NICK AND JIVE LAUNCH
NICK RECORDS

The two companies have teamed up to create Nick Records, a Gen-Y musical enterprise the two companies say will focus on new and emerging young musical artists, announced Jive President Barry Weiss and Nickelodeon/TV Land/TNN President Albie Hecht.

It should also help the cable dominator and the planet-devouring imprint squeeze some money out of the kid market, at long last.

Through the partnership, Jive and Nickelodeon will produce Nickelodeon-branded artist and compilation albums and TV and film soundtracks. Jive will coordinate with Nickelodeon on A&R duties, marketing, promotion and distribution, and the kids channel will produce on-air campaigns and other cross-promotional events.

The first release on the Nick label will be the soundtrack for the upcoming pre-teen-targeted Paramount/Nickel-
odeon Movies flick "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius." The disc, slated to street 11/6, will feature several tracks by Jive teeny-popper Aaron Carter, including the single "Go Jimmy Go."

Singer/actor Nick Cannon's album debut, due in February 2002, will be the first artist release on the imprint; the former co-star of "All That" will also star in and exec-produce his own series on Nickelodeon starting this Fall. Hey, maybe there'll be some cross-promotional opportunities!

"Music plays a vibrant part in the lives of our audience," said Hecht. "We are excited to launch a record label that will put Nickelodeon in the leadership position in entertainment for kids and tweens. And the numbers on that NSYNC album got us pretty jazzed, too."

In a related story, the three tweens who run our tech department want their Mountain Dew allotment increased.