Press Release by Nelvana Enterprises
(February 8, 2012 – KIDSCREEN SUMMIT, New York, New York) Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Enterprises is ramping up its digital offerings this year with a full slate of exciting new apps, websites and e-books featuring its cherished characters including Franklin the Turtle, bunny siblings Max and Ruby and worrywart Scaredy Squirrel.
In apps:
Three more Franklin the Turtle apps are slated for release this year following delivery of five apps last year that included Franklin’s Shape Sorter and Franklin’s Bumpy Buggy Race-Off
The first ever Max & Ruby app entitled Max’s Mole Mash launched this January and another is in production for release this summer
A Scaredy Squirrel game app entitled Scaredy SOS based on Mélanie Watt’s book series is now available and a game app based on the TV series is set for release this fall.
A Sidekick app is being developed based on the popular online game from www.ytv.com [1] called Bingopocalypse and should hit the market later this year
An app for the high-school comedy Detentionaire is scheduled for 2013
Apps for mobile platforms including tablets and smart phones are created by Watch More TV Interactive Inc., Nelvana’s in-house digital production team. Apps enable kids to engage with their favourite characters as they face exciting new challenges and explore new worlds though puzzles, matching games, drawing and much more.
Following a Gemini Award last year for Best Cross-Platform Project, Children’s and Youth for the Babar and the Adventures of Badou website (www.babar.com [2]), and the launch of a new Franklin website, the Nelvana digital production team is set to debut a revamped Max & Ruby site in March and a new Scaredy Squirrel site this summer. The sites will offer a rich, immersive experience for fans that includes interactive games, video and content.
Also in the new digital offerings, Corus’ Kids Can Press (KCP) recently introduced an active e-publishing program with a growing selection of full-colour, illustrated read-along audio and interactive e-books of its bestselling brands, with 29 Franklin the Turtle and two Scaredy Squirrel titles available digitally. Now kids can enjoy a rich read-along audio experience, and are able to respond and interact with the stories in the e-book editions. Watch for forthcoming e-books of many of KCP’s bestselling titles throughout 2012.
“We are extremely proud of our expanding digital portfolio and our in-house creative and production team, and understand the importance of reaching our audiences at various touch points, ensuring that they have the most engaging and rewarding experience with our brands,” said Colin Bohm, Managing Director, Nelvana Enterprises.
About Nelvana Enterprises
Nelvana Enterprises is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. The Company’s multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com [3].
Links:
[1] http://www.ytv.com/
[2] http://www.babar.com/
[3] http://www.corusent.com/