Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Nickelodeon UK Announces Plans To Launch Brand New Programming Block Called "Make My Monday" On Monday 8th October 2012

Nickelodeon UK has announced the Nickelodeon UK News in a brand new promo/trailer (below with transcript) that, to celebrate Nick UK premiering and showing brand new episodes of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "iCarly" on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK as part of Nickelodeon UK's October 2012 programming line-up, Nickelodeon UK will launch a brand new programming block and stunt called "Make My Monday", where every Monday from Monday 8th October 2012, Nickelodeon UK will premiere brand new episodes of Nickelodeon's brand new action-packed CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series, Nickelodeon's hugely popular original animated series ("NickToon") "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Nickelodeon's hit original comedy show "iCarly" from 4.30pm (repeated from 5.30pm on Nick UK's plus one (+1) timeshift channel, Nick Replay UK)!:

Make My Monday... Hilarious ["SpongeBob SquarePants"].

Make My Monday... Action [with "TMNT"].

[Mike: Is that ALL you got?!]

Make My Monday... Random? ["iCarly"]

Make My Monday... Brand New, with SpongeBob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and iCarly.

This October, Make My Monday Nickelodeon!
According to Nickelodeon UK's brand new "Make My Monday" promo, Nick UK's "Make My Monday" schedule line-up will be:

4.30pm - Brand new episode of SpongeBob SquarePants
5.00pm - Brand new episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
5.30pm - Brand new episode of iCarly

(all times plus one (+1) hour on Nick Replay UK)

Nickelodeon Portugal To Show Brand New Episodes Of The Popular Nickelodeon Comedy Series "iCarly" From Friday 5th October 2012

Nickelodeon Portugal has announced on their official Facebook profile page, Facebook.com/NickelodeonPortugal, the Nickelodeon News that Nickelodeon Portugal will start to premiere and show two brand new episodes of the hit Nickelodeon comedy show "iCarly" every Friday from 7.25pm from Friday 5th October 2012, as part of "October On Nickelodeon Portugal":
ESTREIA (5 TEMPORADA)
Sexta, 5 de Outubro as 19h25
Todos as Sextas, dois episodios, a partir das 19h25

PREMIERE (5 SEASON)
Friday, 5 October to 19h25
All the Fridays, two episodes, from 19h25
[Portuguese-to-English translation provided by Google Translate]

Nickelodeon To Co-Produce Brand New Animated Comedy Series Called "Blake And The Aliens" With French Production Group Marathon Media; To Air On Nickelodeon Channels Worldwide From Winter 2013

From The Hollywood Reporter:
France's Marathon Teams With Nickelodeon on 'Blake and the Aliens'

The creative team behind the animated comedy series includes veterans of "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "The Simpsons."

French production group Marathon Media has teamed with Nickelodeon and French kids TV network Gulli on a new animated comedy series, Blake and the Aliens (working title) which Nickelodeon will air in the United States.

The series will be a so-called "board-driven" cartoon similar to SpongeBob SquarePants. The plot involves the 13 year-old boy Blake, who one morning gets jumped by a trio of evil, alien squirrels. The squirrels have been sent from the future to undermine Blake's self-esteem, ensuring he does not grow up to become the superhero Captain Blake, defender of the universe and their sworn enemy.

Marathon and Nickelodeon have already begun production on Blake and the Aliens. The series' creative team includes executive producers Kaz Prapuolenis (SpongeBob SquarePants) and Antoine Guilbaud (Phineas & Ferb), writer Reid Harrison (The Simpsons) and director Eric Gosselet (Rekkit the Rabbit). Marathon executives David Michel and Vincent Chalvon-Demersay will produce Blake and the Aliens.

The 52 x 13 minute series is set to launch on Nickelodeon worldwide and on Gulli in France in winter 2013.

Marathon's parent company, Zodiak Kids, will handle all TV rights to Blake and the Aliens with Zodiak Kids CP Paris handling licensing and merchanding for the series.

The series will mark the first time Marathon, one of France's leading animation studios, will co-produce an animated series directly with a U.S. broadcaster.

"It's our first development partnership with a French producer around an acquired series,” said Jules Borkent, SVP of Global Acquisitions and International Programming for Nickelodeon. “This proven model enables us to deliver relevant content that resonates with our audiences worldwide and Blake and the Aliens will be a fantastic edition to this."

“This board-driven cartoon series with truly delirious characters is a first for Marathon Media,” said Marathon's Chalvon-Demersay and Michel in a statement. “We have a feeling this series might be just as exciting to produce as it will be to watch!"
Marathon, part of the Zodiak Media TV production conglomarate, has produced several internationally-successful cartoon series, including Totally Spies! - now entering its sixth season – Rekkit Rabbit, Monster Buster Club and Marsupilami.
Also, from Kidscreen:

Marathon partners with Nick on new animated comedy

Zodiak Kids' Marathon Media has begun production on new animated comedy series Blake and the Aliens (working title), which is being co-developed with Nickelodeon and French diginet Gulli.

The 52 x 13-minute series, expected to air on Nickelodeon worldwide and Gulli in winter 2013, is Marathon’s first series featuring storyboarded, gag-driven squash-and-stretch animation.

Blake and the Aliens follows the adventures of 13-year-old Blake who is forced to battle evil alien squirrels from the future who are trying to prevent him from becoming a future defender of the universe.

Antoine Guilbaud (Phineas & Ferb) and Kaz Prapuolenis (SpongeBob SquarePants, Underworld, Phineas & Ferb) are on board as executive producers along with writer Reid Harrison (Rekkit Rabbit, The Simpsons).

The project also marks Nickelodeon’s first development partnership with a French producer around an acquired series.

Tags: Antoine Guilbaud, Blake and the Aliens, Gulli France, Marathon Media, Nickelodeon
Also, from Variety:
Nickeloden believes in Zodiak's 'Aliens'

Net pre-buys toon for U.S., int'l prior to Mipcom

"Blake and the Aliens"

PARIS -- Zodiak Kids' Marathon Media, one of France's top purveyors of hit toon skeins, is upping the ante with its new project "Blake and the Aliens" (working title), collaborating with Nickelodeon from concept stage.
The animated series was pre-bought by Nickelodeon for the U.S. and international as well as Gallic kids' network Gulli in the run up to Cannes' Mipcom TV market, which kicks off Oct. 8.

Marathon Media general manager David Michel described "Blake" as "a comedy in the vein of the classic Tex Avery about a 12-year-old boy chased by alien squirels from the future."

Michel, who runs the shingle with Vincent Chalvon, said the toon is its first presale to a U.S. net. "We're learning so much from working directly with an American network and collaborating with the Nickelodeon team."

Nickelodeon has previously acquired a number of Marathon Media series, including season six of "Totally Spies."

"Over the past few years, as our global platforms have continued to expand, we have actively been pursuing co-development partnerships around pre-buy acquisitions," said Jules Borkent, Nickelodeon's senior VP of global acquisitions and international programming.

"Working with partners like Marathon Media, who have a strong global perspective and a great track record in kids content, is key to this model and 'Blake and the Aliens' is a good example where both of our creative teams will work together from concept through final production."

Toon is also Marathon Media's first board-driven animated series.

"Up until now we've only made script-driven shows," said Michel. "The board-driven model is effective for cartoons like 'SpongeBobSquarePants' or 'The Simpsons' but it's almost exclusively used in the U.S. because there are very few storyboard artists who can do it all: tell a story with images on top of supervising all the visual elements."

Marathon Media tapped storyboarders Kaz Prapuolenis and Antoine Guilbaud (both "Phineas and Ferb" alumns) to work on the English-language series, which comprises 52 11-minute episodes.

Marathon Media's portfolio of international toon franchises includes "Rekkit," "Redakai: Conquer the Kairu," "Monster Buster Club" and "Gormiti."

Barnes And Noble To Launch Brand New "Nook Video" In North America This Fall (Autumn) With A Little Help From Nickelodeon

From Engadget:
Barnes & Noble launching Nook Video this fall with a little help from HBO, Sony, Disney, Viacom, more

We caught wind of an upcoming video offering from Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks back, as part of a tip on new tablet offerings from the company. And while we've yet to hear anything official on the latter, this morning the bookstore pulled back the curtain on Nook Video, a new service boasting support from heavy hitters like HBO, Sony, Warner Brothers, Viacom and Disney. The fruits of those partnerships include standard and high-def movies and TV shows like The Avengers, Brave, The Amazing Spider-man, Breaking Bad, The Daily Show and Game of Thrones, which can be watched on Nooks, and non-Barnes & Noble tablets and smartphones, courtesy of a forthcoming free app from the retailer, letting you pick up where you left off on different devices.

The offering can also be linked to UltraViolet purchases, making it possible to add titles purchased with that feature logo to the Nook Cloud offering. Nook Video will be arriving in the US this fall, followed by a "holiday" release in the UK.

[Below is the original Barnes & Noble press release announcing the news]

NOOK Video to Premiere This Fall

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced its new NOOK Video offering will premiere this fall with blockbuster movies, classic films and original TV shows from major studios including HBO, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, STARZ, Viacom and Warner Bros. Entertainment, plus favorite movies from The Walt Disney Studios. Barnes & Noble, which is one of the country's leading DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ retailers, will now offer an expansive digital collection of popular films and television shows to be enjoyed anywhere on NOOKs, TVs, tablets and smartphones. Barnes & Noble is also planning to make available content from other leading studios to be announced.

Beginning this fall in the US and coming this holiday season to the UK, NOOK Video will offer customers the opportunity to shop an extensive and diverse digital collection of standard and high-definition movies and TV shows available for streaming and download. Through deals with these and other major studios, the NOOK Video catalog will offer something for everyone in the family to enjoy, including Disney-Pixar's Brave and Toy Story 3, Marvel's The Avengers, 21 Jump Street, Awkward, The Artist, Breaking Bad, Dora the Explorer, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Spartacus, Magic City, The Walking Dead, True Blood®, Game of Thrones®, Harry Potter movies, The Dark Knight, The Hangover and many more.

Videos that are streamed and downloaded from the NOOK Store will be stored safely and securely in the NOOK Cloud™, so NOOK Video content can be enjoyed on NOOKs and other devices via soon-to-launch free NOOK Video apps. As with the NOOK Reading apps, NOOK Video apps will seamlessly work together so customers can pick up watching right where they left off on any of their connected devices.

NOOK Video will also integrate a customer's compatible physical DVD and Blu-ray Disc purchases and digital video collection across their devices through UltraViolet™. Customers will soon be able to easily link their UltraViolet accounts to the NOOK Cloud allowing them to view their previously and newly purchased UltraViolet-enabled movies and TV shows across NOOK devices and NOOK Video apps, as well as through third party applications. In addition to purchasing a digital version via NOOK Video, customers can shop for DVDs and Blu-ray discs with the UltraViolet logo in Barnes & Noble and other retail stores, add them to their digital collection, and instantly watch compatible titles from the NOOK Cloud to enjoy wherever they go and however they choose.

"As one of the world's largest retailers of physical video discs and digital copyrighted content, our new NOOK Video service will give our customers another way to be entertained with a vast and growing digital video collection, as part of our expansive NOOK Store," said William J. Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble. "The launch of our new digital video service with our long-time studio partners allows us to bring award-winning current and classic movies, TV shows, documentaries and more to millions of customers' screens, coming soon."

"With the great success of the NOOK tablet and Barnes & Noble's in-store promotional efforts, we are very excited to bring our acclaimed programming to the NOOK Store," said Henry McGee, President, HBO Home Entertainment. "NOOK Video offers a customized and convenient way for entertainment enthusiasts to own award-winning shows such as Game of Thrones®, Boardwalk Empire®, GirlsSM, and True Blood® and enjoy them across a multitude of devices."

"The NOOK is a dynamic tablet with a beautiful display and we are excited to provide content from Viacom's media networks on this enhanced portable, platform" said Denise Denson, Executive Vice President of Content Distribution and Marketing at Viacom. "This is another opportunity for our audiences to enjoy their favorite shows from across MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike and BET wherever they go."

"NOOK Video provides customers a simple way to buy movies digitally and UltraViolet brings unmatched convenience and portability to those purchases, allowing consumers to access their digital collection from almost anywhere," said Thomas Gewecke, President, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. "With Barnes & Noble's in-store, online and digital promotions many consumers will learn how to maximize their entertainment using all the benefits UltraViolet provides."
Also, from Multichannel News:
Barnes & Noble Going Over-the-Top With Nook Video

Barnes & Noble -- in a bid to keep pace with tablet rivals Apple, Amazon.com, Google and Microsoft -- plans a fall launch of Nook Video, featuring movies and original TV shows from networks and studios including HBO, Starz Entertainment, Viacom, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Entertainment and The Walt Disney Studios.

The Nook Video service will offer transactional content like iTunes, and is not a subscription-based service like Netflix or Amazon.com’s Prime Instant Video. Nook Video will be accessible via Barnes & Noble’s Nook tablets, as well as TVs, other tablets and smartphones. The company said it has other content deals in the works.

The service, launching this fall in the U.S. and during the holiday season in the U.K., will provide standard-definition and HD movies and TV shows for streaming and download.

The Nook Video lineup will offer Disney-Pixar's Brave and Toy Story 3 and Marvel's The Avengers, along with other selections including 21 Jump Street, Awkward, The Artist, Breaking Bad, Dora the Explorer, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Spartacus, Magic City, The Walking Dead, True Blood, Game of Thrones, The Dark Knight, The Hangover and Warner Bros.' Harry Potter movies.

In addition, Nook Video will integrate a customer's compatible physical DVD and Blu-ray Disc purchases and digital video collection across their devices through UltraViolet, the “digital locker” technology and service backed by Hollywood studios and others.

“As one of the world’s largest retailers of physical video discs and digital copyrighted content, our new Nook Video service will give our customers another way to be entertained with a vast and growing digital video collection, as part of our expansive Nook Store,” Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch said in announcing the service. “The launch of our new digital video service with our longtime studio partners allows us to bring award-winning current and classic movies, TV shows, documentaries and more to millions of customers’ screens, coming soon.”

Viacom sees Nook Video as “another opportunity for our audiences to enjoy their favorite shows from across MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike and BET wherever they go,” Denise Denson, executive vice president of content distribution and marketing at Viacom, said in a statement. “The Nook is a dynamic tablet with a beautiful display and we are excited to provide content from Viacom's media networks on this enhanced portable, platform.”

As with the Nook Reading apps, the Nook Video content and apps are stored in the cloud, letting customers pick up watching where they left off on any of their connected devices. The Nook tablet already provides an app for Netflix subscribers to access streaming video.

Nickelodeon Universe To Hold Special "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premiere Celebration" Event On Saturday 29th September 2012

Nickelodeon's Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America theme park/amusement park has announced in a TMNT-event flyer on their official website, NickelodeonUniverse.com, that Nickelodeon Universe, situated in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA, will be hosting a special event TMNT-themed event on Saturday 29th September 2012 called the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premiere Celebration" to celebrate Nickelodeon USA starting to premiere and show Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series from Saturday, September 29, 2012, starting with a special one-hour television event at 11:00 a.m (ET/PT), which will include giveaways, special screenings of the very first episode of Nickelodeon's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" TV show, face painting, meet and greets with the Heroes in a Half Shell, and more! From NickelodeonUniverse.com, the official website of Nickelodeon Universe:
Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Nickelodeon Universe
Mall of America

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premiere Celebration

September 29 - 1-6 p.m.

Celebrate Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo at Nickelodeon Universe!

Be one of the first 200 Shell Shock riders on September 29 and receive a FREE Turtles mask.

Stop by West Market Square to watch the premiere episode of Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and receive free TMNT face painting.

Meet the Turtles in the Blue Spot and show off your ninja moves.

Ninja Photo Special: buy one 6x8 photo, get the second half off.

Michelangelo and Donatello
12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00.

Leonardo and Raphael
12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30.

Stock up on all Ninja in Training necessities and enjoy 20% off all TMNT merchandise September 22-30*.

*Valid at the following Nickelodeon Universe® retails stores: Nickelodeon® Store and NU STUFF and online at www.shopnicku.com. Discount expires September 30 at 11:59 p.m. While supplies last.

Nickelodeon will also be holding a special "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" themed weekend over Friday 28th September 2012, Saturday 29th September 2012 and Sunday 30th September 2012 at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA (also known as The Nick Hotel and The Nickelodeon Hotel) in celebration of Nickelodeon USA's world premiere of Nickelodeon's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" TV show!

Nickelodeon France Announces Plans To Premiere The Brand New "Big Time Rush" Nickelodeon TV Movie, "Big Time Movie"

Nickelodeon France has announced on their official Nickelodeon website, Nickelodeon.fr, that Nick France will premiere the brand new original Nickelodeon TV movie, "Big Time Movie", which is based on the hit Nickelodeon series and Nickelodeon boy band "Big Time Rush" on Sunday 30th September 2012 at 10.40am (Dimanche 30 Septembre @ 10H40), as part of Nickelodeon France's Autumn (Fall)/Winter 2012-2013 season!

To celebrate Nickelodeon France showing the brand new "Big Time Rush" movie, "Big Time Movie", on Sunday 30th September 2012 at 10.40am (Dimanche 30 Septembre @ 10H40), Nick France's official website has unveiled a selection of exclusive online streaming video clips from "Big Time Movie", which French Rushers can watch here on Nickelodeon.fr. Nickelodeon.fr's homepage also currently features a "Big Time Movie" promo/trailer which allows everyone to hear what the stars and cast of the popular Nickelodeon comedy show "Big Time Rush" sound like in French.

Nickelodeon Denmark And Nickelodeon Sweden To Start To Show Nickelodeon's Brand New CGI-Animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" TV Series From Sunday 4th November 2012

Nickelodeon Denmark and Nickelodeon Sweden have announced the Nickelodeon News/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles News on their official "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" websites (Nickelodeon.dk and Nickelodeon.se) on their official Nickelodeon websites that Nickelodeon Denmark (also known as Nickelodeon Danmark), the Danish version of the popular kids' channel, and Nickelodeon Sweden (also known as Nickelodeon Sverige), the Swedish version of the popular children's channel, will start to premiere and show Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series from Sunday 4th November 2012 (SÖN 4. NOVEMBER) at 9.30am (local times)!

Nickelodeon Spain Schedules To Start To Show Nickelodeon's Brand New CGI-Animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" TV Series From Thursday 1st November 2012

Nickelodeon Spain (also known as Nickelodeon Espana) has announced the Nickelodeon News/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles News on their official "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" website, turtles.nickelodeon.es, that, after originally scheduling to premiere Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series on Saturday 10th November 2012 (10 Noviembre 2012), Nick Spain have brought forward the premiere date and will now be premiering and showing Nickelodeon's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" TV show from Thursday 1st November 2012 (1 Noviembre 2012):

Extra Tags: Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in español, Spanish