Corus Entertainment, The Owners Of Nickelodeon Canada, Reshuffles Executive Team

The entertainment industry news website C21Media is reporting the Nickelodeon International news that the Canadian media and entertainment company Corus Entertainment, which wholly owns Nickelodeon Canada, the Canadian version of the popular kids' channel, with the channels brand name licensed from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom, Inc., has reshuffled its executive team to bring its television and radio businesses closer together:

Corus rejigs radio, TV set-up

Corus Entertainment in Canada has reshuffled its executive team to bring its television and radio businesses closer together.

Doug Murphy, currently exec VP and president of Corus Television, will be appointed exec VP and chief operating officer of Corus Entertainment on September 1.

Murphy will assume oversight of both radio and television at Corus and will report to John Cassaday, president and CEO of Corus Entertainment.

Meanwhile, Colin Bohm, VP of television and head of Corus Kids; John MacDonald, VP of television and head of Corus Women and Family; and Maria Hale, VP of television and head of Corus content distribution and pay TV will now all report to Murphy.

“As our business evolves, we continue to adapt and refine our structure,” said Cassaday. “These changes capitalise on our strengths and streamline decision-making across our television and radio businesses, as we prepare for the integration of our new assets and grow the Corus brand in Canada and internationally.”

Corus’s television services include the kids’ brands YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada) and Teletoon, in which it has a 50% stake.

The media company is on the verge of purchasing the remaining half of Teletoon and the local Cartoon Network, although this is subject to the approval of broadcast regulator the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

Nico Franks
17-07-2013
©C21Media

TAGS: Appointments
GENRES: Children's
PEOPLE: Colin Bohm, Doug Murphy, John Cassaday, John MacDonald, Maria Hale
COMPANIES: Corus Entertainment
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: Canada

UK's 'Kix' Announces Plans To Launch A Brand New Children's Channel, "Kix Power"; To Celebrate With Six-Week "Power Rangers" Marathon

Kix, a free-to-air children's and teen's television channel in the UK, has announced the children's television news on Sky Media UK websites' 'Sky TV's Children's Television Schedule Highlights In July 2013' webpage that the channel will launch a brand new kids channel called "Kix Power" on Monday 22nd July 2013, just in time for the 2013 summer school holidays in the UK and Ireland, and to celebrate the launch of their all-new channel and the summer holidays, "Kix Power" will be holding a very special "Power Rangers Month" programming stunt, where, for 6 weeks, Kix Power will be showing "Power Rangers" all day everyday! One season of "Power Rangers" will be shown each week from beginning to end, including "Power Rangers Wild Force", "Power Rangers S.P.D.", "Power Rangers Jungle Fury", "Power Rangers Mystic Force", "Power Rangers Dino Thunder", and in the last week there will be a pick 'n' mix of all the series including "Power Rangers Operation Overdrive"! "Kix Power" will launch on Sky Digital channel 629:

Kix Power Launches Kix Power
Starts Monday 22 July

We are very excited to announce that from 22 July the brand new channel, Kix Power, will launch! It’s a Power Ranger summer special. For 6 weeks Kix Power will be showing Power Rangers all day everyday! One series of Power Rangers will be shown a week from beginning to end, including Wild Force, SPD, Jungle Fury, Mystic Force, Dino Thunder, and in the last week there will be a medley of all the series including Operation Overdrive! Tune into channel 629 for Kix Power!

Corus Entertainment Announces Fiscal 2013 First Quarter Results; Expects Nickelodeon Canada's Strong Ratings To Contribute To Company's Revenue Growth

The Canadian media and entertainment company Corus Entertainment has announced in their "Fiscal 2013 First Quarter Results" Press Release from PRNewswire (below) that their President and CEO, John Cassaday, has announced the news that Corus Entertainment expects Nickelodeon Canada's, the Canadian version of the popular kids' channel which Corus wholly owns, with the channels brand name licensed from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom, Inc., strong ratings will contribute to the company's revenue growth as the 2013 fiscal year progresses:

Corus Entertainment Announces Fiscal 2013 First Quarter Results

* Monthly dividend increased 6.25%
* Net income attributable to shareholders up 3%
* Basic earnings per share attributable to shareholders up 3%
* Segment profit up 2%
* Strong segment profit margins for Television (45%) and Radio (36%)

TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) announced its first quarter financial results today.

"Corus has delivered a solid first quarter, achieving double-digit segment profit growth in Radio, strong Women's advertising sales, subscriber gains on Pay television and continued success in controlling costs, which was partially offset by soft results in our Kids business," said John Cassaday , President and Chief Executive Officer, Corus Entertainment . "Looking ahead, we expect our strong ratings momentum on Oprah Winfrey Network, ABC Spark and Nickelodeon will contribute to revenue growth as the fiscal year progresses."

[You can read Corus Entertainment's Financial Highlights here on the official prnewswire.com]

Consolidated Results from Continuing Operations

Consolidated revenues for the three months ended November 30, 2012 were $226.1 million, down 5% from $236.9 million last year. Consolidated segment profit was $92.7 million, up 2% from $91.2 million last year. Net income attributable to shareholders for the quarter was $52.2 million ($0.63 basic and $0.62 diluted per share), up 3% compared to $50.5 million ($0.61 basic and diluted per share) last year.

Operational Results - Highlights

Television

* Segment revenues decreased 6%
* Segment profit(1) decreased 2%
* Specialty advertising revenues decreased 3%
* Subscriber revenues increased 1%
* Movie Central finished the quarter with 998,000 subscribers, up 22,000 from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012
* Merchandising, distribution and other revenues decreased 25%
* Segment profit margins of 45%

Radio

* Segment revenues increased 1%
* Segment profit(1) increased 16%
* Segment profit margins of 36%

(1) See definitions and discussion under Key Performance Indicators in MD&A.
Corus Entertainment Inc. reports in Canadian dollars.

About Corus Entertainment Inc.

Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing, children's animation and animation software. The Company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), ABC Spark, W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press, Toon Boom and 37 radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107, and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the three months ended November 30, 2012 and Management's Discussion and Analysis are available on the Company's website at www.corusent.com in the Investor Relations section.

A conference call with Corus senior management is scheduled for January 15, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. ET. While this call is directed at analysts and investors, members of the media are welcome to listen in. The dial-in number for the conference call for North America is 1.800.909.4795 and for local/international callers is 416.641.6684. PowerPoint slides for the call will be posted 15 minutes prior to the start of the call and can be found on the Corus Entertainment website at www.corusent.com in the Investor Relations section.

This press release contains forward-looking information and should be read subject to the following cautionary language:

To the extent any statements made in this report contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking statements and may be forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements related to, among other things, our objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, plans, estimates and outlook, including advertising, distribution, merchandise and subscription revenues, operating costs and tariffs, taxes and fees, and can generally be identified by the use of the words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may" and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Although Corus believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, including without limitation factors and assumptions regarding advertising, distribution, merchandise and subscription revenues, operating costs and tariffs, taxes and fees and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things: our ability to attract and retain advertising revenues; audience acceptance of our television programs and cable networks; our ability to recoup production costs, the availability of tax credits and the existence of co-production treaties; our ability to compete in any of the industries in which we do business; the opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to and pursued by us; conditions in the entertainment, information and communications industries and technological developments therein; changes in laws or regulations or the interpretation or application of those laws and regulations; our ability to integrate and realize anticipated benefits from our acquisitions and to effectively manage our growth; our ability to successfully defend ourselves against litigation matters arising out of the ordinary course of business; and changes in accounting standards. Additional information about these factors and about the material assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found in our Annual Information Form. Corus cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to Corus, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or circumstances that arise after the date thereof or otherwise.

SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc.

US Television Networks No Longer Kid Around

From Variety:

Nets no longer kid around

Cultural scolds lack reliable argument on media curbs

A common refrain emerges during the "Superheroes" chapter of "Pioneers of Television," the PBS documentary series returning this month that nostalgically looks at the medium's past.

In almost every program -- from "Wonder Woman" to "The Incredible Hulk" to "The Greatest American Hero" -- performers talk about chafing against interference from "the network," which invariably wanted to make the shows lighter, broader, more comedic.

This impulse to tone down material might have been maddening, even infantilizing, but it wasn't wholly misguided, since back then kids still represented a major part of the networks' primetime audience. And while it's clear a more mature approach has resulted in better TV and movies -- there's no comparing the campy '60s Adam West "Batman" played to Christian Bale's "Dark Knight" -- excising children from the equation is one of the least understood elements in the darkened nature of our media.

Kids haven't been forgotten, of course, but rather sequestered -- segregated onto their own brightly colored island, where they can safely pick from a bountiful menu of items like Pixar movies and Nickelodeon. Even disadvantaged kids have more options, as marketers eagerly slice the youth audience into tiny niches, from preschool to tweens.

Blocking access to baser media amounts to a giant technological game of Whac-a-Mole, but parents serious about governing their young kids' media needn't worry quite so much about children idly flipping on the TV looking for something to watch. In this personalized environment, it's all waiting there for them, mediated by devices or services like DVRs and Netflix.

As for kids seeing inappropriate fare on broadcast TV, for all the media children under 12 devour, they're simply no longer a significant component of the audience.

During the current season, a mere handful of primetime shows on the major networks average a 2 rating or better among kids, and they're a pretty innocuous bunch: "Sunday Night Football," "The Voice," "Once Upon a Time," "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Simpsons." A decade ago, the number was six times that high.

Networks are more than happy to ignore tykes because -- like most of their grandparents -- they can't sell them to advertisers. The watershed moment came in the 1990s, when Fox began scheduling edgier fare earlier in the evening, and NBC moved "Mad About You" and subsequently "Friends" into the 8 p.m. slot.

The so-called "Family Hour" had always been an ephemeral notion -- advanced mostly by cultural scolds -- but as TV exec Garth Ancier said at the time, "When Fox started moving shows that did well with adults (to 8 p.m.), it was like a dam was broken, and everybody started programming differently."

Removing kids from the conversation, however, leaves those fretful about the relationship between media and society with at best a wobbly leg to stand on. Politically speaking, protecting children has always been a winner -- the kind of argument it's difficult to rebut.

Seeking to curb what adults choose to watch is more problematic. Granted, some might think Fox's new serial-killer drama "The Following" pushes too far into the realm of grim and icky, or find CBS' "2 Broke Girls" too raunchy, but others won't. Beyond speculating about what might potentially inspire disturbed minds, such a debate is purely subjective.

Concerns pertaining to children represented the system's one reliable brake to restrain entertainment standards, for good and ill. With that responsibility diminished (if not, perhaps, wholly removed), the foundation for policing content begins to crumble. Sure, slap on ratings or advisories to assist parents, try shaming those who deserve it, but after that it's let the marketplace decide and the media buyer beware.

Some critics won't easily relinquish the gauzy ideal of a collective hearth where families gather around the TV together -- an image as dated as a clunky old cathode-ray-tube set.

Even so, shifting technology and exploding choices have conspired to undercut "Save the children" as a battle cry for those alarmed by a perceived coarsening of the media environment.

That's not to say such considerations lack merit or don't warrant discussion. Still, for those who see the steady drip toward greater creative license as a tide of raw sewage, invoking the kids won't turn back the clock to TV's pioneer days.

Classics Weekend Draws Biggest Ever Audience For British Children's TV Channel CITV

Although technically not Nickelodeon News, the following news article from Broadcast does mention the classic Nickelodeon UK show "Count Duckula", the UK version of the popular Classic Nickelodeon game show "Finders Keepers", and the classic Children's ITV preschool series "Button Moon", which Nickelodeon UK's preschool channels, Nick Jr. UK and Ireland and Nick Jr. 2, also aired in the mid 2000's are part of their "Nick Jr. Classics" programming strand. Nickelodeon UK will also be treating fans of Classic Nick to a bit of nostalgia from February 2013 when they will launch a "The '90s Are All That" style Classic Nickelodeon programming block on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK from Monday 4th February 2013, which will feature the Classic Nick comedy series "Clarissa Explains It All", the Classic Nickelodeon sketch show series "The Amanda Show", and the Classic Nick Sci-Fi series "The Journey of Allen Strange"! Nick UK's action channel, Nicktoons UK and Ireland, is also currently showing three of Nickelodeon's classic original animated television series (Nicktoons), "Rocko's Modern Life", "The Ren and Stimpy Show" and "Invader Zim", every night from 10.30pm!:

Old Skool weekend draws CITV's biggest ever audience

A nostalgic weekend of children's programmes from the CITV archive proved to be a ratings hit for the commercial broadcaster’s kids channel.

Animated children’s programme Danger Mouse scored CITV's highest ever audience as part the channel’s Old Skool weekend, compiled to celebrate 30 years of the brand.

Danger Mouse, which follows the adventures of a mouse, voiced by David Jason, who works as a secret agent attracted 523k (5.7%) in the half hour from 11.35am on Sunday 6 January. The audience was the highest rating programme on the channel since its launch in 2006.

Rosie & Jim, which aired ahead of Danger Mouse, was the second highest rated programme of the weekend with an audience of 455k (5.1%). Horrid Henry is the next best rated programme, according to figures supplied by Attentional.

Other classic programme repeats broadcast on 5 and 6 January included Fun House, Knightmare, The Raggy Dolls, Count Duckula, Art Attack, The Riddlers, Sooty and Co, Button Moon, How 2, Finders Keepers and The Sooty Show.

The programmes are available to view via VoD [Video-On-Demand] service ITV Player.

30 years of CITV

ITV children’s brand, CITV, launched on 3 January 1983 with presenters originally recording introductions to programmes such as Roland Rat, Timmy Mallet and Basil Brush. In 1987 the output went live with Gary Terzza and Debbie Shore as presenters.

The CITV channel launched on 11 March 2006 and is aimed at 4-9 year olds. It features a range of content including entertainment, comedy and animation with original commissions making up around a third of its output.

Ratings Watch Global - Saban Brands' "Power Rangers Super Samurai" Delivers Great TV Ratings For The French Children's TV Channel Gulli

From Kidscreen:

Ratings Watch Global

This week, Eurodata TV has provided us with the ratings for the top-five program broadcasts with kids four to 14 in France between September 17 and October 14, 2012.

The top-five programs are:

1. Garfield and Company, France 3 (October 6, 5.1% rating, 25.3% share)

2. Power Rangers Super Samurai, Gulli (October 7, 4.9% rating, 26.8% share)

3. Monk La Cata Sur Pattes, Gulli (October 7, 4.8% rating, 28.2% share)

4. The Simpsons, W9 (September 21, 4.8% rating, 16.1% share)

5. The Jungle Book, TF1 (October 12, 4.7% rating, 29.1% share)

** Ratings supplied by Eurodata TV Worldwide/ Mediamétrie

Tags: France, Garfield and Company, Ratings Watch Global

British Children's Television Channel 'Kix' To Show "Saban's Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation" From August 2012

According to the official Sky Media UK websites 'Sky TV's Children's Television Highlights In August 2012' webpage, to celebrate the summer school holidays, Kix, a free-to-air children's and teen's television channel in the UK, will start to show "Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation", a live-action 1990's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series that was produced by Saban Entertainment ("Power Rangers"), every weekday at 08.30, providing a great opportunity for British and Irish television viewers to familiarise themselves with the Heroes in a Half-Shell and to get ready and prepared for when Nickelodeon UK premieres Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series in October 2012!:

Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
Kix
Weekdays, 08.30

Summer is kicking off with the Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation this summer on Kix. Catch them weekdays at 8:30am and 3:30pm. The channel also have some sporty themed interstitials which includes basketball tips and tricks to keep the boys entertained!