NickALive!: 02/14/12

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Egmont Publishing Group To Launch Monthly "Bin Weevils" Magazine In The UK; To Go On Sale In Shops Across The UK From 15th February 2012

Bin Weevils takes characters into print

Bin Weevils, the social network for children, is to launch a print magazine in the UK, the latest children’s site to take their brand offline to widen appeal.

The Bin Weevils' magazine, which goes on sale tomorrow (February 15), will add to the company's upcoming toy range, as it tries to expand its brand across different media.

Amelia Johnson, one half of the duo that founded the North Kensington-based company in 2007, says that demand for a physical Bin Weevils presence has been spurred by the social network’s growing digital audience, which is the second most visited website in the UK for children aged 7-13.

She adds: “Our loyal BinWeevils.com fan base of over 2 million kids are looking to interact with their favourite characters, games and puzzles on a daily basis across a wide range of mediums.

Printed under a license deal with Egmont Publishing Group, the monthly title will be backed by digital marketing campaign across BinWeevils.com, games portal, Miniclip.com as well in the UK children's publisher's Go Girl and Toxic titles.

Online activity will be supported by a strategic tie-up with broadcasters, CITV and Nickelodeon, which has a minority stake in the social network.

Debbie Cook, director of magazines at Egmont UK, says: “As well as sitting comfortably alongside other Egmont titles, Bin Weevils magazine is particularly exciting due to its hugely popular social gaming website (Binweevils.com) and the unique world that has been created by Bin Weevils Limited.”

Rival children's site Moshi Monsters launched a raft of print titles across several countries a year ago, while Disney's Club Penguin unveiled its first print title in the UK last week (February 9) as a test for launching print titles in other countries.

Nickelodeon Stars And "Big Time Rush" Boy Band Members James Maslow And Carlos Pena Reveal Their Valentine's Day Music Playlist

From Digital Spy's music blog:

Big Time Rush's Valentine's Day playlist

Since their double-pronged television and chart assault on today's youth, Big Time Rush have acquired a sizeable following of lusty fans.

Because it's Valentine's Day, we asked members James Maslow [James Diamond] and Carlos Pena [Carlos Garcia] to talk us through their favourite love songs. The results, we hasten to add, were surprisingly impressive.

K-Ci & JoJo: 'All My Life'

"It's an absolute classic!" James told us. "You should go online and find their live performance of this where JoJo passes whilst hitting the high note. He puts so much emotion into it - it might ruin the song for some - but it's very emotional for me." We found the clip and while it didn't quite taint the song for us completely, it did make us laugh.

Marvin Gaye: 'Let's Get It On'

"You can't beat a bit of Marvin Gaye," Carlos said. "It has to be one of the greatest love jams of all time, right?" Right.

The Beatles: 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'

"It's a little more upbeat, which is rare for a proper love song," James pondered. "If you say the lyrics aloud today it would sound cheesy, but the way they did it was not cheesy at all. We perform the cover once in a while because we love it so much." We'd hazard a guess that their take on the song is a bit of a cheese-fest.

John Legend: 'Slow Dance'

Carlos insisted: "This is just an incredible song. That guy is incredible, period." Can't say fairer than that, can you?

What's more, the group have also shared their three essential dating tips with us.

1. James insists: "Don't use your phone". What, ever?

2. Kendall says: "Look your significant other in the eyes, make that connection." He sounds like pro.

3. Logan suggests: "Just date people you like, then you're guaranteed to have fun." But what if you're looking for something more serious?

Watch Big Time Rush on Saturdays at 5.30pm on Nickelodeon. Find out more at nick.co.uk/bigtimerush.

Watch the music video for the group's new single, 'Music Sounds Better With You', below:

Is Pre-School Television Having A Golden Moment?

From The Guardian:

Is pre-school TV having a golden moment?

Ex-Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies says kids' TV is in decline – but just look at Abney and Teal, Peppa Pig or Charlie and Lola

No less an authority than former "Whopremo" Russell T Davies – who cut his TV teeth on Children's Ward and whose latest project is CBBC action romp Aliens Vs Wizards – recently lamented the decline of kids' TV. "I'm amazed people don't recognise the genius of children's writers," he said. "For example, Andrew Davenport, the creator behind Teletubbies and In The Night Garden, is up there, in my opinion, with Tom Stoppard and Samuel Beckett."

Putting aside the curious choice of comparison, his comments were fired by anger at ITV for ending production of children's shows. But judging by the TV I watch over my toddler's shoulder – OK, sometimes he watches over my shoulder – Davies need not worry. There's enough excellent stuff on the BBC, Five's Milkshake, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon to keep the nation's little smashers more than happy.

Pre-school programming, aimed at under-sixes, is certainly in rude health. I can vouch for that, as can the parents I talk to outside the nursery gates. My son's current favourite is The Adventures Of Abney and Teal on CBeebies, the latest cult hit from Davenport's Ragdoll Productions. This charming romp cleverly combines a retro, nostalgic feel (the animation is Oliver Postgate-esque) with a contemporary setting (the titular characters live in an inner-city park). It takes child-like delight in simple pleasures – the weather, bubble-blowing, found objects – and is genuinely funny, as nightly giggles from our front room testify.

Many pre-school shows are surprisingly witty. The two franchises from animation studio Astley Baker Davies, Peppa Pig and Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, are like bite-sized Pixar films, with gags for grown-ups too. Charlie and Lola is similarly knowing and Yo Gabba Gabba! mixes Day-Glo puppetry with sketches, celebrity cameos and DJs in trippy style. US hipsters are such fans, the characters perform at Coachella festival. Similarly, our own Rastamouse played last year's Glastonbury.

Some of the shows look: pretty amazing too. At last year's Children's Baftas two gongs went to Cartoon Network's Amazing World Of Gumball, a groundbreaking transatlantic venture that employs several different styles of animation, often simultaneously. The Beeb's two-strong flock of baa-ing Ardman shows, Timmy Time and Shaun The Sheep, use Nick Park's trademark claymation techniques. African folk story series Tinga Tinga Tales is co-produced in Kenya and stylishly incorporates indigenous Tanzanian artwork.

The CBeebies brand celebrated its 10th birthday at the weekend – and recently became the only channel to win the best bhannel Bafta for two consecutive years. "Pre-school television is phenomenally successful at the moment," says controller Kay Benbow. "The whole sector is flying high." The channel has doubled its audience since launch and now claims to be watched by about half the UK's under-sixes every week (2.3 million).

Benbow is particularly proud of the way CBeebies alternates animation with live action factual content, fronted by the likes of channel favourite Justin "Mr Tumble" Fletcher . "Our gardening show, Mr Bloom's Nursery, has been a huge hit too," she says. While kids learn about veg, their mums lust after courgette-wielding presenter Ben Faulks. "Yes, I gather he's popular with the ladies," laughs Benbow. "Ben's a delightful man, so good for him."

Recent scare stories about Peppa Pig (for encouraging bad behaviour and, shock horror, puddle-jumping) and Rastamouse (accused of both racist stereotyping and teaching kids Jamaican patois) suggest that toddler TV has even become a watercooler topic. As Benbow says, "At least people are taking notice of what we do and talking about pre-school television … Our aim is to open up the world to pre-school children – inspire, excite and engage them. I strongly believe TV does that."

I tend to agree. But do you? Were things better in your day, when it was all fields round here? Or should kids obey the Why Don't You? theme song and "just switch off the television set and go out and do something less boring instead"?

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland's Press Office on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUKPR):

With @NickJrUK doing soo amazingly we're definitely having a pre-school golden age, loving this guardian article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/feb/14/pre-school-childrens-tv

Nickelodeon Stars And Celebrity's Who Are Fans Of "Victorious" Share To Nickelodeon UK Viewers What Makes Them 'Victorious'

Nickelodeon UK and Ireland has revealed in a Tweet (post) on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK) that Nickelodeon UK's new "#IAmVictorious" stunt is a series of short films (Nickelodeon Shorts) where Nickelodeon Stars and celebrities who are fans of the hit live action Nickelodeon show "Victorious" share with Nickelodeon viewers what makes them 'Victorious':

what is I am victorious?
@NickelodeonUK - Its all the Nick & celeb fans of Victorious celebrating what makes them Victorious! #IAmVictorious

Nickelodeon UK Announces Plans To Premier The Second Season Of "House of Anubis" From 16th April 2012

UPDATE - Nickelodeon UK have confirmed on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK) that Nickelodeon UK will premiere the brand new season two of the hit Nickelodeon mystery series "House Of Anubis" on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD from Monday 16th April 2012 at 6.00pm (repeated at 7.00pm on Nickelodeon UK's plus one (+1) timeshift channel Nick Replay UK)! SIBUNA!

#anubis2launch The screening is over and wow are you guys in for a treat when #HouseofAnubis season 2 launches Monday 16th April 6pm!!!!

The official Nickelodeon UK and Ireland websites official "House of Anubis" website, Nick.co.uk/Anubis, earlier today (Tuesday 14th February 2012) announced and revealed that Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK will start to premiere and show the brand new second season of the hit original Nickelodeon live action teen mystery/drama television show "House of Anubis" from UPDATE - Monday 16th April 2012, a month later than originally planned and announced.

Nickelodeon UK's Director of Original Production, David Kangas, has confirmed the "House Of Anubis" Nickelodeon news that Nickelodeon UK and Ireland will premiere the second season of HOA in a Tweet (post) on his official Twitter profile page (@kangas911):

@kangas911 - Hey House of Anubis fans in the UK, for all transmission and broadcast dates and updates please see @NickelodeonUK - 2.22pm Tuesday 14th February 2012

I'm as gutted as you. April now not March :-/ - 2.22pm Tuesday 14th February 2012
According to http://nick.co.uk, HOA isnt starting till 13th april :O What Happened to March :( - 1.21pm Tuesday 14th February 2012
@kangas911 - things change I'm afraid. What's a month between friends??! :-) - 2.23pm Tuesday 14th February 2012

Also:

Hey [...] don't be sad. When season 2 arrives on UK shores you will NOT be disappointed! #goodthingscometothosewhowait

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK):

when does house of anubis come baaaack? I miss it :(
@NickelodeonUK: COMING SOON! Have you seen the new promo? Exciting!

Nickelodeon UK and Ireland have confirmed on their official Twitter profile feed (@NickelodeonUK) that Nick UK will be premiering "House Of Anubis Season 2" in April 2012:

For all you awesome House of Anubis fans, Season 2 of Anubis will be BACK on UK screens next month! Use #Anubis2UK for all Qs & updates!