They had the upfront today. In short:
ADDED: "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (E/I), "The Buzz on Maggie" (E/I), "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!"
GONE: "Fillmore"/"Even Stevens", "Lizzie McGuire" (finally), "W.I.T.C.H."
Here's the entirety of the ABC Kids release:
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THREE SERIES -- "THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK & CODY," "THE BUZZ ON MAGGIE" AND "SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO!" JOIN ABC-TV'S SATURDAY MORNING LINE-UP THIS FALL
BURBANK and NEW YORK, March 1, 2005 . . . Three new series - the ensemble comedy "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" introducing the newest generation of kid and tween superstars and produced by hit makers Danny Kallis ("Smart Guy") and Irene Dreayer ("Sister, Sister," "Smart Guy"); the breakout Jetix action/adventure series "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" from creator/producer Ciro Nieli ("Mucha Lucha," "Teen Titans") and Walt Disney Television Animation and the new animated series "The Buzz on Maggie" from feature film producer Dave Polsky ("Scary Movie 2") and sitcom executive Laura Perkins Brittan ("That's So Raven") for Walt Disney Television Animation, will join ABC Kids, the Saturday morning childrens' programming block on the ABC Television Network, in Fall 2005.
The announcement was made today by Rich Ross, President, Disney Channel Worldwide, during ABC Kids Networks presentations to advertisers on a multiplex of kids programming platforms: ABC Kids on broadcast TV (ABC-TV), and ABC Family, Toon Disney and Disney Channel on cable television.
Ross said, "ABC Kids Saturday morning programming already reaches the richest concentration of girls age 2-11 .....
(Steve note: Then why scrap WITCH?)
..... and with the addition of a live-action series with a winning cast, and a stand-out animated comedy and our emerging hit action/adventure Jetix property, all which will have high appeal to both girls and boys, we are confident that the showcase of great kids TV on the ABC Kids line-up will continue to strengthen our position in the marketplace."
ABC Kids reaches 1.7 million Kids age 2-11, exclusive to ABC Kids and reachable on no other broadcast kids platform, and is the #1 place on broadcast TV to reach the richest concentration of the highly coveted demographic, Girls 2-14. For the 2003/04 season, ABC Kids ranked #2 with Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11 and draws 40% of its audience from the 18% of homes throughout the U.S. homes that don't subscribe to cable TV (Source: Nielsen Media Research, NPOWER).
The live-action comedy series "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" and the animated comedy "The Buzz on Maggie" are scheduled to premiere in March and June, respectively, on Disney Channel. The comedic sci-fi anime adventure, "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" is part of the Jetix action/adventure programming block on ABC Family and Toon Disney.
Premiere dates for the ABC Kids' 2005-06 season line-up will be announced at a later date. The ABC Kids Saturday schedule is as follows:
9:00 a.m., ET/8:00 a.m., PT "Disney's Lilo & Stitch" (returning series, animated)
9:30 a.m., ET/8:30 a.m., PT "The Buzz on Maggie" (new series, animated)
10:00 a.m., ET/9:00 a.m., PT "The Proud Family" (animated, returning series)
10:30 a.m., ET/9:30 a.m., PT "That's So Raven" (returning series)
11:00 a.m., ET/10:00 a.m., PT "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (new series)
11:30 a.m., ET/10:30 a.m., PT "Phil of the Future" (returning series)
12:00 noon, ET/11:00 a.m., PT "Power Rangers SPD" (returning series)
12:30 p.m., ET/11:30 a.m., PT "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" (new series, animated)
All series carry a TV-G parental guideline and six of the series have an Educational/Informational (E/I) designation. Descriptions of the series follow:
(I'll just post the new shows)
"Disney's The Buzz on Maggie" (9:30 a.m., ET/8:30 a.m., PT), a new series, introduces kids to spunky Maggie the original 'fly girl' (who in fact is a fly) living in a conventional fly world. Looking for a way to make her mark, she encourages self-expression and individuality with her inspired antics. The voice cast is: Jessica DiCicco ("Bratz") as Maggie, David Kaufman ("Stuart Little") as older brother Aldrin, Thom Adcox ("American Dragon: Jake Long") as younger brother Pupert, Cree Summer ("The Proud Family") as best friend Rayna and Tara Strong ("The Proud Family") as Aldrin's girlfriend Dawn. Dave Polsky ("Scary Movie 2") is the executive producer and Laura Perkins Brittain (Disney Channel's "That's So Raven") is the co-executive producer. The director is executive producer Dave Wasson ("The Ugly Duck-Thing"). "Disney's The Buzz on Maggie" is produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It carries an E/I designation.
"The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (11:00 a.m., ET/10:00 a.m., PT) starring identical twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse ("Big Daddy," "Friends"), Ashley Tisdale and Brenda Song (Disney Channel's "Phil of the Future" and "Stuck in the Suburbs"), is a situation comedy that tracks the antics of twin 12-year-old boys, Zack and Cody, whose single mom Carey (Kim Rhodes) gets a job as headlining singer at an upscale hotel in Boston and as part of her contract, an upper floor suite where they all live now. The hotel comes complete with room service, a swimming pool, game room, candy counter and many new friends for the twins to get to know including Maddie, the candy counter clerk and frequent babysitter, as well as London, the hotel owner's spoiled daughter. To the chagrin of the hotel manager, Mr. Moseby (Phill Lewis), the twins turn the hotel into their playground, and the staff and guests into unwitting participants in the outrageous situations they manage to create. Estelle Harris ("Seinfeld") has a recurring role as irascible housekeeper, Muriel. Danny Kallis ("Smart Guy," "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper") and Jim Geoghan ("Family Matters") created "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." Kallis and Irene Dreayer ("Sister, Sister," "Smart Guy") serve as executive producers. Geoghan and Pam Eells are co-executive producers. The series is a production from It's a Laugh Productions in association with Disney Channel. It premieres on Disney Channel in March. The series carries an E/I designation.
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Discuss. I still can't get over the removal of WITCH with all the chest-pounding about how well ABC Kids does with the girl demographics. Probably comes back to the affiliate pre-emption issue.
ADDED: "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (E/I), "The Buzz on Maggie" (E/I), "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!"
GONE: "Fillmore"/"Even Stevens", "Lizzie McGuire" (finally), "W.I.T.C.H."
Here's the entirety of the ABC Kids release:
------------
THREE SERIES -- "THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK & CODY," "THE BUZZ ON MAGGIE" AND "SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO!" JOIN ABC-TV'S SATURDAY MORNING LINE-UP THIS FALL
BURBANK and NEW YORK, March 1, 2005 . . . Three new series - the ensemble comedy "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" introducing the newest generation of kid and tween superstars and produced by hit makers Danny Kallis ("Smart Guy") and Irene Dreayer ("Sister, Sister," "Smart Guy"); the breakout Jetix action/adventure series "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" from creator/producer Ciro Nieli ("Mucha Lucha," "Teen Titans") and Walt Disney Television Animation and the new animated series "The Buzz on Maggie" from feature film producer Dave Polsky ("Scary Movie 2") and sitcom executive Laura Perkins Brittan ("That's So Raven") for Walt Disney Television Animation, will join ABC Kids, the Saturday morning childrens' programming block on the ABC Television Network, in Fall 2005.
The announcement was made today by Rich Ross, President, Disney Channel Worldwide, during ABC Kids Networks presentations to advertisers on a multiplex of kids programming platforms: ABC Kids on broadcast TV (ABC-TV), and ABC Family, Toon Disney and Disney Channel on cable television.
Ross said, "ABC Kids Saturday morning programming already reaches the richest concentration of girls age 2-11 .....
(Steve note: Then why scrap WITCH?)
..... and with the addition of a live-action series with a winning cast, and a stand-out animated comedy and our emerging hit action/adventure Jetix property, all which will have high appeal to both girls and boys, we are confident that the showcase of great kids TV on the ABC Kids line-up will continue to strengthen our position in the marketplace."
ABC Kids reaches 1.7 million Kids age 2-11, exclusive to ABC Kids and reachable on no other broadcast kids platform, and is the #1 place on broadcast TV to reach the richest concentration of the highly coveted demographic, Girls 2-14. For the 2003/04 season, ABC Kids ranked #2 with Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11 and draws 40% of its audience from the 18% of homes throughout the U.S. homes that don't subscribe to cable TV (Source: Nielsen Media Research, NPOWER).
The live-action comedy series "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" and the animated comedy "The Buzz on Maggie" are scheduled to premiere in March and June, respectively, on Disney Channel. The comedic sci-fi anime adventure, "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" is part of the Jetix action/adventure programming block on ABC Family and Toon Disney.
Premiere dates for the ABC Kids' 2005-06 season line-up will be announced at a later date. The ABC Kids Saturday schedule is as follows:
9:00 a.m., ET/8:00 a.m., PT "Disney's Lilo & Stitch" (returning series, animated)
9:30 a.m., ET/8:30 a.m., PT "The Buzz on Maggie" (new series, animated)
10:00 a.m., ET/9:00 a.m., PT "The Proud Family" (animated, returning series)
10:30 a.m., ET/9:30 a.m., PT "That's So Raven" (returning series)
11:00 a.m., ET/10:00 a.m., PT "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (new series)
11:30 a.m., ET/10:30 a.m., PT "Phil of the Future" (returning series)
12:00 noon, ET/11:00 a.m., PT "Power Rangers SPD" (returning series)
12:30 p.m., ET/11:30 a.m., PT "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!" (new series, animated)
All series carry a TV-G parental guideline and six of the series have an Educational/Informational (E/I) designation. Descriptions of the series follow:
(I'll just post the new shows)
"Disney's The Buzz on Maggie" (9:30 a.m., ET/8:30 a.m., PT), a new series, introduces kids to spunky Maggie the original 'fly girl' (who in fact is a fly) living in a conventional fly world. Looking for a way to make her mark, she encourages self-expression and individuality with her inspired antics. The voice cast is: Jessica DiCicco ("Bratz") as Maggie, David Kaufman ("Stuart Little") as older brother Aldrin, Thom Adcox ("American Dragon: Jake Long") as younger brother Pupert, Cree Summer ("The Proud Family") as best friend Rayna and Tara Strong ("The Proud Family") as Aldrin's girlfriend Dawn. Dave Polsky ("Scary Movie 2") is the executive producer and Laura Perkins Brittain (Disney Channel's "That's So Raven") is the co-executive producer. The director is executive producer Dave Wasson ("The Ugly Duck-Thing"). "Disney's The Buzz on Maggie" is produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It carries an E/I designation.
"The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (11:00 a.m., ET/10:00 a.m., PT) starring identical twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse ("Big Daddy," "Friends"), Ashley Tisdale and Brenda Song (Disney Channel's "Phil of the Future" and "Stuck in the Suburbs"), is a situation comedy that tracks the antics of twin 12-year-old boys, Zack and Cody, whose single mom Carey (Kim Rhodes) gets a job as headlining singer at an upscale hotel in Boston and as part of her contract, an upper floor suite where they all live now. The hotel comes complete with room service, a swimming pool, game room, candy counter and many new friends for the twins to get to know including Maddie, the candy counter clerk and frequent babysitter, as well as London, the hotel owner's spoiled daughter. To the chagrin of the hotel manager, Mr. Moseby (Phill Lewis), the twins turn the hotel into their playground, and the staff and guests into unwitting participants in the outrageous situations they manage to create. Estelle Harris ("Seinfeld") has a recurring role as irascible housekeeper, Muriel. Danny Kallis ("Smart Guy," "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper") and Jim Geoghan ("Family Matters") created "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." Kallis and Irene Dreayer ("Sister, Sister," "Smart Guy") serve as executive producers. Geoghan and Pam Eells are co-executive producers. The series is a production from It's a Laugh Productions in association with Disney Channel. It premieres on Disney Channel in March. The series carries an E/I designation.
------------
Discuss. I still can't get over the removal of WITCH with all the chest-pounding about how well ABC Kids does with the girl demographics. Probably comes back to the affiliate pre-emption issue.
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