Well, yes, the company was slow (but apparently legal) with respect to updating their accounting techniques,and yes they fired their CEO apparently because of it. And yes this made the price drop like a rock. But their was fabulous US news today--this game is not over yet...just beginning:
Let's Get Ugly!Scholastic Launches A Publishing Program of Cosmic Proportions Featuring The Hit Animated TV Series, Butt-Ugly Martians
NEW YORK, Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Aliens ... of the ugliest kind invade America -- and they're coming to a bookstore near you. Scholastic, the global children's publishing and media company, announced that it will launch a series of books featuring Butt-Ugly Martians, the latest television and licensing craze captivating children in the U.K. Starting in spring 2002, these irrepressible aliens will grace bookshelves for the first time in America in the form of digest-size chapter books, picture-driven adventure storybooks and novelty quiz and sticker books.
"We are excited about bringing Butt-Ugly Martians to the publishing arena in the United States," said Ellie Berger, Vice President, Deputy Publisher, Scholastic. "We look forward to building on the success of this hot new property and expanding it to our mass and trade channels."
The action-adventure-comedy TV series, Butt-Ugly Martians aimed at 4 to 11-year-olds, aired on Britain's CITV early this year and will launch in the U.S. on Nickelodeon in 2002. The Martians landed on British screens with a bang. After its first airing in the UK this past February, Butt-Ugly Martians attained an 8.6 rating with boys ages 4-9 and finished with a 30% increase in April with an 11.2 rating. The Martians continued its rise by beating the top-performing program Pokemon. The last episode of Butt-Ugly Martians for the season aired in April with a commanding 40.1% share of all boys 4-9 viewing, beating all kids shows that were broadcast at the same time. Other licensees for Butt-Ugly Martians include Hasbro, Hallmark and Children's Apparel Network.
"Scholastic is the ideal partner for a property of such range and obvious potential," said Marco Rodino, International Sales Director, Marshall Direct, the UK book publisher. "We are confident that our joint creative strengths coupled with Scholastic's marketing expertise will propel the Butt-Ugly Martians to success."
Scholastic will launch with the following Butt-Ugly Martians titles: two chapter books, The Big Bang Theory and Meet Gorgan; two adventure storybooks, The Martians Have Landed and Do-Wah Rocks; and two sticker/activity books, Martian Mania: Quizzes, Puzzles and Martian Trivia; and Martian Brainteasers: Quizzes, Puzzles and Martian Trivia.
Innovative and fresh, Butt-Ugly Martians tells the tale of three unpleasant-looking aliens -- B. Bop-A-Luna, Do-Wah-Diddy and 2-T Fru-T who landed on our planet sent by their evil leader Emperor Bog on a mission to invade Earth. There's just one thing: they really have no intention of taking over! In fact, they fought for the assignment because they wanted to experience Earth's great pop culture of fast food, video games and TV! The Butt-Ugly's new mission includes keeping their three Earth friends -- Mikey, Angela, and Cedric -- safe from other space invaders and evading Emperor Bog by sending phoney taped progress reports of themselves "conquering" the planet. Earth's invaders become its protectors...and that's where the adventure really begins.
The Butt-Ugly Martians books were developed by Marshall Direct -- part of the publishing operation of the Just Group Plc. Establishing a new imprint called Just Editions, the team -- which specializes in character properties -- eagerly took up the challenge of working with the Butt-Ugly storylines. Building on the television scripts, stories began to emerge for lengthy chapter books, special promotional books and younger stories. Working closely with the comic publishing company, Just Publishing, the team was able to utilize their database of 3-D images while also creating new and exciting original artworks. Since February this year, the Just Editions team has created some 14 titles.
Just Group plc is a worldwide leader in the children's entertainment industry, focused on the ownership, creation, development, acquisition and exploitation of intellectual property rights with an expanding portfolio of properties including Jellabies (or Jellikins in the UK), Pinky & Perky, MacDonald's Farm, Star Hill Ponies and Butt-Ugly Martians. Just Group combines creativity, flair and experience to continually develop and align its businesses, working towards the provision of a complete concept to consumer character solution through subsidiaries Just Entertainment, Just Licensing, Just Publishing, Just Consumer Products and Just Online.
Scholastic (Nasdaq: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. A global children's publishing and media company serving the needs of parents, teachers, and children, Scholastic provides proprietary book and software distribution through school book clubs, schoolbook fairs and to classrooms, as well as through the retail trade. Since 1920, Scholastic has created quality educational materials for schools and has expanded its reach to include the distribution of books, software, toys, online learning services and television programming directly to the home. Grolier, a Scholastic-owned company, is the leading print and online publisher of children's reference materials and the leader in children's direct to home book clubs. Internationally, Scholastic operates wholly owned companies in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Scholastic web site scholastic.com is a leading provider of educational services online for parents, teachers and children.
Visit Scholastic online at scholastic.com
The press release about the CEO is at www.londonstockexchange.com and click on RNS then put in co. name. |
