Nicktoons, Nickelodeons 24-hour animation network, has renamed and rebranded itself to become Nicktoons Network on Sept. 23, 2005. The network, which became ad-supported I August, will continue to showcase a variety of animation all day and night. Targeting kids 6-14, Nicktoons Network features programming that is 75% exclusive to the channel. In addition to a new name and logo, Nicktoons Network sports a fresh look with new packaging both on-air and on the networks new website, www.NicktoonsNetwork.com.
Nicktoons Networks home base will be the Nicktoons Studio (formerly called The Nick Animation Studios). Located in Burbank, California, Nicktoons Studio, where the majority of its animated hits are created, will be showcased in the networks new on-air packaging.
The new logo embodies combines three components that are the essence of the network: Nicktoons -- the network, Nicktoons -- the studio and Nicktoons -- the animated programming.
We are excited to introduce our new name, look, identity and website to our viewers which will help us create brand distinction and provide added value to our audience, said Keith Dawkins, gm, Nicktoons Network. As always, Nicktoons Network will remain dedicated to providing a top destination for animation lovers 24-hours a day.
In 2006, Nicktoons Network will launch three new series:
SKYLAND (series will sneak peak this Thanksgiving Day weekend) - produced by Method Films and created by Emmanuel Gorin, Alexandre de la Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte a sci-fi action adventure series set in the year 2251 that follows a heroic young brother and sister team searching for their parents in a new world order.KAPPA MIKEY produced by Animation Collection and created by Larry Schwarz (LEADER DOG, TORTELLINI WESTERN) -- a parody that centers on an American actor named Mikey who inadvertently becomes a huge star in Japan after joining the cast of a struggling Japanese anime series.
SHURIKEN SCHOOL produced by Xilam Entertainment a quirky comedy with a martial arts twist about a boys adventures at Ninja school.
To kick off the new on-air look and branding, Nicktoons Network premiered a new programming block entitled, Three-Headed Monster which will run every weekend, Friday through Sunday, from 7:00 pm to midnight, as of Sept. 23. The weekend block will feature Nicktoons favorites, including two of the newest and exclusive series:
MY DAD THE ROCK STAR (Premiered earlier this month) Fridays-Sundays at 9:00 & 9:30 pmProduced by Gene Simmons, this series introduces Willy Zilla, a 12-year-old kid who just wants to lead a quiet, normal existence. Unfortunately that's pretty much out of the question when your dad happens to be a super-popular seven-foot-tall, fire-breathing, billionaire rock star. Willy thinks things will be better when the legendary Rock Zilla decides to go into semi-retirement and moves the family to a house in the suburbs. But he soon learns that living in a small town, as the son of a famous celebrity, can present a whole lot of unexpected challenges.
MARTIN MYSTERY (Premiered July 05) Fridays-Sundays at 10:30 pmThe series chronicles the thrilling, mysterious and always slimy adventures of a brother and sister team, Martin and Diana -- two mismatched teenagers, as well as their friend, a lost-in-time caveman named Java. The three investigate paranormal mysteries and phenomena and uncover some of the eeriest slime dripping creatures imaginable during the course of an otherwise perfectly normal day. The Marathon Animation series, created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel and directed by Stephane Berry, is based on the original Italian comicbook written by Alfredo Castelli.
In addition, Nicktoons Network will continue its NEXTOONS: THE NICKTOON FILM FESTIVAL. For the past two years, Nicktoons Network has partnered with Frederator Studios to host the worlds first on-air festival featuring original animation shorts submitted by independent cartoon filmmakers around the globe. A panel of judges selects 10 finalists from hundreds of entries of animated film shorts, then these shorts run in a special that counts down the films to ultimately reveal the grand-prize winner. This years $10,000 winner of the second annual Nextoons: The Nicktoons Film Festival is LA RÈVOLUTION DES CRABES by Arthur de Pins.
We are thrilled to see Nicktoons Network expand from showcasing classic Nicktoons hits to a network with its own identity and original programming, said Tom Ascheim, evp/gm, Nickelodeon Digital Television.
Nicktoons Network, the 24-hour animation network, owned by Nickelodeon, features 24-hours of animation a day, with a wide variety of programming that have defined kids and animation lovers television for more than 10 years. Other series featured on the net are CORNEIL & BERNIE, KAPUT & ZOSKY and YAKKITY YAK, as well as classic Nicktoons hits like REN & STIMPY, INVADER ZIM, AHHH! REAL MONSTERS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS and THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS.
Nicktoons Network currently reaches 36 million homes via cable, digital cable and satellite, and can be seen on Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, DirecTV, DISH Network and Time Warner Cable. Nicktoons, and all related titles and logos are property of Viacom, Inc.
