paidContent - New AOL Tries Slate Of Animated Kids' Shows With Warren Buffett, Martha Stewart
This story was written by Staci D. Kramer.
Some news from AOL as CEO Tim Armstrong moves from a media tour that started with a wave of interviews and wound up on stage at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech, to an all-hands staff meeting in Dulles today to explain some of the details in the latest plan to remake the company. The motto: Inform. Entertain. Connect.
One of the first announcements to pop up fits in with the content focus Armstrong is stressing, although it’s not an owned-and-operated operation: AOL is teaming up with A Squared Entertainment LLC, a new company founded by children’s programming vet Andy Heyward and Amy Moynihan, to distribute “purpose-driven” entertainment for kids featuring—seriously—animated versions of Warren Buffett, Martha Stewart at age 10 , supermodel Gisele Bndchen, and the late Carl Sagan. The series will be done as seasons of three-five minute webisodes that will premiere on AOL (NYSE: TWX). AOL also will help distribute the shows online “leveraging the power of social networking.” No, I don’t think this means we should be on the watch for Baby Bebo but you never know. [Update: Buffett and Stewart made cameo appearances at the Dulles All Hands, setting off a volley of tweets from staffers.]
Due this fall: Secret Millionaires Club, with Buffett as a mentor to a group of kids who have adventures and learn business lessons, and GiGi & the Green Team, with Bndchen as a supermodel by day, eco-superhero at night. The other two series are slated for early 2010: Little Martha (working title), with guess-who as an animated kid who runs an event-planning company from a treehouse, and Kosmos, based on Sagan’s Cosmos TV series.
By Staci D. Kramer