Cross-Media, the Tickle U way

From the outset, the world of Tickle U was envisioned as a dual experience of TV shows paired with a Web site. It was created, Cahn says, as a collaborative effort between the TV programming division and the new media department. The site is promoted frequently on-air, and it's thematically very similar.

"The goal was to have the screens be almost seamless," Cahn says. "What they see online is not dissimilar to what they see on TV, at least in terms of layout, color, and play patterns."

Sherri Glass, supervising producer for Tickle U online, says the new media department met early on with the show's creators and watched all the episodes.

"The goal was to keep the child's experience in mind," Glass says. "Kids become obsessed with one particular character or show, so we wanted to be able to have them go to that page and feel immersed in that world."

The online games and activities also had to make sense with what kids saw on TV. "The packaging of the show had to be reflected online, and we had to make sure the games and activities reflected the show."

Cahn now wonders whether the TV is directing kids to the site, or vice versa. "We used to assume TV was the driver, but frankly I'm not convinced that's the truth anymore." (continue reading)