Broadband Content Bits: Disney XD; WB's 'Rockville'; Cookiemag; NIN
This story was written by Tameka Kee.
Disney (NYSE: DIS) rebrands toon channel as Disney XD: In a push to reach school-aged (6-14) boys, the WSJ says Disney is rebranding its Toon Disney cable channel as Disney XD, and building out an accompanying Website. The new Disney XD brand aims to mesh TV, videogames, social media and online video, with original series for both the channel and the site. The first piece of IP will be Aaron Stone, an action-adventure show. The Journal says Disney is hoping to recreate the multi-platform success it has had with girl-centric franchises like Hannah Montana and High School Musical.
WB.com readies new series Rockville, CA: TheWB.com is slated to launch Rockville, CA, a new original Web series focusing on a fictional nightclub in California, Variety reports. The show will feature scripted scenes as well as performances from real indie bands like the Kooks and Frightened Rabbit. Though only short snippets of a given band's set will run during each episode, theWB.com will post a clip of of the entire two-song performance on the site afterward. Gossip Girl and The OC creator Josh Schwartz is behind the show, which premieres March 17.
CookieMag.com bulks up video offering: Conde Nast's CookieMag.com is beefing up its video content: adding sponsored editorial clips (advertisers TBA), as well as clips promoting the Smart Cookie Awards (which honor moms that devote time/energy to charity). The videos will showcase them at work, and readers get to vote for the mom that they feel should win $35K for her charity. Video ad firm TurnHere will produce all the videos.
NIN frontman "leaks" concert footage to torrents : The latest digital play from Nine Inch Nails comes in the form of "leaked" concert footage. Techdirt reports that NIN frontman Trent Reznor gave fans details about 400GB worth of HD concert footage that had been "leaked" to torrents in a blog postand challenged them to find it: "If any of you could find a LINK to that footage I'll bet some enterprising fans could assemble something pretty cool," he wrote. After parting ways with longtime label Interscope last year, the band released its instrumental album "Ghosts I-IV" online, with some tracks available for free; and even uploaded parts of it to The Pirate Bay, a torrent sharing site.
By Tameka Kee