Thinking about a career in
the game development industry? Well, pick up a copy of GAME DEVELOPER
magazine's July 2002 issue to read the results of its annual game
developer salary survey. The survey indicates that the game
development industry has remained healthy despite the downturn in the
overall U.S. economy. According to GAME DEVELOPER, the average game
programmer's salary is $66,000 and a technical director with six or
more years experience earns an average of $104,000. On average, game

The 2003
edition of The Brussels Cartoon and Animation Festival will have a
new look, with a poster created by Spanish artist Carles Porta, and a
new name -- Anima 2003. Since 1982, Brussels has hosted the annual
event devoted to animation and welcomed such animation luminaries as
Tim Burton, Paul Grimault, Kihachiro Kawamoto, John Lasseter, René
Laloux, Peter Lord, Moebius, Yuri Norstein and Nick Park. Over the
past five years the festival organizers have initiated a

German children's television producer RTV Family Entertainment has received a temporary reprieve from its financial woes in the form of a bridge credit line issued by a banking syndicate. The funds are backed by a letter of credit from RTV's majority shareholder Ravensburger AG, and will enable the floundering company to cover all current and past due liabilities. RTV still needs approximately 4 million Euro (US$3.7M) to continue operations through the end of the year.

Just
Action Group, international distributors for BUTT UGLY MARTIANS, has
recently merged with rights management and distribution company
Target. Just Group, which collapsed last year after CEO Wilf
Shorrocks and commercial director Paula Shorrock were dismissed, due
in part to a revision of expected revenue from BUTT UGLY MARTIANS
plus a less than successful purchase of publishers MediaKey, has had
a recent cash infusion of 1.85M pounds (US$2.7M) from its
shareholders, who have agreed to acquire a majority shareholding in

German animation producer RTV Family
Entertainment has announced that the recent collapse of Kirch Media
and co-production partner Phenomedia, as well as losses from bad
debts with foreign partners, has led to a rapid deterioration of the
company's financial situation. A May 2002 cancellation of a 5 million
Euro (approximately US$4.7M) credit line from a major Austrian bank
has added to the company's dire financial straits. According to a
press release issued by RTV, the company needs between 6 and 7

U.S. producer of anime and manga Viz Communications, Inc. has partnered with manga publisher Shueisha Inc. to launch a new mass-market boys' magazine. Viz currently produces Japanese animation and comics in English with over 20 monthly titles. The new monthly magazine, to be launched in November 2002, will be patterned after Shueisha's magazine SHONEN JUMP and will feature the manga from which many of the world's most popular anime properties such as DRAGON BALL Z and YU-GI-OH were derived. "U.S. kids know all about anime due to exposure on television," said Yamaji.

Children's videogame publisher NewKidCo International Inc. has announced that the company's first quarter 2002 results were in line with its budget. The net loss of $1.8 million versus net income of $.3 million for the same period last year was a result of increased selling and marketing expenditures as part of the overall plan by NewKidCo to support its broad product rollout for the year (selling and marketing costs have been expensed as incurred).

Nicktoons TV, the newly launched 24-hour network devoted to Nickelodeon animation, will be available on AT&T Digital Cable beginning July 1, 2002. The channel offers an ongoing mix of current and past Nicktoons such as SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS, THE WILD THORNBERRYS, THE REN AND STIMPY SHOW, DOUG, RUGRATS and AHHH! REAL MONSTERS. In addition, Nicktoons TV will feature acquired Warner Bros. contemporary classics such as PINKY AND THE BRAIN, TINY TOON ADVENTURES and ANIMANIACS.

Film Roman, Inc. has announced an agreement with Portland, Oregon-based animation house Mongadillo Studios to develop the original web cartoon SHAWKS into a television series. SHAWKS details the struggle of four eight year olds to rid the world of its most evil foe -- sharks masquerading as people.