Kids
Cartoon Network HD+ adds Tamil, Telugu feeds
MUMBAI: Joining the bandwagon of launching local language feeds in the kids’ TV sector is Turner India’s Cartoon Network. The company has undertaken a soft launch of its new channel Cartoon Network HD+ from 15 April 2018 and has Hindi, Tamil and Telugu feeds along with English.
Turner India has started testing signals for Cartoon Network HD+ for a phased roll out over the next few weeks, according to a Turner India spokesperson.
Nickelodeon, Disney, Sony Yay, Cartoon Network and Discovery Kids all have Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and English feeds for their kids. Broadcasters are finally realising the viewership addition that the South Indian languages can add. Only Sony Yay stands out of the crowd as it has Bengali and Malayalam feeds as well.
According to FICCI-KPMG’s report for 2018, there has been increased interest across broadcasters to be able to provide better quality and fresher content to regional consumers. It also suggests that the increase in weightage to rural India by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) had a positive impact on the kids’ genre, which saw a jump in absolute terms of viewership numbers in 2017 compared to the previous year.
Another BARC report found that just 14 per cent of kids watch children’s content while the rest end up co-viewing with elders, thus giving broadcasters an opportunity to grab this passive young audience.
Original programming from Cartoon Network will be available on the channel. Shows like Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, We Bare Bears and some brand new exclusive shows are in the pipeline.
After nearly two decades of successful strategic collaboration, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEE) and Turner International (Turner) had mutually decided to work independently for driving subscription revenue. Both companies joined hands back in 2002 to manage distribution and trade marketing for a bouquet of channels in India. Turner appointed IndiaCast Media distribution as its exclusive distribution agent.
In September 2016, Turner had launched HBO HD by rebranding its erstwhile HBO Hits channel. Turner’s India portfolio includes CNN International, Cartoon Network, POGO, Toonami, HBO, and WB.
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Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
