BKN (Bohbot Kids Network) Bulldog Network, a programming block which debuts
in the US on August 29, 1999, has acquired the programming and licensing
rights for many worldwide territories for MONSTER RANCHER. The show will
debut as a lead entry on BKN as a daily Monday - Friday half-hour series.
MONSTER RANCHER was originally developed in Japan as a Sony PlayStation
video game by Tecmo, and the series is currently in production at TMS,
Japan's largest animation house. The series is about an 11 year old boy who

"Shorties" is a series of two-minute animated shorts that re-interpret some
of Hanna-Barbera's lesser known, but fondly-remembered characters such as
Atom Ant, Jabberjaw, and Wally Gator. The shorts began to air in June
throughout the day on Cartoon Network during breaks from regularly
scheduled programming. They feature original plots and different animation
techniques for each short, and aim to update these characters with an
ironic, post-modern twist. Techniques include cel animation, cut-outs,

The CBS Television Network's 1999-2000 Saturday Morning schedule, which
begins on October 2, includes three returning shows and three new ones, all
produced by Toronto-based Nelvana. The new series are RESCUE HEROES,
BLASTER'S UNIVERSE, and NEW TALES FROM THE CRYPT. RESCUES HEROES is about a
team of international emergency response professionals, and is designed to
introduce young viewers to preparedness and safety techniques. BLASTER'S
UNIVERSE is based on a series of CD-ROMs from Knowledge Adventure. Set in

Children's BBC has commissioned newly formed London-based Silver Fox Films
to produce ANGELMOUSE, a 26-part series for the BBC. The series is about a
little mouse who has been sent down from heaven to help out. He's not very
good at his job, however, and whenever a good deed backfires, as often
happens, his halo dims or disappears. Graham Ralph is directing the series
which is slated to debut later this year. Graham Ralph recently formed
Sliver Fox after relinquishing his stake in London-based Hibbert Ralph

Eddie Murphy has rejoined the voice cast of Fox's Will Vinton
Studios-produced comedy, THE PJS, after angrily walking out on the show
when Fox decided to hold it back for midseason rather than giving it a slot
on the fall schedule. Murphy, a co-creator of THE PJS who has provided the
voice of lead character Thurgood Stubbs, had already recorded eight of next
season's 22 episodes before he walked. Producer Imagine TV used Murphy
sound-alike Phil Morris for two episodes, but it's undetermined whether

The ABC network, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., has ordered a
six-hour miniseries based on the first two installments of James Gurney's
fantasy book series, DINOTOPIA which is about a world in which humans and
highly-evolved dinosaurs live together in harmony. With the exception of
Stephen King projects THE SHINING and STORM OF THE CENTURY, DINOTOPIA marks
ABC's biggest miniseries time commitment since 1988's 30-hour WAR AND
REMEMBRANCE which starred Robert Mitchum. Some sources estimate the cost at

Film Roman has joined Los Angeles-based Latino production company Sí TV to
produce a half-hour, English language animated pilot entitled STUCK IN THE
MIDDLE which is intended for prime time. Written and co-created by Sí TV
co-chairman Jeff Valdez, the pilot will feature the vocal talent of
co-creator and executive producer Cheech Marin (comedy team Cheech & Chong;
NASH BRIDGES), who also serves on the advisory board of Sí TV. STUCK IN THE
MIDDLE is about a twelve-year old whose home life in The Barrio contrasts

Data Motion Arts (DMA) has created the host character "Phred" for the new Noggin network. DMA's creative director Tony Caio was asked to create a character who is interactive, works on TV and on-line, and appeals to 6-to-12 year-olds. The result is a 2D character that appears tattooed on your forehead of different live-action faces. The PHRED ON YOUR HEAD show debuted on Nickelodeon on June 6th at 12:00 pm. You can view Phred on-line at www.noggin.com/build. Noggin is an educational TV channel and website, developed as a joint venture of Nickelodeon and Children's Television Workshop.

Beginning September 6, 1999, NODDY will air Monday through Friday on PBS stations in the US as part of PBS's "Ready to Learn" service. NODDY debuted in the US in the fall of 1998. The program's success has led to the production of 25 new episodes, bringing the total number of episodes to 65. The new episodes will begin airing in the fall of 1999. Based on the world-renowned children's books by Enid Blyton, NODDY, a show for children ages three to seven, is co-produced by BBC Worldwide, The Enid Blyton Company and Toronto-based Catalyst Entertainment, Inc.

Adding to the recently announced DOOMSDAY, being co-produced with Howard
Stern, and TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS, being co-produced with Norman Lear, Film
Roman has announced two more prime-time TV shows that it will be taking to
the marketplace this season. THE CABBISONS takes a hard look at today's
society through the eyes of a 1970's sitcom family who are typically
American--except for living in a cab. The Cabbisons travel through the
world in their cab, picking up fictional characters and celebrity fares