Kiwis get a taste of their own Nickelodeon

Although Nickelodeon has been in New Zealand homes via a pan-regional Nick Asia feed, Kiwi country is getting its very own channel in August. Nickelodeon New Zealand plans to deliver homegrown content and locally hosted segments alongside signature shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Programming sked details are under wraps for the time being, but viewers can expect the same mix of toons, live-action, preschool and game show fare found on its sister nets. Satellite operator Sky will carry the new MTV Networks Asia Pacific subsidiary, making it available to 43% of the country’s TVs, or roughly 650,000 Kiwi households.

Cartoon Network turns up the voltage on VOD

In an effort to make channel navigation easier, Cartoon Network is re-launching its U.K. Homechoice video-on-demand service. To access the newly minted Cartoon Network Now, customers will be required to kick in an extra US$11 per month to subscribe to the children’s package. VOD content will be updated on a daily basis and include CN archival classics such as The Powerpuff Girls along with a handful of new series including My Gym Partner is a Monkey and Ben 10. The navigability of the channel has been improved with a new green-button menu designed to help kids find their favorite programs without needing mom or dad’s help.

CN Now is currently available on Homechoice channel 310 and will soon be available on British Telecom’s broadband channel, BT Vision.