Nickelodeon gets green light for kids' show in China
<p>BEIJING: Viacom has signed on a Chinese partner for the May 1
</p><p>launch of a daily, one-hour programming block of its flagship kids
</p><p>entertainment brand, Nickelodeon.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>The programming block will be co-produced and distributed by Beijing
</p><p>Tanglong Culture Developing Corporation to 100 cable and terrestrial
</p><p>stations nation-wide.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Viacom currently co-produces four MTV programmes with Beijing
</p><p>Television, Beijing Cable Television, Shanghai Television and CCTV for
</p><p>the MTV Mandarin Music Honors show.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Nickelodeon expects to reach 40 million households in China.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Christine Leo-McKerrow, vice-president of channel operations and brand
</p><p>management for Nickelodeon Asia, said: "We have the flexibility to do so
</p><p>many different things. We can look at genres, day parts and
</p><p>demographics.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Leo-McKerrow said the programming block will feature a wide variety of
</p><p>entertainment developed specially for kids, from game shows to live
</p><p>action, comedy, science fiction and drama series.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Highlights include the comedy Cousin Skeeter, the pre-school series
</p><p>Allegra's Window and the Global Guts game show.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Chris Walton, regional business director at MindShare, described the
</p><p>upcoming launch as a significant breakthrough for the channel.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"Like most things Chinese, the children's market in China is the biggest
</p><p>in the world.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"With TV penetration, especially in urban areas, approaching 100 per
</p><p>cent, TV-based media vehicles to reach this audience will be of high
</p><p>interest to advertisers and agencies alike."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>But he added: "Children are fickle and what is in today can be out
</p><p>tomorrow, so Nickelodeon will have to keep very close to the Chinese
</p><p>market to ensure it delivers appealing and appropriate content."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Others, however, warned of difficulties ahead, saying the channel will
</p><p>need to pay special attention to their local station partner to ensure
</p><p>"all commercials it sells do actually reach transmission and are not
</p><p>zapped by station owners doing a bit of local selling themselves".
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p>
by
|
04/13/2001
BEIJING: Viacom has signed on a Chinese partner for the May 1
launch of a daily, one-hour programming block of its flagship kids
entertainment brand, Nickelodeon.
The programming block will be co-produced and distributed by Beijing
Tanglong Culture Developing Corporation to 100 cable and terrestrial
stations nation-wide.
Viacom currently co-produces four MTV programmes with Beijing
Television, Beijing Cable Television, Shanghai Television and CCTV for
the MTV Mandarin Music Honors show.
Nickelodeon expects to reach 40 million households in China.
Christine Leo-McKerrow, vice-president of channel operations and brand
management for Nickelodeon Asia, said: "We have the flexibility to do so
many different things. We can look at genres, day parts and
demographics.
Leo-McKerrow said the programming block will feature a wide variety of
entertainment developed specially for kids, from game shows to live
action, comedy, science fiction and drama series.
Highlights include the comedy Cousin Skeeter, the pre-school series
Allegra's Window and the Global Guts game show.
Chris Walton, regional business director at MindShare, described the
upcoming launch as a significant breakthrough for the channel.
"Like most things Chinese, the children's market in China is the biggest
in the world.
"With TV penetration, especially in urban areas, approaching 100 per
cent, TV-based media vehicles to reach this audience will be of high
interest to advertisers and agencies alike."
But he added: "Children are fickle and what is in today can be out
tomorrow, so Nickelodeon will have to keep very close to the Chinese
market to ensure it delivers appealing and appropriate content."
Others, however, warned of difficulties ahead, saying the channel will
need to pay special attention to their local station partner to ensure
"all commercials it sells do actually reach transmission and are not
zapped by station owners doing a bit of local selling themselves".
