Internet animation provider Mondo Media has entered into a content
agreement with cable network Comedy Central for "Cartoon of the Day,"
featuring the best of Mondo Mini Shows on comedycentral.com. The
shows will be culled from Mondo Media's library of over 3,000 minutes
of original animation, including series such as THE GOD & DEVIL SHOW,
HAPPY TREE FRIENDS and HEAVY METAL GUY. As part of the agreement,
Mondo will also supply Comedy Central with the best material from
other third-party Internet animation creators, including several

With no staff and no senior management, it seems as though Vancouver-based Sextant Entertainment Group Inc., co-producers of THE MR. HELL SHOW!, is no longer in business. A press release issued by Sextant announced that the company has been put into receivership after it was unable to come to an arrangement with creditors pursuant to the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) that Sextant had been granted in early June.

Lucasfilm Ltd. has spun off its
THX digital cinema division as an independent company, THX Ltd.
Lucasfilm remains an investor in the newly formed, privately held
company, along with other corporate and private investors. The
formation of THX Ltd. will allow the company the opportunity to
expand into markets outside of Lucasfilm's core areas. THX Ltd. will
reorganize its programs and services into five key areas: THX
Studio, THX Cinema, THX Home, THX Mobile and THX Games. In the

Digital Production Management
(DPM) systems provider NXN Software has expanded its Japanese
operations by opening a new subsidiary in Tokyo and appointing
industry veteran Shigemitsu Ejiri as vice president of sales, Japan.
Ejiri comes to NXN Software from Borland, Japan, where he served as
the vice president of sales. Prior to Borland, Ejiri spent 16 years
at Nichimen Corporation, holding the position of executive director
and head of sales for four years. NXN DPM solutions are used to

Decode
Entertainment Inc. has appointed The Sharpe Company as the
international licensing agent for its new 3D animated preschool
series THE SAVE-UMS! The series is scheduled to debut in February
2003 as part of Discovery Kids new "Ready, Set, Learn" programming
block on TLC and Discovery Kids Channel in the U.S. and on CBC
Canada. Sharpe, current licensing agent for properties such as
HUMPHREY'S CORNER and THUNDERBIRDS, will license THE SAVE-UMS! in all
territories outside North America.

Corus
Entertainment's Nelvana has signed up new licensees for some of its
key kids' properties. Saban Consumer Products Europe, the consumer
products division of Fox Kids Europe, has signed a pan-European
licensing agreement for the animated series BRACEFACE. The three-year
agreement covers 16 European territories and 21 categories including
apparel, cosmetics, toys, stationery, music and multimedia. The
agreement expands the existing relationship between the two companies

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

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.

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

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

DreamWorks SKG and Hasbro, Inc. have announced that Hasbro will
produce a line of G.I. JOE Adventure Team figures based on the
upcoming DreamWorks animated feature SINBAD: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN
SEAS, scheduled for release in May 2003. To support the movie, Hasbro
will offer the new line of G.I. JOE Adventure Team featuring Sinbad
battling mythological monsters. The 12" action figure line will
include Sinbad vs. The Roq, a monstrous bird of prey; Sinbad vs.
Serpens, a dragon-like sky serpent; and Sinbad vs. Scorpious, a

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).

Licensing 2002 International is the annual trade show for the multi-billion dollar worldwide business of consumer product licensing, marketing and merchandising and the show continues to be the most important marketplace for concepts and creative ideas related to the biggest brands in the world. It is held June 11-13, 2002 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Here is a preview of just a few of the major animation-related products that will be showcased at Licensing 2002. For more information visit www.licensingshow.com.

Mattel Masters He-Man

Family media company Big Idea will be at this week's Licensing Show 2002 in New York to announce THE BOB & LARRY MOVIE, its second animated feature film, currently in pre-production. The film tells the story of the popular VEGGIETALES characters Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. Big Idea has already locked in many licensees for its first animated feature film, JONAH: A VEGGIETALES MOVIE, set for release on October 4, 2002 from Artisan's FHE Pictures.

At the 2002 Licensing Show held June 11-13, 2002 in New York City, Mainframe Entertainment Inc. will present licensing opportunities for their new CG animated series, Tony Hawk's FEASTERS. Mainframe and skateboarding sensation Hawk are developing the series, which targets boys aged 11 to 14.

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.

Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana has recently licensed a slew of animated series to broadcasters in a number of countries. Spain's Luk Entertainment picked up BRACEFACE, CYBERCHASE and SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS, while RTP (Portugal) took BRACEFACE along with MEDABOTS, MAGGIE AND THE FEROCIOUS BEAST, MAX & RUBY and TIMOTHY. Globo TV in Brazil has licensed FAIRLY ODD PARENTS, RESCUE HEROES and BEYBLADE, which has also been acquired by TF1 Video. Hungary's Minimax picked up ROLIE POLIE OLIE and the first two seasons of BRACEFACE and FRANKLIN for the Minimax block on Romania's ProTV.