NEWS
TOTAL LICENSING
THE JOAN GANZ
RDF SIGNS RAFT OF DEAlS
COONEY CENTER OPENS
FOR U.S HIT DON’T FORGET
In 1969, Joan Ganz Cooney and her colleagues created
a pop culture phenomenon called Sesame Street with
THE lYRICS
the aim of forever linking the words, ‘educational’ and
RDF Rights, part of the RDF Media Group, has announced that
‘television’ and harnessing the power of the medium in
the Fox singing sensation show Don’t Forget the Lyrics has
a unique way. Almost 40 years and 150 Emmy Awards
been picked up in over ten territories.
later, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization be-
These deals come as Fox US confirms the recommission of its
hind Sesame Street, is taking Ms. Cooney’s experiment
entertainment hit Don’t Forget the Lyrics, from RDF USA, for
into the digital age with the unveiling of The Joan Ganz
its third cycle of 13 episodes – making a total of 37 episodes
Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. The Center, an
ordered since its debut in July 2007. Sky One is confirmed
independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and pro-
as the UK broadcaster for the show with a 12 episode series
duction institute, will explore the 21st century equiva-
scheduled for the new year.
lent of her original question, “How can emerging media
RDFR format deals include; in France, top host Nagui (presenter
help children learn?”
of The Vault and Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush) is fronting the
Focusing on the needs of elementary age children, The
show for France 2 in a series that launched in December and
Joan Ganz Cooney Center will conduct and support re-
will stretch into March; in Italy, Italia Uno will launch its version
search, create new media properties, and work on how
of the format shortly.
interactive technologies
The format has already been aired in Turkey on Antena and also
can be utilized to help
in India on Star where the programme remains in production. In
accelerate children’s
Austria, production company Tresor is completing production
learning. Based at
for launch in the New Year on ATV, while deals have also been
Sesame Workshop, the
closed in Slovakia with JOJ, and in Croatia with Nova.
Center will work closely
In addition to local productions, RDF Rights has sold finished
with leading universities
programmes of the original Fox series to Network Ten in Aus-
and industry partners
tralia, Sky One in the UK, and Prime in New Zealand, as well as
that are engaged in
AXN in Singapore.
cutting edge media and
Six months after launch in the USA, Don’t Forget The Lyrics is
learning innovations.
proving popular with broadcasters across the globe and with
New media platforms
many more deals in negotiation RDF Rights is confident that the
such as the web, cell
format will prove an even bigger hit in 2008, as a format, finished
The Joan Ganz Cooney phones and video games will be examined to better
programming (UK and US) and merchandising.
Center at Sesame
understand their role in children’s literacy development
Workshop held its
both in school and out. “When Sesame Street was cre-
first National Advi-
ated, we brought national attention to the sorry state of
JUNO BABY SIGNS
sory Board Meeting on
children’s television and challenged the industry to raise
December 5, 2007 in
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
NYC. In attendance
the bar,” said Joan Ganz Cooney. “Today, history is re-
WITH OMNI E+ OF BRAZIl
were (left to right)
peating itself as the new media environment resembles
the Center’s Executive
the old, vast wasteland. The Center will lead a much
Juno Baby, the award winning and critically acclaimed producer
Director Dr. Michael
needed conversation on how young children can learn
of educational DVDs, CDs, Apparel, and Plush, has just signed a
Levine, Joan Ganz from new media innovations, and be a major force in
new agreement with OmNi E+ to pursue distribution in Brazil.
Cooney, Co-Founder
getting industry to act on their behalf.”
OmNi E+ is a fully fledged Entertainment Company represent-
and Chairman of the
Michael H. Levine, Ph.D., an early childhood education
ing international and domestic clients in home entertainment,
Executive Committee,
research and policy expert has been named Executive
television and consumer products.
Sesame Workshop,
Director of the Center. Leading the day to day opera-
Lloyd Morrisett, Co-
Juno Baby Co-founder, Belinda Takahashi, Ph.D. says “We are
Founder and Chairman
tions with Michael Levine is Ann My Thai. Ann My Thai
thrilled to be working with OmNi E+. The company has a con-
Emeritus of the Board,
will lead strategic partnership efforts with high-tech and
sistent track record in the pre-school market and we are excit-
Sesame Workshop and
gaming industries and oversee organizational strategy
ed to be working with such a dynamic partner.” OmNi E+ Man-
Gary E. Knell, Presi-
and growth. Future research will also examine key policy
aging Director, Marcio Domingues added “We are very excited
dent and CEO, Sesame issues such as how to address the nation’s 4th grade
to be working with Juno Baby. Their award winning DVDs are
Workshop.
reading slump, how media can be better deployed to
both original and innovative. What’s more, the music is univer-
prepare second language learners, and how to overcome
sally appealing and caters to young growing minds regardless of
market barriers in developing educational games.
origin.” Mr. Domingues has been working with children proper-
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center was established with the
ties for over a decade. He was general manager of The Itsy Bitsy
support of Peter G. Peterson, Chairman and Co-Found-
Entertainment Company in South America and responsible for
er of The Blackstone Group, Harvey Weinstein, Genius
launching Teletubbies in the region. After leaving 20
th
Century
Products, Inc. and Sesame Workshop.
Fox Home Entertainment in 2006, he founded OmNi E+.
50
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