Digitaltveurope.com

UK kids portal BinWeevils has signed deals with Cartoon Networks and Nickelodeon to include their content as part of a new integrated social video-on-demand service targeted at kids who sign up to its subscription offer.

Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon will initially supply about 200 hours of programming for the service, including the former’s Ben 10, Chowder, and The Secret Saturdays and Nickelodeon’s I-Carly, Sponge-bob, The Fairly Odd Parents and True Jackson.

BinWeevils, which competes with sites including Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters, allows kids to create their own online avatars and interact with friends. The VOD service will be part of a premium offer, sold at £2.95-£4.95 a month depending on the length of contract, that provides additional features or privileges, such as the ability to create your own newspaper or business, and to visit a zone called Tycoon Island. The addition of video content will enable users to interact while watching their favourite shows.

BinWeevils has signed up former 4oD and Project Kangaroo chief Rod Henwood to its board. “The VOD deals offer great programmes from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and ‚’social VOD’,” Henwood told DTVE Daily. “There is nothing like it in the UK.” Henwood said the content offer would be “grown and refreshed over time” with new partners signed up in the future. He said he expected the VOD offer to deepen kids engagement with the site, to increase stickiness and to grow the number of subscribers to the premium service.

While BinWeevils is available internationally, the VOD content is currently only available in the UK. However Henwood said the company’s management did have aspirations to grow the service internationally in the future.