• Social gamer network Playfire nabs US$2.1 million in Series A funding (TechCrunch)
• Walt Disney Studios prez Mark Zoradi departs (Hollywood Reporter)
• A Q&A with Up director Pete Docter and his next project (New York Magazine)
• Will Up rock the stayed Academy for a best picture nom? (ABC News/THR)
• Hasbro shares upgraded on strong 2011 product cycle (Washington Examiner/AP)
• Nickelodeon ends licensing deal to develop Six Flags site in New Orleans (WXVT/AP)
• How Sesame Street taught kids to watch TV. Happy 40th! (Time/Tuned In)
• Are Go Go Pets the latest ‘it’ toy for the holiday season? (The Guardian)
• A look at Kung Fu Panda World, DreamWorks’ new virtual world (USA Today)
• Disney’s A Christmas Carol tops the box office on its opening weekend (Bloomberg)
• An opinion on why teen sex belongs in YA literature (BoingBoing)
• Cake Wrecks rings in Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary with some kick-ass baked goods (Cake Wrecks)
• A first look at DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon (USA Today)
• On why Britain fell out of love with Sesame Street (BBC News Magazine)
• Imax sees improved profit in third quarter (Hollywood Reporter)
• Nintendo prez on why the company hasn’t lost its edge to rival tech (Gamasutra)
• J.J. Abrams in talks with Hasbro to direct Micronauts movie (MTV.com)
• Nielsen’s got a pocket guide to social media and kids (Nielsen)
• Re-imagining Mickey: Disney’s makeover plans for its iconic mouse (New York Times)
• A US$30 iPhone app that translates babies’ howls? (Wired/Gadget Lab)
• On finding high-fashion clothes for kids (The Guardian)
• US retail same-store sales see improvement (Retail Forward)
• Licenses could make or break THQ, as company reports losses in Q3 (Gamasutra)
• Kids’ menus at restaurants need to do some growing up (Boston Globe)
• Are retailers out of touch with shoppers’ changing habits? (MSNBC)
• Family-friendly shows could be better environment for ads (AdAge)
• Time Warner’s Q3 better than expected (Bloomberg)
• Family Dollar experiences growth with new stores and shoppers (Reuters)
• Social games are an industry driver: Playfish (Reuters)
• Would you pay US$30 a month to watch TV on iTunes? (All Things Digital/MediaMemo)
• Pizza Hut’s iPhone app generated US$1 million in sales (Mashable)
• The Wizard of Oz returns to the big screen for the 70th anniversary (California Chronicle)
• Here’s how Facebook’s changes can affect marketers, developers and everyone else who uses it (AdAge)
• A memo to Disney’s Rich Ross on the challenges of his new role as studio chairman (Variety)
• On why an iPhone could be good for your three-year-old (Boston Globe via GeekDad)
• Check out School Library Journal’s list of 10 top kidlit blogs (SLJ)
• Looks like New Moon is taking over MySpace, too (Mashable)
• A look at the first official Prince of Persia trailer from Disney (Kotaku)
• Summit Entertainment explores growth opps and raises film output post Twilight (L.A. Times)
• How online video marketing can help your brand (AdAge)
• Nintendo prez on stalling Wii sales (CNet News)
• Is the iPhone the next big e-book reader? (Mashable)
• UK retail perks up with growing popularity of Halloween (BBC News)
• Sony posts continued losses in third quarter (CNet News)
• Check out this backyard railroad recreation of Disneyland (BoingBoing)
• The Twi-hards have spoken: Twilight gets a theater re-release leading up to New Moon (MTV.com)
• TV Guide celebrates SpongeBob (MediaPost)
• Outdoor toys predicted to be big this Christmas down under (News.com.au)
• Nickelodeon teams up with PlaySpan to power virtual worlds currency (TechCrunch)
• GeekDad’s top 10 list of Halloween movies for kids (Wired/GeekDad)
• Disney’s plans to build major new production facility in California (L.A. Times)
• How Sunday has been beating Thursday as TV’s most expensive night (AdAge)
• WWE, with a new PG rating and Mattel on board, is making a bigger play for kids (Reuters)
• Checking out the cool new Sesame Street 40th anniversary commemorative book (USA Today)
• Nintendo slashes forecast, intros new version of DSi handheld (VentureBeat)
• DreamWorks animation Q3 profits drop 48%, no Monsters sequel (L.A. Times)
• UK says it’s planning to warn/throttle/kick illegal downloaders (paidcontent.org)
• The age of the ‘amafessional’? Online amateurs rivaling professional creators (Wall Street Journal)
• Why new-school branded entertainment should look to old-timey soap operas for guidance (Fast Company)
• To marketers: Ditch the glitz, simple sells better (USA Today)
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