eToonz Acquires Broadcasting Rights To The 3rd Season Of ChiChi Pingping And The 7th Season Of Pororo The Little Penguin

 eToonz is a South African based children's channel operated by eMedia Investments that distributes a mixture of animated and to live-action content. The channel is looking to rollout two new preschool shows in the coming months: ChiChi PingPing and Pororo The Little Penguin both of which reside in Asia.

Both series are slated to air on the channel from Monday 2nd December with ChiChi PingPing airing weekly at 06:00 with Pororo The Little Penguin at 14:00.

Synopsis on ChiChi PingPing

ChiChi PingPing is an animated fantasy-adventure series based on the classic novel, “Around the World ‪in 80 Days‬”. The series involves exciting stories of Chi Chi, Ping Ping and their friends traveling around the fantasy world to win the World Adventure Tournament and unexpected events that follow along the way.

It is an animation series with a mix of fantasy, adventure and action that helps children learn to become global leaders by encouraging creativity and imagination. By presenting a group of friends who travel to unknown places, meet diverse people and face new challenges, it is packed with a wide range of values and friendship among the characters.

Synopsis on Pororo The Little Penguin

Fun adventures await in the forest named Porong Porong Village where Pororo and friends live. New friends show up in the village and many exciting things happen in the forest. Our playful little penguin Pororo, naughty dinosaur Crong, sweet and lovely beaver Loopy, cheerful and sporty penguin girl Petty, clever fox Eddy, strong robot Rody, trustworthy polar bear Poby, happy-go-lucky hummingbird Harry, magical dragon wizard Tong-Tong, and a red sedan car Tu-Tu live in this snow-covered wonderland. 

Every one of themselves has different characteristics, looks different and each of them want to do different activities. By disporting themselves, they learn about their own merits and faults and how to be considerate of others.

Weekly Roundups #7: A Blast From The Past This Festive Season On Telemundo And Star Life, Hasbro Looking To Compete With Nintendo As Their Latest Movie Releases Tank In Cinemas

 

1. A rebroadcast of Forever Yours launches on Star Life by 28 November

2. A rebroadcast of The Scent Of Passion launches on Telemundo by 28 December 

3. Shadows Of The Past, former FOX telenovela makes its debut on TLNovelas by 2 December 

Based on 2001 telenovela El Manantial, it follows Two very different families live in the village of Santa Lucía who are involved in a whirlwind of passion, pain, and revenge. From those opposite sides, Aldonza and Cristóbal meet and a bond that will face hurdles is formed.

4. DOJ looking to make Google sell Chrome

To recap, this is the result of a major court ruling back in August that found that Google had acted illegally to maintain its monopoly over online search and the advertising markets closely intertwined therein. In October, news began to percolate about which remedies the US department of Justice would seek, with its sights set on Android and Chrome for the part these areas of the business played in unfairly prioritising Google Search and related products.

5. MultiChoice to rollout new DStv Explora Ultra with AI capabilities

The next generation DStv Explora Ultra decoder will be the latest hardware release from MultiChoice and takes the place of the much-hyped DStv Glass - a customised version of Comcast's Sky Glass for South Africa that MultiChoice planned to release here but scuppered because of its worsening financial position.

6. Jack Harlow drops new single Hello Miss Johnson 

7. Cartoon Network closes their official websites across Europe, Middle East and Africa 

8. Idris Elba set to star in He-Man's Masters Of The Universe live-action film 

9. WWE Network (app) will close internationally by 31 December with further content on Netflix 

10. One More Try launches 25 November for Zee World consumers outside South Africa 

This series delves into the complexities between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, highlighting the significance of love, mutual respect, and understanding. At the heart of the story is a brave daughter-in-law who defies societal expectations and takes a stand to arrange her mother-in-law’s wedding, despite the odds stacked against her. Through her journey, the series emphasizes the power of compassion, and the lengths one can go for the happiness of a loved one.

11. Famous SpongeBob composer Andy Paley dies at 72

12. Hasbro will no longer be financing movies following dismal performance of Transformers One and Dungeons And Dragons 

In a new report, it is learned that Hasbro is moving away from concentrating on movies and is now going to focus on the digital route, which includes new video games for G.I. Joe and Dungeons Dragons. Hasbro will also be further expanding its popular Magic brand.

13. Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz are BACK IN ACTION streaming on Netflix from 17 January 

Canal+ Extends Distribution Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery To Include Discovery, TLC, Cartoonito And Boomerang

Warner Bros. Discovery is pleased to announce the extension of the distribution of its emblematic children's channels, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Cartoonito in CANAL+ offers in addition to their availability via Max. From today, Thursday November 21, 2024, CANAL+ subscribers can access these flagship linear channels via the Entertainment Pass and certain historic CANAL+ offers (Family, Complete pack) and benefit from the channels' on-demand service to catch up on their youth programs favorites after their TV broadcast.

This initiative is part of Warner Bros.’ commitment. Discovery offers diversified youth programming, suitable for all ages and the whole family.

Cartoon Network, with its popular series such as The Amazing World of Gumball and Teen Titans Go!, is aimed at children aged 6 to 12.

Boomerang, with its timeless classics such as Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo, is aimed at a family audience for moments shared between young and old.

Cartoonito, newly launched in 2023, offers content designed for young people, including programs from flagship Warner Bros. franchises. Animation or Cartoon Network Studio, appropriate for their age. Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders, Jessica and her little world, so many exciting stories to help little ones discover the world, open up to others and their emotions.

This extension of the distribution of Warner Bros. channels. Discovery Kids will offer families even more flexibility to follow their favorite children's programs, on-line or on demand.

In addition to France, the distribution partnership between CANAL+ and Warner Bros. Discovery Kids is strengthening with the upcoming arrival of Boomerang, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito in CANAL+ offers in the Antilles, Guyana, Reunion, Mayotte, Africa, the Comoros and New Caledonia/French Polynesia.

The article was published by RegularCapital and Overblog

Batman: Knightfall (PDF)

The story takes place over approximately six months. Bruce Wayne (Batman) suffers burnout and is systematically assaulted and crippled by a "super steroid"-enhanced genius named Bane. Bruce is replaced as Batman by an apprentice named Jean-Paul Valley (a.k.a. Azrael), who becomes increasingly violent and unstable, tarnishing Batman's reputation. Eventually, Bruce is healed through paranormal means and reclaims his role as Batman.

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DreamWorks, Telemundo, CNBC, MSNBC, Universal TV And Studio Universal May Have To Undergo A Name Change Under Comcast's Spun Off Company

As some readers are aware, NBCUniversal similar to Disney is looking to reducing its linear portfolio in the coming years with NBC, Telemundo and Bravo being what's left of the company alongside Peacock. As E!, CNBC, MSNBC and Universal TV are all being spun off under a separate company which will be financed by few shareholders at Comcast.

MultiChoice currently supplies channels like Universal TV, E!, Telemundo, Studio Universal, DreamWorks, CNBC and MSNBC from NBCUniversal. With this separation, these channels will look unrecognizable in the coming years not only by what it chooses to air but also by name.

Comcast plans to retain the studios used to produce the content viewed by these channels and if we're reading between the lines E! won't own The Real Housewives as much as DreamWorks won't own Shrek. Yes, it's likely that when this spinoff occurs they'll try to retain as much of their former selfs but overtime it will change.

Considering these aren't members of Comcast, what is likely to transpire now is that the latter will have to undergo a name change or close altogether. This is what happened when Disney acquired FOX it had to remove the FOX trademark from various properties while it's linear channels either closed or rebranded to FX/Star.

It will be interesting to see what identity these channels take up once this whole ordeal unfolds by 2025 as Comcast holds the NBC, Telemundo and Universal trademarks. What I imagine them doing particularly with Telemundo is dissolving the brand as SpinCo doesn't own the content and is likely to prioritize on their "more broader channels".

DreamWorks, another TV channel like Telemundo is the broader channel and SpinCo could try to capitalise on its success. NBCUniversal has always been a local when it comes to its linear portfolio, internationally this was also spearheaded by what is known as SpinCo but this time it has do it without these studios in its pocket.

"SpinCo": Comcast Unveils Spun Off Company Home To Brands Like MSNBC And E!

The company announced a plan Wednesday that will offload the bulk of NBCUniversal‘s financially challenged cable portfolio — excluding Bravo — into a new entity owned by Comcast shareholders. The thinking is the new company will be positioned to acquire other media and digital properties, to gain greater scale in an increasingly streaming-focused landscape. Alternatively, the separation of the NBCU cable group would make it easier to sell the business.

The spin-off company will house MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. In addition, the company will include digital assets including Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, online golf-course booking service GolfNow and youth-sports platform SportsEngine. Comcast said it is structured as a tax-free spin-off.

The new NBCU cable TV company — currently dubbed “SpinCo” — will be led by CEO Mark Lazarus, who has served as chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group since July 2023, overseeing the company’s TV and streaming operations.

“When you look at our assets, talented management team and balance sheet strength, we are able to set these businesses up for future growth,” Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said in a statement. “With significant financial resources from day one, SpinCo will be ideally positioned for success and highly attractive to investors, content creators, distributors and potential partners.”

Comcast stock was up about 2% in premarket trading, to over $43/share, off its 52-week high of $47.11.

Post-spin, NBCUniversal will comprise the NBC broadcast network and stations, the Peacock streaming service, Bravo (the reality TV powerhouse seen as a key to Peacock’s success), NBC News Group, NBC Sports, Telemundo, the Universal theme parks and resorts, and NBCU’s film and television studios. The “new” NBCU will be led by Matt Strauss, who will become chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group overseeing Peacock, NBC Sports, ad sales, distribution, research and affiliate relations; and longtime content executive Donna Langley, who is assuming the role of chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios, expanding her purview to include full oversight of all entertainment programming and marketing across Peacock, Bravo and NBC (including primetime and late night).

the role of CFO and chief operating officer.

Lazarus commented: “As a standalone company with these outstanding assets, we will be better positioned to serve our audiences and drive shareholder returns in this incredibly dynamic media environment across news, sports and entertainment. We see a real opportunity to invest and build additional scale, and I’m excited about the growth opportunities this transition will unlock.”

The article was originally published by Variety 

How Comcast Plans To Ditch Several NBCUniversal Channels Affects DStv?

MultiChoice currently supplies channels like Universal TV, E!, Telemundo, Studio Universal, DreamWorks, CNBC and MSNBC from NBCUniversal. As reported, NBCUniversal's parent company Comcast is planning to ditch these channels and make them into a separate company.

Similar to how Naspers dumped MultiChoice and Irdeto now that is being eyed by French broadcaster Canal+. The same potential owner is also being abandoned by its parent company with some of its shareholders joining the spin off and what do all these entities have in common - TV channels.

There are some former DStv customers celebrating right now that more people will likely abandon the platform if these channels ceased to exist when this plans enter fruition. But this is a bad thing yes some would prefer Wednesday or Squid Games on Netflix but there's plenty of people that are still in it for DStv particularly these channels.

Now that Comcast from the looks of things are dumping NBCUniversal probably even Sky Group as majority of their existence centers on these channels. Questions amount to how E! and DreamWorks will survive such in a transaction even Telemundo are their existence centred on originality.

E! has been winding down it's operations in parts of Europe and I can imagine various shareholders in this spun off company looking to simplify it's operations. Then there's DreamWorks even if the plan was to retain the channel it would look unrecognizable in the coming years relying on imports.

Sure Cartoon Network has been doing this for several years but a majority would expect 100% DreamWorks from its own channel. I expect once this spinoff happens for brands like DreamWorks to undergo a name change. This is what happened when Disney acquired FOX they didn't own the trademark like they did it's studios and channels.

Presuming DreamWorks will morph into Universal Kids but then again it all depends on what the higher ups decide at this point I can imagine them looking to simplify their operations. E! has closed down in the UK and parts of Europe more could follow maybe Telemundo as they prioritize other brands.

MultiChoice had already dealt with such a blow from Disney after it closed FOX, FOX Life and Disney XD. None of these brands were replaced leaving an empty void on top of the recent bloodbath of Me as it merged with 1Magic to form a premium channel known as 1Max, we could just be dealing with even less content.

Comcast Plans Massive Cable Spin-Off, Separating USA, MSNBC and More From NBC, Theme Parks

Comcast is planning to spin off most of its cable television networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, into a separate publicly traded company, according to executives with knowledge of the plan.

The spinoff is expected to be formally announced on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the impending announcement on Tuesday evening, said the involved channels also include USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel.

Comcast’s NBCUniversal division is keeping Bravo, the NBC broadcast network, the Peacock streaming service, and all of its other assets, like NBC Sports and the Universal theme parks.

The separate cable channel company will have the same sort of ownership structure as Comcast, but will have its own management team, led by NBCUniversal Media Group chairman Mark Lazarus, who will become CEO of the new venture.

While observers may view the spinoff as an attempt to shed cable channels that are losing value in the streaming age, the channels still contribute strong profits to Comcast’s bottom line. The company’s executives are expected to portray the spinoff as a growth opportunity for an industry in transition, with an eye toward acquiring other channels in the future.

Of course, the standalone cable network venture could also attract buyers as well as sellers. Wall Street analysts are predicting further consolidation of major media companies in the years ahead.

Comcast president Mike Cavanaugh foreshadowed the spinoff during a conference call with investors last month. He said the company was going to study whether it was a good idea to create “a new well-capitalized company that would go to our shareholders” comprised of “our cable portfolio networks.”

The study evidently did not take long.

Craig Moffett, an analyst with MoffettNathanson, told Variety that “investors have yearned for exactly this, or at least something close to it, for years.”

Notably, the spinoff will cleave MSNBC and CNBC, two profitable parts of the NBCUniversal News Group, away from the core news-gathering operation of NBC News. In recent years NBC has tried to bring its broadcast and cable news operations closer together. Now they may be peeled back apart.