Thought leaders focus on the future of kids content

The way in which children and young people consume content is changing all the time; and producers, broadcasters, platforms and brands are constantly delving into the mindsets of shifting generations, from A to Z, in an attempt to stay relevant. The MIPTV Future Of Kids TV Summit will address this exciting and complex market sector

THE FUTURE Of Kids TV

Summit offers six sessions over three hours on Tuesday, April 18, ranging from Engaging With Generation Alpha to Adapting Your Business Model For The Future Of Social Media and led by key figures in kids TV from around the world. After an introduction from the session’s presenter Brandon Relph, CEO, Studio BE, Ashley Fell, of Australian research company McCrindle, will kick off the Summit with a session on Generation Alpha — a term coined by the company’s founder Mark McCrindle who defined them as those born from 2010 to 2024.

“Generation Alpha is growing up in globally connected and diverse times, with a renewed focus on environmental sustainability and the importance of empathy. As a result, we have seen content on the international market reflect this,” Fell said. “Take for example, gender diversity and how women are portrayed in TV shows or movies for children. It has taken on a renewed focus and so there are now media companies dedicated to putting the spotlight on content where female characters have power, ability, make good decisions, and act on them — women with agency. This is a change, happening now, that will have an impact on the future of movies and television and what Generation Alpha will grow up watching and being influenced by.” Generation Alpha is growing up as “super-informed and constantly connected consumers”, Fell said. “This means that their attitudes and consumption behaviour are different to generations past and are constantly evolving. They are tech-driven consumers, influenced by entertainment media, social media and their peers. The platforms they have grown up being influenced by as using like TikTok, Minecraft and Roblox have defined them as active co-creators rather than passive consumers. As they grow up, they will increasingly integrate technology into their consumer behaviour and it will influence how they shop . As empowered consumers, they are more involved in the production and distribution of content than previous generations, as well as being impacted by their parents and in turn, driving what shows, media and entertainment enters the home. The best way to reach them is when they are involved and when content meets their expectations, aspirations and values.”

Fell is followed by MIPTV Media Mastermind keynoter Evan Shapiro, who will address the subject at the heart of the Summit: The Future Of Kids TV. He sees a number of ways in which the shifting nature of kids’ content consumption is changing the traditional model.

“YouTube is now the largest video platform on earth and one of the biggest channels for kids programming,” Shapiro said. “As YouTube consumption increasingly moves to the connected TV, it will compete more directly with more traditional TV — even streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney — for time and attention. More and more, this is the primary TV channel for kids.” Gaming is changing the business model too: “The asymmetrical narrative experience offered by immersive worlds like Minecraft and Roblox will garner more and more time and commerce from kids and parents. This demands that publishers and creators think about their IP beyond the edges of the television experience.”

Kids TV creators need to be comfortable with the ‘yes, and’ nature of content consumption and audience tastes, Shapiro said, and “would do well to follow the trends our kids are setting on those platforms to ensure a sustainable future for their content everywhere”. Shapiro will be interviewed at the end of his session by Deirdre Brennan, chief operating officer, Wildbrain. How To Engage Kids & Monetise

Content In The New Era will be addressed by Jesse Cleverly, creative director at UK-based Wildseed Studios and Nicolas Eglau, managing director at the UK’s Moonbug Entertainment. Cleverly sees value in both existing and future business models and said to play across the world for years — but you usually need multiple seasons playing on partner platforms who are often incentivised to advertise the content and support L&M etc.,” he said. “That model continues to deliver results — especially at the younger end of the audience where it seems parents are still keen on the ‘always on but always safe’ qualities of terrestrial broadcast — evidenced by Sky’s new linear pre-school channel.” content has increased.” Content needs to be engaging and provide learning benefits, in order to fulfill demands both from kids and parents, he said. that the long tail enjoyed by kids content remains key. “If you can get a new kids’ property to launch then it has the ability to continue

But beyond linear, multiple seasons are harder to unlock as platforms fine-tune their launch strategies, he said. “In those cases, limited runs in walled-garden services don’t deliver the same long-tail, evergreen brand type of opportunities.”

For Eglau: “As kids spend an increased amount of time on mobile, the demand for shorter-form