Children's Entertainment EXPANDED MERCHANTS & MARKETING SECTION Teen Sensations' Careers Benefit When Kìds' Stations Play Videoslips BY CATHERINE CELLA well. "And since our kid- driven for- incorporated it more on the air." parents of our age demo aren't com- sure on Nickelodeon brought him to In a sense, children have enjoyed mula meant that teens were the fortable with their kids watching the teenage audience and helped him music videos ever since Disney's stars of all our programming, the VIDEO CONTENT IS KEY music TV networks, which may achieve platinum status. It's great Silly Symphonies and Warner's concert series was retooled. Instead What's relevant to kids, however, have inappropriate images or because kids can relate to somebody Looney Times. Only recently, how- of artists like Kenny Loggins in isn't always what's right for them. lyrics," she says. "So we created a who's actually their age, as opposed to ever, have MTV-style videos begun `Going Home,' `In Concert' would Music-video director Nigel Dick - window for kids to tap into what's dealing with more -advanced subject airing on kids' TV. star the likes of LeAnn Rimes and who's worked with such preteen mar- cool but is still responsible. Parents matter before they're ready for it." Pop music can now be found every- Jonny Lang. That time was really ket artists as Britney Spears, Back- rely on the Disney brand." Before radio was ready to play where -from PBS' new image spot of street Boys, and 'N Sync -says he "Aaron's Party," the video was the toddlers hip -hopping with the likes of considers the acts' young audience top Snick video pick four weeks in a Barney and Elmo to the Learning when making the videos. row, kicking off singles sales and the Channel's airing of Joe Scruggs' "What artists want to do and 12- year-old's career. Other acts are videos to the Kids' WB! series "Gen- what is best for their careers are benefiting, too. After Nick's 2000 eration O!," featuring animated music not necessarily the same thing," Kids Choice Awards, all performers videos of Letters To Cleo songs. says Dick. "So, it's my job to take saw a rise in sales, including Mandy Perhaps most significant is music's an artist like Britney and make Moore at 67 %, 98° at 40 %, and Jessi- growing presence on the power- sure what she wants to do is palat- ca Simpson at 37%. house kids' networks Nickelodeon able to the people in her market." No wonder music is increasing on and Disney Channel. For Disney, it It's a balancing act, he says, Nick -beginning with "Kenan & all began four years ago. between artists' instincts and "think- Kel" including concerts and music the beginning of young artists taking ing about how many people are going 'AARON'S PARTY' ON TOP videos and now the " Taina" series - DRIVEN BY KIDS the forefront. It was kismet." to see the video and what conclusions Record companies increasingly rely and Disney, with its four-tier system. "For 14 years, the Disney Chan- Now, music videos are used as they may draw." on Disney and Nick to air their music "Music videos allow us to have a nel was a general entertainment net- interstitials on the commercial -free These conclusions are the concern videos and say that recuts -for safe- daily music presence on the channel, work that was mostly acquisition - network, as they are on Nick- of execs at both Disney and Nick- ty, sex, or violence -are worth the the series' needle drops allow us to driven and had programming for elodeon. Nearly 1 million kids a elodeon. "All videos go through our targeted exposure. Niki Benjamin, in have a weekly presence, the original kids and for adults," notes VP of week vote at Nick.com for their standards and practices and are video promotions at Jive (three Back- movies allow us to have a monthly alternative programming Tina favorite music videos. carefully monitored for content," street Boys DVDs, "Aaron's Party presence, and the concert specials Treadwell. "Then, four years ago, we "Our core demographic is 6- to 12- says Sumpter, noting that Nick- (Come Get It)," and, just out, "Brit - allow us to have a quarterly presence," became kid- driven." year- olds," says Nickelodeon direc- elodeon has premiered videos for ney In Hawaii: Live And More" and explains Treadwell. "So we have music Having a core audience of 9- to tor of talent relations Shelly Baha Men ( "Who Let The Dogs " `N Sync: The Making Of The Tour") by the day, week, month, and quarter," 14- year-olds whose main interests Sumpter. "So we really try to keep Out") and Leslie and Aaron Carter, says the broadcasts "definitely" bring she continues. "Music videos allow us are music, sports, and pop culture things current. We do a lot of re- siblings of Backstreet Boy Nick. more mainstream success. to keep that flow happening." changed everything, she says. "We search with kids on what is relevant Treadwell points out the value of the "They played a very integral role in As to why it is happening, the were the first network to craft music in their lives. As music becomes Disney's screening process in pre- breaking Aaron Carter," says Ben- answer is simple. As Treadwell specials for kids," observes Tread- more relevant to our audience, we've senting music videos to kids. "Most jamin. "His Disney special and expo- declares, "Kids love music."

#29

Billboar+d® JANUARY 20, 2001 Top Kid Audio.. #76 COMPILED FROM A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF RETAIL STORE, MASS MERCHANT, s c/n ® AND INTERNET SALES REPORTS COLLECTED, COMPILED, AND PROVIDED BY 1 1 11111

ARTIST/SERIES TITLE u) x IMPRINT, CATALOG NUMBER/DISTRIBUTING LABEL (SHELF PRICE) I- No. ft.- CD: R2 75730 Various Artists Toddler Favorites Cassette: R4 75730 MUSIC FOR LITTLE PEOPLE /KID RHINO 75262/RHINO(3.98/6.98) Blister Cass: R4 75729

FRIENDS ARTH 6 273 ARTHUR 8 ROUNDER 618097/IDJMG(9.98/12.98)

VARIOUS ARTISTS DISNEY CHILDREN'S F Toddler Favorites 3 11 rILY. Tempi This YNI.Ple IIYOO'r.NaPPY And Yo. Knew ll WALT DISNEY 860605(6.98/9.98) Ti. Mode w The r. Tide Ned Ir. ling-Amami-TM-11m TODDLER TUNES 26 CLASSI Inn lr.n.w IMep Se TM Md 274 Se.eY Ed i.M.ld W II Tarie CD: R2 75503 Ylfi Irk ... M. is MnN Mn wwr Cassette: R4 75503 >Ir r Blister Cass: R4 75502

CD: R2 79842 Cassette: R4 79842 , Many thanks Blister Cass: R4 79841 illkWeøtile ' CD: R2 75262 ` sette: 75262 C, , WWW.mflp.COm Blister Cass: R CD: R2 to all our distributors For e

56 www.billboard.com BILLBOARD FEBRUARY 17, 2001 www.americanradiohistory.com