MUMBAI: The Annoying Orange, which has grown in popularity online, is breaking out of the virtual kitchen as Cartoon Network has acquired the television rights to the most-watched web series of all-time.

Inspired by the viral sensation watched by millions on YouTube, a new half-hour television series will premiere next year as part of Cartoon Network?s original programming block.

Created by Dane Boedigheimer and produced by entertainment management and production company The Collective, ?The Annoying Orange? features an Orange that playfully heckles other fruits, vegetables or nearby objects with puns and jokes. The television series is the latest brand extension for ?The Annoying Orange?, which has already taken the internet by storm.

The Annoying Orange web series has racked up over 850 million total views on its dedicated channel on YouTube as of September 2011, and with new episodes debuting every Friday, it continues to attract millions of views and new fans each week. The Annoying Orange is the ninth-most-subscribed YouTube channel of all time with more than two million subscribers and has over 10 million fans on Facebook and Twitter. The popularity has also translated over to the official web site, which generates nearly four million page views each month.

Now YouTube?s favorite fruit is embarking on an all-new high fructose animated adventure on Cartoon Network. The television series follows Orange and his band of buddies as they travel through time in a magical fruit cart. From Prehistoric Era to Colonial Times, Orange and the rest of the Kitchen Crew are dropped into random adventures and forced to squeeze their way out. Joining Orange on his escapades are his fellow popular produce pals from the web series including Pear, Passion Fruit, Apple, Marshmallow and his nemesis Grapefruit.

The continued success of ?The Annoying Orange? on the internet will present a promotional platform for the television series. Cartoon Network will work with The Collective to mobilise and motivate the property?s tremendous fan base through You Tube and AnnoyingOrange.com via the short-form original content that will continue to be produced separate from the television program - and can be used to drive tune-in messaging in an innovative manner.

Cartoon Network chief content officer Rob Sorcher said, "The Annoying Orange and Cartoon Network were just meant to be squeezed together."

The television series was developed and will be produced by The Collective, which also financed the pilot before shopping it to broadcasters. Dane Boedigheimer co-created the television series with Tom Sheppard (Emmy Award-winning writer for Pinky and the Brain). Conrad Vernon (director of Madagascar 3 andMonsters vs. Aliens) will serve as executive producer for the series along with Gary Binkow and Dan Weinstein of The Collective.

Boedigheimer said, "Two years ago when I launched The Annoying Orange, I never imagined that my unhealthy obsession with talking fruit would become such a phenomenon. I?m really excited to bring a new version to Cartoon Network."

The Collective CEO Michael Green said, "We want to continue to ensure that The Annoying Orange?s huge and loyal audience can enjoy the fruits of Dane?s creative vision whenever and wherever they want. Our model at The Collective is to partner with creative artists to build global brands across all possible platforms and we could not be more excited to join forces with the Cartoon Network to extend the magic of this property to cable television."

The television deal comes as the first wave of The Annoying Orange licensed merchandise is being met with strong demand at retail. Leading the way is an ap?peal?ing line of apparel and accessories that began to roll out in October at JC Penney locations nationwide. The highly-anticipated debut toy line from master toy partner The Bridge Direct, Inc. which features a collection of talking plush, clip-ons and collectible figures will hit specialty retailers including Toys "R" Us and RadioShack in time for the holiday gift giving season. Meanwhile, The Annoying Orange: Kitchen Carnage app is now available for iPhone and Android.

MUMBAI: More than two decades after launching with pan-regional CNN and Cartoon Network services and having grown its business to 23 channels and 29 websites in nine languages, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific (TBSAP) has decided to realign its structure to reflect its considerable business outside Hong Kong.

In order to pursue the network?s ambitious new goals in an
increasingly dynamic and fragmented Asia-Pacific region, TBSAP is to re-balance its resources to make use of the opportunities in North Asia, South Asia and South east Asia/Pacific which will come under a new management structure.

Commented BSAP President and MD Steve Marcopoto, ?The driving principle behind our new set-up is to provide ownership and accountability to each Asia- Pacific sub-region in pursuit of growth. To better align us to meet the challenges and opportunities of these distinct markets in the years ahead, business will be run out of each sub-region with Hong Kong oversight and support.?

Those of whose roles in TBSAP?s executive team have been realigned are:

Sunny Saha, who will assume the post of SVP and MD of Entertainment Networks, TBSAP. He will take on the additional responsibilities on strategic planning across the company, even while continuing to oversee the functions in Hong Kong that support TBSAP?s new sub-regional operations. He will also directly manage the company?s entertainment networks in Southeast Asia/Pacific, with the support of Robi Stanton who will assume the role of GM, Networks Australia and New Zealand. Saha will remain as TBSAP?s lead executive for all activities on global properties such as Cartoon Network.

Anshuman Misra, who has been upgraded to the post of SVP and MD of Networks and Content Distribution (NCD) Asia-Pacific, will take on full responsibility for Turner?s content sales business across the region. He will also assume responsibility for syndication sales.

The North Asia region would be managed by Yew Ming Lau who will assume the new role of SVP & MD, North Asia.

Siddharth Jain will assume management of South Asia as SVP and MD while Monica Tata, who has been made VP and GM Networks, will now manage all of Turner?s India networks with the assistance of dedicated business heads reporting to her.

In light of the increasing priority of CNN International News Source, Ringo Chan will lay focus on this pursuit as SVP, CNN Broadcast Sales & Affiliate Relations besides maintaining his responsibilities for NCD in Greater China as well as the important liaison work he conducts for TBSAP with the PRC.

While Jeremy Carr will assume additional responsibility for growing TBSAP?s digital entertainment properties as VP Entertainment, Digital & Adsales, Phil Nelson will assume full regional responsibility for Business Development as VP of Business Development, Asia Pacific.

These new operating arrangements will take effect immediately.

MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System chairman, CEO Phil Kent will be the opening morning keynote speaker at Natpe |Content First, the US based marketplace for buyers and sellers.

The announcement was made by Natpe president, CEO Rick Feldman. Natpe will take place at Miami Beach from 23 - 25 January 2011 at the Fontainebleau Resort, bringing together industry professionals from around the world to conduct business, identify new opportunities and discuss new models for the future.

Feldman said, "Phil has a broad portfolio. Because of all the content that Turner creates and distributes here and around the world, Phil is in a unique position from which to view the present and the future. He can speak to the creative and business challenges and can also speak to the vast global, multiplatform opportunities which are dramatically changing our business."

Kent oversees a portfolio of domestic and international news, entertainment and animation, young adult and kids networks and businesses including CNN/US, CNN International, CNN.com and HLN; TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies and truTV; Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim; and Turner Sports.