 2012: Nickelodeon to air 1D’s Up All Night Tour! (VIDEO)

It’s been revealed today that kids’ channel Nickelodeon will air footage from One Direction’s recent Up All Night tour.

Airing on Saturday, August 25th at 5:30pm, we’ll see the boys performing and all the backstage action too.

Of the landmark tour, Harry Styles said recently, “The ‘Up All Night Tour’ was our first headline tour…

“And it was such a special moment in our career. We’re very excited to be able to share this moment with Nickelodeon viewers.”

And in addition, the 1D boys, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and of course, Harry will be interviewed for the show before they go out on stage…

Digital Spy reports, “Horan admits that he hates The Only Way Is Essex, while Tomlinson confesses to loving Grease.”

Of course, the show will feature all of 1D's hits, including...

1. ‘Na Na Na’
2. ‘Stand Up’
3. ‘I Wish’
4. ‘I Gotta Feeling / Stereo Hearts’
5. ‘Valerie’ / ‘Torn’
6. ‘Moments’
7. ‘Gotta Be You’
8. ‘More than This’
9. ‘Up All Night’
10. ‘Tell Me a Lie’
11. ‘Everything About You’
12. ‘One Thing’
13. ‘Save You Tonight’
14. ‘What Makes You Beautiful’
15. ‘I Want’

Here's a reminder of One Direction performing live during the Up All Night tour…



Will you be watching the Nickelodeon show?

Also from Unreality TV (blog):
One Direction: New concert footage & find out why Niall Horan hates TOWIE, Zayn Malik hates y-fronts & Louis Tomlinson loves Grease

Fans that didn’t manage to bag a ticket for Brit Award winning Global pop sensation, One Direction’s sold-out Up All Night concert have a chance to see all of the onstage action as Nickelodeon broadcasts the show in full on Saturday 25th August at 5.30p.m.

Catch the band in all singing, all dancing action. Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson – who rose to fame on The X Factor – will perform 15 songs with a live band, including:

1. Na Na Na

2. Stand Up

3. I Wish

4. I Gotta Feeling / Stereo Hearts

5. Valerie / Torn

6. Moments

7. Gotta Be You

8. More than This

9. Up All Night

10. Tell Me a Lie

11. Everything About You

12. One Thing

13. Save You Tonight

14. What Makes You Beautiful

15. I Want

“The Up All Night Tour was our first headline tour and it was such a special moment in our career,” said Harry Styles from One Direction. “We’re very excited to be able to share this moment with Nickelodeon viewers.”

The concert begins with getting to know the 1D boys. Niall dislikes The Only Way is Essex; Louis loves Grease, but hates cheesy chat-up lines; Liam dislikes posh food, but loves surfing. And for all the fans out there, Harry reveals that he loves girls, just don’t give him beetroot. Finally, Zayn loves tour buses and drawing, but hates burps and y-fronts!

Tune in on Saturday 25th August at 5.30pm.
Also, from STV.TV:
One Direction Up All Night tour to be aired on Nickelodeon

One Direction's Up All Night concert is to be shown on Nickelodeon.

One Direction's Up All Night concert is to be shown on Nickelodeon.

The X Factor star's performance will be screened on August 25 at at 5.30pm.

Harry Styles said in a statement: "The Up All Night Tour was our first headline tour and it was such a special moment in our career.

"We're very excited to be able to share this moment with Nickelodeon viewers."

Styles and his bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne are also interviewed for the programme.

Before they went on stage the boy band revealed their various likes and dislikes.

Tomlinson admits that he loves Grease, while Horan admits that he dislikes The Only Way Is Essex.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that One Direction have made 12million sales in under a year.

The record sales include eight million singles, three million albums and one million DVDs.

The group were presented with a special disc by Syco and Sony Music in recognition of their huge success.
Also, from Gather.com:
Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan Talk TOWIE, Beetroot and Y-Fronts

Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson may have taken the world by storm since stepping off the X-Factor stage in 2010 but many fans can't afford to go to one of the band's sold out shows or aren't lucky enough to get tickets in time.

Well, for those fans -- and many others -- you're in luck, because the boys will be airing their Up All Night concert on Nickelodeon on August 25th and it will give you all a chance to get up close and personal with the guys you love most: One Direction.

Apparently, the show will begin with the viewers learning about each boy and what like or dislike, which will surely please all Directioners (even though most probably know everything about the boys!)

Did you know Niall doesn't like TOWIE AKA The Only Way Is Essex, a popular British reality show? Liam doesn't like "posh food," Louis hates cheesy pick up lines and Zayn loves drawing but hates y-front underwear.

And what about teen heart-throb, Harry Styles? Well, there's not much revelation when he says how much he loves girls and women, but maybe you didn't know that he hates beetroot.

So make sure to catch the boys on Nick on August 25 at 5:30 p.m. It's sure to be one big party and pull in millions of viewers!
Also, below is the programme description for Nick UK's "One Direction: Up All Night" concert special from Nickelodeon UK's "What's On" schedule section on the official Nickelodeon UK website, Nick.co.uk:
One Direction - crime fighters from outer space! They sing and dance as well, but you don't hear about their superhero powers, which are well-hidden in this concert performance from sunny Bournemouth.

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK):
Calling all UK Directioners - ready for @onedirection Up All Night concert THIS SATURDAY?!!!! Tell me why ur excited! #1DTV.

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK) on Friday 24th August 2012:
#FF cuz Up All Night is on 2moro @ 5.30pm! @NiallOfficial @Louis_Tomlinson @Harry_Styles @zaynmalik @real_liam_payne (as if ur not already!)
And [on Saturday 25th August 2012]:
I [heart symbol] @onedirection !! Cant WAIT for Up All Night the concert on at 5.30pm tonight! #1DTV RT
Also:
#UKDirectioners ! Whos having a #1DTV party tonight? I'm listening to What makes you beautiful on repeat! Up All Night is on in 1 hour!! [heart symbol]
And:
It might be the hardest decision ever...but whos your fave member of @onedirection ?? Up All Night starts in 5 mins! #1DTV.
Also:
cant. stop. screaming!! RT if ur watching @onedirection Up All Night right now! #1DTV.
And:
OMG how cute is Harry?? #1DTV RT
Also:
Changed my mind - @Louis_Tomlinson is def the cutest! Lets hear all the Louis fans RT! #1DTV.
And:
Lots of love coming through for all of @onedirection boys! #1DTV.
Also:
Up All Night is nearly finished :( What was your fave song [favourite One Direction song/favorite One Direction song]? #1DTV.

Nickelodeon Greenlights 14 New Live-Action And Animated Series, TV Movies And Pilots

Breaking Nickelodeon News! - Nickelodeon has ordered 14 brand new live-action and animated series, television movies and pilots! Below is a Nickelodeon Press Release from PRNewswire:
Nickelodeon Greenlights 14 New Live-Action And Animated Series, TV Movies And Pilots

NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2012 /Nickelodeon Press Release via PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon announced today that it has greenlit over a dozen new live-action, animation and TV movie projects – featuring top creative talent in front of and behind the camera, iconic characters from its most popular series and an animated talking snake – that will begin rolling out this fall and into 2013.

[
Pictured: Jerry Trainor and Buddy Handleson in new Nick@Nite comedy "Wendell and Vinnie"]

The slate includes a new Nick at Nite series Wendell and Vinnie and two Nick spin-off comedy pilots, Sam & Cat and Gibby, featuring beloved characters from hit series iCarly and Victorious. The network has also greenlit the pilot Instant Mom for Nick at Nite, while Nick TV movies Swindle and Nicky Deuce will be commencing production later this year. The CG-animated series Monsters vs. Aliens and 2D-series Sanjay & Craig have also been greenlit with both productions based at Nickelodeon's Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif. In addition, Nick preschool has added a new animated series Monty and Norville and a pilot Blaze and the Monster Machines.

Details of Nickelodeon's new content are as follows:

LIVE-ACTION

Current Productions:

Wendell and Vinnie (Nick at Nite series) – iCarly's Jerry Trainor stars as Vinnie, a lovable, goofball uncle who becomes the guardian to his buttoned-up 12-year-old nephew Wendell (Buddy Handleson, Shake It Up). Nicole Sullivan (The King of Queens, The Penguins of Madagascar) also stars as Vinnie's high-strung older sister Wilma. The comedy series, greenlit for 20 episodes, was written by Jay Kogen (Frasier, George Lopez) and will be executive produced by Aaron Kaplan (GCB, Terra Nova).

You Gotta See This (Nickelodeon series) – Nickelodeon combines the best of the web, behind-the-scenes footage, celebrity interviews, pranks and bloopers in its new series You Gotta See This, premiering this fall. Hosted by Chris O'Neal and Noah Crawford (stars of How to Rock), the half-hour series rolls all the must-see clips of the week into one hilarious package. Nickelodeon is currently in production on this 20-episode series in Los Angeles.

Swindle (Nickelodeon movie/working title) – With daring heists, crazy disguises, pie fights and sumo wrestlers, the network greenlights Swindle, an original TV movie featuring an impressive ensemble cast of Nickelodeon stars. When an evil collector cons Griffin out of a million dollar baseball card that could have saved his best friend's home, he unites a ragtag group of his classmates who need to work as a team to take down the swindler. Swindle is based on a popular children's book by Gordon Korman. Production will commence this fall in Vancouver, Canada.

Nicky Deuce (Nickelodeon movie/working title) – Based on a popular children's book by The Sopranos' Steve Schirripa and Charles Fleming, Nicky Deuce stars iCarly's Noah Munck as Nicholas Borelli II, a nerdy, over-protected teen who transforms into the title character. Nicholas gets caught in the adventure of a lifetime when he spends the summer with an uncle he never knew he had. Production on this original TV movie will commence this summer in Montreal, Canada.

Pilots:

Sam & Cat (Nickelodeon pilot/working title) – In the comedic spin-off Sam & Cat, from iCarly and Victorious creator Dan Schneider, feisty Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) and daffy Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) become best buddies and unlikely roommates. They love their freedom and independence, but quickly realize that fun and adventure do not come cheap. Rather than get traditional after-school jobs, Sam and Cat become teen entrepreneurs by starting their own babysitting business.

Gibby (Nickelodeon pilot/working title) – Noah Munck reprises his role as Gibby in the spin-off from iCarly creator Dan Schneider. In the comedy pilot, Gibby takes a job at The Bixby, a recreational center where kids of all ages hang out, socialize, play sports and take unique classes. Gibby becomes a mentor to four quirky middle-schoolers, helping them break out of their shells and embrace life in true "Gibbehhh" style.

The Haunted Hathaways (Nickelodeon pilot/working title) -- Life in The Big Easy gets a little more complicated and way more spirited when the Hathaway siblings move into a house occupied by a family of ghosts. The pilot is written by Robert Peacock, who served as writer/producer on several series over the last decade including Reba, The Jeff Foxworthy Show and Coupling.

The Thundermans (Nickelodeon pilot/working title) – Written by Jed Spingarn, The Thundermans follows 13-year-old Phoebe Thunderman, who just wants to be normal, but that's impossible when she comes from a family of superheroes. While most superheroes are lucky to have one power, Phoebe happens to have 12. So much for normal! A longtime producer for Nickelodeon, Spingarn most recently served as co-executive producer of the hit series Big Time Rush and prior to that, produced on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Johnny Bravo.

Instant Mom (Nick at Nite pilot/working title) – Instant Mom centers on a 25-year-old party girl who trades in Cosmos for carpools when she marries an older man with kids. The project is executive produced by Aaron Kaplan (GCB, Terra Nova) with Warren Bell (Ellen, According to Jim, What I Like About You) and Jessica Butler (According to Jim, In Plain Sight) serving as writers/executive producers.

ANIMATION

Nickelodeon, the top producer of television animation in the U.S., is in production on three new series and two new pilots.

Current Productions:

Sanjay & Craig (Nickelodeon series) – A classic tale of boy meets snake, this 20-episode, 2D-animated series follows two best buds who dedicate their lives to becoming the coolest, most rebellious dudes in the neighborhood. Sanjay & Craig is created by Jim Dirschberger, Jay Howell and Andreas Trolf, and executive produced by Nick alumni Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi (The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Alvin and the Chipmunks).

Monsters vs. Aliens (Nickelodeon series) – An extension of the blockbuster movie, the all-new CG-animated television series features the lovable monsters and a whole new group of nefarious aliens living and working together at Area 50-something. Greenlit for 26 episodes, the series will be executive produced by Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle and Brett Haaland (The Penguins of Madagascar).

Monty and Norville (Nickelodeon preschool series/working title) – Monty and Norville follows the adventures of a five-year-old troll named Monty and his dragon friend Norville. With the help of viewers at home, Monty can use his magic stick to make incredible things happen as long as he uses the right words. The new animated 26-episode series, created by Adam Peltzman (head writer, Blue's Clues, The Backyardigans), will introduce a literacy curriculum to Nickelodeon's preschool audience.

Pilots:

Bad Seeds (Nickelodeon pilot) – From SpongeBob SquarePants alumnus and Chowder creator Carl Greenblatt, Bad Seeds is about a good bird running with the bad crowd… and having a great time!

Blaze and the Monster Machines (Nickelodeon preschool pilot/working title) – Blaze and the Monster Machines is a CG-animated, interactive program about an eight-year-old boy named AJ and his incredible monster truck Blaze. AJ, Blaze and their friend Maddie fight their arch nemesis Crusher along with a fleet of other trucks. The series features a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum and is created by Jeff Borkin (head writer, Team Umizoomi, Little Einsteins) and Ellen Martin (producer, Bubble Guppies, The Backyardigans).

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE Nickelodeon

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nick.com.
Also, from The Hollywood Reporter:
Two Spinoffs, Animated Pilot From 'SpongeBob' Scribe Part of Ambitious Nickelodeon Slate

The network has greenlighted more than a dozen live-action, animation and TV movie projects, including "iCarly" and "Victorious" spinoffs.

Noah Munck; Getty Images

Nickelodeon has pulled back the curtain on its plans for 2013 and beyond, greenlighting a number of series and pilots from the creative teams behind Frasier, Reba, SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly and Victorious.

As the children's-themed network prepares to launch live-action comedy See Dad Run with Scott Baio and the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the fall, it handed out orders to four live-action series and five pilots. In addition, Nick on Friday picked up three animated series and two animated pilots.

The assorted entries hail from both new and established creators, with spinoffs from Dan Schneider's iCarly and Victorious among them. For his part, iCarly co-star Noah Munck will have his hand in three of the new installments.

The ambitious push comes as Nickelodeon attempts to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded landscape where outlets including Netflix and the Internet are among the rivals. For the first time in 16 years, Nick's top competitor, Disney Channel, ended 2011 as the No. 1 kids network.
Also, from Kidscreen:
Nickelodeon greenlights 14 new productions

Nickelodeon is ramping up its TV offerings this fall and into 2013 by greenlighting 14 new projects covering live-action, animation and TV movies.

Live-action projects added to the slate include 20 episodes of a new Nick at Nite comedy series, Wendell and Vinnie (pictured), starring iCarly's Jerry Trainor as a goofball uncle who becomes the guardian of his 12-year-old straight-laced nephew (Shake It Up‘s Buddy Handleson).

Also greenlit is You Gotta See This (20 x half hours), a new live-action series set to premiere this fall featuring web clips, behind-the-scenes footage, celebrity interviews, pranks and bloopers. The series is currently in production in L.A.

In live-action TV movies, two projects based on children's books are set to begin production in Canada later this year. Swindle (working title) is an original comedy film based on a children’s book by popular Canadian/American author Gordon Korman. Production on the movie will begin in Vancouver this fall.

The second movie, Nicky Deuce (working title), based on a popular children’s book by The Sopranos' Steve Schirripa and Charles Fleming, is an adventure film that follows the story a nerdy, over-protected teen who transforms into the title character. Production begins this summer in Montreal.

For pilots, two Nick spin-off comedies, Sam & Cat and Gibby, have been greenlit and feature characters from the hit series iCarly and Victorious. Additional pilots include The Haunted Hathaways about a group of siblings living in a house occupied by a family of ghosts, The Thundermans, written by long-time Nick producer Jed Spingarn, about a 13-year-old girl who comes from a family of superheroes, and Instant Mom, a Nick at Nite pilot.

New animation productions include the 20-episode, 2D-animated comedy series Sanjay & Craig, 26-episode, CG-animated series Monsters vs. Aliens (an extension of the hit DreamWorks Animation movie), and Monty and Norville, a new 26-episode preschool series created by Adam Peltzman (Blue's Clues, The Backyardigans) that focuses on literacy.

Rounding out the new additions are two new animated pilots. Bad Seeds is the brainchild of SpongeBob SquarePants alumnus Carl Greenblatt, while the CG-animated, interactive series Blaze and the Monster Machines targets Nick's preschool audience and features a STEM curriculum.

Tags: Bad Seeds, Monsters vs. Aliens, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, Sam & Cat, Swindle, The Thundermans, Wendell and Vinnie
Also, from Contactmusic.com:
Icarly To Live On Through Nickelodeon Spin Off 'Sam & Cat'

Hit US teen sitcom 'iCarly' and its impending termination has most certainly been the source of disappointment amongst many female Nickelodeon viewers since the show's final season was announced. However, it looks like 'iCarly' fans are in for a treat as two brand new spin-offs have been confirmed to commence filming.

If you loved Carly Shay then you'll most certainly love her best friend Sam Puckett and will be very pleased to learn that she will appear in her own show 'Sam & Cat' starring Jennette Mccurdy (obviously) and Ariana Grande from Nickelodeon's other popular show 'Victorious' in which she plays Cat Valentine. That's right; the same Cat in the aforementioned show. That's two spin-offs in one! The show involves the pair of them becoming roomies and starting their own babysitting business in order to support themselves financially.

The second spin-off stars the rather unusual acquaintance of Carly and Sam, Gibby, played by Noah Munck. Currently with the working title of just 'Gibby', the show features him getting a new job at a community centre for pre-teen kids where he mentors a group of four eccentric centre-goers. The pilot episodes for both spin-offs created by Dan Schneider are set to start being filmed this summer. Schneider has had much experience in working on Nickelodeon and has a long list of hit shows under his belt including 'Zoey 101' starring Britney's sister Jamie-Lynn Spears, 'Drake & Josh', Amanda Bynes 'The Amanda Show' and even executive produced 'Kenan & Kel'.
Also, from the International Business Times:
'Sam & Cat,' 'Gibby' Get Pilots From Nickelodeon Starring Arian Grande, Jennette McCurdy And Noah Munck

Even though Nickelodeon's show "iCarly" is ending soon, the channel is all set to begin new shows for Nick stars Jennette McCurdy, Noah Munck and Ariana Grande. Grande and McCurdy will co-star on their own show together called "Sam & Cat," which is scheduled to begin production this summer, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Although "Sam & Cat" won't definitely be the name of the upcoming show, it will be about the two friends moving in together and starting a babysitting business so they can make money and afford to have fun. Munck will have his own show called "Gibby" where he'll play a mentor to four wacky middle-school kids at a recreational center.

Creator and executive producer of "iCarly" Dan Schneider will be behind both of the spin-offs. Schneider has been at Nickelodeon since the 1990s, when he worked on shows like "Kenan and Kel" and "All That." Schnneider told TV Guide he'll be upset when "iCarly" comes to an end.

"When we film our very last scene, there will be a lot of crying, I know," he said. "But I also know that in television, you don't want to over-stay your welcome. I want to go out the way we are -- on a creative high note."

The show, one of Nickelodeon's most popular, is set to film its final episode in June, although it won't air until November. Even though it's a show meant for kids, "iCarly" has had it's share of famous guests. First lady Michelle Obama, late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon, Vice President Joe Biden and One Direction have all been featured on the comedy series.

Although it's unclear if Grande's "Victorious" will even stay on the air, it hasn't been revealed what role she'll have in the future of that show. McCurdy also is a country-pop singer when she's not on TV.

Thursday afternoon after the news broke the Nickelodeon stars took to Twitter to express their excitement.

"Can't thank @DanWarp @JennetteMcCurdy and @NickelodeonTV enough 4 this opportunity..I'm so excited about this show I could cry. #SamAndCat," tweeted Grande. She also added, "And congratulations to @NoahMunck on #Givvy's new show..I'm so happy for you and can't wait to watch!"

"EXCITED: in GIBBY, zany Gibby gets a gig @ a rec center where he winds up as a mentor to 4 offbeat kids #Gibby .../bignewss," tweeted Munck before retweeting congratulations messages from many of his fans.

Many fans tweeted a similar sentiment, adding they were excited to see their two favorite sidekicks finally appear on their own show.
Also, from C21Media:
Nickelodeon okays seven pilots

Nickelodeon is moving forward on more than a dozen new projects for its flagship channel and Nick at Nite, including spin-offs from the creator of iCarly and Victorious and a new live-action series from the producer of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

The US specialty outlet said Friday it has greenlit seven animated and live-action pilots and is entering production on another seven series and telemovies. Among live-action pilots, Dan Schneider is working on Sam & Cat (wt) and Gibby (wt), which break out characters from his series iCarly and Victorious.

Jed Spingarn (Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Johnny Bravo) is writing The Thundermans (wt), about a teen girl growing up in a super-powered family, while Aaron Kaplan (GCB, Terra Nova) has an okay for Instant Mom (wt), about a 25-year-old party girl who marries an older man with kids.

Nick’s animated pilots are Bad Seeds – from SpongeBob SquarePants alumnus Carl Greenblatt – about “a good bird running with the bad crowd,” and Blaze & the Monster Machines (wt), a CGI project about a boy and his monster truck, from Jeff Borkin (Little Einsteins) and Ellen Martin (The Backyardigans).

New projects heading into production include the Nick at Nite series Wendell & Vinnie (20x30′), also from Kaplan, about an uncle who becomes guardian to his nephew.

Clip show You Gotta See This (20x30′) is currently shooting in Los Angeles while the telemovies Swindle and Nicky Deuce are about to start production in Canada. Swindle is based on the kids book by Gordon Korman; while Nicky Duece is based on the book by Steve Schirripa and Charles Fleming.

In animation, Nickelodeon is also going forward with the 2D series Sanjay & Craig (20x30′) and Monsters & Aliens (26x30′) , a small screen version of the recent movie.

For the preschool crowd Nick has Adam Peltzman (Blue’s Clues, The Backyardigans) working on the 26x30′ series Monty & Norville (wt), about the adventures of a five-year-old troll and his dragon friend Norville.

Sean Davidson
04-08-2012
©C21Media

SECTIONS: C21Kids
Also, from The Huffington Post:
Jennette McCurdy gets her own show on Nickelodeon

NEW YORK — Nickelodeon's hit show "iCarly" made Jennette McCurdy a star, and although the show will air its series finale in November, the 20-year-old doesn't have to worry about what comes next.

The network has tapped McCurdy and actress Ariana Grande to star in a spinoff tentatively titled, "Sam & Cat." The series will follow the girls' characters, Sam Puckett from "iCarly" and Cat Valentine from "Victorious," as they become roommates and start a baby-sitting business.

"Sam & Cat" will be produced by Dan Schneider, who is behind Nickelodeon shows "iCarly," "Victorious," "Zoey 101" and "Drake & Josh."

"I couldn't be under a better person's wing, so I'm really happy about that decision," McCurdy said in a recent interview. "I haven't seen a script ... so I'm dying for information."

McCurdy describes taping the series finale of "iCarly" as emotional.

"The last day of shooting was really sad. There was a lot of crying and there were a lot of hugs going around. None of us wanted to say goodbye really."

Besides acting, McCurdy loves singing. She recorded a self-titled album with Capitol Records Nashville, but is no longer under contract with that label.

"I knew that I was starting this show and I needed to be focused on that," she said. "I didn't want any one thing to get too muddied with the others. Hopefully a different label will like to sign me."

She has spoken with Schneider about incorporating her music into "Sam & Cat."

McCurdy hopes that celebrities will appear on the new show, as they did on "iCarly," which included guest spots by first lady Michelle Obama, One Direction and Jane Lynch.

Who would be her ideal guest star?

"Andrew Garfield. I'm gonna marry him," she said with a laugh. "In my dreams maybe. Sorry, Emma Stone. Emma Stone was on `iCarly.' If she sees this, she's gonna kill me. Oh my goodness. No. I love him though. I love his face. I love his hair! `Andrew Garfield, I love you.'"