Cookie Jar TV, jaroo.com, PBS and Disney XD

Children's entertainment producer Cookie Jar Entertainment is introducing a new ad supported premium video content destination for kids.

Jaroo.com launches in pubic beta in the U.S. and Canada this morning with about 500 full-length episodes from more than 50 of its popular shows including Inspector Gadget, The Adventures of Paddington Bear, Johnny Test, Super Mario Bros. and Zelda. Cookie Jar's digital team decided to keep the portal focused on video, so don't look for social networking, games or other interactive features.

But new shows and episodes will be added daily, with the online schedule spelling out the rotation and over 2,000 episodes planned for the site over the next 3 months. Cookie Jar is currently in talks with other kids programmers about licensing additional titles, according to Frederic Soulie, VP/Digital Media.

Sesame Workshop is awarded a grant from MetLife Foundation to promote Healthy Habits for Life with the help of the Sesame Street Muppets in India and Mexico.

The initiative will launch in India via Galli Galli Sim Sim, a multimedia educational initiative that facilitates young kids learning basic and life skills, as well as delivering health messages to kids, parents, and educators, and in Mexico via the expanded Plaza Sesamo Habitos Saludables para la Vida, a multimedia effort that provides age-appropriate, educational health messages to meet the needs of Mexican preschoolers.

The grant will enable the production of special themed episodes, public service announcements (PSAs), online content, storybooks, posters, and community events. The PSAs begin airing in Mexico this month and distribution of the outreach materials is slated for the spring of 2010. In India, PSAs will begin airing this winter, along with the launch of mobile community viewings of Galli Galli Sim Sim content and online health messages and activities.


Disney XD will launch its new short-form sports-themed series Moises Rules! (4x2.5) on Monday, December 7 at 5p. The series features Moises Arias (Hannah Montana) going up against other kids in unique sporting events such as foam tetherball and finger football. The episodes will debut Monday-Thursday, December 7 10. Additionally, new features and exclusive show content will debut Tuesday, November 10 at DisneyXD.com, viewers can send a message to Moises, play sports-themed games and download all-new wallpapers.