Kids’ WB! Announces 2003-2004 Schedule

[Pavan]

- NETWORK REINFORCES “YEAR-ROUND” PROGRAMMING STRATEGY
- 2003-2004 SEASON INCLUDES ALL-ORIGINAL ANIMATED
COMEDY CRUSADE “XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN” AND HIGH-ADVENTURE
“TEEN TITANS” ON SATURDAY MORNINGS

- All-New Episodes Of Returning Hits “YU-GI-OH!,” ”POKÉMON,” “JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES,” “WHAT’S NEW SCOOBY-DOO?” “OZZY & DRIX,” “¡MUCHA LUCHA!” And “X-MEN: EVOLUTION” Highlight Saturday Slate

- “YU-GI-OH!,” “JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES,” “POKÉMON” And Classic “SCOOBY-DOO” Series On Weekday Line-Up

- Network Continues 52-Week Programming Roll-Out

- Beginning Summer 2003 With Hottest New Animé Hit “MEGAMAN: NT WARRIOR”


NEW YORK, NY (February 25, 2003) — Kids' WB!, the #1 broadcast network for kids and the top-rated service in all television for boys, will add three new animated series to its top-rated Saturday morning and weekday slates, while continuing to reinforce its “year-round” strategy by introducing a schedule that will offer fresh new programming, beginning this Summer and leading into the 2003-2004 television season. The schedule was announced today by John Hardman, Senior Vice President, Kids' WB!, speaking to advertisers and media at the second annual joint Kids’ WB! and Cartoon Network upfront sales presentations in New York.

“Our ambitious year-round strategy keeps us at the top in kids’ television,” said Mr. Hardman. “Spreading our assets over the entire year has proven to be something our audience thrives on and allows us to remain competitive against all cable and broadcast channels.”

In the midst of capturing its 11th straight sweep win this month as the #1 Saturday morning broadcast network, Kids' WB! has maintained its leadership position this season by delivering quality programs to all key demographics. The network has strengthened and solidified its creative position and dominance in the industry with the network’s branded core elements: high-adventure, humor and heart; compelling storylines; and kid-relatable characters.

Season-to-date, Kids' WB! dominates all broadcast and cable competition in Boys 6-11 with the top six programs, Tweens 9-14 with the top five shows (with Jackie Chan Adventures, Ozzy & Drix and Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Fairly Odd Parents” all tied at #4), Male Tweens 9-14 with the top nine program spots and Boys 2-11 (tied with Nickelodeon) with six of the top 10 programs. Kids’ WB! continues to lead as the #1 broadcast network among Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11 – with the top nine programs in these demos, as well as in Girls 2-11 with five of the top 10 shows. Yu-Gi-Oh! ranks as the #1 program among all Saturday morning competition, including cable, in Boys 2-11, Boys 6-11, Tweens 9-14 and Male Tweens 9-14 and ranks as the #1 broadcast program among Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11. Among Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11, Kids' WB! takes the top nine program spots among the broadcast competition in both demos with Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon: Master Quest, Ozzy & Drix, Static Shock, Jackie Chan Adventures, What’s New Scooby-Doo?, X-Men: Evolution and ¡Mucha Lucha!

As the #1 choice for kids, Kids’ WB! continues to captivate its audience and build upon its powerful 14-hour Monday-Saturday slate by staying the course with its roll-out “all-new all-year” 12-month schedule. The aggressive campaign for the current season has brought viewers more fresh and original programming with the mid-season launches of Static Shock in its third – and best season yet, ranking as the #2 Saturday morning program in Boys 6-11, Tweens 9-14 and Male Tweens 9-14; and the second season of The Mummy: Secrets of the Medjai, which premiered on February 15, outperforming its new 9:30 a.m. ET time period in Boys 6-11 and taking the #1 broadcast spot in Kids 2-11, Kids 6-11, Boys 2-11 and Tweens 9-14. These impressive debuts have strengthened Kids’ WB!’s dominance in the 1st Quarter 2003. Still to come is the 3-D CGI robot series Cubix, beginning its second season on March 15.

The network also announced today the popular animé series Yu-Gi-Oh! will include 13 additional original episodes for this 2002-2003 season, as the series continues to air six days a week. The program, based on the Japanese hit comic book series, will continue to bring to life awesome monsters, fantastical settings and ancient Egyptian legends…the duel is on!

Beginning this Summer 2003, the network’s Saturday morning line-up will introduce the hottest new Japanese animé hit MegaMan: NT Warrior (working title). The futuristic-adventure follows the discoveries and exploits of fifth-grader Lan, whose NetNavi – and alter ego – is a blue-suited, virus-fighting, virtual superhero named Mega Man.



The new series to debut in the Summer 2003 schedule is:

MEGAMAN: NT WARRIOR (working title) is set in the year 200X, where virtually all technology is linked to a central computer system. Citizens interface with this network using their personal “NetNavis” (Net Navigators) via their portable terminals (PETs). This futuristic world requires kids and their families to interact with rapidly progressive technology…where hackers and high-tech computer crimes threaten their lives and the entire universe. The responsibility to save the computer-generated world and protect their town falls upon tech-savvy Lan and his NetNavi, Mega Man with his advanced power upgrades – as these net-warriors unite to expose the darkness within their digital universe. Plug in…log on…and power up…for an energizing cyber-adventure. The series is produced by ShoPro Entertainment.


In Fall 2003, Kids’ WB!’s Saturday morning schedule kicks into action with the all-original animated series Xiaolin Showdown, a mystical-adventure that takes viewers on an around-the-world journey with four, young but wise, monks trained in the ancient art of Shaolin Kung Fu. These young heroes protect the world from villainous adversaries in gravity-defying showdowns along the way! The 2003-2004 Saturday schedule also will introduce a new young breed of superheroes led by famed Robin The Boy Wonder in the all-new high-adventure series Teen Titans, in conjunction with Cartoon Network. The new Saturday line-up also will be highlighted by the recently-announced new seasons of returning favorites Yu-Gi-Oh! with 52 new dueling adventures, as well as 52 original episodes of the next evolution of the top-rated Pokémon franchise, along with sophomore breakout series What’s New Scooby-Doo?, Ozzy & Drix and ¡Mucha Lucha!

In addition, Kids’ WB! announced today it has picked up new seasons of Jackie Chan Adventures and X-Men: Evolution for the 2003-2004 season. Jackie Chan and the “animé-style” action-comedy Jackie Chan Adventures, from Sony Pictures Family Entertainment, return for a fourth season as Jackie, his feisty niece Jade, Uncle and Tohru embark on a new quest…to locate nine ancient Japanese Oni masks – which allow the “wearer” to command a unique Shadowkhan tribe…all before their new arch-nemesis Tarakudo, King of the Shadowkhan, carries out his promise to “shroud the Earth in Shadow.” Also back for its fourth season is the high-adventure series X-Men: Evolution with our young superheroes using their “X-treme” powers to protect a world that fears them. While confronting the public’s prejudice and intolerance, our teenage mutants will be put to the “X” test as they try and steer their own destiny while facing an increasing number of villains – including the most powerful mutant of them all. Produced by Marvel Studios in association with Film Roman, the all-original series delves deep into the rich, intriguing mythology of the X-Men world.

Building on its #1 weekday line-up, Kids’ WB!’s Monday-Friday slate will bring more high-adventure and action-comedy with Yu-Gi-Oh!, Jackie Chan Adventures, Pokémon and the classic Scooby-Doo series. Throughout the season, the weekday line-up also may be highlighted by the high-adventure hits X-Men: Evolution and Static Shock, as well as the new animé series MegaMan: NT Warrior (working title).



The new series joining the 2003-2004 schedule include:

XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, is a mystical comedy crusade that follows Omi, a gifted monk-in-training from the Xiaolin Temple. Omi leads his fellow trainees – rich Japanese hacker girl Kimiko, flashy Brazilian circus star Raimundo and Texas Kung Fu cowboy Clay, around the world to find and protect sacred ancient power objects that hold the keys to mystical superpowers. Challenging the young monks in their quest are Evil Boy Genius, Jack Spicer, and his team of ludicrous supervillains – all competing for these objects in extreme Xiaolin Showdowns. The outcome of these showdowns could result in either side becoming the ultimate force for good…or evil! Calling all crouching tigers and hidden dragons...let's go Xiaolin Showdown!

TEEN TITANS features Robin The Boy Wonder and fellow teens Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire and Raven - five superheroes, each with special powers, who unite to form a defensive force to protect the Earth from a new generation of villains - all while coping with the tribulations of adolescence. An eclectic group, their powers complement each other so that when they band together, they become a superb fighting team. Their personalities, on the other hand, often clash. Discovering how to control their powers, these Teen Titans must learn to work and grow as a team despite their “stylistic” differences. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.



KIDS' WB! 2003-2004 SEASON FALL SCHEDULE


SATURDAYS
8:00 a.m. YU-GI-OH!
8:30 a.m. WHAT'S NEW SCOOBY-DOO?
9:00 a.m. JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES
9:30 a.m. OZZY & DRIX
10:00 a.m. YU-GI-OH!
10:30 a.m. XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN * (NEW SERIES)
11:00 a.m. POKÉMON
11:30 a.m. ¡MUCHA LUCHA!

MONDAY-FRIDAY
3:00 p.m. SCOOBY-DOO
3:30 p.m. JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES
4:00 p.m. POKÉMON
4:30 p.m. YU-GI-OH!

(ALL TIMES EASTERN)

[Adamantium]

X-Men: Evolution and The Mummy are the only cartoons I watch on Kids WB!. So I'm glad at least X-Men is returning. I heard The Mummy is doing well too, so maybe it'll get picked up later on.

[ClassicComedyFan2]

Glad to hear that "Pokemon", "What's New, Scooby-Doo" and "Jackie Chan Adventures" will be on both Cartoon Network with classic episodes and Kids WB fo recent and new episodes for the new season.

The new "Mega Man" series could be promising as well. But, sadly, this lineup is nothing like their old one (such as when they also aired Kids WB on WGN). A pity that two Pokemon episodes don't air anymore (on Sat AM), and that Men in Black, Histeria, Batman, Superman and Animaniacs are all gone...

"Pokemon" at 11/10 Central? Ouch, that competes now with my other favorite anime, the immortal "Tokyo Pig", unless ABC Family shuffles their Sat AM sked...Hmm...