• Twilight merch continues defying recession trend (Wall Street Journal)
• Disney’s film strategy needs a creative boost (Bloomberg)
• Zazzle expands into Canada and Australia (TechCrunch)
• Fox is on the hunt for the next Simpsons and Family Guy through Aniboom (TechCrunch)
• Are online video ads actually driving offline purchases? (Mashable)
• Walmart gets in on the used game business with kiosks (1UP.com)
• Are The Simpsons at their licensing prime? (USA Today)
• Now could be the right time for brand-building (AdAge)
• Why retailing will never be the same again (Forbes)
• April sales declines aren’t so bad, but the hard times aren’t over yet (L.A. Times)
• What draws people to SpongeBob SquarePants? (The Atlantic)
• Upscale shoppers flocking to dollar stores (BrandWeek)
• Disney/Pixar’s Up reviewed at Cannes (Variety)
• E3 is just what the vidgame industry needs, says analyst (GameSpot)
• Sony posts US$1 billion annual loss (CNet News)
• How online gamecos are making money from kids (Washington Post/paidContent.org)
• Stephenie Meyer nabs Children’s Choice Book Award’s Author of the Year (The Examiner)
• ABC Australia gets biggest funding boost since 1983 to help launch new kids net (ABC News)
• Pixar’s response to Up opening the Cannes Film Festival (Associated Press)
• US retail sales take a hit in April (MarketWatch)
• Streamback to sell KB Toys’ assets (Boston Globe)
• DVDs top home entertainment choice, says NPD (Video Business)
• Majesco’s Cooking Mama franchise serves up four million in domestic game sales (Gamasutra)
• Nickelodeon picks up The Troop (Hollywood Reporter)
• Big retailers expanding in spite of economic downturn (Post and Courier)
• The effect of releasing free e-books on sales numbers (BoingBoing)
• Check out the trailer for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog (Entertainment Weekly)
• GameStop promo includes movie ticket giveaways with purchase of movie-based game title (Kotaku)
• Turning Postman Pat’s delivery van into the world’s smallest car (BBC)
• How scientifically accurate is the new Star Trek movie? (Gizmodo)
• CEO at THQ says kids video games make a lot of financial sense
• Activision hits high notes with quarterly profits, bucks economic downturn (Wall Street Journal)
• Capcom also kicks ass with highest sales in last three consecutive fiscal years (Gamasutra)
• Notes from the World Retail Congress (Reuters)
• Borders doesn’t expect a quick recovery in consumer confidence, but hope is on the horizon (Reuters)
• PBS starts pursuing shorter-term sponsorships, especially around PBS Kids (New York Times)
• Kidlit master Mo Willems makes the case for adults to embrace their inner Rembrandt (NPR)
• Nintendo projects higher profit (Bloomberg)
• EA hopes for some Harry Potter magic to boost profit with new video game (Wall Street Journal)
• Before the Wii, Nintendo had a hands-free controller in the ’80s (Kotaku)
• Exposure to grownup TV leads to early onset of sexual activity in kids? (Reuters)
• Wouldn’t you like to carry your trainset in a briefcase? (TheAwesomer via BoingBoing)
• Ever heard The Simpsons theme done in a capella? (Neatorama)
• Trade book segments are in for a rough year as kidlit sales stay soft (Publishers Weekly)
• A review of the latest Wallace & Gromit video game (Wired/GeekDad)
• A look at 51 years of Grammy-winning children’s entertainment acts (Examiner)
• Twilight scores seven nominations at MTV Movie Awards (MTV)
• How Harry Potter filming improves local tourism (Wales Online)
• If Muppets appeared on a Janis Joplin album cover… (BoingBoing)
• On Star Wars Day, couple gets married in full costume on May the Fourth Be With You (Neatorama)
Newsletter
