Syfy Expands Push into Kids’ Space

NEW YORK: Syfy has signed two new partnership deals as part of its expansion into the kids’ arena with the unveiling of its Syfy Kids banner.

Syfy Kids will deliver content across multiple platforms that allows the young consumers to engage their imaginations in fantastical worlds, stories and characters in the realms of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, paranormal and adventure.

Syfy and Worldwide Biggies have entered into a partnership to launch a multiplatform property, Dr. What. Targeting 2- to 17-year-olds, S Worldwide Biggies is headed by Albie Hecht, the force behind a range of successful children’s franchises such as SpongBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Jimmy Neutron and Blues Clues. Dr. What revolves around the thrill-seeking J. Howard What, creator of digital life. Dr. What tends to invent first and ask questions later. Worldwide Biggies and Syfy will introduce viewers to the world of Dr. What through six animated shorts, premiering on the network and Syfy.com. Viewers will be able to extend their experience online by playing out their own customized Dr. What epic adventure through Worldwide Biggies’ proprietary GameToon technology, an interactive animated story-driven game series. The best viewer creations will then be featured in a television special to be aired on Syfy.

A new alliance with interactive entertainment developer and publisher THQ will see the companies creating new projects together, as well as developing existing video-game franchises into fully integrated multiplatform properties. The first project to come from the new partnership will be the de Blob franchise. de Blob, which follows the lovable yet edgy title character who must save the world from an oppressive monochrome future, will be developed by Syfy into webisodes, TV and consumer products. THQ plans to publish new games based on de Blob across multiple gaming platforms as well.

Dave Howe, the president of Syfy, said, "The kids business is an important growth area for Syfy, enabling us to tap into a whole new generation of young consumers who are born with built-in digital DNA and highly active imaginations that seek out the best in innovative, interactive story-telling experiences. Under the new Syfy Kids banner, we’re committed to delivering the very latest in cutting-edge, immersive kid’s entertainment that’s designed and built from the get-go to live and breathe across multiple media and platforms."