Nick Jr. Greenlights Second Season of Yo Gabba Gabba! and Orders 20 New Episodes of Critically Acclaimed Live-Action Preschool Music Series

Nick Jr. Greenlights Second Season of Yo Gabba Gabba! and Orders 20 New Episodes of Critically Acclaimed Live-Action Preschool Music Series

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Nick Jr. has announced the pickup of a second season of the critically acclaimed, live-action preschool music series Yo Gabba Gabba!, produced by The Magic Store and W!LDBRAIN. The hit magazine- style series, recently hailed as one of the top 10 new television series for 2007, has been getting preschoolers, parents and music fans alike, movin' and groovin' to the show's infectious music which highlights simple lessons and universal experiences in the lives of preschoolers. The network has ordered 20 new episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba! which premiered on Nick Jr. on Aug. 20, 2007. Production for the second season will commence in spring 2008 in Orange County, Calif.

"Yo Gabba Gabba! is like nothing else on TV, and the show is quickly becoming a pop culture phenomenon," said Brown Johnson, Executive Vice President, Executive Creative Director, Nickelodeon Preschool. "This has been an excellent partnership with The Magic Store and W!LDBRAIN, and we can't wait to introduce our audience to more hip music, funky dance moves, catchy life lessons, and exciting guest stars."

"We are extremely proud to have the chance to work with Nick Jr. on this groundbreaking series," said Charles Rivkin, President and CEO of W!LDBRAIN. "Together with the creative minds at The Magic Store we hope to surprise and delight children of all ages with this unique and original production."

Through an original beat-driven soundtrack and innovative retro style, Yo Gabba Gabba! highlights simple life lessons in the lives of preschoolers, like sharing and healthy eating. The series' unique magazine format features original animation, vibrant walk-around puppets, real kids, diverse music genres, and celebrity and musical guest appearances in every episode. Yo Gabba Gabba! features a recurring role by Hip Hop legend Biz Markie in a "Biz's Beat of the Day" segment teaching preschoolers how to beat-box, and a recurring role by singer, illustrator and composer Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) in a "Mark's Magic Pictures" drawing segment. Additional guest stars include, Elijah Wood, Mya, The Shins, Sugarland, Rahzel, Tony Hawk, Laila Ali, Sean Kingston, Nikki Flores, Hector Jimenez, Smoosh, The Aquabats, The Aggrolites and Cornelius.

Yo Gabba Gabba! stars host DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson) who brings to life four friendly monsters and a robot in a colorful land of music and laughter. The series highlights simple life lessons for preschoolers, through original song in short thematically linked segments, featuring animation, walk-around puppets and real kids. Yo Gabba Gabba! features an eclectic mix of music genres for preschoolers including, Pop, 80s, Electronic, New Wave, British Invasion, Hip Hop and more. Each episode culminates with an original music remix that summarizes the lessons learned. The characters are: Muno the red cyclops, Foofa the pink flower bubble, Brobee the little green one, Toodee the blue cat-dragon and Plex the robot, who are all ready to sing, play and dance along with the viewers as soon as they hear the magic words, "Yo Gabba Gabba!" They physically engage preschoolers with interactive play and encourage them to get up and dance to the music. Yo Gabba Gabba! also features pretend-along games that teach shapes and colors, ask questions and teach new dance steps while keeping preschoolers laughing throughout the episode.

The Magic Store was founded in 2005 by "Gen X" dads Christian Jacobs, Justin Lyon and Scott Schultz. The studio's first project, Yo Gabba Gabba!, was produced independently in two half-hour episodes. After creating an online viral frenzy with the trailer, the show ultimately found a home on Nick Jr. The Magic Store's mission is to produce ground-breaking, fresh, wholesome and fun entertainment properties that parents can enjoy along with their kids.

Founded in 1994, W!LDBRAIN (www.wildbrain.com) is an award-winning entertainment company that develops and produces unique and compelling content across the media spectrum. Powered by its distinctive pool of talented animators and directors renowned for blending traditional animation methods with state-of-the-art computer graphics, the studio and its creative team have consistently won top industry awards. In film, W!LDBRAIN has garnered numerous awards including an Annie for its computer graphics short film Hubert's Brain. In television, the studio has produced an exceptional slate of original work, including the hit series YO GABBA GABBA!, airing weekly on Nick Jr., Nickelodeon's award-winning programming block for preschoolers, and Higglytown Heroes, the top-rated and critically acclaimed animated series airing daily on the Disney Channel. As one of the nation's foremost producers of animated commercials, W!LDBRAIN has won Clios, Addys, BDA Awards and Annies for their commercial work, reinvigorating classic brands and developing cutting-edge spots for leading companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Esurance, Honda, Kraft, Nike and Virgin America. W!LDBRAIN also creates and distributes collectible merchandise through its subsidiary Kidrobot, planet Earth's premier creator and retailer of limited edition toys, clothing, mini- figures, artwork and books.

Nick Jr. is a specially designed programming block airing on Nickelodeon weekdays from 9 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Completely dedicated to preschoolers ages 2-5, Nick Jr.'s Emmy, Peabody and Parents' Choice Award- winning programs are curriculum based, fun and commercial free. At Nick Jr., kids play to learn with innovative, original shows created just for them.

Nickelodeon, in its 28th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for 13 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Sharyn Traub, +1-212-846-6381, Sharyn.traub@nick.com, or
Heather Brown, +1-212-846-6240, Heather.brown@nick.com, both of Nickelodeon;
or Kelly Kimball, W!LDBRAIN, +1-310-701-7773, kkimball@wildbrain.com

Web site: http://www.nick.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment