Ricky Zoom is racing onto Australian TV screens for the first time

Entertainment One has secured new broadcast deals for its latest CGI animated pre-school series, Ricky Zoom, that will see the already popular property race onto TV screens across Australia for the first time.

The 52×11 min episodes from series one of Ricky Zoom are set to launch on Nickelodeon’s pre-school channel, Nick Jr., in Australia from today (Monday, 20 July, 2020), with new episodes airing weekdays at 10am. From November this year the series will also begin airing on Australia’s Channel 9.

Entertainment One’s Monica Candiani, EVP content sales, family brands, said: “We’re proud to be bringing Ricky Zoom to audiences in Australia by extending our partnership with Nickelodeon and welcoming Channel 9 as our terrestrial partner in the region.

“Ricky Zoom is an action comedy adventure series with real heart and these latest deals are testament to the strong appeal of the show.”

Since it debuted on screens in late 2019, Ricky Zoom has achieved strong ratings in multiple markets. Nick Jr. is already home to the show in both the US and UK, while Australia’s Channel 9 joins a growing list of broadcast partners bringing the show to a global audience.

The show currently airs on CCTV (China), Channel 5 Milkshake! (UK), Clan TV (Spain), Discovery Kids (Latin America), Thai PBS (Thailand), Gulli (France), Karusel (Russia), Minika Cocuk (Turkey), NRK  (Norway), RAI (Italy), Spacetoon (MENA), Super RTL (Germany), SVT (Sweden), Treehouse (Canada) and Youku (China).

Nickelodeon ramps up Rainbow Rangers with increased broadcast of the pre-school hit

Fans of Rainbow Rangers rejoice – Nickelodeon has upped the ante and increased the broadcast of the popular Genius Brands International original pre-school series to 26 airings per week.

Nick Jr. now airs Rainbow Rangers Monday to Friday with four airings per day, and six airings on the weekends.

The animated action-adventure series premiered on Nick Jr. in November 2018 with five airings per week and, according to the firm, has consistently achieved high ratings with its target demo of Girls aged two to five. The additional airings of Rainbow Rangers, which represents a five-fold increase (400+ per cent), are complimented by content available via video on demand platforms and the brand’s robust YouTube channel.

“From the beginning, we knew we had a special and unique new series for pre-schoolers that delivers values-based entertainment for children around the world. Needless to say, leading broadcasters like Nickelodeon don’t make schedule changes of this magnitude without good reason, and we are thrilled that they continue support Rainbow Rangers heading into year two,” said Andy Heyward, chairman and CEO, Genius Brands.

“The series is airing in the US and internationally, and we have several hundred product SKUs planned for rollout at retail in 2020. As I have said many times, we are on track to build a new heavyweight pre-school brand, which we anticipate to peak within the next two years.”

In the international market, Rainbow Rangers season one debuted last summer across Latin America on Nickelodeon LatAm, as well as  in Italy, on Cartoonito. Genius Brands is currently in negotiations with key broadcasters and licensing agents worldwide. 

Rainbow Rangers is a rescue-based series that follows the adventures of seven girls who are Earth’s first responders, protecting people, animals, resources, and the natural beauty of our world.

The series boasts a unique and highly-accomplished team of creators from the animated motion picture and television worlds, including Rob Minkoff (Disney’s The Lion King director), Shane Morris (Disney’s Frozen co-writer), Tim Mansfield, and New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award-nominated writer Elise Allen (Dinosaur Train, Lion Guard, Barbie specials),  who serves as head writer and co-creator.

Multiple Emmy Award-winning director Michael Maliani directs the series, and Genius Brands’ Chairman and CEO and multiple Emmy Award-winning producer, Andy Heyward, serves as executive producer.