Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Pluto TV to Launch in the Nordics on May 18

Pluto TV will debut as the first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in the Nordics with more than 70 curated and exclusive channels per market


STOCKHOLM, COPENHAGEN, OSLO—Paramount Global has announced that it'll launch Pluto TV, the company's free ad-supported streaming television service in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway on May 18. Pluto TV will debut as the first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in the Nordics with more than 70 curated and exclusive channels per market.

Pluto TV in Nordics will offer 210 original channels across multiple genres, including movies, TV series, reality, children's programming, sports, news, and more upon launch. Content includes iconic titles from Paramount’s library, such as Dora the Explorer, Catfish: The TV Show, and South Park, and movies channels including action, comedy, and thrillers.

In addition, a new extended on-demand free section powered by Viafree will include the best local series and popular reality shows, such as Frozen Roads, MasterChef DK and Amazing Makeovers. The service will also have content from multiple international partners, to be announced soon.

In the Nordics, Pluto TV content will be subtitled in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish, with some dubbing on children’s shows.

“Pluto TV in Nordics has an exclusive proposition,” explained Olivier Jollet, General Manager (GM) and Senior Vice President (SVP), Pluto TV International. “For the first time, we’re combining the streaming linear TV model that has already enchanted American and European consumers, with a new extended on-demand section powered by Viafree to offer the best of international and local content in one service. I’m confident that Pluto TV will capture the attention of the Nordics markets and consumers, quickly becoming a new destination both for fans of curated content as well as for clients and partners interested in investing in a new and unique streaming service.”

Lars Mossing, Senior Vice President, Ad Sales, NENT Group added that “We are looking forward to Pluto TV’s Nordic launch on 18 May. Viewers will be able to enjoy popular Viafree formats as part of Pluto TV’s offering, while we are able to offer advertisers an attractive proposition as the platform’s advertising sales partner in the region.”

NENT Group serves as Pluto TV’s exclusive advertising sales partner in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

Pluto TV will be available on all major streaming devices (TV, smartphone, tablet, PC) via the Pluto TV browser www.Pluto.tv, via app on Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung, LG and the iOS and Android apps available on the Apple Store and Google Play.

In a Broadband TV News interview, Olivier Jollet, GM and SVP Pluto TV International, said the relationship with Viafree and NENT was an important part of the proposition. NENT will be responsible for advertising sales, using established relationships within the sales houses, and is contributing a number of local titles to the service “Because the Pluto TV inventory is full screen, multiple usage taking place on the big screen through connected TV devices, we really have the opportunity to bring ads which have the impact of TV ads but with the capability of digital measurement targeting and so on.”

Significantly, Viaplay’s own free streaming service will close, giving Pluto TV a free run.

“What is really transformative in the case of the Nordics launch is that ViaFree will disappear as a platform and everything will be consolidating integrated with Pluto TV,” explains Jollet. NENT will also sell the advertising on the venture, as part of what Jollet describes as a “win-win” partnership. “Paramount is able to bring really all the best of the US content, a lot of our own house content from MTV, Nick, the Paramount movies and so on. And at the same time, we’ll have the best local content coming from NENT.”

In the UK, Pluto TV benefits from content from the Paramount Global-owned Channel 5. However, the terrestrial broadcaster also maintains its own streaming service, Demand 5.

Jollet says it’s about finding the right balance between international content and local content. “Pluto TV is a new kind of TV and reality TV has always been local in every region where we launch and in the Nordics we have the chance to partner with NENT, which is a fabulous content producer in the region.”

The intention is to reproduce the partnership model further as Pluto rolls out further. “We either have the opportunity to compete against each other for the free streaming market or to build a kind of giant in the regions and a strong player by joining forces.

“This model is something that we can reproduce we see in almost all the European market, some T- VOD platforms doing well, but limited to the audience of the channel with a little bit of an incremental audience. Pluto TV is broader in terms of target group and can offer a range of content, trying to re-create the TV landscape, and making our product available for any kind of user”.

Pluto will be available across all major devices, including Samsung, LG connected TVs, Android on Chromecast, and iOS devices including Apple TV.

Official Paramount International Networks Nordics press release:

PLUTO TV kommer till Sverige 18 maj

PLUTO TV blir den första gratis, linjära och annonsfinansierade streamingtjänsten i norden med mer än 70 kurerade och exklusiva kanaler per marknad. Gratis on-demand avsnitt från Viafree kommer att ingå i tjänsten. Nent Group blir plattformens annonsförsäljningspartner.

Stockholm – 16 mars, 2022 – Pluto TV, en del av Paramount, meddelade idag att den annonsfinansierade streamingtjänsten kommer att lanseras i Sverige den 18 maj. 

Med över​ 64 miljoner aktiva användare per månad i 26 länder på 3 kontinenter är Pluto TV redan ledande i Europa inom FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming Television). Den svenska publiken kommer nu i och med introduktionen av Pluto TV helt gratis kunna ta del av både drygt 70 kurerade linjära kanaler samt en Viafree on-demand-sektion. 

Pluto TV erbjuder en sömlös, kostnadsfri streamingupplevelse, med enkel åtkomst och utan registrering. Kanalerna kommer att visa innehåll från Paramounts varumärken och IP-format samt Viafree-favoriter och tredjepartsinnehåll genom partnerskap med ledande internationella och lokala producenter och distributörer med målet att leverera ett nytt och varierat innehåll. 

Pluto TV i Norden kommer vid lanseringen att erbjuda drygt 70 tematiska och unikt kurerade originalkanaler som spänner över flera genrer, inklusive filmer, tv-serier, reality, barnprogram, sport, nyheter och mycket mer. Innehållet inkluderar ikoniska titlar från Paramounts bibliotek, som Catfish: The TV Show, South Park och Dora the Explorer samt filmkanaler med bland annat action, komedi och thrillers. 

Dessutom kommer en ny utökad gratissektion med on-demand-innehåll som drivs av Viafree och innehåller de bästa lokala produktionerna och populära serier som Frusna vägar, Unga Mammor och Svenska Powerkvinnor. Tjänsten kommer även att ha innehåll från flera internationella partners som kommer att presenteras inom kort. 

”Pluto TV kommer nu till Norden med ett exklusivt erbjudande. För första gången kombinerar vi strömmad linjär tv, som redan trollbundit amerikanska och europeiska konsumenter, med en ny utökad on-demand-sektion som drivs av Viafree för att erbjuda det bästa av internationellt och lokalt innehåll i en och samma tjänst", säger Olivier Jollet, General Manager och Senior Vice President, på Pluto TV International. "Jag är övertygad om att Pluto TV kommer att väcka uppmärksamhet på de nordiska marknaderna och snabbt bli en ny destination för fans av kurerat innehåll såväl som för kunder och partners som är intresserade av att investera i en ny och unik streamingtjänst." 

"Vi ser fram emot Pluto TV:s nordiska lansering den 18 maj. Tittarna kommer att kunna njuta av populära Viafree-format som en del av Pluto TV:s erbjudande, samtidigt som vi kan erbjuda annonsörer ett attraktivt erbjudande som plattformens annonsförsäljningspartner i regionen" säger Lars Mossing, Senior Vice President, Ad Sales, NENT Group. 

Pluto TV kommer att vara tillgänglig gratis överallt, utan krav på registrering. Tjänsten kommer att vara tillgänglig på alla större streamingenheter (TV, smartphone, surfplatta, PC) via Pluto TV:s webbsida www.Pluto.tv, via app på Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung, LG och iOS- och Android-appar som finns tillgängliga på Apple Store och Google Play. 

NENT Group fungerar som Pluto TV:s exklusiva annonsförsäljningspartner i Sverige, Danmark och Norge. 

Om Pluto TV:
Pluto TV, en del av Paramount Global, är den ledande gratis streaming-tv-tjänsten och levererar hundratals linjära livekanaler och tusentals on-demand-titlar till en global publik på över 64 miljoner aktiva användare i månaden. Den Emmy®-belönade streamingtjänsten erbjuder en mångfald av kanaler, i samarbete med nästan 400 internationella medieföretag med ett brett utbud av genrer, språk och kategorier med filmer, tv-serier, sport, nyheter, livsstil, barnprogram och mycket mer. Pluto TV kan lätt nås och streamas via mobil, webb och anslutna tv-enheter. Med huvudkontor i Los Angeles sträcker sig Pluto TV:s växande globala fotavtryck över 3 kontinenter och 26 länder. 

Om Paramount
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) är ett ledande globalt medie- och underhållningsföretag som skapar premiumunderhållning och upplevelser för publik över hela världen. Med ikoniska studios, nätverk och streamingtjänster inkluderar deras portfölj av konsumentvarumärken bland annat CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV och Simon & Schuster. Företaget täcker den största andelen av den amerikanska tv-publiken och ståtar med ett av branschens viktigaste och mest omfattande bibliotek av tv- och filmtitlar. Förutom att erbjuda innovativa streamingtjänster och digitala videoprodukter erbjuder Paramount Global kraftfulla möjligheter inom produktion, distribution och reklamlösningar. 

PARA-IR

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Source: TV Tech; Additional source: Digital TV Europe.

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Panini, Graphic MSP and Nickelodeon Team Up for 'Monica's Gang & Garfield' Comic Series

Panini Comics and Brazilian comic book series Graphic MSP are collaborating with ViacomCBS and Nickelodeon on a new comic book series which will crossover Monica's Gang and Garfield!


The limited-issue Turma da Mônica & Garfield comic series (4-issues) is set to be released in 2021, and will bring characters from beloved Monica's Gang and Garfield franchises together for the first time. At the moment, it looks like the series will only be released in Brazil.

The news was announced during Mauricio de Sousa Produções' CCXP Worlds panel.


Franchise wise, Turma da Mônica is very similar to Like GarfieldTurma da Mônica is a newspaper comic strip in Brazil. The stories revolve around the adventures of Monica and her friends in the fictional Lemon Tree Street (Bairro do Limoeiro) of São Paulo. Also similar to Garfield and U.S. Acres, The Monica’s Gang umbrella title also encompasses Chuck Billy 'n' Folks, Tina's Pals, Lionel's Kingdom and Bug-a-Booo, among other series.

ViacomCBS announced in August 2019 that, through one of its subsidiaries, it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Paws, Inc., the entity holding global intellectual property rights to the Garfield and the U.S. Acres (a.k.a. Orson’s Farm) franchises--including corresponding rights related to content, consumer products, and location-based experiences for the Nickelodeon portfolio.


From UHQ:

Reveladas as quatro Graphics MSP de 2021 e Turma da Mônica se encontrará com o gato Garfield

O painel da Mauricio de Sousa Produções na CCXP Worlds trouxe várias novidades que chegarão em 2021. O vídeo contou com as participações de Mauricio de Sousa, do editor Sidney Gusman, do diretor de arte Wagner Bonilla e do Cebolinha, personagem que completa 60 anos e que "lackeou" a transmissão.

O primeiro teaser do filme Turma da Mônica - Lições também foi exibido, e você pode ver clicando aqui ou no vídeo que está no final deste artigo. Assim como aconteceu com Turma da Mônica - Laços, o longa-metragem é baseado nas graphic novel Lições, de Vitor Cafaggi e Lu Cafaggi.

Por falar nos autores, eles estão de volta ao selo Graphic MSP, agora trabalhando com outros personagens. Confira abaixo as quatro graphic novels que serão publicadas em 2021 pela Panini Comics, em sua ordem de lançamento, e clique na galeria para ampliar os teasers. São duas continuações e duas estreias.

Franjinha, por Vitor Cafaggi;
Chico Bento, por Orlandelli;
Magali, pro Lu Cafaggi;
Piteco, por Eduardo Ferigato.

Outras novidades foram uma caixa reunindo as seis edições da primeira temporada de Turma da Mônica - Geração 12 e uma coleção que reunirá as histórias clássicas que saíram nas revistas Mônica (1970), Cebolinha (1973), Cascão (1982), Chico Bento (1982) e Magali (1989), da Editora Abril. Entre 2007 e 2015, a Panini republicou essas aventuras em caixas colecionáveis com revistas fac-símile (reproduções das publicações originais), que durou 50 volumes.

Além disso, teve o anúncio do encontro da Turma da Mônica com o gato Garfield, das tiras em quadrinhos de Jim Davis. O projeto é uma parceria da MSP com a Panini e Nickelodeon, da Viacom, e chega após a turminha já ter se encontrado com os personagens de Osamu Tezuka e da DC Comics em anos anteriores. Outros detalhes serão revelados em 2021.

Já na área de animação, vem aí Turma da Mônica Baby.

O painel foi disponibilizado, na íntegra, no canal da Mauricio de Sousa Produções no YouTube. Assista abaixo:

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From F5

Crossover entre Garfield e Turma da Mônica chega às bancas

Parceria entre Mauricio de Sousa e Jim Davis foi mediada pela Nickelodeon



Turma da Mônica se une a Garfield para uma nova aventura - Divulgação

A Nickelodeon produzirá uma nova série de televisão protagonizada por Garfield. O canal pago, que adquiriu os direitos sobre a franquia em 2019, planeja ainda o lançamento de produtos multiplataforma nos próximos anos, voltadas à TV, às mídias digitais, e ao consumo.

Criado em 1978 nos Estados Unidos por Jim Davis, Garfield acumula 4 prêmios Emmy e já estrelou diversos filmes e séries animadas. Sua chegada à Nickelodeon corrobora com o objetivo da emissora de concentrar franquias de grande sucesso, como já faz com "Bob Esponja", "Patrulha Canina" e "As Tartarugas Ninja".

Com a iniciativa, o gatinho, que já estampa mais de 5.000 itens licenciados em 111 países, deve crescer ainda mais em influência nos próximos anos. O acordo prevê que criador de Garfield, Jim Davis, continue a produzir as histórias em quadrinhos.

Uma dos primeiros frutos do novo projeto chega às bancas nesta terça-feira (15), e traz a união entre o felino e a Turma da Mônica. Os personagens se encontram em uma história inédita, criada em parceria com a Mauricio de Sousa Produções e anunciada na Comic Con Experience (CCXP) de 2021.

"Turma da Mônica & Garfield - O Lápis Mágico" é uma minissérie de HQ em três partes. Na trama, Bugu está cansado de ser coadjuvante nas histórias do Bidu e pega o lápis mágico de Marina para viajar pelo Omniverso, que reúne todos os universos ficcionais já criados.

Buscando se tornar um grande astro em qualquer outro lugar, Bugu chega à casa de Jon, onde interrompe o sono de Garfield e, acidentalmente, faz com que Odie se perca pelo Limoeiro.

Garfield, então, vai se unir à Turma da Mônica para procurar o amigo. O que ninguém esperava é que o Capitão Feio e o Monstro de Lasanha se uniriam num plano infalível para causar um choque entre os dois universos.

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Turma da Mônica encontra Garfield em nova HQ da Panini


Vai ter muita lasanha no bairro do limoeiro, sim! Isso porque, em mais novo lançamento, a Editora Panini, líder mundial no setor de publicações, em parceria com a Nickelodeon/Paramount, traz às lojas, bancas e livrarias de todo país, o crossover mais esperado do ano: Turma da Mônica & Garfield – O Lápis Mágico. Trata-se de uma minissérie em três partes desenvolvida por Mauricio de Sousa Produções e Jim Davis, criador de Garfield, ícone da cultura pop e que foi incorporado em 2019 ao portfólio da Nickelodeon.

Na trama, Bugu está cansado de ser coadjuvante nas histórias do Bidu e pega o lápis mágico da Marina para viajar pelo Omniverso, a coleção de todos os universos ficcionais já criados (obras literárias, filmes, séries de TV, lendas urbanas, videogames, HQs, etc.). Seu objetivo é se tornar um grande astro em qualquer outro lugar. Chegando à casa de Jon, Bugu interrompe o sono de Garfield e, acidentalmente, faz com que Odie se perca pelo Limoeiro. Garfield vai precisar, então da ajuda da Turma da Mônica para procurar o amigo. Mas o que ninguém desconfia é que o Capitão Feio e o Monstro de Lasanha se uniram num plano infalível que vai causar o choque entre os dois universos!

Turma da Mônica & Garfield

Garfield foi criado em 1978 nos Estados Unidos por Jim Davis e se tornou a estrela das tirinhas de quadrinhos mais publicadas no mundo. Em seus mais de 40 anos de vida, o gato mais preguiçoso, guloso, egocêntrico e apaixonado por lasanha conquistou 4 prêmios Emmy em sua história, além de filmes, séries animadas e muito mais. Com seu humor ácido e sempre atual, Garfield também é sucesso em produtos, com mais de 5 mil itens licenciados em 111 países.

A primeira edição de Turma da Mônica & Garfield – O Lápis Mágico já está disponível na loja da Panini, com 32 páginas, pelo preço de R$ 12,90.

FICHA TÉCNICA
Periodicidade: Mensal
Formato: 19X27.5 cm
Tipo de Distribuição: Nacional
Número de Páginas: 32
Preço: R$ 12,90

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From BLUP:

Lançamento: Turma da Mônica encontra Garfield em nova HQ da Panini

Com publicação da Editora, personagens icônicos protagonizam história inédita criada a partir da parceria entre Mauricio de Sousa Produções e Nickelodeon/Paramount

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Originally published: Thursday, December 10, 2020.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, RedditInstagramFacebookGoogle NewsTumblrvia RSS and more for the latest Nickelodeon and Garfield News and Highlights!

Paramount CEO Details Plan to 'Suspend Operations' in Russia | Ukrainian Version

Below is a message from National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (Національна рада України з питань телебачення і радіомовлення) regarding Paramount Global's announcement to suspend operations in Russia following Russia's on-going assault on Ukraine. To read Paramount's announcement, click here.

To help Save the Children help as many children affected by the armed conflict as possible, please donate to Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.

«Paramount» призупиняє російські операції і робить пожертвування в розмірі 1 мільйона доларів на гуманітарну допомогу Україні


Президент і генеральний директор студії «Paramount» Боб Бакіш оголосив про подальші кроки для призупинення операцій в росії після її вторгнення в Україну і оголосив про пожертву в розмірі 1 мільйона доларів на підтримку гуманітарної допомоги.

У  вівторок у внутрішній записці для співробітників, яку побачив «Variety», Боб Бакіш написав: «Як і багато хто з вас, я уважно стежу за віроломним, неспровокованим вторгненням в Україну. Гуманітарна криза, що виникла в результаті, та її значні наслідки для життя мільйонів людей по всій Україні, Східній Європі та в самій росії, є жахливими.

З початку цієї кризи наші команди по всьому світу цілодобово працювали, щоб визначити найкращі, а головне – найбезпечніші – способи, якими ми як бізнес можемо показати нашу підтримку всім, хто постраждав. Я хочу чітко сказати, що безпека співробітників і всіх, хто працює з нами, є і завжди буде нашим головним пріоритетом. Ми продовжуємо пропонувати спеціалізовані послуги підтримки сотням співробітників, позаштатних і постійних працівників в Україні, росії та Польщі, які постраждали від цієї кризи».

Він також сказав, що студія «вживає кроки для призупинення діяльності в росії, зокрема призупинення постачання контенту «Paramount Global». Вже призупинено прокат фільмів у росії, таких як: «Загублене місто» , «Їжак Сонік 2». Боб Бакіш заявив, що видавець «Simon & Schuster» призупинив продажі для облікових записів у росії, а також ліцензування прав на переклад російським видавцям. Також «Paramount Consumer Products» призупинить усі нові ліцензійні угоди в росії.

«Інші види діяльності, включаючи ліцензування, потребують більше часу для призупинення, через наявні контрактні, технічні та партнерські складнощі», – зауважив президент і генеральний директор  «Paramount».

Розкриваючи корпоративну пожертву в розмірі 1 мільйона доларів на підтримку гуманітарної допомоги,  Боб Бакіш закликав співробітників безпосередньо допомагати тим, хто цього потребує під час розгортання гуманітарної кризи. «Працівники, які відповідають вимогам у Великобританії та США, можуть скористатися перевагами програми «Paramount Matching Program», ми працюємо над її розширенням на додаткові міжнародні регіони», – написав він.

«Крім того, ми використовуємо наш контент і можливості, щоб допомогти тим, хто цього потребує, включаючи силу наших глобальних платформ, щоби надати світові свідчення цієї трагедії, а також для підтримки зусиль з надання гуманітарної допомоги, – наголосив Боб Бакіш. – Відважні новини «CBS News», «Channel 5», «Chilevision», «Network 10» і «Telefe» цілодобово ведуть репортажі з  конкретних місць в Україні та сусідніх країнах».

Він відзначив також  зусилля компаній «Paramount Group» під час кризи, наприклад, нещодавній спеціальний збір коштів на «Channel 5» у Великобританії під гаслом «Україна: як ви можете допомогти», глобальний заклик MTVE до дії в лінійних сервісах і соціальних мережах до аудиторії, щоб  пожертвувати кошти на підтримку зусиль із надання допомоги в декількох організацях. Водночас підрозділ споживчих товарів дарує іграшки, продукти та кошти організаціям, які підтримують дітей та сім’ї з України, що шукають притулку.

«Наша команда працює над тим, щоб швидко доставити україномовний дитячий контент у європейські країни, як-от Німеччина, Швейцарія, Австрія, Італія, Іспанія та Франція, безкоштовно на «Pluto TV», а також у Польщу через місцевих партнерів «Nickelodeon». І ще є багато ініціатив попереду», – додав Боб  Бакіш.  

Фото Michael Buckner for Variety

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Студія Paramount згортає роботу в Росії

Президент і генеральний директор студії Paramount Боб Бакіш оголосив про подальші кроки для призупинення операцій в росії після її вторгнення в Україну та оголосив про пожертву 1 мільйона доларів на гуманітарну допомогу.

Як передає Укрінформ, про це повідомляє Національна рада з питань телебачення і радіомовлення з посиланням на Variety.

«Як і багато хто з вас, я уважно стежу за підступним, неспровокованим вторгненням в Україну. Гуманітарна криза, що виникла в результаті, та її значні наслідки для життя мільйонів людей по всій Україні, Східній Європі та в самій росії, є жахливими», - написав Боб Бакіш 15 березня у внутрішній записці для співробітників.

Він зазначив, що студія робить «кроки для призупинення діяльності в росії, зокрема призупинення постачання контенту «Paramount Global». Вже призупинено прокат фільмів у росії, як-от: «Загублене місто» , «Їжак Сонік 2». А також заявив, що видавець «Simon&Schuster» призупинив продажі для облікових записів у росії та ліцензування прав на переклад російським видавцям. Також «Paramount Consumer Products» призупинить усі нові ліцензійні угоди в росії.

«Інші види діяльності, включаючи ліцензування, потребують більше часу для призупинення через наявні контрактні, технічні та партнерські складнощі», – поінформував Бакіш.

Заявивши про корпоративну пожертву в розмірі 1 мільйона доларів на підтримку гуманітарної допомоги, він закликав співробітників безпосередньо допомагати тим, хто цього потребує під час розгортання гуманітарної кризи.

«Працівники, які відповідають вимогам у Великій Британії та США, можуть скористатися перевагами програми «Paramount Matching Program», ми працюємо над її розширенням на додаткові міжнародні регіони», – написав він.

«Крім того, ми використовуємо наш контент і можливості, щоб допомогти тим, хто цього потребує, включаючи силу наших глобальних платформ, щоб надати світові свідчення цієї трагедії, а також для підтримки зусиль з надання гуманітарної допомоги. Відважні новини «CBS News», «Channel 5», «Chilevision», «Network 10» і «Telefe» цілодобово ведуть репортажі з конкретних місць в Україні та сусідніх країнах», - наголосив Бакіш.

Він відзначив також зусилля компаній Paramount Group під час кризи, зокрема, нещодавній спеціальний збір коштів на «Channel 5» у Великій Британії під гаслом «Україна: як ви можете допомогти». Водночас підрозділ споживчих товарів дарує іграшки, продукти та кошти організаціям, які підтримують дітей та сім’ї з України, що шукають притулку.

«Наша команда працює над тим, щоб швидко доставити україномовний дитячий контент в європейські країни, як Німеччина, Швейцарія, Австрія, Італія, Іспанія та Франція, безкоштовно на «Pluto TV», а також у Польщу через місцевих партнерів «Nickelodeon». І ще є багато ініціатив попереду», – додав керівник Paramount.

Як повідомляв Укрінформ, станом на ранок 14 березня 209 західних компаній повністю вийшли з російського ринку та припинили взаємодію з російськими партнерами, 378 - обмежили роботу частково. Однак, за словами Президента Володимира Зеленського, багато світових компаній досі не пішли з російського ринку.

Із 24 лютого в Україні триває війна з російськими загарбниками.

###

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Steve and Joe to Guest Star in New 'Blue's Clues & You!', Premiering March 18 on Nickelodeon

Catch two brand new episodes of Blue's Clues & You!, as original Blue's Clues hosts Steve (Steve Burns) and Joe (Donovan Patton) join Josh (Joshua Dela Cruz), premiering Friday, March 18, 2022 from 12:00 p.m. ET/PT, only on Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon!


12:00 p.m. - Blue's Mystery Present: At the Present Store, Joe’s running a special contest--whoever correctly guesses the mystery present on display gets to unwrap it! We’ll play Blue’s Clues to figure it out! As we look for clues, we help customers pick out the perfect presents! (#303)

The Mailtime Mystery: It’s a busy delivery day for Mailbox, there’s a letter that needs to be delivered, but he doesn’t know who it is for! As we play Blue’s Clues to figure out who the letter is for, we deliver mail to our friends and skidoo to help a lost Postcard! (#309)

Blue Skidoos to the Post Office! 📬 w/ Josh & Rainbow Puppy | Blue's Clues & You!


Blue and Josh skidoo to the post office and help Little Post Card get delivered to Rainbow Puppy!



Stream Blue's CluesBlue's RoomBlue's Clues & You! and Bubble Guppies on Paramount+ and Noggin! Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Subscribe to the official Blue’s Clues & You! YouTube channel! Subscribe today at https://at.nick.com/BCYSubscribe!


Originally published: March 12, 2022.

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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for March 16, 2022 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for March 16, 2022 | Nickelodeon


Stream the classic and the all new CG-animated Rugrats series on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Paramount Plus Renews the All-New 'Rugrats' for Season 2!

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'SpongeBob SquarePants' Was The Most In-Demand Show On Amazon in February 2022

SpongeBob SquarePants reigns supreme as Amazon Prime Video's most in-demand series for February 2022, with average sales up 65x higher than usual.


SpongeBob SquarePants tops the list as the most in-demand show on Amazon Prime Video last month. The beloved Nickelodeon animated series has been airing since 1999, and its goofy premise has spawned hundreds of episodes and a handful of SpongeBob SquarePants films. The SpongeBob machine doesn't seem to be dying down anytime soon, either, with Paramount planning more films and projects within the franchise, for TV, streaming and theatrical releases. SpongeBob is responsible for countless quotable and memeable moments that are recognizable to most millenials, which is no easy feat for an animated children's show.

The children's comedy series follows SpongeBob, an overly optimistic sea sponge who flips burgers and wreaks havoc around Bikini Bottom, usually alongside his best friend Patrick Star. SpongeBob is prone to unintentionally annoying his boss Mr. Krabs and his co-worker/neighbor Squidward Tentacles. The other unique residents of the underwater town also play a role, from the devious Plankton, to the intelligent Sandy Cheeks. SpongeBob SquarePants has remained successful for its odd humor that is popular for people of all ages.

According to data from Parrot Analytics (via The Wrap), SpongeBob SquarePants is having a moment on Amazon Prime Video more than 20 years after its initial debut. In February 2022, the long-running show was the most in-demand on the entire platform. In fact, the show reportedly saw 65 times more sales than average last month.

While Amazon Prime is competing with platforms like Netflix and HBO Max to make original content that entices customers into paying monthly subscriptions, this data appears to prove that, sometimes, popular old content can also be a reliable staple for streamers. In addition, kids' content tends to be a major win for streaming platforms. The report indicates that more than 20 percent of Amazon Prime Video's most-demanded shows were classified as children's content, so the genre is an important one for studios to pay attention to. It's likely that this data will also impact Amazon's decision to renew its licensing contract for SpongeBob SquarePants, since fans are continually interested in streaming SpongeBob content via their Prime Video subscriptions.

However, now that the Paramount+ streaming service has found its footing, Nickelodeon might be forced to limit its deals with platforms under the same corporate umbrella. The studio is already planning to make future SpongeBob films to release via Paramount+ and has developed exclusive spinoffs like Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years and The Patrick Star Show. Given this, Amazon might have to pay top dollar to Paramount Pictures for the streaming rights to the hit show, or risk losing a major moneymaker like SpongeBob SquarePants

From WrapPro:

”Peppa Pig“ and other kids’ series make up nearly 21% of the demand for all shows on Prime Video in February

In February, the most in-demand show on Amazon Prime Video was “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The long-running animated hit had over 65 times the demand of the average series in February, according to Parrot Analytics data.

This underscores the importance Amazon has placed on children’s content. “Peppa Pig,” another global hit with kids, was also among the 10 most in-demand shows available on Amazon. Prime Video exists to help fuel the larger Amazon Prime engine, whether that’s attracting more people to sign up to the service with a new hit series like “The Wheel of Time” or retaining subscribers so they continue to spend money on the ecommerce platform. The 10 most in-demand shows on Amazon Prime Video in February 2022 (Parrot Analytics)

Kids’ content in particular is a powerful retention tool so it’s not surprising to see the investments the platform has made in this type of content; 20.7% of demand for all shows on the platform was for a kids’ series in February.

It should be noted that “SpongeBob” and “Peppa Pig” are both licensed IP by Amazon from ViacomCBS (now Paramount) and eOne, respectively, and that the agreements to stream their shows (and other licensed series on the service) will end or need to be renewed at some point — the length of those contracts hasn’t been disclosed.

But half of Prime’s 10 most in-demand series on the platform last month were originals, showing the platform’s commitment to producing quality original content as well as licensing popular shows for its catalog. Among these, two series have recently or are in the process of wrapping up. “The Expanse” had its series finale on Jan. 14. The sci-fi drama has been a flagship show for Amazon for years. Similarly, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will stream the season 4 finale on Friday.

With these longstanding hits coming to an end, it’s time for a new era of Amazon originals to rise to the occasion and fill the gap left by these finales. Recent premieres like “The Legend of Vox Machina” and “Reacher” are already attracting audience attention (both had over 20 times the average series demand in February).

Key for Amazon in the coming months will be continuing to prove its value to subscribers until September when the long-hyped “Lord of the Rings” series should finally start paying dividends on Amazon’s massive $465 million investment in the first season.

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Watch SpongeBob SquarePants and The Patrick Star Show on Nickelodeon, and 200 episodes of SpongeBobThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The RunKamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years and The SpongeBob Musical on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com.


Listen to The SpongeBob Musical here!

CALLING ALL GOOFY GOOBERS! (ROCK!) Are ya ready for a deep dive into the world of SpongeBob SquarePants? The SpongeBob YouTube channel is THE PLACE for all fan-favorite SpongeBob moments! We’re serving up everything from legendary scenes to remixes of classic songs to deep dives into Bikini Bottom lore. Be sure to check back every week for Music Mondays, Wumbo Wednesdays, and Flashback Fridays! Subscribe now at https://www.youtube.com/SpongeBobOfficial!

Shop SpongeBob!: https://www.spongebobshop.com - SpongeBob face masks now available, with ALL proceeds going to charity!


Original source: ScreenRant.

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ViacomCBS Reports Q4 and Full Year 2021 Earnings Results

VIACOMCBS REPORTS Q4 AND FULL YEAR 2021 EARNINGS RESULTS


NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2022 --

--- Total Company Revenue Increased 16% Year-Over-Year in Q4, Reflecting Growth Across All Revenue Types

--- Quarterly Global Streaming Revenue Grew 48% Year-Over-Year to $1.3 Billion, Driven by Strength in Subscription and Advertising
-- Added a Record 9.4M Global Streaming Subscribers, Overwhelmingly Led By Paramount+, to Reach
-- Over 56M Subscribers in the Quarter, and Achieved 84% Year-Over-Year Growth in Streaming Subscription Revenue
-- Fueled By a Diverse Global Content Offering, Subscriber Acquisition and Consumption on Paramount+ Accelerated - Driven By Original Scripted Dramas 1883 and Mayor of Kingstown; Family Friendly Films Such As Clifford The Big Red Dog; and Live Sports With The NFL ON CBS
-- Added 10M Pluto TV Global Monthly Active Users (MAUs) to Reach Over 64M and Grew Revenue by 45% Year-Over-Year

--- Strengthened Financial Position by Generating $2.3B of Net Proceeds From Non-Core Asset Dispositions

--- The Company is Hosting Virtual Investor Event Today, Detailing the Momentum of Paramount+ and More

STATEMENT FROM BOB BAKISH PRESIDENT & CEO

"In the fourth quarter you saw the power of strategy and strength of execution across the company. Our success was evident across all lines of business, and spotlighted by streaming, where we achieved our best quarter ever in streaming subscription growth - more than doubling our subscriber additions from last quarter with a record 9.4M additions, expanding our total global streaming subscribers to over 56M. And, to top it off, we saw meaningful acceleration in our global Pluto TV MAUs, to reach over 64M and generate over $1 billion in revenue in the year. This sets us up well for 2022, where I'm tremendously excited to continue to build on this powerful momentum - investing in global content, distribution, and market expansion - to further drive scale."

OVERVIEW OF Q4 REVENUE

REVENUE BY TYPE

--- Advertising revenue grew 1% year-over-year, reflecting improved pricing, partially offset by lower political advertising and lower linear impressions.

--- Affiliate revenue increased 2% year-over-year, reflecting higher reverse compensation, expanded distribution and rate increases, partially offset by subscriber declines.

--- Streaming revenue rose 48% year-over-year:
- Streaming subscription revenue grew 84% year-over-year, reflecting strong subscriber growth from the company's streaming subscription services.
- Streaming advertising revenue grew 26% year-over-year, driven by growth in advertising on Pluto TV and Paramount+.

--- Theatrical revenue reflects the fourth quarter release of Clifford The Big Red Dog, and the third quarter release of PAW Patrol: The Movie, while the prior-year period was impacted by the closure or reduced capacity of movie theaters in response to Covid.

--- Licensing and other revenue increased 45% year-over-year, reflecting a higher volume of licensing, including from the comparison against the impact in 2020 from Covid-related production shutdowns.

GLOBAL STREAMING HIGHLIGHTS

--- Global streaming subscribers rose to more than 56M, adding a record breaking 9.4M subscribers in the quarter.
-- Subscriber additions in the quarter were overwhelmingly led by Paramount+, with 7.3M additions, bringing Paramount+ total subscribers to 32.8M in the quarter.
- Domestically, Paramount+ saw record subscriber sign-ups and engagement from a variety of content, including Clifford The Big Red Dog, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, South Park: Post Covid, live events and the NFL.
- Internationally, Paramount+ had great momentum, reflecting strong global and local content, including local sports such as A-League in Australia.
-- SHOWTIME OTT also had a record quarter with sign-ups and engagement, benefiting from hit originals, including Dexter: New Blood and Yellowjackets.
-- SkyShowtime, the new streaming joint venture with ViacomCBS and Comcast, plans to launch in more than 20 European markets encompassing 90 million homes starting later this year.

--- Pluto TV revenue grew 45% year-over-year to $362M, as additions of 10M grew total MAUs to over 64M in the quarter.
-- During the quarter, Pluto TV launched in Italy, and announced a strategic partnership with Nordic Entertainment Group to bring Pluto TV to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway in 2022.

REPORTING SEGMENTS

TV ENTERTAINMENT

--- In Q4, CBS had the top scripted broadcast drama with NCIS, the top comedy with Young Sheldon, and the top three new programs with FBI: International, NCIS: Hawai'i and Ghosts. Also, THE NFL ON CBS averaged over 18 million viewers, more than any prime-time television sports, entertainment, or news series on any network this season.

--- Revenue grew 18% year-over-year, reflecting growth across all revenue streams.
-- Advertising revenue increased 2% year-over-year, primarily reflecting improved pricing and an increase in original programming, partially offset by lower political advertising.
-- Affiliate revenue grew 5% year-over-year, driven by growth in reverse compensation.
Streaming revenue rose 64% year-over-year, reflecting subscriber and advertising growth at Paramount+.
-- Licensing and other revenue increased 51% year-over-year, reflecting a higher volume of licensing, including from the comparison against the impact in 2020 from Covid-related production shutdowns.

--- Adjusted OIBDA decreased 73% year-over-year, reflecting the company's increased investment in Paramount+.

CABLE NETWORKS

--- In Q4, ViacomCBS maintained leadership as the #1 portfolio in share of viewing among key demos (P2+, P12-17, P18-34, P18-49, P25-54), and owned the #1 cable series with Yellowstone and the #1 cable series among K2-11 with Paw Patrol.

--- Revenue increased 17% year-over-year, reflecting growth across all revenue streams.
-- Advertising revenue increased slightly year-over-year, as the benefits from improved pricing and the acquisition of Chilevisión were largely offset by lower linear impressions.
-- Affiliate revenue grew 1% year-over-year, reflecting higher revenues from expanded vMVPD distribution, rate increases, and pay-per-view boxing events, partially offset by subscriber declines.
-- Streaming revenue increased 40% year-over-year, largely fueled by advertising revenue growth from Pluto TV, as well as growth in subscribers for subscription streaming services.
-- Licensing and other revenue increased 87% year-over-year, primarily driven by a higher volume of licensing, led by the licensing of programming to Paramount+.
--- Adjusted OIBDA decreased 34% year-over-year, reflecting an increased investment in international streaming services and an increase in original programming.

FILMED ENTERTAINMENT

--- Revenue rose 61% year-over-year, driven by higher theatrical and licensing revenues.
-- Theatrical includes revenues from the fourth quarter release of Clifford The Big Red Dog, and the third quarter release of PAW Patrol: The Movie, while the prior-year period was impacted by the closure or reduced capacity of movie theaters in response to Covid.
-- Licensing and other revenue increased 54% year-over-year driven by a higher volume of licensing, including to our owned streaming services and from the comparison against the impact in 2020 from Covid-related production shutdowns.

--- Adjusted OIBDA increased $36 million year-over-year, reflecting higher profits from the licensing of our content, partially offset by higher distribution costs from the timing of theatrical releases.

BALANCE SHEET & LIQUIDITY

--- As of December 31, 2021, the company had $6.3B of cash on its balance sheet and a committed $3.5B revolving credit facility that remains undrawn.

--- Strengthened financial position by generating $2.3B of net proceeds from the sale of the CBS Studio Center and the Black Rock office building.

You can read ViacomCBS's press release featuring the company's 4th Quarter 2021 and Full Year 2021 results report in full, including tables of ViacomCBS' statements and balance sheets, on PR Newswire.

ABOUT VIACOMCBS

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry's most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

VIAC-IR

CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements, including statements related to our future results and performance. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "likely," "will," "may," "could," "estimate" or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: risks related to our streaming initiatives; changes in consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies, distribution platforms and packaging; the impact on our advertising revenues as a result of changes in consumer viewership, advertising market conditions and deficiencies in audience measurement; our ability to maintain attractive brands and our reputation, and to offer popular programming and other content; increased costs for content and other rights; competition for talent, content, audiences, subscribers, advertising and distribution; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in or the impact of negotiations for the distribution of our content; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets, FCC licenses and programming; risks related to our ongoing investments in new businesses, products, services and technologies, through acquisitions and other strategic initiatives; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; content infringement; the impact of Covid-19 and other pandemics and measures taken in response thereto; domestic and global political, economic and regulatory factors affecting our businesses generally; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; the loss of existing or inability to hire new key employees or secure creative talent; strikes and other union activity; potential conflicts of interest arising from our ownership structure with a controlling stockholder; and other factors described in our news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

###


Paramount CFO Tells Skeptics: Streaming Rivals “Would Love to Have Our Portfolio of Content”

Naveen Chopra also touted sports as an "important ingredient" for Paramount+ in the U.S. and select other markets as he appeared at the Deutsche Bank Media, Internet and Telecom Conference.

Paramount Global CFO Naveen Chopra on Tuesday rejected the notion that the entertainment conglomerate doesn’t have enough hits and content firepower to succeed in the streaming space.

Asked about some skeptics’ take that the company does not have the necessary intellectual property (IP) in the battle for streaming subscribers, he told the Deutsche Bank Media, Internet and Telecom Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., that the company had added 9.4 million streaming subs in the fourth quarter. That made its Paramount+ the fastest-growing major streamer in the U.S. and was “first and foremost” driven by content.

Chopra then touted the company’s CBS, Nickelodeon, Showtime, Paramount Pictures and other brands, as well as such tentpole content as Yellowstone and the Halo series. He also called the Paramount studio’s lineup “one of the most enviable slates over the next few years of any studio around,” including the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick and new Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Paw Patrol and Sonic the Hedgehog films, among others.

Overall, “I think there are a lot of companies out there [that] would love to have our portfolio of content and, importantly, well-known IP,” Chopra concluded. That last part was “critical” as it avoids having to constantly launch new content propositions, he emphasized.

Asked about the importance of sports content on Paramount+ in the U.S. and beyond, Chopra called it an “important ingredient” in the U.S., especially for the acquisition of users who can then be turned on to additional programming. Those who join for sports “turn into our highest long-term value subs, especially when we get them into that second piece of content,” he noted.

Outside the U.S., Paramount+ is a broader offering that includes Showtime, he emphasized. “We do think sports has value, but we do look at it on a market-by-market basis,” the Paramount CFO added. For example, the streamer offers sports in Australia and will launch English Premier League soccer in Mexico and other markets.

Paramount executives told a recent investor day that they expect streaming losses to peak in 2023. With Wall Street increasingly focusing on the profitability outlook for Hollywood conglomerates’ streaming services, Paramount Global president and CEO Bob Bakish acknowledged earlier in March that his team will have to continue showing that it can execute the streaming game plan. “I know people are worried about investment levels, [but] look at what we are investing in,” he said. “New series, which we have a good track record on, and repatriating good product that is out there to get it back under our control.”

Asked how quickly profit margins in streaming could become similar to the traditional TV business, Chopra acknowledged that this “obviously doesn’t happen overnight,” but said it would happen within “a reasonable period of time.”

Discussing revenue and advertising revenue trends at Paramount’s TV business, Chopra said that “we have shown that we have the ability to mitigate audience declines with increases” in rates, “particularly as we see COVID issues, supply chain, Ukraine-related issues ultimately resolve themselves” over time.

Just like its peers, the conglomerate has been focusing on growing its streaming business, including subscription service Paramount+ and advertising VOD service Pluto TV. Paramount+ ended 2021 with 32.8 million subscribers, and the company is targeting to hit 100 million by 2024. Management recently told investors that it plans to bolster the nascent service with theatrical films, spinoff series and remakes and rebranded the company as Paramount Global.

The company’s addition of about 26 million streaming subscribers in 2021, mostly at Paramount+, came in better than most people had expected, Chopra argued on Tuesday. And Pluto TV has a long way to go in terms of user and revenue growth. Overall, the CFO expressed confidence in the company’s ability to build a “top-tier streaming business” with a broad-based content portfolio targeting the whole household and a broad business model combining subscription, advertising and hybrid offers.

Chopra also emphasized that the company is constantly looking at how to “program and stunt” content, for example, using an NFL game to get audiences into a scripted show. That can “move audiences from one title to another” to strengthen engagement and lower user churn, he said.  Asked if the content spending targets will allow Paramount to roll out enough local content in key regions of the world, the CFO said “absolutely.”

###


Paramount CFO Touts Deep IP Library as Differentiator from Competitors

At Deutsche Bank’s Media, Internet & Telecom Conference, Paramount CFO Naveen Chopra discussed the company’s apparently controversial investment into streaming. With multiple streaming services — Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Showtime — under their corporate umbrella, it is important for the company to reach as many people as possible.

“Our view is that you’ve got to address the entire household, which involves a combination of obviously scripted content, but things like sports, news, movies, kids content, unscripted,” Chopra said. “And that’s really critical in terms of both being able to drive engagement, audience growth, etc., but also being able to leverage content investments across a variety of different channels.”

It’s those investments that Chopra believes will be a major differentiator for Paramount’s streaming future, especially in relation to the biggest elephant in the streaming room, Netflix. With the amount of money being invested in content creation across the top nine streaming services expected to rise to $140.5 billion in 2022, Chopra said that Paramount’s deep library of intellectual property gives them a distinct advantage over other services that don’t have that type of history.

“Without well-known IP, you’re stuck in the mode of having to launch new shows and try to build new audiences every single time and that can honestly be a pretty expensive endeavor,” the CFO said. “Whereas our ability to take those existing audiences, that existing IP, those franchises, extend them, build on them across multiple channels. It just yields better ROI. And that’s a big part of why we think our strategy is so compelling.

Other streaming services like Disney+, HBO Max, and others also come with existing IP that they can capitalize on, but due to the nature of their business model, Netflix must either license existing content or create it from the ground up, something that gets increasingly expensive when subscriber growth — especially domestically — slows dramatically.

Chopra also touted the company’s multi-faceted content approach, including building on content from their array of traditional broadcast networks and their ability to get Paramount Studios’ movies onto Paramount+ in increasingly quick turnaround times.

“We like the concept of a 45-day window that allows us to continue to capture the value of theatrical audience, but also use movies as drivers of both acquisition and engagement on our streaming platforms,” he said.

As Paramount’s CEO Bob Bakish has talked about extensively, especially during last month's Investors Day presentation, the company’s popular linear and cable networks like CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, MTV and more, as well as their historic movie studio, gives them not only the library, but the production resources to move quickly and aggressively into the streaming space.

Not only do Bakich and Chopra think that the existing content will be important to the growth of their services, but also it allows them to build and expand franchises including “Paw Patrol,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “A Quiet Place,” and Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone.”

“So we think from a revenue perspective, we can grow faster and bigger,” Chopra said on Tuesday. “And then when you look at it from on the cost side of the equation, there are very tangible benefits that we have and again, start with content the fact that we have this huge library of content is a great asset in the financial model. If you’re a pure-play kind of upstart streaming business without that library, you’ve got to spend billions of dollars a year to rent library content.”

Unlike Netflix, who started as a streaming service exclusively using content created by other studios before getting into the game themselves, Paramount is confident that having decades of material to build upon will allow them to gain ground in the streaming wars faster than expected.

Paramount says that they ended 2021 with 32.8 million subscribers on Paramount+ and that during Q4 were not only the fastest-growing streamer in the country but the fastest-growing brand.

“Well, the first thing I do is I pointed to the fact that we added 9.4 million subscribers in Q4 we were the fastest-growing major streaming service [and] fastest-growing brand in the US market,” Chopra said. “And all of that success is content driven. First and foremost.”

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Originally published: February 15, 2022.

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Belmont High School in MA to Present 'The SpongeBob Musical', March 17-19

Belmont, MA - Tickets are now on sale for the first live theater performance in the new Belmont Middle and High School auditorium, The SpongeBob Musical. It's also the first live spring musical since 2019, pre-pandemic. Last year's musical, a celebration of the Golden Age of musical theater, was virtual and the musical in 2020, Shrek, was cancelled.

Cast of 'SpongeBob Musica' rehearsing a dance scene. CREDIT: WICKED LOCAL PHOTO/JOANNA TZOUVELIS

For the past two months, the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company’s cast and crew have been rehearsing the pop and rock songs and dances, building and painting an underwater, animated world, sewing colorful, disco-inspired, tropical costumes and doing a lot of laughing in preparation for this fun-filled show, entertaining for all ages.

Performances are 7 p.m. March 17, 18 and 19 and 2 p.m. on March 19. Tickets may be purchased online at bhs-pac.org.

BHS seniors Leeza Pesok, Grace Sattler, Erik Rosenmeier and Alden Barnes play the leading roles in the  show based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants. BHS Theater Specialist and Performing Arts Company Producer/Director Ezra Flam told Wicked Local that the show’s was chosen for its bright and colorful elements and effects which will show off the new theater space and its technological advances.

Leading actors in 'SpongeBob Musical," a production of the Belmont High Performing Arts Company, left to right, Leeza Pesok, Grace Sattler, Erik Rosenmeier and Alden Barnes. CREDIT: WICKED LOCAL PHOTO/JOANNA TZOUVELIS

“We knew we wanted to do something that was fun, that felt like a celebration and that was colorful and will let us show off our new theater space and all the cool things it can do. This one fit the bill,” said Flam.

Barnes plays SpongeBob who is trying to save his underwater home from being destroyed. He said it’s challenging to play because he is on stage during most of the show which requires quite the endurance as a singer and actor.

His favorite part of the show is the song, “The Best Day Ever,” taken from the cartoon series where SpongeBob has to convince the town that despite it being the end of the world, they can still make it the best day ever.

Belmont High senior Alden Barnes (left) plays SpongeBob and and Belmont High Senior Erik Rosenmeier plays Patrick in 'The SpongeBob Musical.' CREDIT: WICKED LOCAL PHOTO/JOANNA TZOUVELIS

“I think the show both for having the fun and humor the original cartoon has, also carries with it a seriousness and a maturity that speaks to a lot of the problems with our society from the challenges from lockdown from the coronavirus to racism across our country,” said Barnes.

SpongeBob’s best friend, Patrick, is played by Rosenmeier.

“I really like being the comic relief, making people laugh,” he said. “I really had trouble with his voice when I first started. I wanted to figure out a way to make him sound traditionally pretty stupid, a little dumb and still make him realistic. Finding a balance between being comical and being a person was tough.” 

Belmont High senior Grace Sattler plays Squirrel in 'The SpongbeBob Musical.' CREDIT: WICKED LOCAL PHOTO/JOANNA TZOUVELIS

Sandy the Squirrel, a smart scientist who is into karate, with a feisty personality, is played by Sattler.

“I love her. I feel like I can relate to her in some ways. She has an optimistic side but she takes things very seriously,” said Attler.

She said she had to learn how to do karate for her role which she never had experience with before.

“I think the whole production itself has so much energy. It’s very fun to experience. It’s a lot of fun and silliness and that’s something a lot of us need in this kind of time,” said Attler.

Mr. Krabs is played by Pesok. Her costume includes custom hand claws. She was very surprised when she was told she got the part.

“He radiates this confidence. He really doesn’t care what anyone thinks. All he cares about is money,” said Pesok.

It took some time for her to settle in to the big, booming voice of the role and his prominent laugh.

“It is a show filled with the same joy the cartoon was but the characters are alive in front of you,” she said.

To watch a video of the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company rehearsing the finale of The SpongeBob Musical, click here!

Nickelodeon India’s Latest Edition of ‘Together For Good’ Urges Kids to ‘#TakeABreak’

Mumbai, India: As a pioneering kids’ entertainment brand, Viacom18’s Nickelodeon has always had the best interest of its young viewers at heart. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it a complex array of mental health challenges that have affected everyone including kids. Nearly every child in the country is going through some extent of stress and anxiety that the aftermath of the pandemic has brought about. Keeping up the promise of always being there for kids, Nickelodeon is set to launch the next edition of its global pro-socio campaign ‘Together for Good’ with the strong message of #TakeABreak. The core thought of the initiative is to tell kids to shed their stress, take a break and do what makes their hearts and mind happy.




The initiative is crafted with Nickelodeon’s most loved characters Chikoo and Bunty. Bringing alive the message of the initiative are Nickelodeon's toons through inspiring stories – First with a tired Bunty, who is unable to complete his homework, showcases an animated brain that understands the need to take a break. The second story on the other hand has a flustered and confused Chikoo who is constantly looking out for notifications and updates, showcases an animated heart relaxing and shedding worries and the pressures of daily life. Both stories conclude on a positive and encouraging note of ‘Be Smart! Take a break!’. The initiative will also associate with the Early Childhood Association of India (ECA) and its subsidiary for primary education – APER, a non-profit body that offers a one-stop connection needed for the enrichment, networking, awareness, and advocacy of childhood and everything that affects it so that Nick can create classrooms where children learn in a stress-free environment with the best from local and global education practices.


Apart from entertaining kids on their channels, Nickelodeon has also created a destination for kids called the “Nickelodeon Stress-Free Zone”, specially curated to give kids a place to Reflect, Relax, Recharge & Reset. The positive message asking kids to take a break will further be amplified through partnerships, social media & engagement with mommy bloggers and advocacy groups. Some eminent and expert partners like Lil Yogi’s, Synchrony India, and Artsphere will engage with kids all through the duration of the initiative with tools on what kids should do when they are feeling stressed using alternative methods like art, yoga, and visual therapies. Nickelodeon is also hosting a Facebook Live on 20th March called “Nurturing Young Minds” with these experts who will guide parents and gatekeepers on how to take care of their kid’s mental well-being.


Speaking on the latest edition of Together For Good, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network at Viacom18, said, “At Nickelodeon, we always put kids first and understand the constant and infinite pressures they are faced with, especially in these challenging times. We have always believed in leveraging our influence and reach for the betterment and well-being of our young viewers. Our latest edition of Together For Good addresses a concern that is extremely important and requires attention. We are certain that our initiative will strike a chord with kids and their parents and are hopeful that the solutions and messages we seek to deliver will help children unwind, relax and be happy.”
                


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