Kids
Nick announces programming blocks, channel launch in China
MUMBAI: Viacom Inc’s kids entertainment brand Nickelodeon Asia has announced two big deals for expanding its distribution in China.
Nickelodeon has reached a partnership agreement with China’s national television station CCTV to air its shows on the recently launched 24-hour Children’s Channel. Nick shows are already being telecast on the channel since 28 December.
Nick has also announced its partnership with Hong Kong’s Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Ltd to broadcast its 24-hour Nickelodeon Asia channel on Galaxy’s new pay-TV service exTV set to launch in February 2004. Galaxy is a joint venture between Intelsat and TVB.
Presently, CCTV’s Children’s Channel will provide 30 minutes of Nick programming every day, including the animation series CatDog and The Wild Thornberrys.
Viacom China’s senior VP, managing director, Yifei Li is quoted in a company release as saying, “We are honoured that Nick has become one of our first content partners of CCTV’s Children’s Channel. This is the beginning of a long term cooperation between two media giants in developing quality programming targeted at young audience.”
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.
