Nickelodeon Australia Holds 2015 Upfront Presentation In Melbourne

The licensing news website License! Global Mag is reporting the exciting Nickelodeon News in the following article that Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand recently a localised Nickelodeon Upfront 2015 ceremony in Melbourne on Wednesday 4th March 2015!

At Nickelodeon's upfront presentation, Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products unveiled its long-term consumer products strategy and key retail and licensee partnerships.

The studio also announced the continuation of its 20-year relationship with Haven Licensing, which will continue to represent NVCP brands in Australia and New Zealand through 2019. The partnership covers Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central and other Viacom International Media Networks brands.

Ron Johnson, Executive Vice President (EVP) of international consumer products at VIMN, showcased how the company was leveraging its slate of powerhouse brands to interact with consumers on every platform in the upfront presentation.

Nickelodeon has a large interactive presence in the region, with more than 40 million kids and families visiting Nickelodeon recreation locations each year. Among these are the new Nickelodeon Beach at Sydney's Wet'n'Wild and recently introduced "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" appearances at Sea World on the Gold Coast.

Johnson said that the underlying driver of its success is Nickelodeon's iconic property portfolio, which includes "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Dora the Explorer" and "Paw Patrol".

Ron Johnson also focused on the company's growing preschool portfolio, which is being led by "Paw Patrol" and the new "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" series. He also highlighted two upcoming shows – "Blaze and the Monster Machines" and "Shimmer and Shine" – that will continue to drive growth in that demographic.

NVCP and Haven Licensing also recognized key retailers and licensees at the annual Nickelodeon Consumer Products Choice Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the upfront presentation. You can find a full list of winners in the article below:

Nick Details Aussie Business

Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products unveiled its long-term consumer products strategy and key retail and licensee partnerships at its Australian upfront event in Melbourne on Wednesday.

The studio also announced the continuation of its 20-year relationship with Haven Licensing, which will continue to represent NVCP brands in Australia and New Zealand through 2019. The partnership covers Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central and other Viacom International Media Networks brands.

Ron Johnson, executive vice president of international consumer products at VIMN, showcased how the company was leveraging its slate of powerhouse brands to interact with consumers on every platform in the upfront presentation.

"Today we're in 700 million households in 170 territories and 37 languages, via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital and mobile TV properties," he says. "And we're more committed than ever to grow our reach around the world. As we develop our strategy, we have a focus on moving from a licensing organization to a consumer products company, which involves investing in new businesses to truly make our brands evergreen globally and strengthening our offering beyond TV. We have a strong focus on recreation and promotion that are imperative in creating scale, growing our reach and driving awareness every day, in turn benefitting our overall business."

The company already has a large presence in that space in the region, with more than 40 million kids and families visiting Nickelodeon recreation locations each year. Among these are the new Nickelodeon Beach at Sydney's Wet'n'Wild and recently introduced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appearances at Sea World on the Gold Coast.

Johnson said that the underlying driver of its success is Nickelodeon's iconic property portfolio, which includes "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Dora the Explorer" and "Paw Patrol."

"The 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' are a bigger consumer products success story than we ever imagined, exceeding $1 billion in global retail sales last year. 'Turtles' are positioned for evergreen status and continued growth with the second sequel movie in 2016, expansion into new demos and segments–including the preschool toy line Half Shell Heroes and their TV return to Dimension X for season four in 2016."

Johnson also highlighted the evergreen status of the "SpongeBob SquarePants" brand, which continues to spur new content and products including a regional feature film launch April 2 and an accompanying immersive marketing campaign.

Finally, the executive focused on the company's growing preschool portfolio, which is being led by "Paw Patrol" and the new "Dora and Friends" series. He also highlighted two upcoming shows–"Blaze and the Monster Machines" and "Shimmer and Shine"–that will continue to drive growth in that demographic.

NVCP and Haven Licensing also recognized key retailers and licensees at the annual Nickelodeon Consumer Products Choice Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the upfront presentation. Winners included:

* Lifetime Achievement – Hunter Leisure
* Marketing Excellence­ – Myer
* Innovation Award – Parragon Publishing
* Hard Lines Licensee Award – Zak Australia
* Soft Lines Licensee Award – MacEwen Apparel

"It's an exciting time for our business in Australia," says Ben Richardson, general manager and senior vice president, Viacom Australia and New Zealand. "Now, more than ever, we are leveraging all the touchpoints consumers interact with our brand and properties across TV, SVOD, online and live events. Our focus is to continue delivering unforgettable experiences for audiences everywhere, and we could not do this without aligning ourselves with the right partners."

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Counting for Dummies: A Comprehensive Guide to TV Measurement

During Nickelodeon's annual upfront presentation, Nickelodeon Upfront 2015, Nickelodeon treated their audience to a bit of industry humor with the debut of a short parody starring Benjamin "Lil P-Nut" Flores Jr. and Breanna Yde, who play Louie Preston and Frankie Hathaway, respectively, on Nickelodeon's hit supernatural-themed live-action comedy series "The Haunted Hathaways"!

While hanging out in the Viacom offices in Times Square, the curious child stars stumble upon a fictitious book titled "Counting for Dummies: A Comprehensive Guide to TV Measurement".

Watch the video below to explore the mock paperback, full of examples that tally US TV viewers in a way that doesn't quite add up. These youngsters aren't the only ones stumped as the television industry continues to push for more innovation and accuracy in TV measurement:

Counting for Dummies: A Comprehensive Guide to TV Measurement from Viacom on Vimeo.

Counting for Dummies: A Comprehensive Guide to TV Measurement

Source: Blog.Viacom, Viacom's corporate blog.

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Nickelodeon's Sarah Kirshbaum Levy Talks About Noggin, "SpongeBob SquarePants" Broadway Musical

The Associated Press has unveiled a exclusive interview with Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, Nickelodeon's Chief Operating Officer, in which Sarah talks about some of the exciting news Nickelodeon announced during Nickelodeon Upfront 2015 on Wednesday 25th February 2015. In the interview, Sarah talks about Noggin, Nickelodeon's upcoming new ad-free mobile subscription service for preschoolers, and announces that Nickelodeon's potential "SpongeBob SquarePants" Broadway musical will feature a original song written by Aerosmith and a classic song by David Bowie!

From NorthJersey.com:

Nickelodeon debuts mobile service Noggin for the pre-K set

NEW YORK - Nickelodeon is creating brand-new content and resurrecting old shows for a mobile subscription service aimed at preschoolers.

The $6-a-month service called Noggin will have new games and activities alongside archives of shows no longer on any of Nickelodeon's TV channels. That includes videos of characters Moose and Zee teaching letters, shapes and other pre-kindergarten skills.

Photo: Jeanine Poggi / ‏@jpoggi

And on the heels of a successful "SpongeBob" movie, Nickelodeon is also developing a musical based on the cartoon character for a potential run on Broadway. Aerosmith has written a song for it, while David Bowie will contribute an old song. But there's no word yet on when it might premiere, if ever.

"It's not definite. We're still workshopping the show. We do think it has great potential," Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, Nickelodeon's chief operating officer, told The Associated Press.

As for Noggin, the ad-free service will debut next Thursday on Apple mobile devices. An Android version will follow.

Although the videos will initially come from Nickelodeon's archives, Levy said new episodes may follow.

She said the impetus came from Nickelodeon seeing rivals thrive with archives of content, while its own "deep, rich library" went untapped. "Sesame Street," for instance, offers its archives online for $4 a month. Levy said Nickelodeon didn't see enough broad-reach, television demand for the older content, but thought there would be enough interest on demand. The company is calling Noggin "separate and distinct" from the Nick Jr. preschool channel because the Noggin shows are no longer shown on TV.

Although a few cable channels such as HBO are planning stand-alone streaming subscriptions as alternatives to a cable package, most channels are sticking with existing distributors. In this case, Nickelodeon said it's in talks with pay-TV providers to bundle Noggin with cable and satellite packages. The regular Nick Jr. channel is available through a separate Nick Jr. app, but it requires a pay-TV subscription and isn't sold as a stand-alone subscription.

Levy said Nickelodeon's four traditional channels will remain its core business, and there aren't any current plans to offer similar services for older children.

New York-based Viacom Inc., which owns Nickelodeon, did announce stand-alone subscriptions around its MTV brand this week. The MTV Play video service, launching next Thursday, will offer archives of past content and previews of new shows. It will be initially available only in Germany, Switzerland and Romania, however. The MTV Trax music service will launch Tuesday in the U.K. and expand later to New Zealand. Both services will be aimed at mobile users.

Viacom hinted at the Noggin service last month, but details weren't unveiled until Wednesday at Nickelodeon's annual presentation to ad buyers and other marketers on upcoming shows. Noggin is the original name of the Nick Jr. channel and was chosen partly because moms are already familiar with the brand, said Cyma Zarghami, president of the kids and family group at Viacom.

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Nickelodeon Launches Noggin -- New Mobile Subscription Service for Preschoolers

Original Nickelodeon Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Launches Noggin--New Mobile Subscription Service for Preschoolers

Noggin Available March 5 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Will Be Available to Distributors as Premium Complement to Authenticated Subscribers

Ad-Free Service to Feature Education-Based Series; Preschool Music Videos; and Short-Form Educational Content Hosted by Beloved Characters Moose and Zee

Pictured: Noggin is a new mobile subscription service for preschoolers from Nickelodeon.
Photo Credit: Nickelodeon. ©2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

February 25, 2015 06:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon, at its annual upfront presentation today, unveiled Noggin--a new mobile subscription service for preschoolers. Available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch starting March 5, the paid service will be ad-free and offered for $5.99 a month. Nickelodeon is also in discussions with distributors about offering this service as a premium complement to authenticated subscribers.

Noggin will feature an abundant volume of long- and short-form content for preschoolers, with additional content added regularly.

Noggin's content at launch will include award-winning, education-based series, including: the ground-breaking Blue's Clues, Little Bear and Ni Hao, Kai-lan, among others; music videos featuring kids' favorite Nick preschool characters; and the return of the beloved Moose and Zee characters hosting educational videos that can help kids learn letters, shapes, matching and other important skills to get ready for kindergarten.

Introducing Noggin from Viacom on Vimeo.

New content, games and activities will be added regularly. Noggin's content will remain library-based, separate and distinct from Nickelodeon's preschool content currently available on its existing distribution platforms.

"We are reintroducing the Noggin name with this new mobile service because of its built-in equity with moms and as a signal of the high-quality preschool content that will be curated for it," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Viacom Kids and Family Group.

The titles available on Noggin at launch include: Allegra's Window, Blue's Clues, Blue's Room, Franklin and Friends, Gullah Gullah Island, Little Bear, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Ni Hao, Kai-lan, Oswald, Pocoyo, Robot and Monster and The Upside Down Show.

Noggin serves as a complement to the highly successful Nick Jr. app, a TV Everywhere platform for preschoolers. The Nick Jr. app features a live linear feed of the Nick Jr. television channel and on-demand episodes of the net's current series, via paid-TV subscriber authentication, plus interactive activities and educational moments.

To date, Nickelodeon has launched more than 20 preschool apps including top-performing titles like Blaze and the Monster Machines (STEM), PAW Patrol Rescue Run (problem-solving and social skills), Wallykazam! Letter and Word Magic (literacy), and the award-winning Nick Jr. Draw and Play (creativity and imagination).

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Nickelodeon Brands Partnership Marketing Services Under New Banner – Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions

Original Nickelodeon Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Brands Partnership Marketing Services Under New Banner – Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions

February 25, 2015 06:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon today at its annual upfront presentation formalized its robust roster of consumer insights, partnership marketing and multi-media services under the banner of Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions. An offering that connects partners to the full scope of Nickelodeon's unrivaled intellectual properties and 10-screen ecosystem, Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions offers branded entertainment and intellectual property alignment opportunities across the network's media platforms, social footprint, consumer products business and on-the-ground marketing experiences.

"Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions signals our commitment to collaborative partnerships," said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products, Nickelodeon. "We're opening our doors to clients so that we may work better together to leverage the full power of the Nickelodeon ecosystem, with all of the possibilities for building and marketing our partners' messages now in one place."

Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions offers advertising partners the opportunity for in-depth collaboration with expertise drawn from all quarters of the Nickelodeon organization. Partners can access the network's proprietary insights, full-service marketing and creative resources and multi-platform media destinations to create branded experiences that are authentic to Nickelodeon's kids and family audience.

Throughout the year, the network will roll out additional offerings through Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions, inclusive of a new way for partners to leverage Nick's robust social footprint for appropriate audiences and new measurement capabilities, which will inform partners of the reach, influence and engagement of their social programs. Details will be available this spring.

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Nickelodeon Continues Format Innovations by Expanding Slate of Daily Scripted Series, with Greenlights for Three New Shows

Original Nickelodeon Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Continues Format Innovations by Expanding Slate of Daily Scripted Series, with Greenlights for Three New Shows

Daily Serialized Shows Make It Pop, Talia's Kitchen and The W.I.T.s Academy are Picked Up for 2015-16 Season

Nick also Renews Daily Scripted Hits Every Witch Way for Fourth Season and Max & Shred for Season Two

Pictured: (L-R) Jodi (Louriza Tronco), Sun Hi (Meghan Lee) and Corki (Erika Tham) in the new live-action series, Make It Pop, coming to Nickelodeon in the 2015-16 season. Photo Credit: Nickelodeon. ©2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

February 25, 2015 06:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following its success with the daily, serialized format of hit shows like Every Witch Way and House of Anubis, Nickelodeon is picking up three more daily scripted series for the upcoming season. These new live-action shows include: Make It Pop, a comedic, music-infused daily strip about three girls who come together to start their own K-Pop-inspired band; Talia's Kitchen (working title), which follows a teenage girl who goes to work in her grandmother's Miami restaurant and finds that her talent for cooking is, quite literally, magical; and The W.I.T.s Academy (working title), a spin-off from Every Witch Way about the comedic adventures of young witches- and wizards-in-training. Nick is also renewing Every Witch Way for a fourth season and Max & Shred for season two.

"Between the enormous amount of shows we have in production, and the strong foundation of our recent launches, we are giving our audience some of the most fresh and innovative content we've ever produced," said Russell Hicks, President, Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon. "The new daily scripted shows we've picked up are right in line with kids' demand for more content, in different formats, and we can't wait for kids to see and love them."

Details of Nick's new daily scripted series are:

* Make It Pop (20 episodes) is a comedic, music-infused daily strip about three unique girls who come together to start their own K-Pop-inspired band. Randomly selected to room together at boarding school, bookish Corki, fashion-forward Jodi and social media maven Sun Hi meet and bond over music. With the help of fellow boarding school classmate and DJ hopeful, Caleb, the girls grow from roommates to bandmates as they become a school-wide sensation and compete for a place in the upcoming school musical. The series, which will feature original songs and performances in every episode, is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Make It Pop is executive produced by Lynch and Cannon, together with Steven DeNure and Anne Loi for DHX Media.

* Talia's Kitchen (working title; 40 episodes) is a live-action series, inspired by the daily telenovela format that follows 14-year-old Talia who moves in with her grandmother and starts spending time in the kitchen of their family-owned restaurant. There, she discovers her true calling: cooking. With the help of her special "salt and pepper sense"--and her late father's magical spices--Talia is able to infuse emotion into her food and cook just what each customer needs. Talia's Kitchen is created by Catharina Ledeboer and produced by Viacom International. Tatiana Rodriguez will serve as Executive Producer.

* The W.I.T.s Academy (working title; 20 episodes) is a daily strip spun off from the hit Every Witch Way. In this new series, teenage Guardians will oversee young witches- and wizards-in-training at a magical academy. There, the Guardians will have to decide who is friend, and who is foe. The series is created by Catharina Ledeboer and is produced by Viacom International. The W.I.T.s Academy is executive produced by Tatiana Rodriguez.

Also announced today was the season four renewal of Every Witch Way, which ranked number one in its timeslot with both kids and tweens during its third season, and season two of Nick's live-action buddy-comedy, Max & Shred. Scheduled to premiere this summer, the new season of Every Witch Way follows 14-year-old Emma Alonso, whose life is turned upside down when she moves to Miami and discovers that she is the Chosen One, the most powerful witch in existence. She must keep the Magical Realm safe while balancing school, friendships and romance. Every Witch Way is written by Catharina Ledeboer (Grachi, Hollywood Heights, General Hospital) and produced by Nickelodeon Latin America and Cinemat.

Max & Shred chronicles the hilarious and unlikely friendship between Max Asher, a celebrity snowboarder, and Alvin "Shred" Ackerman, a science whiz-kid, who become roommates when Max moves to Colorado to train for the Winter Cup. Max & Shred was created by Josh Greenbaum and Ben McMillan, and executive produced by George Doty IV, Joan Lambur, Ira Levy, Peter Williamson, Nat Abraham and Michael McGuigan. The series is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment for Nickelodeon and YTV.

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Nickelodeon Showcases Power of Its Ecosystem and Highlights New Content Slate and Upcoming Initiatives for 2015-2016 Season at Annual Upfront Presentation

Original Nickelodeon Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Showcases Power of Its Ecosystem and Highlights New Content Slate and Upcoming Initiatives for 2015-2016 Season at Annual Upfront Presentation

Nickelodeon Unveils Noggin—New Preschool Subscription Service; Previews Innovative, New Content Initiatives; Announces More Than 600 Episodes of New and Returning Series

Nick Brands Its Partnership Marketing Services Under New Banner of Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions

Pictured: (L-R) Cesar Millan, Calvin Millan and Stuff in Mutt & Stuff, a new live-action preschool series coming to Nickelodeon in the 2015-16 season. Photo Credit: Nickelodeon. ©2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

February 25, 2015 06:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon, at its annual upfront presentation held today at the Skylight at Moynihan Station, outlined the power of its unmatched, 10-screen ecosystem to deliver the biggest and most engaged audience of kids and families, and announced numerous key initiatives from its content pipeline. The new series and development projects underscore Nick's commitment to fresh and innovative formats, from a wide range of creative sources and voices.

Announcements at the presentation included: Noggin, a mobile subscription service for preschoolers; numerous new content innovations; a sneak peek at a potential SpongeBob SquarePants Broadway musical; future spinoff possibilities for the wildly successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise; and Nickelodeon Sports, which brings content from the major sports leagues to Nick's platforms. Nickelodeon also detailed the suite of its partner services that provides consumer insights, advertising solutions and branded-entertainment opportunities, now formalized under the banner of Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions.

The presentation was augmented by an appearance from Will Arnett--star of Paramount Pictures' global theatrical hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the forthcoming sequel set for 2016; a performance of a song from the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, currently being developed for a potential Broadway debut; and a closing set of songs by pop hit-makers, Echosmith.

"The proliferation of platforms and massive amounts of new content are having an unprecedented impact on entertainment, and we are using these opportunities to super-serve our audience with fresh content, new formats and innovative storytelling," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Viacom Kids and Family Group. "We remain laser-focused on using all of the screens and tools in our ecosystem to deliver the biggest audience of kids and families, and creating hits and building franchises that thrill our audience and deliver unrivaled reach."

Nickelodeon highlighted a selection of content drawn from its pipeline, with each project showcasing the network's commitment to reinvent genres and introduce new formats and ideas to its audience.

These projects include:

* Game Makers (working title), just picked up for 26 episodes, is the newest creation from hit-maker Dan Schneider. It's a live-action sitcom about two 12-year-old girls who start a multi-million-dollar gaming company and take on rap superstar Double G as a business partner. As part of a multi-platform experience, the games seen in the episodes will be released through apps and online. Schneider will also serve as Executive Producer.

* Make It Pop, picked up for 20 episodes, is a comedic, music-infused daily strip about three unique girls who come together to start their own K-Pop-inspired band. Randomly selected to room together at boarding school, bookish Corki, fashion-forward Jodi and social media maven Sun Hi meet and bond over music. With the help of fellow boarding school classmate and DJ hopeful, Caleb, the girls grow from roommates to bandmates as they become a school-wide sensation and compete for a place in the upcoming school musical. The series, which will feature original songs and performances in every episode, is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Make It Pop is executive produced by Lynch and Cannon, together with Steven DeNure and Anne Loi for DHX Media.

* Talia's Kitchen (working title), just picked up for 40 episodes, is a live-action series inspired by the daily telenovela format that follows 14-year-old Talia who moves in with her grandmother and starts spending time in the kitchen of their family-owned restaurant. There, she discovers her true calling: cooking. With the help of her special "salt and pepper sense"--and her late father's magical spices--Talia is able to infuse emotion into her food and cook just what each customer needs. Talia's Kitchen is created by Catharina Ledeboer and produced by Viacom International. Tatiana Rodriguez will serve as Executive Producer.

* Mutt & Stuff, which has just been picked up for 20 episodes, is a live-action preschool series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. Set in a unique school for dogs, the series stars Calvin Millan, The Puppy Whisperer and son of The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, interacting with a cast of real dogs and puppets. Mutt & Stuff is filled with unbelievable dog tricks, adorable puppies, and alternating moments of heart and comedy. The series is created and executive produced by Sid and Marty Krofft and Bradley Zweig. Cesar Millan also serves as Executive Producer.

* Roll Call (working title), which is currently in development, is a single-camera comedy series shot in a mockumentary style that follows an eclectic group of kids navigating their way through middle school. Roll Call is executive produced by Sharla Sumpter Bridgett and directed by Ian Pfaff.

Nickelodeon also announced a spin-off of its hit Every Witch Way— The W.I.T.s Academy (working title; 20 episodes). The W.I.T.s Academy will be a daily strip about the comedic adventures of witches- and wizards-in-training. The series is created by Catharina Ledeboer and is produced by Viacom International. The W.I.T.s Academy is executive produced by Tatiana Rodriguez.

"We remain focused on developing breakthrough content that is more fresh and innovative than anything else available anywhere," said Russell Hicks, President, Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon. "Our new slate builds on a strong foundation of recent launches that is connecting with this new generation of kids."

Nickelodeon also announced that it will air more than 600 episodes of new series and returning hits for the 2015-16 season:

* Among the new series this season are: School of Rock, a live-action show based on the hit movie, and Nick's first collaboration with Paramount Television; Harvey Beaks, an animated show about a good kid who has never broken the rules, and his two best friends, who have never lived by any; and Shimmer and Shine, an animated, curriculum-based preschool series about twin genies-in-training who unintentionally cause chaos in their attempts to grant wishes for their best friend, Leah.

* Nick's returning series feature second seasons of new live-action hits Henry Danger, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and Max & Shred; season four of the live-action, daily series, Every Witch Way; plus more new episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Thundermans, Bella and the Bulldogs, Sanjay and Craig, Breadwinners, The Fairly OddParents, PAW Patrol, Wallykazam!, Dora and Friends and Blaze and the Monster Machines, among others.

In addition to outlining its upcoming development slate, Nickelodeon also highlighted a range of other initiatives, including: the launch of Noggin; and opportunities with sport content, through Nickelodeon Sports:

* Noggin--Nickelodeon is launching Noggin, a new mobile subscription service for preschoolers. Available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch starting March 5, the paid service will be ad-free and offered for $5.99 a month. Nickelodeon is also in discussions with distributors about offering this service as a premium complement to authenticated subscribers. Noggin will feature an abundant volume of long- and short-form content for preschoolers, with additional content added regularly. Noggin's content at launch will include: award-winning, education-based series, including the ground-breaking Blue's Clues, Little Bear and Ni Hao, Kai-lan, among others; music videos featuring kids' favorite Nick preschool characters; and the return of the beloved Moose and Zee characters hosting educational videos that can help kids learn letters, shapes, matching and other important skills to get ready for kindergarten. New content, games and activities will be added regularly. Noggin's content will remain library-based, separate and distinct from Nickelodeon's preschool content currently available on its existing distribution platforms.

* Nickelodeon Sports--Nick's sports initiative encompasses the brand's established relationships with major sports leagues, including NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL and NASCAR, across a myriad of off-channel activations, including pro-social initiatives and marketing partnerships. In 2014, Nickelodeon expanded its sports presence to include programming with its inaugural Kids' Choice Sports Awards, hosted and executive produced by Michael Strahan, and the launch of NickSports. Launched on Nicktoons last fall, NickSports is a primetime (Wednesdays from 9-11 p.m. ET) programming block that features a rotating lineup of sports-themed content including series, specials and documentaries from sports leagues and celebrity athletes, as well as acquired theatrical movies.

Also outlined was Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions, Nickelodeon's newly named integrated marketing and creative content offering for partners. Nickelodeon Inside Out Solutions is a collaborative service that connects partners to the strengths of Nickelodeon's platforms and unrivaled characters, and makes available Nick's audience expertise, creativity, advertising solutions and branded-entertainment opportunities.

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Nickelodeon Upfront 2015 - Live Updates

* SpongeBob SquarePants has a new Broadway musical coming out!;

* Nickelodeon unveils "Mutt & Stuff";

* Marty Kroft ("Pufn'stuff", "Land of the Lost") is developing a brand-new show for Nickelodeon;

* Dan Schneider has a brand-new Nickelodeon show coming up about two teenage girls that create their own gaming empire!;

* Nickelodeon is working with the NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL, & NASCAR to create more awesome sports content for NickSports!;

* Echosmith performs at Nickelodeon Upfront 2015;

* Nickelodeon is planning to air more than 600 episodes of new series and returning hits during the 2015-2016 season!;

* Nickelodeon and Paramount's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie nearly made half a billion dollars in 2014!;

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Nickelodeon Unveils New Preschool Subscription Video-On-Demand Service "Noggin"

Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids and families, today announced that they are relaunching their Noggin brand as a brand-new streaming video subscription service aimed at preschoolers, handing consumers another way to get high-quality video without the need for cable or satellite!

The service, unveiled at the networks annual upfront pitch, Nickelodeon Upfront, to ad buyers, will cost $5.99 per month and will be available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch starting Thursday 5th March 2015. It will feature on-demand long- and short-form educational series and preschool music videos, all without ads.

Initial programming will include Nick Jr. favorites such as "Blues Clues", "Franklin and Friends" and "Little Bear", music videos featuring Nick characters, and viewer favorite hosts Moose A. Moose and Zee, a moose-and-bird duo who hosted the linear Noggin.

Nickelodeon is also in conversations with distributors about offering the service as a premium complement to authenticated cable and satellite TV subscribers, it said.

Noggin is envisioned as a complement to the company’s Nick Jr. app, which shows a live, linear feed of the Nick Jr. preschooler cable network for people who already subscribe to it. Noggin's content will also remain separate and distinct from Nickelodeon's preschool content already available on its existing distribution platforms.

Noggin was previously its own preschool cable channel in the USA. The channel was renamed Nick Jr. as part of Nickelodeon's network wide rebranding.

Sources: Advertising Age, Variety.

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