LOVEFiLM UK Adds Nickelodeon And Nick Jr. Programming

Amazon UK has announced in the following press release, from the technology news website Engadget, that the UK version of the European online streaming video subscription service LOVEFiLM, a Amazon subsidiary, has today, Thursday 29th August 2013, added a variety of content from a range of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) UK's channels, including Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.!

Available from today, a whole host of quality children's entertainment from Nickelodeon, one of the world's leading entertainment brands for kids and families, is available on LoveFilm. Programming includes Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award-winners "Dora The Explorer" and "Blue's Clues", BAFTA Award-winner "SpongeBob SquarePants" and a raft of other well-known characters such as "Team Umizoomi", "Bubble Guppies" and "Go Diego Go!"!

Amazon and Viacom announced their deal to bring popular Nickelodeon programming to LoveFilm's subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service in June 2013:

AMAZON'S LOVEFiLM ENHANCES REALITY TV, COMEDY AND CHILDREN'S OFFERING WITH NEW VIACOM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NETWORKS DEAL

LOVEFiLM, an Amazon company, today announced the arrival of hundreds of hours of popular reality TV series, comedy and children's entertainment on the LOVEFiLM Instant streaming service following a deal with worldwide entertainment leader Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN).

The wide selection of new shows will allow members of LOVEFiLM Instant in the UK to experience some of the greatest entertainment from across VIMN's exciting broadcast portfolio – which includes MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Comedy Central.

Reality TV fans can now consume entire seasons of hit series The Hills, Teen Mom and Jersey Shore, as well the British smash-hit spin-off Geordie Shore. Ashton Kutcher's celebrity prank show Punk'd is also available to stream.

Also available from today –– is a whole host of quality children's entertainment, with popular series now available including Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Award-winners Dora The Explorer and Blue's Clues, BAFTA Award®-winner SpongeBob SquarePants and a raft of other well-known characters such as Team Umizoomi, Bubble Guppies and Go Diego Go!

Chris Bird, Director of Content Strategy at LOVEFiLM, said: "We're thrilled to announce the arrival of hundreds of great shows from prestigious broadcasters such as MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. These new additions to our already extensive selection of entertainment will offer our members – kids and adults alike – more variety than ever before."

David Lynn, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of VIMN UK, said: "This is a great way for our audience to access some of VIMN's most well-known content, across any device. This partnership will create a fantastic gateway through which fans can view their favourite VIMN shows."

Source: Lovefilm.

Also, from Broadcast:

Lovefilm turns on Geordie Shore and Spongebob

Episodes of Geordie Shore and SpongeBob SquarePants are to be made available on Lovefilm for the first time after the Amazon-owned VoD service struck a deal with Viacom International Media Networks.

The deal will see a raft of series from MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central air on the digital platform in the UK.

These include MTV programmes The Hills, Teen Mom, Punk’d and Jersey Shore and Nickelodeon shows Dora The Explorer, Blue’s Clues, Team Umizoomi, Bubble Guppies and Go Diego Go!

Chris Bird, director of content strategy at Lovefilm, said: “These new additions to our already extensive selection of entertainment will offer our members - kids and adults alike - more variety than ever before.”

David Lynn, executive vice president and managing director of VIMN UK, added: “This is a great way for our audience to access some of VIMN’s most well-known content, across any device.”

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Nickelodeon News Round-Up - Issue 7

Below is a selection of articles from around the internet which feature news, commentary and information about Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon Star Ariana Grande, who stars as Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon's brand new original buddy sitcom "Sam & Cat", has released a brand new song that you can download on iTunes! The track is called "Right There" and features the American hip hop recording artist Big Sean. The song, which you can listen to below, will be one of the songs on Ariana's debut album, Yours Truly (formally Daydreamin'). The CD will be released on Tuesday 3rd September 2013. The album is also available for digital pre-order on iTunes! iTunes has also revealed the track list for Ariana's upcoming new album:

1 - Honeymoon Avenue
2 - Baby I
3 - Right There (feat. Big Sean)
4 - Tattooed Heart
5 - Lovin' It
6 - Piano
7 - Daydreamin'
8 - The Way (feat. Mac Miller)
9 - You'll Never Know
10 - Almost Is Never Enough
11 - Popular Song (feat. MIKA)
12 - Better Left Unsaid
13 - The Way (feat. Mac Miller) [Spanglish Version]

LISTEN: Right There - Ariana Grande (feat. Big Sean)



Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) and Twitter have announced that they've entered agreements with a number of brands including Degree Women® and Pepsi® to develop Twitter Amplify social video advertising campaigns in and around the 2013 "MTV Video Music Awards." All of the sponsorships were claimed within a week of being announced and each of the advertisers is participating in a broader sponsorship package for the signature MTV event. The 2013 "MTV Video Music Awards" airs live from Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Sunday, August 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Given advertiser interest, Viacom and Twitter are immediately creating new sponsorship opportunities in the "Comedy Central Roast of James Franco" and more than 30 different programming events and shows through the end of 2014. "The availability of Twitter Amplify in the MTV Video Music Awards – an annual trending topic behemoth – generated such a great response from advertisers that we're accelerating our plans to roll it out across our networks," said Jeff Lucas, Head of Sales, Music and Entertainment, Viacom Media Networks. "We look forward to connecting even more advertisers with our audiences through video content on Twitter, starting with every burn in Comedy Central's Franco Roast."
"Twitter is live, public and inherently mobile, which makes the VMA's the perfect place to take advantage of Twitter's Amplify program," said Adam Bain, President of Global Revenue at Twitter. "Viacom has long been a pioneer of harnessing Twitter to give viewers new ways to interact and share in live TV, and we're thrilled to be working with the network and its sponsors to deliver this experience to viewers." Through Twitter Amplify, MTV will deliver a variety of sponsored-supported video content leading up to and during the 2013 MTV VMAs, including real-time highlights from the show, backstage moments, red carpet interviews, MTV News reports and more. MTV will also distribute via Twitter custom-content developed for sponsors related to VMA award categories and MTV News coverage of the event. Viacom networks' shows and events consistently drive significant activity on Twitter. The 2012 "MTV Video Music Awards" generated 14.7 million Tweets, placing it among the most Tweets of any news event last year. MTV currently has more than 13.3 million combined followers for its U.S.-based Twitter accounts. The VMAs have pioneered a number of social media firsts, including the first award category voted for exclusively on social media and the Twitter Tracker application, which geographically mapped Twitter activity around the show in real time. The upcoming "Comedy Central Roast of James Franco" is already attracting significant activity on Twitter, where James Franco, Roast Master Seth Rogen, and Comedy Central have released announcements, video clips and photos related to the show under the hashtag #FrancoRoast. "Comedy Central Roast of James Franco" airs Labor Day, Monday, September 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

TheWrap is reporting that DreamWorks Animation has announced that Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Hobbit", "Sherlock", "Star Trek Into Darkness", "War Horse") and John Malkovich ("Transformers: Dark of the Moon") have been added to the cast of the studios upcoming "The Penguins of Madagascar", which will be a spin-off of DWA's popular "Madagascar" movies and based on the popular CG-animated Nickelodeon series of the same name. An individual familiar with the project tells TheWrap that Malkovich will voice the film's charming villain, while Cumberbatch will voice a high-ranking animal CIA agent hot on his trail. Simon J. Smith ("Bee Movie") and Eric Darnell ("Antz") are directing from a script by Michael Colton and John Aboud. Lara Breay ("Megamind") is producing, while executive producers include Mireille Soria, Tom McGrath and Darnell, all of whom are responsible for the original "Madagascar" trilogy. Although based on the popular Nicktoon, in is currently unknown whether Nickelodeon will have anything to do with the movie.

Sam & Cat meet Laverne & Shirley - Entertainment Weekly's The Family Room blog has unveiled a exclusive photo featuring "Laverne & Shirley" stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams on the set of the hit Nick original comedy series "Sam & Cat" from when they filmed their scenes for an upcoming brand new S&C episode called "#SalmonCat", in which Marshall and Williams will appear alongside Sam & Cat's funny gals Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande, which you can view below! In the episode, Sam and Cat are ordered to rename their babysitting business because it's too similar to "Salmon Cat," a TV show from the 1970s. Sam and Cat must track down the show's two original creators (played by Marshall and Williams) and resolve their three decade-long feud, which may refer to the long-ago rumors of a "Laverne & Shirley" rivalry. "#SalmonCat" is scheduled to premiere this Fall on Nick USA! The episode reunites Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams on screen in a scripted series for the first time in over 30 years:

Nickelodeon-On-Demand - Amazon's European online video service recently added shows from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) to its LOVEFiLM video-on-demand (VOD) service in Germany, reports Rapid TV News. The offering comprises series aired by Viacom's channels Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV, including the hit Nicktoon "SpongeBob SquarePants and Nick Jr.'s popular preschool series "Blue's Clues" from Nickelodeon. Comedy Central will contribute "Reno 911!", a parody on US police series.

Broadway World Comedy is reporting that former Nickelodeon Star Greg Proops, who played boss Max Madigan, the CEO of Mad Style, in Nickelodeon's popular fashion-themed sitcom "True Jackson, VP", will bring his stand up to Comedy Works Downtown in Larimer Square in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday 11th - Saturday 14th September 2013.

In addition, Amazon's LOVEFiLM has also inked a deal to bring children's programming from NBCUniversal to the LOVEFiLM Instant Streaming Service. As a result of the partnership, LOVEFiLM.com members can now stream a range of television series and films featuring beloved characters from the NBCUniversal library, including "Curious George" and "Barbie: Princess Charm School". Additional children's TV series included under the agreement include classic franchises such as "The Land Before Time", based on the American animated adventure movie; "Maisy", the animated series based on the picture books created by British illustrator, Lucy Cousins, which used to air on Nick Jr. UK; and the animated stop-motion series about a crime-busting mouse, "Rastamouse".

Big Time Rush: True Hollywood Story - The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles the hit Nickelodeon boy band Big Time Rush, who recently played their las U.S. ‪Summer Break Tour‬ show at the Riverside Theater, in a special article. The article also profiles the English-Irish boyband The Wanted, who also recently played at Milwaukee's Riverside Theater.

The Huffington Post has unveiled a exclusive interview they recently held with American teen pop singer and voice actor Matt Hunter, who provided the voice of Diego Márquez in seasons 4 and 5 of the popular Nickelodeon Preschool series "Go, Diego, Go!". The fifteen-year-old Latin pop singer is well on his way to becoming the next teen idol. Already a huge hit in Latin America, he was nominated for an award at this year's (2013) Premios Juventud on Univision, and now he's getting ready to release his yet unnamed EP. Dubbed the 'Latino Justin Bieber' and 'Latino Bieber' by some, this young recording artist is also working toward making his grand debut in mainstream U.S. pop music. Read his interview, in which he also talks about providing the voice of Diego and working for Nickelodeon, here on The HuffPo.

MTV News UK is reporting that The Wanted singer Nathan Sykes has opened up about recording a new track with Nickelodeon Star Ariana Grande, admitting he's "never been so nervous"! The singer, who recently underwent surgery on his vocal chords, recorded the duet Almost Is Never Enough with the Nickelodeon celebrity which is now set to feature on The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones soundtrack. "This would have been the first time I've recorded since my surgery", Sykes told MTV News US. "I was really nervous. I've never been so nervous for a session, and went in and [did] what I like to think is quite possibly the best vocal I've ever recorded. I'm really proud of it." The 20-year-old also gushed over Grande's singing ability, calling her the "best female vocalist" out right now. Nathan continued: "Honestly, I couldn't ask to work with a more talented vocalist than Ariana", adding "I have so much respect for what she's just about to do, and I think it's a very exciting time for both myself and Ariana for slightly different reasons. I'm just excited I got my voice back. She's about to go on this quite amazing journey." The pair just finished shooting a music video for the track, and Nathan even gave fans a bit of an idea of what they can expect. He added: "The video's a really cool video. It was shot and recorded in the studio. I get to get on the piano at some points. It shows a really fun day recording the track." Want more of The Wanted? Check out pics of the lads in MTV UK's photo gallery, plus watch MTV's exclusive live session with The Wanted here!

Unreality TV's Primetime blog has posted a bunch of spoilers about The CW's upcoming reboot of the classic Nickelodeon sci-fi series "The Tomorrow People", including that "Person of Interest"'s Al Sapienza has been cast in the role of Dennis Coburn, whose daughter Cara (Peyton List) is one of the Tomorrow People with superpowers who have an HQ underground, plus Julie Plec talks how she got involved with the show, including how she used to watch it on Nick in the 1980's! The post includes pictures and a series preview.

Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) has announced that it has agreed to sell $500 million in aggregate principal amount of 2.500% senior notes due 2018 at a price equal to 99.423% of the principal amount thereof (the "2018 Senior Notes"), $1.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of 4.250% senior notes due 2023 at a price equal to 98.968% of the principal amount thereof (the "2023 Senior Notes") and $1.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of 5.850% senior debentures due 2043 at a price equal to 99.353% of the principal amount thereof (the "Senior Debentures" and, together with the 2018 Senior Notes and the 2023 Senior Notes, the "Senior Notes and Debentures"). The sale of the Senior Notes and Debentures is expected to close on Monday August 19, 2013. Viacom intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, the repayment of outstanding indebtedness and the repurchase of shares under its share repurchase program. The joint book-running managers for the offering are Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and RBS Securities Inc. Viacom's senior unsecured debt is currently rated BBB by Standard & Poor's, BBB+ by Fitch, and Baa2 by Moody's Investors Service. The terms and conditions of the Senior Notes and Debentures are set forth in a prospectus, which can be obtained by contacting Viacom Investor Relations at 1-800-516-4399 or by written request to Viacom Inc., 1515 Broadway, 52nd Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attn: Investor Relations.

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Amazon Inks Deal With Viacom To Bring Popular Nickelodeon Shows To Amazon Prime Instant Video Customers; Deal Includes UK And Germany's LOVEFiLM Streaming TV Services

Kidscreen's children's digital entertainment and media news website iKids is reporting the exciting Nickelodeon International News in the following article that Amazon.com has secured an expanded multi-year, multi-national licensing deal with Viacom that will see a raft of hit kids shows including "Dora the Explorer", "Go, Diego, Go!", "Blue's Clues" and "The Backyardigans" become available to Amazon Prime Instant Video customers across mobile devices and internet-connected TVs and consoles! The deal comes a little more than a month after rival streaming service Netflix announced it was letting its existing deal with Viacom expire.

Kindle Fire customers with FreeTime Unlimited will be able to access select Nick and Nick Jr. (preschool) programming such as "Bubble Guppies", "Team Umizoomi" and "Victorious", as well as future episodes from series including "Dora The Explorer", "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Fairly OddParents", and "Fresh Beat Band".

European online subscription service LOVEFiLM, a Amazon subsidiary, also expects to add Viacom children's content for its customers in Germany and the UK later this summer.

According to Bill Carr, Amazon's Vice-President (VP) of digital video and music, the new deal gives customers the largest online subscription offering of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows.

The technology industry news website CNET UK Crave is also reporting LOVEFiLM's UK content deal with Viacom International Media Networks also includes programming from Nickelodeon's sister networks, MTV and Comedy Central.

The news coms after the UK version of Amazon.com's LOVEFiLM acquired the streaming and VOD rights to 20 years' worth of episodes of "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" and the live-action "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series, "Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation", from Saban Brands. The new deal will enable LoveFilm subscribers to view the very first episodes of "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" right through to the most recent "Super Samurai" season in HD:

Amazon Prime picks up Viacom kids programming


Amazon.com has secured an expanded multi-year, multi-national licensing deal with Viacom that will see a raft of hit kids shows including Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Blue’s Clues and The Backyardigans become available to Amazon Prime Instant Video customers across mobile devices and internet-connected TVs and consoles. The deal comes a little more than a month after Netflix announced it was letting its existing deal with Viacom expire.

Kindle Fire customers with FreeTime Unlimited will be able to access select Nick and Nick Jr. programming such as Bubble Guppies, Team Umizoomi and Victorious, as well as future episodes from series including Dora, SpongeBob SquarePants, Fairly Odd Parents, and Fresh Beat Band.

European online subscription service LOVEFiLM also expects to add Viacom kids content for its customers in Germany and the UK later this summer.

According to Bill Carr, Amazon’s VP of digital video and music, the new deal gives customers the largest online subscription offering of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows.

Prime Instant Video now features more than 41,000 movies and TV episodes for its members to stream using Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and Wii U, and additional internet-connected TVs and devices.

Tags: Amazon Prime Instant Video, Amazon.com, digital media, Dora the Explorer, Kindle FreeTime Unlimited, Viacom

Also, from CNET UK Crave:

Lovefilm UK nabs Nickelodeon, new shows due in summer


Lovefilm subscribers will enjoy a glut of extra shows in the next few months, as parent-company Amazon has tied up a new contract with Viacom.

The freshly-inked deal will see TV programmes from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central hitting the streaming service.

That could see Lovefilm becoming more kid-friendly, as Nickelodeon owns the rights to cracking childrens' shows including Dora the Explorer, Fairly Odd Parents and [David] Hasselhoff favourite SpongeBob SquarePants.

That could help Lovefilm battle its major rival Netflix, which already has rights to all those shows, and has also sealed a deal to stream Disney flicks to UK youngsters.

Lovefilm recently squeezed US drama Vikings onto its service as a UK exclusive, in a bid to compete with the likes of Netflix's House of Cards, or Sky's iron-clad grip on Game of Thrones.

Lovefilm isn't confirming exactly which shows from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central will be landing on its streaming service, offering only that individual programmes would be confirmed soon. It's not unusual for US shows to take ages to make it to the UK, or never arrive at all.

Do you prefer Lovefilm or Netflix? Is streaming TV the future, or would you rather brew a hot mug of cocoa and settle in with good-old broadcast telly? Let [NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and/or NickALive!'s Facebook wall].

Also, from C21Media:

Amazon absorbs SpongeBob

Amazon has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Viacom, bringing a selection of shows previously available on Netflix to its VoD service.

Amazon’s Prime Instant Video will host content from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr, including shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues and The Backyardigans.

Some of these will be available exclusively on Amazon. Customers of the company’s European business LoveFilm in the UK and Germany will get some of the same shows later this summer.

Netflix’s licensing deal with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) came to a close last week.

In addition to kids’ content such as SpongeBob, older-skewing shows from MTV and Comedy Central including Key & Peele, Workaholics, Awkward and Teen Mom 2 will also be available to Amazon users.

In related news, Nickelodeon in Asia has picked up fairytale toon Mia and Me for broadcast on its pay TV channels in countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Mia and Me follows a schoolgirl-turned-elf fighting to save the Unicorn populatio. Its first season (26x24′) has been sold to more than 70 broadcasters worldwide.

A second season is currently in production with M4E/Gerhard Hahn joint-venture Lucky Punch alongside Italian toon house Rainbow and Canada’s March Entertainment.

Nico Franks
05-06-2013
©C21Media

TAGS: vod
GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: Dora the Explorer, Mia and Me, SpongeBob SquarePants
COMPANIES: Amazon, Netflix, Viacom International Media Networks
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: US

Also, from World TV PC:

Also, from Variety:

Amazon Boosts Viacom TV Pact, After Shows Roll Off Netflix

Subset of Nick, MTV and Comedy Central shows under multiyear deal are exclusive to Amazon's Prime Instant Video

Dora is heading into the Amazon.

Viacom and Amazon cut an expanded multiyear, multinational digital video licensing agreement — giving the Internet retailer access to hundreds of Nickelodeon and MTV shows just a few weeks after the Viacom content dropped off Netflix.

At this point, Viacom is supplying Netflix only movies from the Epix service, the joint venture with MGM and Lionsgate; Paramount has a separate output deal with Netflix. Netflix has noted that as the Viacom titles have rolled off, it is adding content from Walt Disney Co. under a multiyear pact.

Terms of the new Amazon-Viacom deal were not disclosed. The deal, which covers video available to subscribers of the Prime free-shipping program, includes a subset of exclusive TV shows unavailable via any other digital video subscription service, including kids’ programming such as “Bubble Guppies,” “The Backyardigans,” “Team Umizoomi,” “Blue’s Clues” and “Victorious,” along with MTV’s “Awkward” and Comedy Central’s “Tosh.0″ and “Workaholics.”

Prime members also will have access to future episodes of “Dora the Explorer,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Fairly Odd Parents” and ”Fresh Beat Band.” LoveFilm customers in the U.K. and Germany will get some of those shows later this summer.

“Kids shows are one of the most watched TV genres on Prime Instant Video,” said Bill Carr, Amazon’s VP of digital video and music. “And this expanded deal will now bring customers the largest subscription selection of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. TV shows online, anywhere.”

Viacom topper Philippe Dauman commented, “Amazon has created a unique, brand-friendly environment for streaming entertainment and consumer products and we are excited to work with Amazon to bring customers shows they love.”

Also under the companies’ deal, certain shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. will be available in Kindle FreeTime Unlimited, a service that provides books, games, educational apps, movies and TV shows on the Amazon tablets.

Still, the Viacom agreement with Amazon does not preclude the media conglom from selling other content to Netflix that is not exclusively carried by Amazon. According to an industry exec with knowledge of the situation, Viacom remains in talks with Netflix about a new deal for TV shows while the company also continues to have licensing deals with Netflix in international markets.

Amazon’s Prime Instant Video now offers 41,000-plus movies and TV episodes. As previously announced, later this month Prime Instant Video will exclusively offer PBS’s “Downton Abbey” and CBS’s “Under the Dome,” with each episode of the latter added four days after initial broadcast. Amazon also last month inked an expanded pact with NBCUniversal, which includes exclusive streaming rights to five drama series from NBC, USA Network and Syfy for four years.

In addition, Amazon last week greenlit its first original series, to be available starting later this year on the retailer’s Prime Instant Video and LoveFilm services. The group of five shows are comedies “Alpha House” and “Betas,” along with kids’ shows “Annebots,” “Creative Galaxy” and “Tumbleaf.”

Viacom, for its part, is expanding its TV Everywhere push to try to preserve its existing cable distribution deals. Nick, for example, has released apps that provide full-length episodes, plus games and other digital content, on iPad and iPhone and expects to launch a version for Microsoft Xbox 360 next month.

FILED UNDER: Amazon Netflix Viacom

Also, from Reuters UK:

Amazon writes huge check for video rights to Dora, SpongeBob

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc wrote its largest-ever check for a subscription-streaming deal, securing hundreds of mostly childrens' TV programs from Viacom Inc for its Internet video service and ratcheting up pressure on rival Netflix.

Amazon's deal with Viacom gives the world's largest Internet retailer broader access to hit shows including "Dora the Explorer" and "SpongeBob SquarePants." Netflix had previously conceded that losing access to those shows would be a blow.

Amazon agreed to pay more than $200 million to Viacom for the license, its largest subscription-streaming transaction ever, a person familiar with the deal said. A second person familiar said the deal would run more than two years and included a deeper library of content than the prior Netflix agreement.

The Amazon-Viacom pact comes just days after Netflix stopped streaming popular Nickelodeon programming, following the expiration of its deal with the company.

The deal includes about 4,000 TV episodes that will be available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Instant Video. This service is free for subscribers to Amazon's Prime program, which, for $79 a year offers free two-day shipping in the United States for items purchased through Amazon.

Part of the payment went to secure exclusive subscription streaming rights to several shows from Viacom's Nick Jr channel, including the "Dora" franchise, "Go Diego Go!," "Blue's Clues" and "The Backyardigans."

Amazon is spending heavily on video content as it competes with Netflix and Hulu for a piece of the fast-growing market for TV and movies delivered over the Internet. Childrens' shows are among the most-watched on Amazon's service, according to Bill Carr, the company's vice president for digital video and music.

Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings, in a CNBC interview last week, said his service still had plenty of content for children but losing the Viacom programming could hurt.

"If you're a parent and your child's looking for 'Blue's Clues,' you know, that is definitely a problem," he said, while noting that Netflix still has programming from the likes of Disney and Cartoon Network.

In early May, Netflix announced a new multiyear license agreement with Walt Disney Co that gave Netflix the exclusive right to stream "Jake and the Never Land Pirates," along with access to other Disney shows including "Handy Manny."

Viacom's shares rose 1 percent to $67.575 in morning trading, while Netflix shares were up 1.4 percent at $225. Amazon gained 44 cents to $267.34.

Also, from Mashable:

Dora and SpongeBob Come to Amazon Prime

Are you upset that Dora the Explorer is no longer on Netflix? It might be time to switch to Amazon Prime, where Dora, SpongeBob and hundreds of other Viacom TV shows will now have a home.

Amazon and Viacom announced a new multi-year licensing agreement on Tuesday that brings thousands of episodes Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV and Comedy Central shows to Amazon Prime. The deal is an expansion of a previous deal Viacom and Amazon signed in 2012, and comes in the wake of the loss of Viacom content from streaming rival Netflix.

While the terms of the new agreement weren't disclosed, people familiar with the deal told Mashable that it was "in the hundreds of millions" and classified it as Amazon's biggest content deal to date.

And good news for European users: Amazon Lovefilm customers in Germany and the UK will be getting some of these shows later this summer. Given the difficulties of international content deals, it's impressive that Amazon will be able to offer a subset of programming to its customers outside the United States.

While content from across Viacom's networks are included in the deal, Amazon is putting special focus on its offerings for kids.

"Kids shows are one of the most watched TV genres on Prime Instant Video," said Bill Carr, Amazon's VP of digital video and music, in a statement about the deal.

Amazon Prime users will have full access to the Nick and Nick Jr. shows, and select shows from Nick and Nick Jr. will be available on Kindle FreeTime Unlimited — a service our own Pete Pachal has called "Amazon's secret weapon." Kindle FreeTime Unlimited is a cheaper subscription offering for Kindle Fire owners that gives them access to an assortment of kid-friendly video programming.

Amazon Prime Instant is available on the web, as well as Roku, iOS, Kindle Fire, Xbox, PlayStation 3 and a number of smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

Do these new shows make you more likely to consider an Amazon Prime subscription? Let us know in the comments. As for me, I'm off to watch Teen Mom 2.

TOPICS: AMAZON, AMAZON INSTANT, AMAZON PRIME, APPS AND SOFTWARE, BUSINESS, MEDIA, NETFLIX, TELEVISION, VIACOM

Also, from SlashGear:

Amazon snatches Viacom on-demand deal leaving Netflix facing parent ire

Amazon has sealed a deal with Viacom, bringing a clutch of new shows – including Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! – to Prime Instant Video, and potentially dropping Netflix in even hotter water with angry parents. The deal, which will see Amazon add Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTC, and Comedy Central shows to its on-demand catalog, follows the expiration of Netflix’s licensing agreement with Viacom last month, which prompted outcry from some subscribers after the shows their children watched regularly suddenly disappeared from the listings.

Exact terms of the deal are unconfirmed, though it’s described as a “multi-year, multi-national” agreement. Amazon has already said that LOVEFiLM subscribers in the UK and Germany will see “some” of the shows covered as part of today’s agreement, though they’ll have to wait until later in the summer before they’re available.

Amazon’s content will be available on the Kindle Fire, as well as through iOS devices and Roku’s set-top boxes. Consoles will also be catered for, together with some smart TVs. Instant Prime membership is part of Amazon’s Prime program, priced at $79 per year.

Access to content has become the new sparring ground for on-demand providers, with who has the biggest and broadest catalog being an important factor as viewers shop around for the best deal. Netflix discovered to its cost last month that suddenly losing access to shows – particularly those aimed at kids – could quickly raise the ire of subscribers, who have become used to being able to show their children certain programs.

After Netflix lost the deal with Viacom, many parents threatened to leave and sign up with the next service to offer the coveted shows; alternatively, there were suggestions that some could turn to illegal downloads instead. Netflix is yet to comment on the Viacom deal with Amazon.