MUMBAI: Hungama TV has sprung into action this month will the launch of three shows and one filler segment to kick off the new pre-school block - Toon, Toon, Toon. The now Disney-owned channel brings back-to-back episodes from Monday to Friday from 9 - 10 am for these little viewers.
Pororo the Little Penguin
Pororo the Little Penguin and Fifi & the Flower Tots will return to the channel for its second leg, while also having acquired Lunar Jim from Canadian based Alliance Atlantis.
On bringing back pre-school targeted programming which was earlier taken off air in August 2006, the largely boy centric channel has decided to revisit this segment with an experimental two month period than would span upto May.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Hungama TV VP programming and production Aparna Bhosle said that research previously undertaken by the channel indicated that kids in the 10 -14 year olds were flocking to Hungama TV because they wanted comedy which shows like Ha Ha Hungama provide.
Lunar Jim
At a time when the older kid's (10 -14 year olds) will be tied up with their exams, it looks to be a good opportunity to shift focus and attempt to draw in the pre-schoolers. "If this takes off well we will utlize our existing library of about 17-20 acquired pre-school shows to build up this block."
I am an animal
Toon, Toon, Toon will be interspersed with two minute short stories of I am an animal, which is an animated narration that will feature several animals teaching kid's about themselves with an introduction of themselves and talking about who they are and what they do.
When queried as to reason behind inserting educational fillers in between programming, Bhosle explains that during the two minute promo time she would prefer to include these fun filled and entertaining lessons on the animal kingdom, rather than flood that space with advertisements as smaller children tend to lose attention.
Kicking off the block at 9 am is the inquisitive impish little penguin Pororo and his friends from the village including a good-natured polar bear Poby, smug nosy red fox Eddy, shy and timid little beaver Loopy. All of his friends have distinct personalities and different interests which sometimes cause little (and sometimes not so little) happenings in their calm 'white' world. But they are all good friends and know how to help each other in times of trouble.
Fifi & the flower tots
This is followed by Fifi who lives in a Forget-Me-Not cottage. She has an unbelievable lust for life and a real nose for adventure, she's a bundle of energy and creativity, always positive and enthusiastic and a cheerful soul. Her perpetual smile is like a ray of sunshine, which cheers up everyone around her.
Lunar Jim and his friends - an intrepid group of astronauts who live in a tiny village on the moon and aptly called Moona Luna, Jim's out-of-this-world adventures as he explores the moon in his collection of cool space vehicles will be aired at 10 am.
