Launch Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind User-Personalized Edutainment
Programming Service to Asia
BALI, Indonesia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia, a division of
Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world's leading providers of
original entertainment content, today announced it has entered a
collaboration with SMIT, a global leader in conditional access
module (CAM) manufacturing based in China. The award-winning1My
Nick Jr., a first of its kind user-personalized edutainment
programming service that allows parents to curate and customize their
children's multiplatform linear viewing experience around 11 educational
themes, will be launched in China by both partners - marking the first
time in the world that My Nick Jr. will be delivered as a
dedicated over-the-top (OTT) service. This collaboration also signifies
the inaugural introduction of My Nick Jr. in Asia
following successful debuts of the service in France and the UK, and an
announced launch in the U.S.
Xueliang Huang, Chairman and CEO of SMIT Corporation, and Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom International Media Networks (Photo: Business Wire)
Announced at the Asia Pacific Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali this week, My
Nick Jr. in China will be available to subscribers of iVmall,
an OTT Internet video service platform operated by Shenzhen Video Mall
Network Technology Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of SMIT. iVmall will run
China's first completely paid subscriber model for an Internet video
service and is expected to roll out My Nick Jr. as part of
iVmall's commercial launch by middle of 2014 via iOS and Android apps
and a dedicated website.
My Nick Jr. in China will feature hundreds of Nick Jr.
episodes, including titles such as Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go!,
Team Umizoomi and Ni Hao Kai Lan. The advertisement-free
personalized programming service allows parents to create a customized My
Nick Jr. profile and schedule for their child, according to
their child's age and gender, and 11 educational themes identified
within the programs in Nick Jr.'s extensive library of preschool content
(e.g. Problem Solving, Math, Language and more). My Nick Jr.
also constantly adapts to the preferences of each child, who may at any
time use the app to rate each episode. The partnership with SMIT also
marks the first time that My Nick Jr. will be offered in
two languages in one market, providing parents the option to set their
children's viewing experience to English or Mandarin. Additionally,
parents may choose desired viewing durations, can be sent email ‘report
cards' summarizing what their children have watched and which topics
have been covered within the viewed episodes, and use the shows for
discussions with their children.
"Nick Jr. is about giving children and parents what they want - ‘A Smart
Place to Play'. With My Nick Jr., we are offering parents
a unique user-personalized digital viewing edutainment experience for
their children to learn in a safe, supervised environment while
maximizing their enjoyment watching their beloved Nick Jr. shows and
characters like Dora the Explorer," said Bob Bakish, President
and Chief Executive Officer of VIMN. "We're thrilled to be SMIT's
exclusive international kids' entertainment app partner for pre-school
children through this collaboration on iVmall. SMIT not only shares our
belief in this product for children, but also delivers the technology
know-how to bring My Nick Jr. to life in China."
"We are convinced of the potential of the My Nick Jr.
service as we are living in the world of personalization. Chinese
families who join our Internet video service will love the My Nick
Jr. service for their children and we are delighted to not only
be the first Internet video platform to launch it in China, but in Asia
too. This certainly reinforces our commitment to be a serious player in
the burgeoning Internet Video service market in China," said Chairman
and CEO of SMIT Corporation, Xueliang Huang.
According to the latest report by CNNIC, 247 out of nearly 500 million
Chinese mobile users now watch videos online in China.
My Nick Jr. was first launched in France through CanalSat,
a unit of Vivendi SA, in 2012. It has launched in the UK through Virgin
Media for its TiVo customers and will soon launch in the U.S. through
Verizon. VIMN Asia plans to roll out My Nick Jr. to other
Asia Pay-TV/OTT operators later.
1 My Nick Jr. won "Best Application for Entertainment" at the
Trophée des Apps in October 2013 and "Best Enhanced TV Service" at
International Interactive TV Awards during MIPCOM 2012.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year globally and 16th year in Asia, is one
of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia
entertainment brands for kids and family. The company has built a
diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does
with a portfolio that extends across television, music, publishing,
digital media, mobile and consumer products. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.
are seen in more than 60 million households throughout North and
Southeast Asia region with 24-hour programming services including
Nickelodeon Southeast Asia, Nickelodeon Korea, as well as Nickelodeon
branded program blocks and syndications. For information about
Nickelodeon in Asia, visit www.nick-asia.com.
About Viacom International Media Networks
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc.
(NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is comprised of many of the world's most popular
multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy
Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One and Tr3s:
MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands are seen globally in more than 600
million households in 170 territories and 37 languages via more than 200
locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital
media and mobile TV properties. For more information about Viacom and
its businesses, visit www.viacom.com.
Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com
and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.
About iVmall
iVmall (originated from the concept of Internet Video Mall) is a service
platform operated by "ShenZhen Video Mall Network Technology Co., Ltd.",
a subsidiary of SMIT. Aimed to be as the first full pay service platform
in China, iVmall provides users with unique quality programs in
pre-school education, sports, lifestyle and live events (please note
that the products planning might be adjusted). Subscribers can enjoy
quality programs without the interruptions of commercials
(advertisement), children can watch their favorite programs in a much
cleaner environment with no negative impact of violence, pornography and
other undesirable advertising.
The goal is to build up our service platform to be the no. 1 brand that
provides subscribers (aimed for upper middle class) an efficient access
to be connecting to the world-class quality life, i.e. to Travel with
iVmall to see the world.
About SMIT Corporation
SMIT Corporation ("SMIT") provides devices that enable secure digital
content delivery for the pay-TV industry, allowing authorized
subscribers access to protected content. SMIT is a global leader in the
design and development of conditional access modules ("CAM"s), which
enable the delivery of premium content to digital TVs without the need
for a set-top-box ("STB"). SMIT's CAMs are custom designed to meet the
strict security requirements of each conditional access ("CA") provider
and the varied user-interface and compliance requirements of each pay TV
operator. As Over-the-Top TV ("OTT"), internet video streaming, enriches
the way content is delivered and consumed, SMIT also provides OTT
solution and offers cloud platform to allow access to paid content by
multiple screens in the household.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140423006169/en/
Media:
Viacom International
Media Networks
Adeline Ong, (65) 6420 7240
Mobile:
(65) 9366 7323
Senior Director, Corporate & Brand
Communications, Asia
adeline.ong@vimn.com
Twitter:
@VIMNAsia_PR
or
VIMN
Kate Laverge, +1 212-654-4335
Vice
President, Communications
kate.laverge@vimn.com
or
VIMN
Bernadette
Simpao, +1-212-654-4311
Senior Director, Communications
bernadette.simpao@vimn.com
or
iVmall
Lolina
Chou, 00886939236904
Director of International Content
lolinachou@ivmall.com
Source: Viacom International Media Networks
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