Viacom's Nickelodeon children's cable TV network announced the launch of TurboNick, a broadband video service on Nick.com that will offer full-length episodes of TV shows. The free, ad-supported service will offer shows like "SpongeBob SquarePants," "The Fairly OddParents," "Zoey 101," "Ren & Stimpy" and "Double Dare" -- in addition to video-on-demand shows for parents and shorter clips for younger children. TurboNick has already garnered over 1.25 million streams since a soft launch on July 1, and is scheduled to officially launch on July 17. TurboNick features up to 20 hours of new programming every week, allowing kids to watch programming clips and full length episodes ranging from 30 seconds to 22 minutes in length, including occasional world premieres of new series beginning with the animated program Catscratch. TurboNick is organized by six separate areas, each containing up to five different series with two or more episodes to choose form. According to Viacom's spokesperson "The TurboNick platform compliments our on-air programming by giving kids and parents Nickelodeon video content any time they want it. Whether it's all-new long-form programming, exclusive video, classic shows or current programming favorites, we will be able to utilize TurboNick as a vehicle to deliver what kids want, when they want it, using up-to-the minute technology."
Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...