Fox has optioned a new animated pilot from DR. KATZ creators Jonathan Katz and Tom Snyder of Soup to Nuts in conjunction of Touchstone Television, reported DAILY VARIETY. The untitled comedy will be written by Katz and Snyder with Touchstone’s Nina Wass and Gene Stein serving as exec producers. This comes on the heels of Fox commissioning another animated pilot from the FAMLY GUYS team of Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, titled AMERICAN DAD. Fox has also put out an open call for concepts from artists in its Pitch-a-Thon contest.

In conjunction with its trip to MIPCOM, Entertainment Rights has announced its acquisition of the TV and video rights to TRANSFORMERS ENERGON, the next chapter in the TRANSFORMER franchise. The new 52x30 minute episodes follow up the success of TRANSFORMERS ARMADA. Picking up where Armada left off, Energon follows the defeated evil Unicron and Megatron teaming up to take over Earth.

Realty show hits Comedy Central in an animated way with the network’s order for DRAWN TOGETHER, according to Lauren Corrao, svp, original programming and head of development. Presented as if it were a real primetime reality series, DRAWN TOGETHER answers the question of what happens when eight completely different cartoon characters from various genres and styles live together and have their lives filmed for the entire world to see.

Mike Young Prods. has a busy slate of animated shows with many new 3D entries to present at MIPCOM. The busy producer has jumped headfirst into distribution, launching a new distribution arm in March 2003, headed by veteran TV sales exec Regis Brown. The U.S. studio, founded by Welsh animator Mike Young, is bringing its captivating 3D series for young children, JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS, which debuted September 7, 2003 on PBS Kids in the U.S.

Elastic Rights is looking to secure strategic, local partners at MIPCOM, including theatrical, TV, home entertainment, licensing, publishing and Internet companies for its portfolio of projects. The aim is to add value, by developing an integrated brand management strategy for each property.

VH1 is delving into primetime cartons in its VH1 GOES INSIDE series, airing at various times October 2-21, 2003. VH1 GOES INSIDE: Primetime Cartoons is a celebration of memorable moments and animated characters in television history. The show will feature unforgettable clips, interviews with the voice actors as well as some of the creators, writers and producers. The show delves into how shows began, how they changed from their original concepts and original names.

The Fremantle Corp. will introduce innovative shows for both kids and young adults at this year’s MIPCOM beginning with the eye-popping new 3D animation series, UNDERGROUND ERNIE, for kids 4-8. From the producers (3D Films and Joella Films) of the British pre-school hit, THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE, the new series features a magical collection of talking subway trains and a character named Ernie who keeps them all running on schedule.

StudioWorks Entertainment, a year-old North American home entertainment distribution company, is looking to acquire more properties at MIPCOM. A division of Ventura Entertainment, StudioWorks has emerged as one of the leading forces in the branding, marketing and distribution of brands through home entertainment channels. From the hit television series WISEGUY, to successful children's brands such as Winchester Entertainment's WHEELS ON THE BUS, StudioWorks has amassed a portfolio of high-profile branded entertainment from around the world.

Paris-based Sparx* is charging into MIPCOM with epsiodes to show of its ZOÉ KÉZAKO.

Monster! Distributes will be launching ROVER SAVES CHRISTMAS, a new one-hour program based on Roddy Doyle’s international best-selling children’s book of the same name, at MIPCOM. This is the first project to emerge from the collaboration between Oscar-nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films (GIVE UP YER AUL SINS) and award-winning feature film entity Treasure Entertainment (I WENT DOWN). All three companies are based in Ireland.

Munich-based TV-Loonland has a two new series and pilots to unveil at MIPCOM and screen at MIPCOM Jr. It’s U.K. production house, Telemagination, has completed production on its brand new, madcap animated series, METALHEADS, according to David Ferguson, coo, operating out of TV-Loonland’s London office.

Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) will bring a diverse slate of programming to MIPCOM, including the animated series ASTRO BOY and CYBORG 009, as well as STEPHEN KING'S KINGDOM HOSPITAL, JOAN OF ARCADIA, MISSING and RESIDENTS, the hit Chilean telenovela, MACHOS, according to SPTI distribution evp Peter Iacono. The SPTI booth will be at top of the Palais at M5.01.

Responding to an ongoing demand in the marketplace for brand value programming, DIC Ent. will offer 91 half-hour animated episodes in the TOTALLY SONIC! package, which includes a private collection of never-before-seen episodes available for the first time to international buyers in all major language versions, at booth 17.01 during MIPCOM.

Cartoon Network will kick-off its month-long Shocktober celebration with an original half-hour special featuring the cast of THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY AND MANDY, entitled "Jacked Up Halloween." The special will first air on Oct. 1, 2003 at 8:00 pm with an encore on Oct. 30, at 8:00 pm. Together, Billy, Mandy and the Grim Reaper deal with typical suburban challenges -- school, family, and dispatching unwanted visitors from the spirit world.

Nicktoons, Nickelodeon’s digital home for kid TV’s animated hits, will add four new shows to its line-up in 2004, helping the network near its goal of 25% original by 2005. A new on-air look for the network, new packaging and two comedic interstitial series will roll out beginning Oct. 6. Also, leading the network will be its newly appointed, first-ever general manager, Keith Dawkins.

TLC Ent. will premiere its latest five-part animated mini-series, THE KIDS' TEN COMMANDMENTS (K10C), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Episode #1, THE NOT SO GOLDEN CALF, will debut in primetime on October 31, 2003 with the remaining episodes, THE REST IS YET TO COME, A LIFE AND SETH SITUATION, STOLEN JEWELS, STOLEN HEARTS and TOYING WITH THE TRUTH, airing the week of November 10.

Fox Kids Europe (FKE) is taking 144 half-hour episodes of fresh programming to MIPCOM, including three new kids properties, SONIC X, TUTENSTEIN and SHAMAN KING.

FKE has acquired all TV and home video rights for the world, excluding North America and Asia, for 52 half-hour episodes of SONIC X from TMS Entertainment Ltd. This marks the first animated adaptation of the videogame and TV series hedgehog hero to be created in Japan, (DIC Ent. did the first animated TV series in the U.S.).

Revisiting its roots in original animation that produced such mega-hits as THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, DEXTER'S LABORATORY and COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG, Cartoon Network today announced an all-new Cartoon Cartoons Shorts program to commission an initial 20 original shorts covering a wide variety of animation styles and formats, it was announced Sept. 29, 2003 by Jim Samples, evp/gm of Cartoon Network Worldwide.

Sunwoo USA and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) are offering WILD ANIMAL BABIES, a 26 half-hour animated and live-action series with interactive elements to screen at MIPCOM Jr.

France Animation is attending MIPCOM this year with SPACE LUNIES and LITTLE VAMPIRE.