MUMBAI: As part of its attempt to offer differentiated content, Viacom18-owned kids channel Nick has bought the telecast rights for 3D animated TV show Motu Patlu based on the popular characters from Lotpot comics, Motu & Patlu.

Produced by Maya Digital Studios, the 3D animated show will premier 16 October on Nick and will air daily at 6:30 pm.

Inspired from the characters of Lot Pot Comics, Motu Patlu is a lively comic caper that is sure to engage kids as well as the entire family. Set in the beautiful city of Furfuri Nagariya, Motu and Patlu are as similar as chalk and cheese, always on an adventurous expedition and having an uncanny ability to get into tricky situations.

Maya Digital Studios chairman and MD Ketan Mehta said, "At Maya, we want to bring the best of Indian content with world class animation & believe that since animated content is the first interface of a child with entertainment content it is very important to have an Indian cultural connection with it. We are extremely happy that Nickelodeon as a channel has a similar strategy and with this show we will together create new qualitative benchmarks for kids‘ entertainment in India."

Apart from the fact that Motu Patlu boasts of state-of-the-art 3D animation, another highlight of the show is the title song which brings together the musical triumvirate of Gulzar - who is writing a kids song after many years, Sandesh Shandilya - who has composed music for the entire series including the theme song that is sung by renowned singer Sukhwinder Singh.

Commenting on the launch of the new show, Sonic and Nickelodeon India Executive Vice President & Business Head Nina Elavia Jaipuria, , says, "Kids are the most dynamic consumers to please and we have to keep evolving and innovating to keep them engaged. We promise kids that with Motu Patlu we will give them a show that hasn‘t ever been seen in the kid‘s category as yet. Motu Patlu is a path-breaking and contemporary show that will go multi-platform to connect with kids all across the country. We will make sure that the kids have a rollicking time with our crazy duo."

The channel will bring Motu Patlu to the audience through a 360-degree marketing campaign consisting of multiple touch points covering ATL and BTL media vehicles. Mass media such as a cross channel television plan, print, outdoor and radio will be used.

In addition, Motu Patlu will also be brought to the kids through numerous BTL activities consisting of van activations in smaller towns, mall activations and engagement in retail chains such as Pantaloons and Time zone. Innovative Motu Patlu meals will be available across Bombay Blues outlets in Mumbai. Motu Patlu will also be promoted through hobby workshops with Hobby Ideas.

In order to connect with the tech-savvy kids of today, Nickelodeon will invest in building digital assets for Motu Patlu. Kids can interact on the digital and mobile platform through numerous Motu Patlu games, contests, downloads and a lot more on the dedicated micro site motupatlu.in. Social media like Facebook and Twitter will also be used to keep the engagement going.

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will kick off ?Tickety Toc?, a new CG-animated preschool series that follows the comedic adventures of twins, Tommy and Tallulah.

The half-hour 26 episodes series, premiering 10 September, teaches kids about friendship, problem-solving and teamwork.

Tickety Toc is created and directed by FunnyFlux Entertainment founder and president, Gil Hoon Jung and executive-produced by Nigel Pickard and Vanessa Hill for The Foundation.

The series is produced by the Zodiak Kids production company, The Foundation, and FunnyFlux Entertainment. Tickety Toc will regularly air weekdays at 9 am (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

Nickelodeon Preschool executive VP of production, development Teri Weiss said, "Tickety Toc allows viewers to enter an imaginative world of eccentric characters and slapstick surprises while being introduced to the concept of time in a fun and engaging way. The series allows preschoolers to join in the action-packed adventures, laughing and learning along the way."

Zodiak MEAA/UK Family, Kids CEO Nigel Pickard said, "We are delighted Tickety Toc will be joining the brilliant line-up on Nickelodeon. It is is a new and unique series for preschoolers who will enjoy following Tommy and Tallulah as they set off on their latest adventure."

On the wall of an old clock shop hangs a very special clock -- Tickety Toc clock. Every hour, on the hour, it chimes and out pop twins Tommy and Tallulah. Inside the clock is a fantastical and funny place inhabited by puppy-dog trains, hare-brained rabbits, cooking cows and weather-obsessed chickens. Each action-packed adventure centers on inseparable heroes, Tommy and Tallulah, as they race against time to save the day, return life to normal, and keep the clock ticking.

MUMBAI: Russell Hicks, a 14-year Nickelodeon veteran and its Chief Creative Officer since 2008, has been named to the new position of President, Content Development and Production for the Nickelodeon Group. He will report to Nickelodeon Group President Cyma Zarghami.

In this new role, Hicks will be based at Nickelodeon?s Burbank and Santa Monica, California, offices, where he will lead the company?s live-action, animation development and production teams for all of Nickelodeon?s content platforms.

"Russell has been one of the driving forces behind the Nickelodeon brand," said Zarghami. "As we continue our ambitious evolution of Nickelodeon, Russell will ensure that our rich and diversified development slate, as well as our new and established producing partners, will all serve our creative vision for the network and deliver for our audiences. As the new development season begins, this is the perfect moment for Russell to take the helm."

Reporting to Hicks will be: Margie Cohn, who will serve in the new role of President, Content Development, Nickelodeon, working across live-action, animation and digital; Paula Kaplan, who will now serve as Executive Vice President of Current Series; Teri Weiss, Executive Vice President of Nickelodeon Preschool Development and Production; Alison Dexter, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Productions; Rich Magallanes, Senior Vice President, Animation, Current Series; and Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Nickelodeon?s Nick Jr., Nicktoons and TeenNick channels.

Nickelodeon?s recently announced development slate includes more than a dozen new live-action, animation and TV movie projects as part of the network?s deep commitment to new content.

These projects include: two Nick spin-off comedy pilots, Sam & Cat and Gibby, featuring beloved characters from hit series iCarly and Victorious; new series Wendell and Vinnie starring Jerry Trainor and the pilot Instant Mom, both for Nick at Nite; You Gotta? See This, highlighting must-see video clips; and two original TV movies, Swindle and Nicky Deuce.

Also included are the CG-animated series Monsters vs. Aliens and the 2D Sanjay & Craig; the highly anticipated return of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in September; and the 4Q launch of Nick at Nite?s Scott Baio family comedy, See Dad Run. For preschool, the network is adding the curriculum-based animated series, Monty and Norville, and a pilot for Blaze and the Monster Machines.

Brown Johnson, who has served as the President of Animation since 2008, will be leaving her role to pursue her own creative endeavors.

Prior to working at Nickelodeon, Hicks was Vice President of Marketing, Cartoon Network/Turner brands for Warner Brothers, where he was responsible for the marketing and creative that turned Scooby Doo and the Power Puff Girls into cultural icons.

MUMBAI: Viacom18 will soon launch Rishtey in UK, a new mass entertainment Hindi entertainment channel that will complement its existing flagship channel Colors.

Rishtey will be launched in UK first by IndiaCast, showcasing content from a spectrum of genres including format shows, fiction, music and news.

The free-to-air (FTA) channel will be available on Sky Digital, it is learnt. Test signals are on and the launch is expected next month.

Rishtey will air re-run shows of Colors and also have original content.

Viacom18 operates a bouquet of channels including MTV, Nickelodeon, Vh1, Colors, Sonic and Comedy Central. It is also engaged in the film business through Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

Says Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, ?While we have a horizontal presence across television entertainment, with the launch of Rishtey, we now begin the phase of strengthening our presence in each vertical as well.?

Colors CEO Raj Nayak adds, ?With ?Rishtey?, we intend to create a new category within the general entertainment space, and given the rich mine of content within the Viacom18 Group, we?re confident of ?Rishtey? resonating well with both ? viewers as well as advertisers.?

IndiaCast COO Gaurav Gandhi states, ?Rishtey offers a wide range of variety entertainment programming that will engage, entertain and delight the South Asian audiences in the UK. As a free-to-air service, Rishtey perfectly complements our flagship brand Colors, by reaching out to a much wider audience base and giving them a taste of our much loved programming."