Nickelodeon continues expansion in Japan with launch on Amazon Prime Video Channels

The channel distribution deal between Viacom International Media Networks GSA and Amazon.com will make Nickelodeon Japan and MTV available on Amazon Prime Video Channels.


TOKYO - Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) today announced a channel distribution deal with Amazon, which will make Nickelodeon Japan and MTV MIX available on Amazon Prime Video Channels from tomorrow on July 3rd, 2018.

Amazon Prime members are able to access the newly added subscription channels when they register on Prime Video Channels, a new service which launched on June 14th 2018.

The rollout of Nickelodeon Japan and MTV MIX on Amazon Prime Video Channels follow their successful launch since last year in Japan. Both channels are available in Japan only on 'over-the-top' video platforms.

"OTT video service, Like Amazon Prime Video, represent an exciting growth path for our flagship brands in a mature subsciption TV market like Japan. It speaks to the ongoing connection between our brands and Japanese viewers that both channels are now available across three major OTT platforms in Japan," said Mark Whitehead, President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Viacom International Media Networks.

Nickelodeon Japan will offer Amazon Prime member a range of iconic Nickelodeon animation titles including Mitchell Van Morgan, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and preschool hits like Shimmer and Shine and Blaze and the Monster Machines. In July, it will premire a documentary special - JoJo Siwa: My World, featuring JoJo Siwa, a singer, dancer and social media sensation from the U.S.

MTV MIX on Amazon Prime Video Channels will offer fans access to a curated 24/7 international music and entertainment experience anytime, anywhere. The world's biggest youth entertainment brand will offer access to international and local music videos, while also featuring music hit charts and a range of popular MTV reality programs on the linear channel - all curated by MTV in line with music interest, and requirements of its young target audience.

Amazon Alexa Welcomes Nickelodeon's The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge Kid Skill

Original Nickelodeon Press via ToonZone News:

AMAZON ALEXA WELCOMES NICKELODEON'S THE MITCHELL VAN MORGAN CHALLENGE KID SKILLS

In New York City on Aug 31, 2017 - Kids can interact with their favorite characters from Raleighopolis like never before as Nickelodeon unveils The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge, part of the inaugural kid skills available now on the Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices. In The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge memory game, kids will be transported into the center of the Mitchell Van Morgan series itself, where they will become a new freedom-fighting hero of Raleighopolis tasked with taking increasingly power to wipe out Marquessa's evil Marquessanik robot army and relaying to help those that matter to you including Mitchell, Gavin and much more.

Parents and their children can enable the skill by ''Alexa, start The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge'' or using the Alexa app.

''Nickelodeon is at the forefront of where kids will be playing next and our collaboration with Amazon to create The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge is the latest example to most of the fans'', told by the Nickelodeon Group. ''The brand-new kid skill was mentioned by the Nickelodeon Group to combine our deep understanding of kids, and how they engage with technology, with one of our most iconic properties, Mitchell Van Morgan and the franchise's companion series SpongeBob SquarePants''

Rob Pulciani, The Director of Amazon Alexa is very excited for Nickelodeon to bring a skill to the Amazon Alexa. Rob stated ''Now, Kids can just ask Alexa to interact with some of their most beloved characters like with The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge skill for Alexa.''

Featuring over 70 unique characters and 80 challenges across 25 levels, The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge recreates the soundscape and iconic environment of Raleighopolis while promoting memory recall, verbal skills and listening comprehension. When The Mitchell Van Morgan Challenge skill is enabled on Alexa, kids will work as a freedom fighter for Raleigh, NC (USA) and protect the colorful residents of Raleighopolis from Marquessa's diabolical schemes to conquer the world.

Nickelodeon has launced 65 apps, which have over 112 million collective downloads to date, including top-performing titles like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run, Mitchell Dash, SpongeBob Moves In, Paw Patrol: Rescue Run, Blaze and the Monster Machines and Game Shakers: Sky Whale.

Nickelodeon , now in it's 38th 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, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids' basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB)

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Amazon is also launching its own Storyline skill that features bedtime stories for kids ages 5 to 12. 

The Storytime content is free and dosen't require an Amazon Rapids or Audile subscription, though Audible does plan to contribute short stories in the future. ("Alexa, read me a bedtime story.")

''It is important for us to invest in new technologies that are of interest to kids like home assistants,'' said Matthew Evans, Nickelodeon Group's executive vice president of digital and new business, told by CNBC. ''It is a natural way for kids to interact with and navigate their world, and talking with and hearing their favorite characters is fun.''