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eMedia's 4 Channels Recieve Another Extension On MultiChoice's DStv, Might Go Dark By August 2024

Since 2022, eMedia Investments and MultiChoice had been undergoing a carriage dispute with the Competition Tribunal. After the p...

Showing posts with label Nickelodeon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nickelodeon. Show all posts

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Recap To Last Year: How The Merger Of Paramount Global And Warner Bros. Discovery Could Bring The End Of Cartoon Network (And Nickelodeon)?

Last year, it was reported that Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global were in early talks of a potential merger. The news was met with mixed to negative feedback from consumers with some more concerned about the future of Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Warner Bros. Discovery had further distanced themselves from their 6-12 demographic which is where Cartoon Network falls in order to prioritise Adult Swim. Through a survey, it was revealed that a majority of the network's audience particularly primetime are adults.

Internationally, Cartoon Network continues to operate independently but too has seen some distancing in recent years particularly for content produced by Cartoon Network Studios, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe and Warner Bros. Animation.

Paramount Global serving as a successor still prioritise the kids offering with some fearing that Nickelodeon could end up being what remains of Cartoon Network. If not worse a possible merger between these two brands and their programming.

Warner Bros. Discovery offers Boing and Boomerang in parts of the world while Paramount Global offers TeenNick, Nicktoons and NickAtNite all of which could be folded under one hub. But the idea of keeping both brands intact wouldn't seem far fetched.

Nickelodeon has an existing slate of live-action productions something Cartoon Network has been struggling to maintain since it's inception. Perhaps Nickelodeon could prioritise live-action more while further animation is distributed by Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation.

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Regular Nick Shorts: Nickelodeon Rebrands Their Remaining Linear Offering To The Splat, Pretty Freekin Scary Launches On Disney Channel Across Europe, Middle East And Africa And Mickey Mouse-Inspired Horror Game 'Infestation 88' Announced

Nicktoons and TeenNick enter the Splat Zone

After teasing their new logos over the past few months, Nickelodeon today (Jan. 1, 2024) kick-started the New Year by rebranding its Nicktoons and TeenNick channels! The rebrand features the new Nicktoons and TeenNick logos unveiled last year, based on Nickelodeon's recently introduced Splat logo the network introduced early last year, and includes new on-air graphics, such as lower-thirds, updated BUG/DOG, bumpers, idents, promo endboards, and Curriculum Boards.

Both channels use bumpers from Nickelodeon's 2023 rebrand, with TeenNick also using a mix of new bumpers featuring older kids as well as repurposed bumpers from their 2019 rebrand.

Credits: NickAndMore and NickALive!
Disney Channel to rollout a new series

14 year-old Frankie Ripp has a great life until she suddenly gets killed in a freak accident where she fell into a manhole. In the Underworld, she has a heated debate with the Grim Reaper who lets her return home as long as her Underworld guardians Pretty and Scary accompany her. Frankie tries to keep the Grim Reaper a secret from everyone, while at the same time she must work for the Grim Reaper by completing a series of given tasks should she wish to keep her life.

Pretty Freekin Scary launches on Disney Channel across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) from 23 January.
New Mickey Mouse game is in development

Nightmare Forge games has announced Infestation 88, a new 1-4 player survival horror co-op game that aims to infuse nostalgia with terror (in the vein of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) by twisting the now-in-the-public-domain Steamboat Willie into something much scarier. It's in development for PC.

The developers describe it as such: "In the year 1988, what was thought to be an outbreak of rodents in various locations morphed into something far more sinister." Sometimes you'll need to fight, sometimes you'll need to run, and sometimes you'll need to hide in a locker. You can set traps and utilize CCTV cameras to try and stay one step ahead of the infestation, and item layouts are randomized in order to help keep matches fresh. 

February 2024 On Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. And Nicktoons Across South Africa | New Series Alert: Rock, Paper, Scissors | Returning Shows Including Danger Force And The Adventures Of Paddington | More

Nickelodeon

ALL STARS STUNT
Premier: 1/01/2023-9/02/2023
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 17:00

DANGER FORCE 
Episodes: #306, #308-#311
Premier: 19/02/2024-23/02/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 18:30

Marathon Stunt
Premier: 25/02/2024
Slot: Sunday
Time: 16:00
Inc. new eps: 312-331

Other shows on the stunt include Tyler Perry's Young Dylan, The Really Loud House, The Thundermans and Henry Danger.

AFTERTOONSSTUNT
29/01/2024-8/03/2024
Monday-Friday
15:20

BIG NATE
Episodes: #201, #202, #205, #209, #210
Premiere: 10/02/2024-24/02/2024
Slot: Saturday-Sunday
Time: 15:00

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS 
Episodes: #101-#110
Premiere: 19/02/2023-01/03/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 16:00

Other shows on the stunt include Monster High, The Loud House, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Casagrandes.

Nicktoons

SUNNY SIDE UP STUNT
Premiere: 22/01/2024-09/02/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 17:00

BIG NATE
Episodes: #201-#210
Date: 10/02/2024-24/02/2024
Slot: Saturday-Sunday
Time: 10:00

SQUEEZE THAT SPONGE STUNT
Premiere: 19/02/2024-15/03/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 17:00
Including the newest episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants: 278, 280-283.

Other shows include ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks, The Casagrandes, The Patrick Star Show and The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj.

Nick Jr.

THE ADVENTURES OF PADDINGTON
Episodes: #313-#316A, 317-318
Premiere: 8/01/2024-19/01/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 08:10am/pm, 02:25am/pm

BOSSY BEAR
Episodes: #126-#128, #130
Premiere: 12/02/2024-23/02/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 09:30am/pm, 04:45am/pm

Sunday, December 31, 2023

2024 On Regular Nick (Upcoming Kids And Family/Animated Series) | Cartoon Network | Disney Channel | Nickelodeon | More Brands Including DreamWorks, Netflix, eToonz And Play Room

Cartoon Network/Max/Cartoonito
• Ijanu: Child Of Wonder: A teenage orphan girl with no recollection of her past who suddenly discovers that she has hidden powers that rival the Divine Ones themselves. 
• Hero Inside: The adventure begins after Scott, a cartoonist and free spirit, mysteriously vanishes after drawing 100 superheroes across 100 comic books, without ever publishing. His proofread books scattered across San Francisco, triggering odd occurrences.
• Totally Spies!: The anime-inspired toon about three female teens balancing spy missions and high school drama
• Invincible Fight Girl: The series follows Andy, a young girl who dreams of becoming the greatest pro wrestler of all time.
• Tiny Toons Looniversity: Babs, Buster and friends enroll at Acme Looniversity, the premier institution of higher hijinx learning.
• Jessica's Big Little World: Jessica navigates her way through a world where everything seems much bigger than she is; inspired by the grown-ups around her, she persists in conquering monumental children's tasks.
Barney's World: Set in a local playground, Barney is joined by dinos Billy and Baby Bop and their three kid best friends. Throughout silly and imaginative adventures together, Barney helps kids explore big preschool emotions and shows them how to love themselves and other.
• Silly Sundays: A feel-good comedy series, full of heart and deeply rooted in familial themes, everything centers around Sonia, Hugo, Mel, Mom, Dad and Granny as they create unforgettable memories together during their weekend gatherings. • Spookies: Set in Castle Ravenrock, Spookies stars three wee ghosts who discover something new behind every cobwebbed corner and dusty stairwell.
• Lana Longbeard: Lana is a super-feisty, forward thinking and passionate 11-year-old girl, who is also the heir to her father's adventuring ship, the Mighty Windbreaker.
• New Tom And Jerry Shorts: the first ever Asian produced Tom And Jerry series, featuring the famous cat and mouse duo as they take their rivalry to Singapore.
• Karters: Set in a fantastical island world, the game lets players collect and tame mystical creatures called Temtem, which can be used for battling, trading with friends and breeding to create offspring with new powers.
• Kite Man: Hell-Yeah!: Kite Man and Golden Glider take their relationship to the next level by opening a bar in the shadow of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom. 

Disney Channel/Disney Junior/Disney+
• Pretty Freakin Scary: After her sudden demise, Frankie Ripp, a 14-year-old girl, agrees to a deal with the Grim Reaper that she would go back home but accompanied by her underground parents.
• Ariel: It follows eight-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond.
• Marvel Zombies: Re-imagines the marvel universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever spreading zombie scourge.
• StuGo: an original animated series about six overambitious middle schoolers who are tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist. 
• Dragon Strikers: When the world’s most popular sport combines with magic, awesomeness escalates quicker than a dragon-powered strike! 
• Doomies: When best friends Bobby and Romy mistakenly open a gateway to another world, they turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom. 
Cars On The Road: Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater head east from Radiator Springs on a cross-country road trip to meet up with Mater's sister.
• Princess Sam: this CG-animated show stars a girl who travels to a magical planet to learn how to control her powers and defeat evil villains.
• X-Men' 97:  It serves as a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–97), and the plot will continue where the original series left off. 
• Tiana: Tiana continues to explore New Orleans in a musical series.
• Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man: will be a unique take on one of Marvel’s most famous superheroes, with surprising connections to the MCU. 
• Princess Sam: this CG-animated show stars a girl who travels to a magical planet to learn how to control her powers and defeat evil villains.
• Moana: The Series: Moana and her friends continue to explore the South Pacific in this musical animated series.
• Playdate with Winnie the Pooh follows a young Pooh Bear as he enjoys playdates with his friends. Set in the exciting outdoors of the Hundred Acre Wood, these musical shorts emphasize collaborative play and the joy of spending time with others. 

Nickelodeon/Nick Jr/Paramount+
• Erin & Aaron: Teenage stepsiblings navigate their new lives after their parents' marriage, and find strength in their shared passion for music.
• Hamsters of Hamsterdale: This series, produced by Nelvana, follows a motley crew of hamsters, the heroic protectors of their 8-year-old owner Harry, who they mistake as their King and beloved ruler of their elaborate colorful-tubed kingdom.
• HexVet And Magic Pets: follows unlikely best friends Nan and Clarion as they navigate life's weird and wacky challenges, while apprenticing to be magical veterinarians for fantastical creatures.
• Super Duper Bunny League: centers on a diverse group of bunny friends who must battle danger as they defend their city and the world from their archnemesis. 
• Avatar: The Last Airbender: The series will be an authentic adaptation of the award-winning and beloved Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender reimagined as a live-action adventure.
• Rock, Paper & Scissors: Follows 3 roommates on their hijinks, ridiculous adventures and shared love of wacky nonsense.
• Dora: The series, tentatively titled ¡Dora!, is described as a reimagining of the classic animated show which “promises to strike the perfect balance between the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of the fresh.” 
• Live-Action Dora Series: Nickelodeon's beloved Latina heroine is returning with a brand new live-action series! Not much is currently known about the show, however, it'll be aimed at kids 6-11, and will be in the vein of the 2019 live-action feature film Dora and the Lost City of Gold, which follows an older Dora!.
• Zokie of Planet Ruby: This buddy comedy, produced by Nelvana, follows quirky 10-year-old vlogger Ruby and her space alien best friend ZJ Sparkleton.
• Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles, as teenagers, deal with their new life as heroes while also dealing with the pressures of going to high school in New York City.

Other
• Lyla in the Loop (PBS Kids): is a funny and engaging new animated series for kids ages 4-8 about Lyla Loops and her fantastical blue sidekick, Stu, who use creative and strategic problem-solving and critical thinking skills to help their family, friends, and community!
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (eToonz, Play Room): After getting exposed to a mutant substance, four turtles become giants and start speaking and walking upright. They are trained by a wise rat, Splinter, in order to defeat an evil man, Shredder.
• Power Rangers (Play Room): It revolves around a team of youths recruited and trained by a mentor to morph into the eponymous Power Rangers, able to use special powers and pilot immense assault machines, called Zords, to overcome the periodic antagonists. 
• Pokémon Horizons: The Series (Cartoon Network, eToonz): This series introduces two new protagonists, Liko and Roy, who team up with the Rising Volt Tacklers, a group of adventurers that explore the Pokémon world and visit various regions, including the Paldea region.
Dragon Ball: Daima (Cartoon Network, SABC 2): new canonical mainline anime set around the same time as when Super takes place. Fans also get a look at the apparent upcoming antagonists for the anime, who’ve seemingly been watching the Z Fighters and all their past struggles this entire time.
• Masters of the Universe: Revolution (Netflix): Skeletor's final assault on Castle Grayskull caused his own demise, put an end to He-Man , and damaged the source of all magic in existence. After their battle fractured Eternia, Teela must solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power to prevent the end of the Universe. 
• Carl The Collector (PBS Kids): follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things. His talents – a laser-focus pursuit of his goals, attention to detail, and a distinctive way of looking at and experiencing the world around him.
• Hazbin Hotel (Amazon Prime Video): The series follows Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), the princess of Hell, as she sets about fulfilling her seemingly impossible dream of opening a hotel called the "Happy Hotel," which aims to rehabilitate sinners.
PeekeeBoo (Moonbug): The preschool project, featuring 2D animation with CG-animated backgrounds, will star three tiny creatures (Pea, Kee and Boo) who are enthralled by all of the sights and sounds of nature.
• Moonrise (Netflix): A young man from Earth enlists in the army to attack rebels on the Moon, only to find that his former best friend has become his enemy.
• Noah's Park (Play Room): The little animals have left Noah's Ark and find each other sharing fun and adventure, and a few life lessons in NOAH'S PARK.
• Game Shakers (eToonz): Babe and Kenzie create a popular application named Sky Whale. However, rapper Double G threatens to ruin their business because he finds out they have been using his song without permission.
• Time Patrol Bon (Netflix): The story focuses on Bon Namihira, a teenager who becomes part of a team of time-traveling agents tasked with saving people's lives during major historical events that happen across different eras and locations around the globe.
• Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft
Asterix (Netflix): The series will be adapted from one of the classic volumes, Asterix and the Big Fight, where the Romans, after being constantly embarrassed by Asterix and his village cohorts, organize a brawl between rival Gaulish chiefs and try to fix the result by kidnapping a druid along with his much-needed magic potion. I’m not giving anything away when I tell you, it doesn’t go as planned.
• Dee & Friends In Oz: A young girl named Dee discovers a wonderful magical land of Oz, where she meets new friends and is challenged to save the day, and save Oz!.
• Hot Wheels Let's Races (Netflix): Follows the newest generation of racers as they experience mind-blowing races, extreme stunt contests, and thrill-seeking challenges.
• Megamind's Guide To Defending Your City (DreamWorks): The series will chronicle the new hero's quest to become a social media influencer and a true superhero. 
• Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (DreamWorks): Tells the story of dinosaur fanatic Darius Bowman, who visits Camp Cretaceous and, as per all prior Jurassic movies, the dinosaurs manage to get loose and cause untold chaos and destruction.
• Mighty MonsterWheelies (DreamWorks): Which reimagines classic characters as half-monster, half-truck vehicle heroes who team up to use their special powers to serve and protect the all-vehicle city of Motorvania from troublemakers like Phantom Freeze and Invisible Van.
• Exploding Kittens (Netflix): An eternal conflict reaches epic proportions when both, God and the Devil, are sent to Earth in the bodies of chunky house cats.
• Devil May Cry (Netflix): is an upcoming American adult animated dark fantasy action streaming television series based on the video game franchise of the same name by Capcom and part of Adi Shankar's Bootleg Multiverse.
• Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation (Netflix): Monsters follows Ryuma, a samurai from Wano, a country also featured in the One Piece universe. In a world disrupted by a menacing force, Ryuma must navigate the chaos caused by a powerful dragon with the ability to bring catastrophic havoc.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

News Shorts: WaterBear Extends Its To Da Vinci With A Slate Of New Content, Danger Force To End With 3 Seasons On Nickelodeon And OUTtv Greenlights New Reality Series Looking For A Third

Waterbear Network on Da Vinci

WaterBear Network, the eco-streamer. has announced a partnership with Da Vinci, the home of inspiring and educational TV for families and children. Effective immediately, WaterBear Original content will take the spotlight on Da Vinci’s FAST Channel, reaching audiences in the US, UK and Ireland.

This 12-month collaboration revolves around the theme of ‘Positive Solutions for our Changing World’, delving into narratives of sustainability, community action, conservation, and wildlife preservation. The programme lineup features WaterBear’s original documentaries and films, including Extract Destroy Repeat, an animation that delves into the depths of deep-sea mining, The Whale Who Saved Me, a story recounting whale biologist Nan Hauser’s extraordinary encounter, and Wildlife Warriors, an exploration of the lives of female conservationists.

The launch on this flagship channel, home to the popular Becoming Xtraordinary series with Bear Grylls, further cements WaterBear Network’s commitment to offering unlimited access to purpose-driven content to a growing ecosystem of consumers.
Danger Force cancelled on Nickelodeon

During the NFL NickMas Game, it was revealed by one of the commentators that Danger Force would end with after 3 seasons. With the remaining episodes to the current slated for January 2024 in the USA thus bringing the end of Schneiderverse on Nickelodeon.

Although, Danger Force had been scrapped on Nickelodeon the Dangerverse is currently in production of a Henry Danger film for Paramount+ with Jace Norman set to reprise his role. It is being developed under Nickelodeon and Norman's production company, Starlight.

In other developments, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the upcoming film for The Casagrandes. With the animated series ending on a cliffhanger, it had been confirmed that film would serve as the season finale of course Nickelodeon is depriving linear audiences from seeing it.
Tiffany ‘New York’ Pollard to host a new series

The LGBTQ+ network has ordered has the eight-part dating competition series, which is from Daddy TV, the producing team behind Stormy Daniels series For The Love of DILFs. Production will begin next summer and is slated for release in late 2024 on OUTtv.

Set in a modern villa, Looking For a Third will feature one gay couple and one lesbian couple, each searching for a third partner to add to their relationship among a group of singles.

Pollard, a seminal figure in Black reality TV, will host and is an executive producer. She was first seen in Flavor of Love back in 2006 on VH1 before landing her own spin-off, I Love New York. She also made a popular appearance on Big Brother in the UK, where she was at the center of an iconic moment in which she mistakenly told fellow housemates David Gest had died.

Thursday, December 21, 2023

More Cord Cutting Might Await Brands Like Nicktoons And MTV Base If Merger Between Paramount Global And Warner Bros. Discovery Moves Forward

During the week, it was reported that Paramount
Global and Warner Bros. Discovery were exploring a potential merger. For now, Warner Bros. Discovery can't look at merging with another entity until April 2024 and talks are said to be in the early stages so it's not known whether they'll go through with the plan.

For a while now, we had explored a variety of outcomes pertaining to the offering on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Not long ago, expanded into the general entertainment section with Smithsonian Channel alongside MTV and Comedy Central with this article pertaining to secondary brands.

Paramount Global operates brands like Comedy Central Extra, BET Gospel, BET Hip-Hop, MTV Base, MTV Hits, Nick@Nite, TeenNick and Nicktoons while Warner Bros. Discovery offers Discovery Family, Real Time, Discovery Max, Boing and Toonami.

With Paramount's possible downsizing to Warner Bros. Discovery, the latter might not have much content left for all these channels and might look into closing them down if not merging in some countries.

Take for instance Nick Jr., Paramount Global was able to operate the channel separately from Nickelodeon with its own slate of content and with this consolidation the latter similar to Nicktoons will most likely cease to exist if not merge under Nickelodeon.

Considering that a ton of archived projects would be available at hand, it's possible the Nicktoons concept could remain intact and looking at the size of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount maybe Boing/Boomerang could become a worthy successor to Nicktoons.

Nicktoons doesn't serve much purpose especially if they're not looking to produce animation under Nickelodeon. Warner's portfolio has more consumption than Paramount and shows like Paw Patrol and SpongeBob would get more exposure on Cartoon Network.

Despite not as big of an consumption, these channels do have plenty of exposure in other countries so much so that Paramount Global could explore a potential sale to these channels.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

January 2024 On Nickelodeon, Nicktoons And Nick Jr. Across South Africa | Nickelodeon All Stars Stunt | AfterToons Stunt Including New Series Rock Paper Scissors | Returning Shows Including The Loud House And Paddington | More

Nickelodeon

ALL STARS STUNT
1/01/2023-9/01/2023
Monday-Friday
17:30

Including new episodes: 
Young Dylan #320, #403-#409
15/01/2024-25/01/2024
Monday-Friday
18:15

Other shows on the stunt include The Really Loud House, Danger Force and Henry Danger.

THE SMURFS
New episodes: 214-216
8/01/2024-25/01/2024
Monday-Friday
15:00

THE LOUD HOUSE
New episodes: 709-713
22/01/2024-2/02/2024
Monday-Friday
16:30

AFTERTOONSSTUNT
29/01/2024-8/03/2024
Monday-Friday
15:30

Including a new show
Rock Paper Scissors #101-#110
19/02/2023-01/03/2024
Monday-Friday
16:00

Other shows on the stunt include Monster High, The Loud House, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Casagrandes.

Nicktoons

BIG NATE
New Show
Episode: #101-#110
Date: 8/01/2024-25/01/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 15:00

THE PATRICK STAR SHOW
New Episodes
Episode: #121-#126
Date: 8/01/2024-19/01/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 17:00

SUNNY SIDE UP STUNT
Premiere: 22/01/2024-09/02/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 17:00

Other shows include ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Casagrandes, The Patrick Star Show and The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj.

Nick Jr.

MOVIES WEEK

Episode: Paw Patrol: Jet To The Rescue
Date: 1/01/2024
Slot: Monday
Time: 11:00am/pm, 06:00pm

Episode: Blaze And The Monster Machines: Blaze Of Glory
Date: 2/01/2024
Slot: Tuesday
Time: 11:00am/pm, 06:00pm

Episode: Baby Shark's Big Show Compilations #1 & #2
Date: 3/01/2024
Slot: Wednesday
Time: 11:00am/pm, 06:00pm

Episode: Santiago Of The Seas #998; 999
Date: 4/01/2024
Slot: Thursday
Time: 11:00am/pm, 06:00pm

Episode: Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups
Date: 5/01/2024
Slot: Friday
Time: 11:00am/pm, 06:00pm

THE ADVENTURES OF PADDINGTON
New Episodes
Episode: #313-#316A, 317-318
Date: 8/01/2024-19/01/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 08:10am/pm, 02:25am/pm

RUBBLE AND CREW
New Episodes
Episode: #117-#120
Date: 22/01/2024-26/01/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 07:25am/pm, 03:10am/pm, 05:30am/pm

PAW PATROL
New Pup Stunt
Episode: #206, 315, 322, 320, 404, 407, 410, 417, 419, 426, 503, 509, 518, 612, 629, 702B, 706, 712, 718A, 901, 916
Date: 29/01/2024-9/02/2024
Slot: Monday-Friday
Time: 04:45am/pm

Friday, December 15, 2023

Recap To The Decade: Nicktoons No Longer Functions Without Nickelodeon

Nicktoons is an international brand operated by Paramount Global that distributes various animated series and films from Nickelodeon Studios. It also comes with dedicated channels which is accessible in over 13 million homes across the globe with the populist based in Africa.

Unlike most feeds, Nicktoons Africa operates independently initially serving older animated content such as Angry Beavers and Hey Arnold! to more modern content like SpongeBob SquarePants, The Patrick Star Show and The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy & Raj.

Nickelodeon had attempted to further attempted to distance the channel from its repeats tolerance with Pokémon: Sun And Moon, Littlest Pets Shop and Munki And Trunk. Even went as far as bundling the Nick Jr. brand to its existing line-up creating rivalry amongst brands.

Overtime, Nickelodeon sort of learnt how to balance the content I mean they have a local music show, NickMusic. At times, they've even added content some of which resurface on Nickelodeon. The only thing redundant about the offering at this point would be Nick Jr.

Nick Jr. comes with its own TV channel and a programming block on Nickelodeon. Similar to Nicktoons, it also hovers around reruns but the block on Nicktoons hasn't been updated in a long while or at least not in the daytime as the night has seen further content.

Honestly speaking, I think Nick Rewind was something that the channel needed or something more independent like what Nickelodeon had been doing with Nicktoons in a long while I mean something more like Nickelodeon Extra or Nick Refresh.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Development Alert: Nickelodeon Spain Adds Glitch Techs And Pinky Malinky, Might Launch On Feeds Internationally

Nickelodeon is an international children's brand operated by Paramount Global that offers various TV based films, series and linear channels. Similar to DreamWorks Animation, they had been producing various streaming based content like Invader Zim: Enter The Flopus and Glitch Techs.

During the month, it was revealed by news outlets that Glitch Techs and Pinky Malinky shows that were initially set to debut on linear Nickelodeon channels before getting shelved and revived exclusively for Netflix is currently on the feeds internationally particularly in Spain.

Synopsis for Pinky Malinky:

Pinky Malinky is a fly-on-the-wall reality show that follows the everyday life of Pinky, an infectiously positive hot dog living in a human world. With his best friends Babs and JJ by his side, Pinky reaches for the stars in the small town of Sackenhack. Through his good spirits and sausage sensibilities, Pinky proves that a "wiener" is only one small letter away from being a "WINNER!"

Synopsis for Glitch Techs:

Who knows what really happens when a video game starts to glitch? In Glitch Techs , two teens work at a game store as a front for their actual job: Hunting video game monsters who've broken out into the real world for a super secret task force, The Monster Hunters! Nickelodeon's animated adventure-comedy series follows two newly recruited kids as they battle video game monsters that come to life in the real world.

It is believed by various sources that these two shows might be added on more Nickelodeon channels across the world. The channel doesn't have much noteworthy/original(ity) content following the cancellations of Transformers: Earthspark and Star Trek: Prodigy.

These two shows could help fill up the void and who knows maybe more content that was added exclusively on Netflix but were produced by Nickelodeon could resurface on the linear channels across the world as a number of content is set to exit the streamer soon.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Regular Nick Shorts: Netflix To Premiere 'The Casagrandes Movie' In 2024, Spider-Man’s Restarting High School In This Upcoming Disney+ Cartoon And Marvel Studios Unveils Black Panther Prequel Eyes Of Wakanda

The Casagrandes is being revived

The news was announced by WrapPRO, which profiled Netflix Animation and their current and future efforts in the space. Midway through their piece, they reveal a first look (pictured above) and confirmation that The Casagrandes Movie will be released sometime in 2024.

Nickelodeon revealed that The Casagrandes Movie, a brand new film based on The Casagrandes, was in the works earlier this year. Although not much else about the movie has been said since the original announcement, Miguel Puga, a co-executive and director on Nickelodeon's hit animated series, hinted in November that production on The Casagrandes Movie had wrapped!

According to WrapPRO, The Casagrandes Movie is directed by Miguel Puga and written by Tony Gama-Lobo and Rebecca May, Lalo Alcaraz and Rosemary Contreras. The movie was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios Inc.
Spider-Man stars in a new series

Spider-Man is one of the hallmarks of Marvel. Of course, he’s had multiple cartoon iterations over the years, from the 90s rendition to the Spectacular series. And now, he’s going back to Freshman year.

Announced in 2021, Spider-Man: Freshman Year – or as it is now called, Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man – is one Marvel Studios animated project that fans don’t know a lot about, despite getting some details at 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Sadly there isn’t a concrete release date, but Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been confirmed to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2024. It will also run for at least one additional season after its first.
Black Panther prequel makes a landing

In March 2023, rumors began to swirl that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media production company had begun developing an animated series for Marvel Studios. As Marvel Studios revamped their streaming slate and skipped out on SDCC ’23, the series, said at the time to be referred to as The Golden City, remained nothing but a rumor until now. During a press event for Season 2 of What If…? held at the Walt Disney Studios Lot, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the new series will hit Disney Plus in 2024.

Titled Eyes of Wakanda, the animated series will tell the story of “brave warriors” who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.“

Regular Nick Shorts: ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks Wraps Production On Nickelodeon, Classic 80s Game Monster In My Pocket Is Being Transformed Into A Live-Action Series And Toyline RoboForce Is Getting An Animated Series

ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks comes to a close

ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks has reportedly ended production. In a recent interview with Billboard, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., the son of the creator of Alvin and The Chipmunks, revealed that production on ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks officially finished "last year."

ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks is currently in its fifth season on Nickelodeon channels globally, with the show being renewed for seasons six and seven in 2019. It's currently unknown whether these seasons got produced before the cancelation.

Alvin and the Chipmunks was created by Bagdasarian Jr.’s father, Ross Bagdasarian Sr., in 1958 as a children’s music act. The Alvin Show began in 1961, featuring the three animated singing chipmunks — Alvin, Simon and Theodore — with sped-up voices to give them their trademark high-pitched sound. Several iterations of TV shows and films followed, including an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie in 2007 and three sequels. The current series is produced by Bagdasarian Productions - run by Bagdasarian Jr. and his wife, Janice Karman - in collaboration with Mikros Animation IP (previously Technicolor Animation Productions).
Monster In My Pocket is being revived

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Altar Rock Pictures have teamed up to develop a live-action series adaptation.

The two companies are currently meeting with writers to turn the collection of over 200 pocket-sized, collectible monsters, drawn from global myths and legend, into a series.

The brand was launched in 1989 by former Mattel execs Joe Morrison and John Weems, and have sold over 500M units globally. It has been turned into an ABC animated TV special, comic books and a Nintendo game.
RoboForce: The Animated Series is in development

The Nacelle Company has partnered with Seven Bucks Productions, the studio helmed by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, to co-produce RoboForce: The Animated Series. 

Nacelle announced its intention to finance the development and production of RoboForce, which is based on an ’80s toy line from the now-defunct Ideal Toy Company. Nacelle acquired the brand from Toyfinity in 2021, and released a small line of adult-targeted collectibles last year (pictured) that are selling well online and in specialty retailers across North America, Japan, Europe and Australia. 

RoboForce: The Animated Series follows lead bot Maxx 89 as he tries to reassemble the heroic crew and battle against a rogue entity infecting the Earth’s robots with code that turns them against humans. 

Thursday, November 30, 2023

New Series Alert: New Buddy Comedy Popularity Papers To Rollout On Nickelodeon Across The UK And Italy In The Coming Months, Might Launch Elsewhere

Based on the award-winning scrapbook-style middle-grade book series by author Amy Ignatow, Popularity Papers follows middle-school besties Julie and Lydia as they seek to demystify one of life’s greatest questions: what makes someone popular? Every social experiment they test out comes with unexpected lessons about the value of friendship, kindness, and confidence, helping guide our characters through the struggles of middle school with humour and heart.

Popularity Papers is a single-camera, live-action comedy series (26 x 30′) adapted for the screen by Corus Media-backed Aircraft Pictures ( Roxy Hunter , Bruno & Boots franchises), the Oscar-nominated producers behind The Breadwinner, and Emmy-nominated production company WexWorks Media. On top of the financial participation of the Canada Film Fund, BBC Studios co-funds and handles the international distribution rights for the show.

The series currently airs on YTV in Canada and is also slated to debut on Nickelodeon across Italy from 11 December 2023 while UK & Ireland is slated for 8 January 2024. It might surface on various international Nickelodeon channels (including Africa).

The original book series, for which the first installment was selected as a top-10 title of 2011 by the American Library Association’s Rainbow Project and won the 2010 Gold Award from the National Parenting Publications Association, tells the story of two best friends, Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang, who are on a mission to crack the popularity code and dismantle the social construct for middle-schoolers everywhere. Using the scientific method, the girls conduct social experiments on their peers with hilarious results.

The Popularity Papers is executive produced by showrunner Vivian Lin ( Holly Hobbie, Hudson & Rex) and co-created for television by Lin and Amanda Brook Perrin (The Croods: Family Tree, Fast Layne). Matthew Wexler of WexWorks Media executive produces, along with Amelia Johnson at BBC Studios together with Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen of Aircraft Pictures.

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Noggin Will Cut The Ribbon On Its Nogginville World Next Month

Nickelodeon’s Noggin streaming app is looking to make learning more personal and help kids build real-life skills with its new game world Nogginville, which launches in early December. 

In Nogginville, kids can explore different locales from the Nick universe, play mini-games and meet their favorite characters. It’s launching with 15 different learning games (shopping for groceries and doing basic math to calculate the total, for example), Nick Jr. characters and avatars, branded locations and videos (some of which will be interactive). And the plan is to eventually expand the offering with additional branded locations and characters, including more Nick IPs and also potentially third-party brands, says Noggin EVP Kristen Kane. 

The key goal behind Nogginville is to provide a more personalized learning experience that kids can control themselves, says Kane. Noggin has to compete with numerous kids edutainment SVODs also in the market, plus it has to stand out from other streaming services that carry Nick and Nick Jr. content, like Paramount+ and Pluto. As the platform scales, focusing on interactive content, and offering a personalized, walled-garden experience have been identified as important differentiators. 

Nogginville’s game world proposition is also similar to hot platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, where kids can explore and guide their own play. But it’s built with an audience of two- to seven-year-olds in mind, which is why it’s a single-player experience that only exists within the app. 

Noggin currently has more than 1,000 educational games, videos and books in its library, and it also streams Nickelodeon series such Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues, Noggin originals like Noggin Knows, and third-party acquisitions including JoJo and Gran Gran (BBC Studios Kids & Family/A Productions) and Little Bear (Nelvana). 

Noggin has had success in the past with “dollhouse games” in which kids roleplay real-world skills, such as Peppa Pig: Shopkeeper. But Nogginville takes this immersive practice-makes-perfect experience a significant step further. “We like to call it a little world that helps kids prepare for the big one,” says Kane.  

Monday, November 13, 2023

Could Nickelodeon Be Offloaded Onto Cartoon Network In The Next Two Years??? Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO David Zaslav Seem To Hint At That Possibility

Nickelodeon is a children's channel that is operated by Paramount Global which is home to some of the most iconic characters including Garfield, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Loud House alongside iCarly and Henry Danger.

During the week, it was reported that Warner Bros. Discovery was looking to become an acquirer in the next two years as the impact of strikes and write offs to fully developed productions saved them up a lot of money. They site NBCUniversal and also Paramount Global as possible candidates.

Both companies are heading for a loss before the end of this current financial period with their streaming endeavours. It is what led to delay of global rollouts to this streaming services as the latter are looking at potential partnerships with Peacock rolling out across Africa under the Showmax streaming service and likely Paramount+.

Although this sale isn't an official thing NBCUniversal was rumoured to have explored the possibility of merging with these brands but got rejected as the latter felt this merger would favour them. Paramount on the other was in negotiations a few years back with Netflix of a possible acquisition before talks got scrapped as the streamer was more invested in their studios than linear offering.

Warner Bros. Discovery from the looks of things doesn't expect these two companies to recover the lost income overtime and might look to declare bankruptcy if not sale I mean Paramount Global current CEO was open to the idea and had attempted that with BET before plans fell through.

How this affects Nickelodeon?

Not only does Nickelodeon provide content but they distribute a number of TV channels like NickMusic, TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick Jr. and Nick@Nite. All of this will likely just shut down if a sale were to occur with content like Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants folded under Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation.

Nickelodeon could continue to operate as a separate tier from Cartoon Network I mean it doesn't seem far fetched. Warner Bros. Discovery had made several attempts at building the live-action offering on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon had conceived a number of successful shows including iCarly, Big Time Rush and Drake And Josh.

In this current climate where cable TV is being rendered obsolete one of these companies would have to give in and look into offloading assets if it gives them any chance of sustainability. 

Saturday, November 4, 2023

What To Expect On Nickelodeon Across South Africa In December 2023?

Squeeze That Sponge Stunt
16/10/2023-01/12/2023
Monday-Friday
15:30

SpongeBob SquarePants
New episodes: 288-293
20/11/2023-01/12/2023
Monday-Friday
15:30

The Really Loud House
New episodes: 114-116,118,120
04/12/2023-08/12/2023
Monday-Friday
18:15

Rock Island Mysteries
New season
New episodes: 201-220
04/12/2023-29/12/2023
Monday-Friday
18:30

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2023 Abu Dhabi
Premiere: 
16/12/2023
17:00
Repeats
17/12/2023
11:00 & 15:00

Best Of 2023
18/12/2023-31/12/2023
Monday-Friday
All Day

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

The Splat Is Back On DStv! As Nickelodeon Across Southern Africa Is Now In HD, Rebranding To The Nick Jr. And Nicktoons Channel To Follow Soon

DStv’s kids channel Nickelodeon has uncovered a new brand identity that calls back to its irreverent history. It includes a reimagined Splat logo, but with a modern feel for today’s kids & families. The rebrand is live on Nickelodeon and will be launching on Nick Jnr from November and on NickToons in 2024.

The new identity positions the brand Nickelodeon and its re-imagined splat as the ultimate “Portal to Fun” - a gateway to surprising experiences Nick kids of all ages will love. This new take on the brand’s classic look and feel demonstrates for kids just what can happen when you enter the splat world of Nickelodeon!

What’s more, this playful brand identity can be enjoyed in full High Definition by children and families across Africa from 1 November!

“For us at Nickelodeon, the reimagined splat logo brings our mission of making the world a more playful place come to life. We hope that kids and their families across the continent will enter the portal of fun and enjoy the new and exciting content we have in store” said Dillon Khan, Vice President for Nickelodeon in Africa. 

The new brand identity will work to demonstrate Nick’s energy and sensibility through the lens of our iconic characters (SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PAW Patrol, Blue’s Clues, Baby Shark, Dora the Explorer, The Loud House and Monster High), punctuated with moments of quintessential Nickelodeon Slime. Now all in HD for African audiences.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Daran Norris Confirms New 'The Fairly OddParents' Project Is In Development

Speaking on the Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide, Norris, who voiced characters such as Cosmo, Timmy's dad, and Jorgen Von Strangle on the long-running animated series, revealed that, following last year's live-action/CG-animated hybrid spin-off Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder, that "we're in the process of doing something new":

During the podcast episode, Norris also reminisced about working on three shows - Fairly OddParents, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and Veronica Mars - at the same time and working on Team America: World Police.

The news follows the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) revealing earlier this year that Paramount Global, the parent company of the Nickelodeon brand, has applied to register The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish with the USPTO under several NICE classes, including NICE class "41 - Education, entertainment, sporting and cultural services", which is for Goods & Services pertaining to "entertainment services in the nature of continuing program series, featuring live action, comedy and drama provided through cable television, broadcast television, internet, video-on-demand, and through other forms of transmission media; providing online information in the field of entertainment concerning television programs".

Paramount has also applied to register the title under NICE classes 28 for "Games; toys; sports equipment" and 25 for "Clothing; footwear; headgear".

At the moment, not much information is available about The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish, including whether it'll be a TV series of a movie, a reboot or a revival of the original series, live-action or animated (or a hybrid of both), and whether it'll be for Nickelodeon, Paramount+ or both. The news comes as Nickelodeon is in the midst of reviving a raft of iconic properties, including Rugrats, iCarly, Good Burger, Zoey 101, The Thundermans, Dora the Explorer, and more. The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish would also be the second Fairly OddParents revival in recent years, following last year's animated/live-action hybrid Paramount+ Original series Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder.

Nickelodeon’s beloved animated The Fairly OddParents series, which ran from 2001-2017 with 172 episodes, followed the magical adventures of 10-year-old Timmy Turner and his well-meaning fairy godparents, Cosmo & Wanda, who grant him wishes. During its run, The Fairly OddParents became one of Nickelodeon’s most beloved properties from both fans and critics alike, having won and been nominated for dozens of awards. The Fairly OddParents was created by Butch Hartman.

Paramount, Home To MTV And Nickelodeon Reportedly Up For Sale or Merger

Recently, Paramount, the parent company of Nickelodeon and Paramount+, has been looking to sell some of its assets and make cuts to others. Now, according to a report from CNBC, Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements and controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, is open to a merger or selling the company if the price is right.

Shari Redstone owns roughly 80% of Paramount Global voting stock and was reportedly the main force behind merging CBS and Viacom back in 2019. That merger resulted in the company we now know as Paramount.

Paramount holds a lot of assets that would attract many potential buyers. Its local affinities and the CBS network alone are highly attractive, especially for their NFL contract. However, the company has a lot more to offer, including Nickelodeon, Paramount+, MTV, Pluto TV, Comedy Central, Showtime, and more. This also includes popular shows and franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Star Trek, South Park, and more.

In recent years, most media companies, including Paramount, have been struggling with the growth of  cord cutting. Paramount’s market capitalization has reportedly dropped to $7.7 billion as 2023 hit many media companies hard. That is the lowest level it has been at since the 2019 Viacom and CBS merger. That drop could make the company a target for a merger or a sale.

According to CNBC’s sources, any potential deal for Paramount would have to be at a good price or the Redstone family wouldn’t accept it. Exactly what that price is was not disclosed in the report.

Paramount has a lot going for it right now, with Paramount+ hitting 61 million subscribers, a number that other major streaming services could only dream of. It also has very lucrative sports deals, including the NFL, March Madness, and a new deal with the Big Ten that will see more college football and basketball games on CBS. This could help Paramount outlast any further drop in the market, but it also makes it very attractive to potential buyers.

Some outsiders have said they believe Paramount is too small in the long run, though, to compete with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and a growing number of streaming companies like Amazon along with Apple. Even with its large catalog of shows and networks Paramount is facing massive companies like Disney and the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery.

For years we have heard predictions that there would be consolidation in the market because of cord cutting. Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox was likely only the start of what could be a number of big mergers. We also saw Discovery and Warner Media merge recently. Now, there are rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery and even NBCUniversal could be interested in buying up some or all of their competitors. Could that mean they are looking at Paramount? For now, we will have to wait and see.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Transformers: Earthspark Inked To More International Broadcasters

Hasbro has locked in ABC Australia as a new broadcast partner for its CG-animated adventure series Transformers: EarthSpark (26 x 22 minutes).

The first 10 episodes of this family-friendly show from eOne and Paramount will debut in December on linear channel ABC ME and the ABC iview streamer. The remaining 16 episodes will air next year. 

The show will join several other eOne series already in ABC’s lineup, including Peppa Pig and PJ Masks .
Hasbro has been paving the way for EarthSpark‘s Australian expansion this month, launching toys related to the show at mass retailers throughout the country.

The series premiered globally on Paramount+ in 2022, and eOne inked deals for the toon earlier this year with several international broadcasters, including Gulli (France), Channel 5 (Singapore), TV Cultura (Brazil) and Super! (Italy). In July, the
BBC picked it up for CBBC and BBC iPlayer, where it’s among the top-10 most-watched shows on the app, according to a release.

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Development Alert (Rumour): MultiChoice Might Be Switching Nickelodeon In Southern Africa And Possible The Rest Of Africa To High Definition (HD)

Last month, it was reported that MultiChoice and Disney might be looking to switch Disney Channel to high definition therefore alienating Disney Junior from the bulk of HD channels by Disney including National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, ESPN 1 & 2.


Now it looks like the pay-tv company will enhancing the graphic quality on more kids channels likely for consumers in Southern Africa if not ROA with Nickelodeon. The channel was already upgraded to high definition in South Africa back in 2019 but surprised it took this long.


During the year, Nickelodeon rolled out a new on air look which brought one of their iconic logos The Splat back to our screens. It was launched on numerous Nickelodeon feeds internationally by August 2023 with Nicktoons likely to follow before the year ends.


In other developments, MultiChoice is set to add a new kids channel in the coming months, Play Room. If you guessed right, it will be getting the HD treatment while distributing a mixture of fun and educational programming with animation dubbed in local languages.