Aug 29, 2007

NBC Universal Buys Into KidsCo

Okay, for starters, I know that this is something that would have been posted at The X Bridge, but, that site resumes normal programming on September 10, 2007. A lot of stuff on that end coming down the pike. I'll reveal it then.

Second, I'm kind of interested in this story as someone looking for something different from the normal.

Remember KidsCo? Let me refresh your memory if you don't.

A consortium of entertainment companies (DiC Entertainment, Corus Entertainment, and Sparrowhawk) got together earlier in the year and announced plans to launch a "fourth voice in children's entertainment," a joint venture that would lead to the creation of international channels worldwide with the exception of North America. That's when I stopped giving them any credence because, well, how could you compete against the other three voices (Disney, Nickelodeon, and that channel that I refuse to talk about based in Atlanta) if you don't do it on their home turf?

But something came up yesterday.

NBC Universal annuonced plans to acquire the company that makes up a third of KidsCo, Sparrowhawk Media, which also owns international Hallmark Channels, Movies 24, Diva TV , a broadcast facility in Denver, and international distribution rights to more than 580 titles in the Sparrowhawk International Library.

Now, here's something interesting to note. NBC Universal and Corus are partners in a pair of endeavors now, the aforementioned KidsCo joint venture and, along with Scholastic, Entertainment Rights/Classic Media, and ION, the qubo programming brand, which also includes a digital channel.

Now that NBC Universal has become a partner in the KidsCo endeavor, would they seriously take on the role of being a "fourth voice" AND be brave enough to take on the big three on their home turf? When it was just DiC, Corus, and Sparrowhawk, they weren't, but now with the increasingly growing monster conglomerate with the body of a planet and the head of a peacock joining them (not to mention a company willing to expand globally and create more programming outlets worldwide, including in the US), they might seriously consider launching a Stateside channel/outlet in the future.

Interesting times we're living in, aren't they?

Aug 23, 2007

Let Me See if I've Got This Straight

Cartoon Network is scheduling a live-action hour-long reality special during Toonami next Saturday. Right?

Toon Disney is premiering Superman and Batman on Jetix in October. Right?

Disney Channel's High School Musical 2 was the most watched program in the history of cable. Right?

Nickelodeon is actually getting a lot of press for next month's upcoming premiere of Avatar. Right?

Okay.

Dear Cartoon Network:

You lose.

Signed,
The Disney Channel.

Co-signed,
Nickelodeon, Toon Disney, and the Unacknowledged.

Cartoon Network, Time-Warner's mistreatment of the network . . . you know something, I'm not even going to blame Time-Warner for Cartoon Network's lack of direction anymore. It was bad when Time-Warner didn't give a damn about Cartoon Network. Now that The Network doesn't give a damn about itself, why in the hell should I or anybody else?

As of this moment, I will no longer promote anything that airs or is a part of Cartoon Network in any shape or form. I won't plug anything on Toonami (I'll acknowledge the past on the site, but the present is of no importance to me anymore). Adult Swim isn't Cartoon Network, as The Network repeatedly tells us, so, they're not a part of my "ban." Cartoon Network has been a disappointment and will continue to be one for the forseeable future.

In the meantime, I'm just awaiting the day when we call can "be different."

Aug 8, 2007

Hey, A Jonny Quest Movie!

Remember a couple of months ago when I wrote about why they haven't considered making a Jonny Quest live-action movie? Well, apparently somebody must've read my thoughts about the subject.

Yesterday, Warner Bros. announced that producers Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter are bringing the classic animated series to the big screen. They say they're using "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as the model and the recent "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies as the edge. And they want Race Bannon to be a former agent akin to Jason Bourne. Actually sounds promising, and considering the producers are echoing some of the same points I made here two months ago, I'm actually curious about how the franchise will be handled and if Warner Bros. Animation will actually reignite Jonny, Hadji, Race, Benton, and Bandit back in animated form.

Oh, what a time to be a JQ fan.