• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, November 15, 2005

Targeting tech-savvy tweens beyond their TVs and PCs, Hasbro on Monday announced deals with Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon to distribute select shows over Hasbro's portable video player. With the VuGo video player--designed by Hasbro's Tiger Electronics division--youngsters can download full series episodes from the two networks from about $1.99 to $2.99, per the terms of the agreement.

Reaching consumers wherever they may be is critical in today's decentralized market, according to Stephen Youngwood, senior vice president of entertainment products for Nickelodeon and Viacom consumer products. "In addition to reaching Nick fans on-air, on-line, and through new technologies including mobile telephone content, VUGO offers us a new path to serve tweens, wherever they may go," Youngwood said in a statement.

Time Warner's Cartoon Network is offering "Courage the Cowardly Dog" and "Dexter's Laboratory," among others, while Viacom's Nickelodeon has all the usual suspects, including "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Jimmy Neutron," and the "Rugrats," to name a few.

For the older set, rumors and speculation of content distribution deals have been plentiful since Apple released its video iPod player. On the same day that Apple's CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the video iPod, Jobs announced a deal with Disney to offer five of its premiere television shows, including "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," through iTunes. Each episode costs $1.99.