Nickelodeon Canada Ready for Launch

Nickelodeon is officially heading north. According to a news release from MTV Networks International, the global children's entertainment group named Nick will be launching a Canadian extension this coming November 2009. Through a partnership with Toronto, Canada-based broadcaster Corus Entertainment, Inc., Nickelodeon will be establishing its official home up north for both animated and live-action titles. Corus, which owns local kid's network YTV in-part, has an established business relationship with Nickelodeon, having previously licensed many of their higher-rated programs for regional broadcast.

Nickelodeon Canada will officially launch at 6:00am (ET) on Monday, November 2nd, 2009. The new channel aims to be Canada's exclusive home to many of Nickelodeon's properties, creating a central location for their highly lucrative brands as opposed to leasing out their award-winning animated or live-action programming. The new endeavor will naturally have access to Nickelodeon's impressive backlog of memorable, original animation as well.

"For more than a decade we have worked in total synergy with Corus Entertainment, leveraging Corus' market leadership and Nickelodeon's hit content pipeline to deliver Canadian audiences an unrivalled entertainment experience," Bob Bakish, President, MTV Networks International, stated. "The launch of a fully localized, 24-hour Nickelodeon service is a direct reflection of how successful this holistic approach has been with viewers and partners."

The new channel will be a localized installment, meaning that Corus and Nickelodeon will jointly provide several previously produced and on-going productions for audiences in addition to opening the doors to funding domestic projects. Nickelodeon Canada will reportedly include a variety of Nick classics, such as Rocko's Modern Life, Angry Beavers, and Ren & Stimpy. Corus Entertainment Inc. and MTV Network International's multi-platform agreement includes exclusive television rights in Canada to all current Nick animated programming as well as live-action series', and all digital rights for Nickelodeon and related brands.

Newer animated television series such as DiMartino and Koneitzo's Avatar: the Last Airbender, Robles' soon-to-premiere Fanboy & Chum Chum, and Poeler's The Mighty B!, are also headed to Nickelodeon Canada. Rounding out the schedule, Nickelodeon will feature original Canadian series including Grossology, Storm Hawks, and My Friend Rabbit.

on Corus Entertainment Inc.: Corus Entertainment Inc. (www.CorusEnt.com) is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation.