Upfronts '07: Nickelodeon
2007 Upfronts — Nickelodeon
• Date: 3/8/07 in New York
• New media:
As with all of Viacom and MTV Networks these days, besides talking up programming the kids’ powerhouse highlighted its digital and online growth at Nick.com, TurboNick (its broadband channel) and Nicktropolis, its virtual world website that has registered 1 million unique viewers since launching in February.
User-generated content was another big theme, from Nick’s ME:TV interactive daypart that already allows kids to contribute to live on-air telecasts via TurboNick, to upcoming live action comedy series iCarly (see below), which will incorporate kids’ contributions into scripted episodes and the show’s webcast.
• New series:
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan (Aug.) – Nick Jr. preschool series about multi-generational Chinese-American family featuring an "emotionally gifted" girl – sort of an Asian American Dora the Explorer.
Back at the Barnyard (Sept. 1) – based on Nick’s original movie, the animated series spin-off centers on Otis, a carefree "party boy cow," and his barnyard friends Pip, Pig and Freddy.
iCarly (Sept.) – In a big nod to user-generated content, this scripted series features Carly (played by Miranda Cosgrove, known to movie-goers as Summer on School of Rock) has a website where kids can go and get an assignment to put something on the Web, which will then be incorporated into the series.
Tak and the Power of Juju (Sept.) – based on an original video game developed for Nickelodeon, the series will feature such characters as the Belly Juju, the Jibba-Jabbas and the Grammazons.
Bubble Guppies (Noggin, 2008) – Nick Jr.’s new interactive, animated variety show for preschoolers set in a vibrant 3D, CGI-animated underwater classroom. Each half-hour episode features an ensemble cast of energetic kids with tropical fish tails playing interactive games, telling jokes and performing silly sketches, songs and dances.
Making Fiends (2008) – First appearing as short films that ran on Nick and on its broadband portal, TurboNick, this series follows the misadventures of two "unlikely friends" named Vendetta and Charlotte.
The Umizumiz (Noggin, 2008) – an interactive preschool series about a miniature urban repair squad.
• Returning:
New episodes are in production for hit series including SpongeBob SquarePants, tween faves The Naked Brothers Band, Zoey 101, Just Jordan and The Fairly OddParents, and preschool star Dora the Explorer. » Click here for Cable360’s 2007 Cable Upfronts Guide