Cartoon Network comes up with a slew of original shows for kids

New Delhi, Oct 12 (UNI) Films for children on the big screen may be few and far between but the entertainment scenario on the small screens seems to be hotting up! The entry, in the last few years, of new players like Hungama TV in the kids entertainment space on TV and the consequently expanding entertainment options for children has led TV channels to come up with a host of innovative programmes in their bid to hold on to the ''kids eyeballs''.

Faced with increasing competition in the race for TRPs, Cartoon Network and Pogo, the pioneers in the kids entertainment on television have announced a bouquet of new original productions for India to keep children hooked on to the channels.

Lined up for telecast on Cartoon Network and Pogo in the coming months are a slew of original productions and formats specially targeted at the Indian audience, a first such endeavour by a kids channel in India.

Featuring new stars, new heroes and new stories, which are likely to strike a chord among Indian children, the new shows span a wide variety of genres - an action animated series, a quiz series, a detective series, a family sitcom and a science show.

Among the five brand new original productions lined up for telecast on POGO are 'Cambala Investigative Agency' - a detective series;'Sunaina'- a family sitcom, 'FAQ'- a science show; season five of the award winning arts show MAD and the fourth edition of the POGO Amazing Kids awards.

Further, Cartoon Network has also lined up a series of programmes - 'Skatoony', an entertaining quiz series that pits cartoons against kids and 'Ben 10', a new action, animated original series from the Network's International studios.

Addressing a press meet in the Capital, the Turner International India's vice president, Advertising Sales and Networks for India and South Asia, Monica Tata said the programmes being launched have been developed on the solid programming foundation of offering kids a healthy mix of humour, adventure, originality and intelligence.

''We believe our future is in creating our own properties and we have already produced over 26 animated original series such as 'The Powerpuff Girls', 'Dexter's Laboratory', 'Johny Bravo', 'Code Name Kids Next Door' etc in our international studios.

Our original productions in India have been growing from strength to strength, from 50 hours in 2004 to over 150 hours of original productions in 2007,''she said.

Tata said the latest initiative by the channel was a strong step forward in establishing itself as a committed local player in the country.

''Created using our decade long experience , the programming in both our networks is a conscious effort to reinforce our relation with kids and their families, as we offer our audience a slew of fresh and compelling programming, promising kids an exceptional blend of creativity, innovation and learning,''she said.

Of Cartoon Network's new programmes, 'Ben 10', Cartoon Network's latest original animated series that follows the adventures of Ben Tennyson, a ten year old (otherwise average) kid who discovers a strange alien watch in a crashed meteorite which he finds can transform him into ten alien things, launched on Wednesday and will be on air every Wednesday to Friday at 1800hrs.

'Skatoony', its other original production; an entertaining quiz series where children comptete against cartoons for real prizes, will be telecast on Sunday mornings at 930hrs.

Premiering on POGO on October 29 at 7.00 pm will be 'Cambala Investigative Agency', an investigative series that transports viewers into a world of adventure, intrigue and mystery. It is a series about the exciting lives of five youngsters - Ishaan, Rohit, Suchita, Farhaan and Nikki - who investigate and solve mysteries in their neighbourhood- and beyond! Also launching soon on POGO is a weekly, half hour family sitcom 'Sunaina', revolving around misadventures and crazy lives of teenager Sunaina, her friends and her family.

Further, the season five of the award winning and hugely successful arts show, MAD (Music, Art and Dance) will premiere on POGO October 21 , Sundays at 1030hrs. Then, there is the fourth editon of the POGO Amazing kids awards.

Further, launching on the channel early next year will be an interactive science show called FAQ (Frequently asked questions), produced by Siddharth Basu's synergy Adlabs.

UNI