Welcome, Guest [Sign In]

July 2006 - Strategy Magazine
Special Report: Fall TV Preview

Navigating the niche nets

by Patti Summerfield
page 68

Source for average-minute-audience (AMA): Nielsen Media Research Aug 29/05-May 28/06, 6a-6a

Ruby Gloom

The Ruby Gloom property launched as a licensed clothing and accessories line in U.S. trend shops such as Hot Topic, quickly garnering a strong online community and spawning an international consumer products franchise. Now, Ruby Gloom is also a series, touted as an ironic comedy with an emphasis on the importance of friendship. YTV will be creating a very strong online presence for the Nelvana-based half-hour series when the first of 26 episodes launches in the Halloween schedule in October. Aimed at 6-11s, Ruby Gloom is targeted primarily to girls, but boys will relate to Ruby's love interest, Skull Boy, as well as the two-headed musicians and Scaredy Bat.

TSN

(Bell Globemedia)

AMA:

111,000 (2+); 54,000 (25-54)

Target demo: adults 25-54

The launch of SportsCentre in HD this September, the addition of Monday Night Football, two significant national/international hockey deals, and substantial audience growth for all major sports properties firmly puts TSN at the top of its game.

Programming with buzz:

Hockey: Most interesting, TSN and RDS signed a seven-year extension with Hockey Canada for exclusive broadcast and multimedia rights to 11 key Hockey Canada events. The deal, which runs through the 2014 season, is for both English and French rights and provides the opportunity to broadcast on radio and broadband as well as emerging technologies such as video on mobile devices, video-on-demand, podcasting and interactive TV.

YTV

(Corus Entertainment)

AMA: 72,000 (2+); 38,000 (2-11)

Target demo: kids 6-11

Corus has been quick to offer consumers multiple options for consuming its programming, and its key shows boast an immersive strategy with online and mobile components. This fall, all five of YTV's key series will get deluxe promotion on-air and online. Each series, along with Fox series Malcolm in the Middle, will also have its own mini-site on YTV.com where advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Buzz:

Erky Perky: Aimed at 8-12s, it's an animated series that will also appeal to parents. Two bugs are forced from a downtown hot dog stand to a suburban kitchen with little food. Fans will be offered the chance to script, direct and edit their own episode of the show online. Thirteen half-hour episodes have been scheduled.

Team Galaxy: This half-hour series will have a simultaneous mobile, Web and TV launch. Team Galaxy tells the story of three friends who train to become space marshals. It's aimed at 6-11s and was created with both boys and girls in mind. It's an international co-production out of Nelvana and has been sold to more than 60 territories.

Twenty-six episodes have been ordered.

Weird Years: Weird Years is an animated series about an immigrant family dealing with life and transition in North America. There is great parent/child co-viewing appeal for this funny Canadian series

Quick Search