Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

This summer, PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! invite children on a virtual road trip with a destination all about being engaged and healthy. Beginning June 2nd , kids can fuel their minds and bodies with health-themed episodes and online activities learning how their favorite character role models in ten different series live healthy and smart. Kicking off the trip with some new tunes, Arthur, WORDGIRL’s Captain Huggyface and others join in an exclusive new music video entitled “Get Up and Go” featuring music by famed rock band, THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS.

And with parents at the wheel, PBSParents.org is supporting their role with more popular health content and resources around their child’s well-being and development. “PBS KIDS is committed to supporting the whole child – cognitive, emotional, social and physical. Helping kids and families embrace a healthy lifestyle is not just a one-time message; it’s a lifelong journey,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “Parents trust PBS KIDS to guide their children as they explore how to live healthy and active lives.”

Throughout the summer, pbskidsgo.org will offer downloadable content, games and printable activities and dances for early elementary school kids through the “Get GOing!” and “Smart Food” links on the Web site. For preschoolers, the interactive story board – Dot’s Story Factory – on pbskids.org will encourage children to express and share how to be healthy. Ten of the stories from Dot’s Story Factory will air on television during the PBS KIDS preschool destination, home to the #1 show CURIOUS GEORGE, and other favorites, CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, SUPER WHY! and DRAGON TALES. On-air, children will embark on a virtual road trip of health-related episodes, visiting characters from ten series to learn how they live healthy.

And since no road trip would be complete without music, THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS — along with Arthur, Ruff Ruffman, the CYBERCHASE gang and others — turn up the volume to “Get Up and Go.” A downloadable extended version of the music video will be available at pbskidsgo.org, accompanied with a printable and customizable dance sequence. The extended version will also play in movie theaters across the country as part of a partnership with Kidtoons, an organization that arranges weekend G-rated movie screenings for kids and their parents.

To support parents who seek information and resources to help steer their children towards success and well-being, PBS Parents (pbsparents.org) is launching a new section focused on children’s health titled, “Keeping Kids Healthy and Fit.” Topics and discussions will range from winning over picky eaters and choosing healthy snacks to book suggestions and fitness games. For nearly 40 years, PBS’ children’s service has supported the well-being of the whole child – cognitive, emotional, social and physical.

In response to the dramatic predictions around children’s health and longevity tied to obesity, PBS KIDS launched a children’s health initiative to strengthen existing health-related content and resources in December 2007. PBS convened a group of health advisors including public television and Web producers; PBS member stations; community and education partners; experts in children’s media, development, health and nutrition; and others, to provide strategic counsel and build upon PBS KIDS’ legacy and assets.

The summer road trip, leveraging PBS KIDS’ library and characters that reinforce the importance of good nutrition and physical activity, is an example of the many assets. A project that would support a cohesive grassroots campaign to build sustainable healthy communities is in development. PBS KIDS first kicked off a content line-up dedicated to inspiring children to live healthy lives with PBS KIDS and Sesame Workshop’s Happy Healthy Summer in 2005, and continues to model healthy behaviors throughout the series year-round.

Back by popular demand – the Cannes Cam returns to IFC.com, starting today. Enjoy live 24/7 webcam view of the red carpet at the Grand Palais, the hottest location at the Cannes Film Festival. Have lunch at your desk – watch and listen to the sights and sounds of the Croisette to your heart’s content. Every day at midday Eastern time (evening in Cannes), IFC News host Matt Singer will be joined by special guest commentators during all the red carpet premieres. IFC.com will also have expanded coverage of the event with articles, photos, additional video and recorded video of the previous red carpet events caught on the Cam.
Watch it live now at ifc.com/cannes

Here’s the complete competitive lineup for the May 14-25 fest:

IN COMPETITION

24 City, China, Jia Zhangke
Adoration, Canada, Atom Egoyan
Changeling, U.S., Clint Eastwood
Che (The Argentine, Guerrilla), Spain, Steven Soderbergh
Un Conte de noel, France, Arnaud Desplechin
Daydreams, Turkey, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Delta, Germany-Hungary, Kornel Mundruczo
Il Divo, Paolo Sorrentino, Italy
Gomorra, Italy, Matteo Garrone
La Frontiere de l’aube, France, Philippe Garrel
Leonera, Argentina-South Korea, Pablo Trapero
Linha de Passe, Brazil, Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
La Mujer sin cabeza, Argentina, Lucrecia Martel
My Magic, Singapore, Eric Khoo
The Palermo Shooting, Germany, Wim Wenders
Serbis, Philippines, Brillante Mendoza
The Silence of Lorna, U.K.-France, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Synecdoche, New York, U.S., Charlie Kaufman
Waltz ith Bashir, Israel, Ari Folman

June 5 – 7 New York City Free and open to the public, this conference provides an open forum for exploring media, education, and youth within an international context. It includes screenings of youth-produced media, as well as panels on media literacy education initiatives from the Arab and Gulf region, Asia, and Europe.

Earth Day 2008 was an overwhelming success and helped move the needle substantially on the climate change issue. A diverse coalition helped raise the bar for climate action and Earth Day Network’s Call for Climate rallied millions across the country and across the globe. Tens of thousands called their government to ask for tough and fair action on climate change, and took action in their own lives to reduce their carbon footprint. Now more than ever, Earth Day has put the climate change issue at the forefront of public policy and has set the stage for global political action.

In the U.S. the momentum from Call for Climate will be carried into the next year as Congress considers proposals to reduce greenhouse gases, which we will be working to strengthen. Already, the Presidential candidates are discussing this important issue.

In the U.S., some 320,000 people turned out for the eight Earth Day events in major cities plus club events over the weekend of April 19 and 20, co-produced by Green Apple Festival and sponsored by Chase. In Washington DC, 50,000 came out to hear inspirational speakers such as Chevy Chase, Edward Norton, Thomas Friedman, and James Hansen of NASA deliver a strong global warming message and call for tough and fair climate action by Congress. Top-tier talent such as O.A.R., Umphrey’s McGee, Warren Haynes, Mambo Sauce and Blake Lewis of American Idol entertained enthusiastic crowds, and the event was covered live by CNN and The Weather Channel.

Tens of thousands also turned out in New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco to hear global warming speakers and artists like Joan Baez, Los Lonely Boys, the Neville Brothers and Ricky Scaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network and other staff urged crowds to call the switchboard number of Congress on Earth Day as part of the Call for Climate.

In an effort to bring together environmental awareness and public art, ten globes from the Cool Globes exhibit were on display at the National Mall. The globes will be in Washington, DC throughout the summer and then auctioned-off to benefit Earth Day Network’s Green Schools program.

A highlights video program will be coming to Earth Day TV in the next few weeks! Earth Day Network’s campus program had a record 1,100 campuses rally behind Earth Day this year, and tens of thousands of students joined the Call for Climate and signed Sky Petition, which calls for a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, renewable energy, efficient buildings and protection for the poor and middle class in the new green economy. At Earth Day events across the country hundreds of students signed up to vote in the upcoming elections, creating a new green youth voting force. Earth Day Network exceeded its goal for the campus Presidents’ climate challenge with 539 campuses signing the pledge for carbon neutrality and investment in the new energy future.

EDN also ran a media campaign urging editorial cartoonists to use global warming themes for Earth Day. During Earth Week, editorial cartoonists around the US published environment-themed cartoons to raise awareness about the lack of action on global warming. Earth Day Network’s thousands of partner organizations around the world also rallied millions to demand a cleaner, healthier environment in their communities and to spur action on global warming. From Barcelona, where 100,000 people attended the Earth Fair, to Pakistan, where a school commemorated Earth Day with educational activities for their students, Earth Day 2008 succeeded in bringing together people from all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities with a strong message of action for our planet.

Also during Earth Week, Earth Day Network’s staff was hard at work on school greening projects in Denver, Chicago and New York, co-produced by Green Apple Festival and sponsored by Chase. At Denver’s Ellis Elementary, volunteers created an outdoor classroom with a garden of native species, monitored water and air quality, and addressed energy efficiency and waste in the cafeteria. Earth Day Network installed an 8-panel solar energy system that will save the school $48,000 over the next 30 years. In Chicago, students at Percy Julian High School held an “Earth Fair” with displays including solar panels that the school will be installing, organic fruits and part of a green roof that Earth Day Network hopes to place on the school building. In New York, students at Merrick Academy were greeted by a new “living wall” made of plants that filter air and water, and students helped paint an eco-mural using “green” paint. Some 3,000 students and faculty were exposed to key environmental issues through these events. Green schools will help improve students’ well-being and academic performance, while reducing the impact on the environment.

Earth Day Network reached out to the religious community this Earth Day by bringing attention to our environmental message. The opening of our Earth Day 2008 event in Washington, DC featured a religious convocation with leaders from the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths. In light of the opportunity provided by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States this year, Earth Day Network reached out to Roman Catholic parishes across the country, inviting them to participate in Earth Day Sunday, April 20, 2008.

Earth Day Network reached out to thousands of parishes, and the response was overwhelming. Many churches pledged to join Earth Day Sunday ceelebrations by including climate change and equitable sustainability in their homilies, post information in their weekly bulletins, and/or offer intentions for the environment during Mass; others filled us in on their year-round parish green programs. Many parishes enacted environmental measures, such as the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tempe, AZ, which posted information in their weekly bulletin for Earth Day Sunday and limited their electricity usage in the church.

For more information, visit http://www.earthday.net/

Bob the Builder™ and his Can-Do Crew welcome friends Meg MacDonald, a Scottish dairy farmer, her assistant Piper and their hilarious dairy truck Dodger to Sunflower Valley in five delightful new adventures in Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks, delivering onto DVD May 13. Includes the following episodes:

Dodger the Milk Truck – Bob and the team are under the clock to finish Meg’s new house so they can give her milk truck, Dodger, a proper reception before he arrives. Problem is, she’s mixed up the days and Dodger shows up not only to no greeting party but no townsfolk anywhere! Sadly, he carries out his duty of delivering the milk. When everyone realizes what’s happened, they work together to greet Dodger and welcome him enthusiastically to the team.

The Three Musketrucks – A big new shipment is arriving at the docks. Inspired by the famous motto “All for one, and one for all,” Scrambler, Packer and Dodger become the Three Musketrucks and vow to deliver the goods. Despite a mix-up caused by a hasty decision and a brief ride trapped aboard a ferryboat, the trio proudly and successfully completes its mission.

Dodger’s Dairy Disaster – Bob and the team are building Sunflower Valley’s new creamery so Meg and Piper can make a variety of cheeses using local flavors. Dodger, sent to pick up the ingredients, is feeling pressure to be liked as much as fan-favorite Packer. He decides to use his funny horn sounds to make people laugh during his deliveries, but in his haste to win them over he accidentally mixes everything together. All’s well though when Meg uses the new blend to make a delicious tasting cheese everyone loves.

Scrambler the Goat Herder – Everyone is off to Snowcap Mountain to turn an old barn into a new weaving studio for Meg. Bob asks Scrambler to play herder and lead Giddy the goat down from the peak to the shearing station so Meg can use his wool in her loom. It’s no easy task but eventually Scrambler figures out exactly how to get his goat!

Packer’s Big Delivery – Sunflower Valley is getting its first General Store! While Bob and the crew get to building it, store owner Barbara sends Packer and Scrambler out to retrieve the wares, including seaweed, sunflower oil and pineapples. When Meg calls down from Flowery Ridge asking for her goat’s milk to be picked up, Packer insists he can make it up to her despite the treacherously paved mountain road. It’s not long before Packer gets stuck and it’s Bob and Scrambler to the rescue!

Every episode of Bob the Builder finishes with a job well done and a lesson learned about the value of positive attitude, problem solving and teamwork. Bob the Builder and his machine team always demonstrate that The Fun Is In Getting It Done.

PBS Kids Sprout celebrates Mom with two special live programming blocks, hosted by Nina from The Good Night Show, on both Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11, 12 noon-3p. On Saturday the block will feature mom-themed episodes of Berenstain Bears, Angelina Ballerina and Pingu, as well as showing viewer-submitted Mother’s Day cards, craft ideas and so on. Sunday will showcase preschoolers calls talking about their moms. Throughout the weekend Sprout will air live-action video in which real moms talk about being moms.

KIDS FIRST! sponsor, Qubo has created a set of nutritional guidelines designed to “dictate advertising decisions” (on-air and online) for the qubo channel and its like named programming blocks on NBC, Ion Television and Telemundo. This effort builds off of Ion Media Network’s advertising and media initiative to fight childhood obesity unveiled last summer for both qubo and Ion Life. Developed with an expert in childhood obesity, qubo will now only accept ads from those company’s that meet the acceptable nutritional intake criteria set out in its new guidelines, which includes limits for meals and snacks broken down by calories, grams of fat, as well as saturated and trans fat, sugar, protein, fiber and sodium. Last week qubo introduced a new series of kid-aimed healthy eating and exercise Public Service Announcements with partners US Dept. of Health & Human Resources, the Ad Council and the US Olympic Committee.

The beloved Eloise books will come to live in a new live-action feature film, Eloise in Paris from HandMade Films, directed by Charles Shyer with Australia actress, Jordana Beatty (9) in the lead role. The cast includes Uma Thurman, who plays the Nanny. Filming is set to begin August 12 in Paris, NY and the south of France. The movie is based on the Eloise books by author Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.

National Geographic Kids Entertainment and Kidtoons will launch National Geographic Kids’ Big Screen Safari nationwide in theaters this June in 100+ theaters.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will announce the award-winners for the 35th Daytime Emmy awards in the kid categories on June 20 at 8p. Kid category nominees include:

Design Squad (PBS)
Greatest Inventions with Bill Nye (Discovery Channel)
Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild (Syndicated)
Postcards from Buster (PBS) Children’s Animated Series
Arthur (PBS)
Charlie and Lola Disney Channel)
Curious George (PBS)
Little Einsteins (Disney Channel)
Peep and the Big Wide World (Discovery Kids) Preschool Series
Between the Lions (PBS)
Blue’s Room (Nick Jr.)
Jack’s Big Music Show (Noggin)
Sesame Street (PBS)
Super Why! (PBS) Writing in a Children’s Series
Between the Lions (PBS)
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman (PBS)
Sesame Street (PBS) Writing in Animation
Arthur (PBS)
Curious George (PBS)
Jakers! the Adventures Of Piggley Winks (PBS)
Peep And the Big Wide World (Discovery Kids)
Wordgirl (PBS)