Cartoon Network Africa Partners With E-Waste Recycling Authority To Tackle Growing E-Waste Challenge In South Africa

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Cartoon Network Africa, the leading kids' TV channel in South Africa, is partnering with the local E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) as part of its Climate Champions initiative. The collaboration aims to educate and empower children about the increasing challenge of electronic waste.

 

As a registered Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), ERA is dedicated to improving e-waste recycling in South Africa and is a leader in electronic waste management. The organisation facilitates and implements the country’s regulations on the proper disposal and management of electronic waste, as laid out by South Africa’s Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, which came into effect in 2021.

 

The partnership comes at a crucial time as South Africa grapples with an escalating e-waste crisis. With only 10% of e-waste currently being recycled, it contributes to landfills quickly reaching capacity. E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream, growing three times faster than general municipal solid waste.

 

A research survey undertaken by Cartoon Network found that 70% of children aged 6-11 across the EMEA region had not heard of e-waste or were aware but not sure / had no idea what it means. Results from the study show that:

• Majority of kids aged 6-11 yrs. Claim to have heard of e-waste, but in reality, few (30%) know what it means

• Kids in Poland (47%), Turkey (37%) and South Africa (28%) are more familiar with e-waste than peers in the UK (19%) and France (17 %)

• Polish kids (81 %) are notably more likely to link e-waste with the correct definition vs other markets; South Africa (33%), the UK (26%) & France (19%) under-index

• Most kids (87 %) have at least one e-waste item at home, with South Africa being above the index at 97%, with kids’ toys, headphones, and tablets among the top three items

• 64% of kids in South Africa say they store e-waste items at home or throw them away, highlighting the need for education

Through the partnership with ERA, Cartoon Network will use its beloved characters and engaging storytelling to teach children about e-waste, its problems, and how recycling can be a solution. The aim is to inspire children to become e-waste warriors, advocating for recycling in their homes and communities.

 

"Understanding what happens to rubbish is good to learn from childhood. Technology is such a big part of kids’ lives these days and it’s crucial that they understand the importance of recycling e-waste from a young age,” says Ashley du Plooy, CEO at ERA. “Electronics can have a second life - even broken toys with cables or batteries can be transformed into something new! That's because they often have valuable materials. Recycling them correctly also safeguards the environment for future generations."

 

By combining education with entertainment, Cartoon Network Africa and ERA hope to cultivate a generation of environmentally aware children who comprehend the significance of responsible e-waste management.

 

Cartoon Network Climate Champions’ new e-waste video content will air on the Cartoon Network channel and includes a ‘Guide to E-waste’ video that explains what e-waste is, why it’s an important issue and the basics of how we can help tackle it. Cartoon Network will also air e-waste promos, explaining issues around e-waste with a call to action on how kids can get involved in tackling it, and share weekly uploads to its social and YouTube channels to help broaden the reach and drive key e-waste messages home.

 

Monika Oomen, VP of Brand, Communications, and Digital Content Strategy for Kids EMEA at Warner Bros. Discovery, expressed, "In our efforts to engage kids into climate action, the partnership with ERA is a vital addition to our Cartoon Network Climate Champions campaign, by combining Cartoon Network's commitment to engaging storytelling with ERA's expertise in e-waste management, we can reach kids on a platform they love while empower them to become environmental champions.”

 

This comes as annual electronic waste generation is on track to reach a staggering 82 million tonnes globally per year by 2030, including items such as mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players, plugs, and batteries.

 

Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions initiative empowers and inspires young people to act and help the environment. Kids aged 6-12 can become Climate Champions by taking up daily challenges and making a world of difference together. Among the many e-waste challenges available are the ‘Device Rescue Mission,’ where children check their homes for old electronic devices that can be recycled, the ‘No Crossed Wires’ challenge, which involves taking care of chargers by preventing damage from wire tangles, and the ‘Phone Numbers!’ challenge, where kids count the number of mobile phones in their homes, including unused ones.

 

In addition to helping kids understand the extent of the e-waste problem, ERA has a comprehensive list of e-waste recycling drop-off points around the country. Living sustainably with technology means ensuring all ageing and failed electronic products are discarded using trusted e-waste recycling points that prevent the materials from ending in landfills.

For more information on how to become a Cartoon Network Climate Champion, you can visit the Climate Champions website or download the Climate Champions app and discover facts and trivia about e-waste, new quizzes, new voting cards, and new videos featuring real kids talking about the issue of electronic waste, and new e-waste challenges that can ‘Make a World of Difference.’

Paramount Global Is In Talks For A Streaming Merger

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Paramount Global is currently in discussions with other entertainment companies about merging its Paramount+ streaming service with an existing platform. If successful, this could trigger a wave of similar partnerships across the media sector and strengthen the industry as a whole.

The leadership at Paramount Global is actively exploring potential structures for merging Paramount+ with another streaming entity, potentially leading to a co-owned platform. These discussions, which are private, involve various media and tech company executives.

Warner Bros Discovery Inc has shown interest in such a deal, which could strengthen both services by allowing them to better compete with Netflix Inc and Disney’s suite of platforms (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN) for audience and future content.

Earlier this year, preliminary merger talks were held for a complete deal with Paramount Global, but these discussions did not progress.

Paramount Global is also considering a potential partnership with a technology platform, as revealed by the company's co-CEO Chris McCarthy at an employee town hall on June 25.

A merged streaming service could offer more diverse programming, reducing customer churn and potentially removing Paramount+ losses from Paramount Global’s balance sheet by introducing new ownership.

While the structure for a potential joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery hasn't been discussed in detail, it is likely that ownership wouldn't be evenly split due to the current nature and finances of the streaming assets.

Max, Warner Bros. Discovery's direct-to-consumer business, boasts about 100 million global subscribers, with 52.7 million based in the U.S. Meanwhile, Paramount+ ended its first quarter with 71 million subscribers.

NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast Corp, has also shown interest in a joint venture with Paramount+. However, these discussions did not progress significantly.

Since late 2019, traditional media companies including Paramount Global, Disney, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. Discovery have all launched streaming services, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. The industry consensus suggests there are too many streaming services relative to the number of total paying customers.

If Paramount finalizes a joint venture with either Max or Peacock, it could put pressure on the remaining service to seek a similar deal.

Media companies are now focusing on better monetizing streaming content through bundles and partnerships. For example, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery have recently become more willing to license some of their content to rival streaming services, such as Netflix, to better monetize shows that aren't adding a lot of new subscribers to their streaming services.

Kartoon Studios To Launch “Winnie-the-Pooh” Megabrand On Amazon Prime Video Alongside Nationwide Retail Program in Partnership with Alliance Entertainment

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Kartoon Studios today announced its most ambitious project in the history of the company, Kartoon Studios’ “Winnie-the-Pooh.” Plans include an animated holiday movie, five holiday specials, and a four year/104 episode series, to premiere on Amazon Prime Video, via Kartoon Channel!’s subscription service on the platform. Concurrently, Alliance Entertainment (NASDAQ:AENT), a leading distributor of physical entertainment that supports major nationwide retailers, including Walmart, Target, Amazon and Barnes & Noble, will debut new merchandise through a nationwide retail program, in conjunction with Kartoon Studios rollout of a global consumer products campaign.

Kartoon Studios’ “Winnie-the-Pooh” is based on the designs and stories of one of the most successful brands of all time, A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh,” a property that has generated over $80 billion in sales over the last four decades and is estimated to currently generate $3-$6 billion per year for The Walt Disney Company. The total lifetime revenues exceed those of “Barbie,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “Mickey Mouse,” “Peanuts,” “Ninja Turtles,” “Power Rangers,” “Marvel,” and almost every major brand in the world.

“Disney created an iconic and tremendously successful global brand with ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ that we have all admired so much over many decades.  When the property went into the public domain, we knew we could only undertake creating Pooh for a new generation if we could bring a completely new, different and unique look that was contemporary, protectable, and gave voice to the characters and stories created by A.A. Milne, as has never been done,” said Kartoon Studios’ Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. “We are thrilled to launch with Amazon Prime Video and Alliance Entertainment to deliver unique and  exceptional content, as we build out a new iteration of this entertainment brand and ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’-branded consumer products to the global marketplace.”

Pre-production has already begun on the animated holiday movie, set to premiere December 24, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video, through Kartoon Channel!’s subscription distribution agreement with them. Concurrently, the global retail program will kick off with the debut of products featuring an array of special features, distributed through Alliance Entertainment Corporation.

Kartoon Studios’ “Winnie-the-Pooh” animated content is being developed with a unique ‘yarn- based’ design and palette for the characters and backgrounds, along with original modern stories inspired by Milne’s beloved classic books. The beautifully imagined yarn gives the characters a depth and warmth.  Additionally, the stories will be told in a ‘Seussian style’ rhyme to provide an enriched dimension to the stories.

“In designing Kartoon Studios’ ‘Winnie-The-Pooh,’ we combined the best of both AI and human creativity to arrive at the unique look of the characters and backgrounds that could not have been imaginable prior to the advent of AI in our industry,” commented Heyward.  “Our use of our AI platform will enable us to bring a level of efficiency, speed-to-market, and creativity, to the production heretofore not possible,” said Heyward. “At a time when our world can be confusing for children, Pooh is an oasis of goodness, grounded in family, friendship, kindness, and love.  Those are the exact values our version of Pooh will showcase as we focus on building Kartoon Studios’ “Winnie-The-Pooh” into a long-term global megabrand, through which the simple and comforting values A.A. Milne originally imagined, will endure forever.”

Heyward added: “We think this is a generational opportunity to capitalize on one of the greatest properties ever created, with a proven track record.  Audiences around the world are demanding healthy, positive, family-friendly stories that will inspire and entertain kids, alongside a new line of products, from toys to books, videos to apparel, and more, that are steeped in these enriching values.”

The series is being financed through Joint Venture Production financing of $30 million provided by WTP SPV 1, a subsidiary of Catalyst Venture Partners.  It is non-dilutive, production financing.

Steven A. Horowitz, Sr. Managing Director  of WTP SPV and its parent company, Catalyst Venture Partners, stated: “We have committed to provide $30 million to the Special Purpose Joint Venture for this exciting new version of A.A. Milne’s ‘Winnie the Pooh’ from Kartoon Studios, which is non-dilutive to any of TOON’s existing stakeholders.  Being able to participate in a timeless and proven children’s classic such as Milne’s ‘Winnie-The-Pooh,’ through the production of original animated content and the licensing of consumer products from those proprietary character designs and stories, is a unique opportunity we are very excited about.  Andy Heyward and the team at Kartoon Studios have a long history of producing hit properties for children.  An all-star array of award-winning talent across development, production, marketing, consumer products, and distribution has been assembled to manage the brand launch, and we are excited to be a part of what we are confident will be a hugely profitable and enduring business.”

“Capitalizing on the enormous equity inherent in A.A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-The-Pooh,’ the unique designs and storytelling, as well as the production efficiency by harnessing AI, Kartoon Studios’ new iteration of the timeless brand will have an exceptional array of attributes that we believe can lead to extraordinary profitability for the company,” stated Heyward.    

Former Hawaii Five-O And Magnum Pi Star Taylor Willy Has Died

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Wily’s death was confirmed by KITV 4 Island News in Hawaii. Musician Lina Girl Langi, who had been close friends of Wily and his loved ones, announced the news on her lifestyle show, “Island Life Live.”

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend,” Langi shared on the broadcast on Thursday. “Taylor Wily, former wrestler, MMA fighter and actor passed away today in Hurricane, Utah.”

She added: “He would look physically menacing until you just folded right into a hug, and that was it. My heart is breaking.” 

Her co-host, Davey D, described Wily as one of the “kindest” and “gentlest souls.”

His cause of death has not been revealed.

Wily — whose real name was Teila Tuli — played Kamekona on the CBS drama for 171 episodes for 10 seasons between 2010 and 2020. He reprised his role for seven episodes in “Magnum P.I.”

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1968, Wily also appeared in the 2008 romantic comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which starred Jason Segel, Kristen Bell and Paul Rudd. Other credits included “Radical,” “MacGyver,” “North Shore” and “Marker.”

Off-screen, Wily was a sumo wrestler under the name “Takamishu.”

According to TV Insider, he won his first 14 matches before becoming the first foreign-born wrestler to win the championship in the third-highest makushita division. In 2000, he lost to fighter Gerard Gordeau in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

He is survived by his wife, Halona, and their two children.

Canal+ Increases Stake In Asian Streamer VIU To 36,8% With The Option To Get Majority Ownership

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French media and telecom conglomerate Vivendi’s pay-TV unit Canal+ Group has increased its stake in Asian streamer Viu to 36.8 percent, the company said on Thursday.

“After satisfaction of key business milestones, Canal+ Group has released the last installment of its $300 million staggered investment,” it explained. “A further investment, at Canal+ election, could result in an increase of Canal+’s stake in Viu to 51 percent.”

The company didn’t immediately outline what would be needed for it to make such a decision to go for a majority stake in the Hong Kong-based video streamer. But it did highlight its interest in Asia. “This investment is a renewed testimony to Canal+’s commitment to develop Asia as one of the group’s growth engines and underlines Canal+’s confidence in Viu and its team.”

Canal+ first bought into Viu, led by CEO Janice Lee, in a June 2023 deal with Hong Kong telecom powerhouse PCCW Group, taking a 26.1 percent stake. As part of that deal, Canal+ secured the option of paying an additional sum to increase its stake to a 51 percent majority. 

Launched in 2015 with backing from PCCW, Viu’s video service offers both advertising and subscription-supported options in 16 territories in Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. When it unveiled the Canal+ deal last year, he company said it had more than 66 million monthly active users and 12 million paid subscribers, the bulk of which is believed to be based in Asia. Viu has specialized in licensing and producing original Korean content, but it also creates original content in Southeast Asian territories including Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.  

Canal+ has 26.4 million subscribers worldwide, including 17.1 million in Europe, 8.1 million in Africa and 1.2 million in the Asia-Pacific region. Beyond its investment in Viu, it is also the largest shareholder in African pay-TV giant MultiChoice and in Viaplay, the Scandinavian pay-TV and streaming company. Earlier this year, it also took a stake in leading Senegalese production company Marodi TV.

Totally Spies! Live-Action Series In The Works At Amazon

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A live-action TV series based on the cult classic French cartoon “Totally Spies!” is in development at Amazon with Will Ferrell as executive producer.

Described as a YA adaptation of the long-running Banijay Kids animated show of the same name, the new “Totally Spies!” will follow iconic best friends Clover, Alex and Sam as they navigate saving the world as international spies, while trying to survive the ups and downs of first year college life.

No writer or talent is currently attached to the potential “Totally Spies!” series, which is a collaboration between Amazon MGM Studios and Banijay Kids & Family, shepherded by Amazon’s head of Pan-English original series Rola Bauer.

Executive producing the project alongside Ferrell, under their Gloria Sanchez Productions banner, are Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor. Banijay Kids & Family CEO Benoît Di Sabatino is executive producer for the studio.

Created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, the original “Totally Spies!” has aired nearly 200 episodes since debuting in 2001 and spawned a prequel film, “Totally Spies! The Movie,” and a spinoff series, “The Amazing Spiez!” The show recently premiered its seventh season in France and will air in the U.S. on Cartoon Network later this year. “Totally Spies!” is currently streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video.

“’Totally Spies!’ is a huge success for Banijay Kids & Family, having been translated in 60 languages and sold to more than 220 territories,” Di Sabatino said. “With a social media base of 3 million, the series continues to thrive in its animation form with the recently launched 7th season. Rola Bauer approached me for a live-action adaptation, and we were thrilled to partner with Amazon MGM Studios. With her, Ludovic Attal, and Punit Matoo’s support, we are honoured to join such a stronghold of female-focused producers in Gloria Sanchez Productions to produce for Prime Video.”

“Will, Alix and I are thrilled to be joining our partners at Amazon and Banijay to bring ‘Totally Spies!’ to life as a live-action show,” Gloria Sanchez president Elbaum said. “Gloria Sanchez was originally founded to tell stories about complicated characters and empower female voices and storytellers. As longtime fans of the animated show, we couldn’t think of a story more fitting to our ethos. The themes of girl-power, never sacrificing friendship, fun, or your true self to be successful resonated with us then, and feel ripe to revisit now.”

Sanlam To Buy 60% Of MultiChoice's Insurance Business

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Sanlam will buy a 60% stake in MultiChoice's insurance business for R1.2bn in cash up front and a potential performance-based earn-out of up to R1.5bn, the groups said on Tuesday.

MultiChoice, Africa's biggest pay-TV company, said while its insurance business has demonstrated substantial growth in South Africa, its ambition to expand locally and in Africa “requires a step-up in resources, expertise and technology”.

“Sanlam's extensive presence and expertise in the African continent, coupled with its track record of success in insurance ventures with non-insurers, positions it strongly for a strategic venture with MultiChoice,” the companies said in a joint statement.

The potential cash earn-out payment is contingent upon the total gross written premium generated by the insurance business for the year ending December 31 2026, they added.

A pre-acquisition dividend of R59m will also be declared by MultiChoice's insurance business.

Shares in Sanlam were up nearly 5% up on Tuesday morning, while MultiChoice inched up 0.36%.

MultiChoice will retain a 40% interest in the insurance business and 40% in the broader commercial venture with Sanlam.

The deal gives Sanlam an opportunity to further expand its insurance and financial services business in Africa, the companies said. Opportunities outside South Africa will be facilitated through its SanlamAllianz business.

MultiChoice has a subscriber base of 21-million households in 50 African countries, while Sanlam operates in 31 countries, including eight of the top 10 largest African economies.

BENOIT. Wrestling With The Horror That Destroyed A Family And Crippled A Sport (PDF)

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Featuring the Canadian WWE wrestler Chris Benoit. Over a 3 day period ending on June 24, 2007, Benoit killed his wife Nancy, strangled his 7yr. old son, and subsequently hanged himself. The personal and the public remifications; the fallout for "sports entertainment" and sports in general; the role the media has played and whether professional wrestling as we know it will survive the scrutiny of fans and lawmakers alike - in this book four of the industry's most respected commentators weigh in on the horrific murder-suicide that outraged the nation, making wrestling's macho but fake cartoon world all too vulnerable and chillingly real.

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Becoming Batman The Possibility Of A Superhero (PDF)

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Battling bad guys. High-tech hideouts. The gratitude of the masses. Who at some point in their life hasn't dreamed of being a superhero? Impossible, right? Or is it? Possessing no supernatural powers, Batman is the most realistic of all the superheroes. His feats are achieved through rigorous training and mental discipline, and with the aid of fantastic gadgets. Drawing on his training as a neuroscientist, kinesiologist, and martial artist, E. Paul Zehr explores the question: Could a mortal ever become Batman? Zehr discusses the physical training necessary to maintain bad-guy-fighting readiness while relating the science underlying this process, from strength conditioning to the cognitive changes a person would endure in undertaking such a regimen. In probing what a real-life Batman could achieve, Zehr considers the level of punishment a consummately fit and trained person could handle, how hard and fast such a person could punch and kick, and the number of adversaries [...]that individual could dispatch. He also tells us what it would be like to fight while wearing a batsuit and the amount of food we'd need to consume each day to maintain vigilance as Gotham City's guardian. A fun foray of escapism grounded in sound science, Becoming Batman provides the background for attaining the realizable -- though extreme -- level of human performance that would allow you to be a superhero.

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