TV Kids June 2023

Kids’ Viewing Trends / M6 Group’s Maud Branly / Mercury Filmworks’ Heath Kenny

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Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher

Mansha Daswani Editor-in-Chief

Anna Carugati

Editor-at-Large

Kristin Brzoznowski

Executive Editor

Jamie Stalcup

Associate Editor

David Diehl

Production & Design Director

Simon Weaver Online Director

Dana Mattison

Sales & Marketing Director

Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Manager

Battling for Screen Time

“Discoverability” is a word that’s cropping up in all of our conversations with children’s media executives these days. Indeed, the sector is facing its own version of peak TV—except it’s not just other TV shows you’re up against.

TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Roblox, Discord and so many other platforms are taking up that little bit of time kids have outside of school and hanging out with friends. How do you begin to make an impact, let alone build a 360-degree brand that will have young ones playing the game, asking for the apparel and a ticket to go see their favorite characters live?

CONTENTS TOON TIME

Leading distribution executives weigh in on the styles, tones and narrative techniques needed to make an impact with kids today.

Ricardo Seguin Guise President

Anna Carugati Executive VP

Mansha Daswani

Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

TV Kids

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Evan Shapiro, a veteran media executive who now spends much of his time tracking media usage, has some clear advice for children’s content executives: you need a yes/and strategy. Netflix and YouTube and TikTok and, well, anywhere else children are spending an abundance of their time. “The content still is king, and you have to think like these young consumers if you’re going to get inside their minds, their pockets, their eyeballs,” Shapiro said at the TV Kids

Summer Fes tival this month.

We hear from several distributors about how they are navigating the landscape in this edition. We also showcase TV Kids

Pioneer Award recipient Maud Branly and spotlight the latest developments at Mercury Filmworks. —Mansha Daswani

M6 GROUP’S MAUD BRANLY

For her achievements as children’s acquisitions director and international TV channels children’s programming director at M6 Group, Maud Branly is being honored with the TV Kids Pioneer Award.

MERCURY RISING

Mercury Filmworks’ Heath

Kenny on how the studio has evolved over the last 25 years.

9 Story Distribution International A Kind of Spark / That Lion Show / Lu and the Bally Bunch

The live-action series A Kind of Spark follows a bright and sparky autistic girl dreaming of acceptance in a conservative community. That Lion Show, for ages 13-plus, is based on the South Korean emoticon Ryan the maneless lion. “That Lion Show will appeal to teens who love animated comedy,” says Alix Wiseman, senior VP of distribution and acquisitions at 9 Story Distribution International. “Music is another draw, with its main character trying to make it as a K- pop star in Seoul.” There’s also the animated preschool dramedy Lu and the Bally Bunch.

BBC Studios Kids & Family

Supertato / Hey Duggee / JoJo & Gran Gran

The preschool animation Supertato is based on the books by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. It has been a top show on CBeebies. Also a top performer on the channel, Hey Duggee is now in its fourth season. A third season of JoJo & Gran Gran is rolling out from now until December. Viewers “love the quietly groundbreaking portrayal of family and community in JoJo & Gran Gran, the hilarious heroics of Supertato and the warmhearted, inspirational activity club of Hey Duggee,” says Cecilia Persson, managing director of BBC Studios Kids & Family.

A Kind of Spark

“Our content is distinctive and bold, with universal themes and great characters and stories at their heart.”

—Cecilia Persson

“9 Story has some exciting announcements coming up that include new series and partnerships.”

—Alix Wiseman

JoJo & Gran Gran

Boat Rocker

Dino Ranch / Trulli Tales / The Next Step

Set in the Wild West, Boat Rocker’s Dino Ranch features the themes of teamwork, friendship and the great outdoors. The series “perfectly blends two longtime international preschool favorites— cowboys and dinosaurs—in their own unique universe,” says Gia DeLaney, senior VP of global sales for kids and family. Trulli Tales blends the ancient art of magic and cooking as four young children are chosen to protect their kingdom’s most prized possession: the Enchanted Cookbook. Also on offer from Boat Rocker, the tween dance drama The Next Step is in its eighth season.

Cookbook Media

Monkey Sing Monkey Do / The Great Wolf Pack / Snow Bunny Lodge Extreme

Cookbook Media has a busy June: it’s bringing new shows for commissioning and distribution to Annecy, embarking on projects with a few new partners and attending Licensing Expo to secure deals for properties it represents. “We have three exciting new projects across different age demos,” notes Claudia Scott-Hansen, partner. In the preschool space, there’s the dance- and musicdriven, social-emotional learning show Monkey Sing Monkey Do. For the bridge demo, there’s The Great Wolf Pack. For kids 6 to 11, there’s the slapstick comedy Snow Bunny Lodge Extreme.

“Our aim is to tell stories and build iconic brands across all genres and mediums.”

—Gia DeLaney

Trulli Tales

Monkey Sing Monkey Do

“Creating fun and funny shows with co- viewing appeal is so important today.”

—Claudia Scott-Hansen

Dandelooo

Billy the Cowboy Hamster / The Upside Down River / Royals Next Door

Dandelooo’s partner studio, Ooolala, is in full production on the preschool animation Billy the Cowboy Hamster for France Télévisions and the serialized series The Upside Down River for Canal+. “Both of these productions are adapted from cult children’s books that sold millions of copies, thanks to their intelligence and charm,” says Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin, producer and head of international at Dandelooo. The company also highlights Royals Next Door , a fishout-of-water comedy produced by Pikkukala that is based on the real experiences of its creator.

HARI

Billy the Cowboy Hamster

Mystery Lane / The Weasy Family / Grizzy & the Lemmings World Tour

Leading HARI’s slate, Mystery Lane follows as two hamsters investigate and solve cases that Scotland Yard cannot. Sophie “Kido” Prigent, head of sales, describes the series as “Scooby-Doo meets Sherlock Holmes.” The Weasy Family, a 78-part series with 7-minute episodes set to deliver in 2025, centers on the father-daughter relationship between a weasel father and two duckling girls. Seasons three and four of Grizzy & the Lemmings, Grizzy & the Lemmings World Tour , follow as the characters land in unexpected places around the globe.

The Weasy Family

“In The Weasy Family, HARI innovates the genre by combining slapstick comedy and a heartwarming narrative.”

—Sophie “Kido” Prigent

“We have been developing five new (secret) projects for various age targets, but all animation, which we will tease to top players in Annecy.”

—Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin

Magic Light Pictures

Pip and Posy / The Smeds and The Smoos / Tabby McTat

Magic Light Pictures’ Pip and Posy, based on books by writer Camilla Reid and illustrator Axel Scheffler, follows friends whose lives revolve around play. The Smeds and The Smoos, a special based on a story by Julia Donaldson and Scheffler, sees two rival families forced to cooperate after young members of each fall in love and run away together. Tabby McTat, another special based on Donaldson and Scheffler books, “tells of the warm and wonderful friendship between a musical cat and a talented busker called Fred,” says Muriel Thomas, international distribution director.

Mattel

“We take a craft-like approach to developing our projects, imbuing them with love and care, which is reflected in their high quality.”

—Muriel Thomas

Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge / Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge / Pictionary

Mattel has on offer multiple live-action programs, including Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, which sees superfans compete to build the best full-size Hot Wheels-style vehicle. Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge features HGTV stars as they transform a California home into a real Barbie Dreamhouse. The latest game-show version of Pictionary features in Mattel’s catalog as well. “These liveaction adaptations present fans with the chance to interact with Hot Wheels, Barbie and Pictionary in new, exciting ways,” says Phil Breman, head of live-action television.

Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge

“We are bringing all-new co-viewing opportunities for families and fans of all ages to experience their favorite Mattel IPs in new formats.”

—Phil Breman

Pip and Posy

Mercury Filmworks

Octicorn & Friends / A Mouse Called Julian / Tales of the Underwear Dragon

Mercury Filmworks partnered with Stim Studio for the preschool series Octicorn & Friends. The slate also includes Tales of the Underwear Dragon for kids 6 to 8 and A Mouse Called Julian, about finding friendship in unexpected places. “All three animated series are based on acclaimed literary works, so we have a wealth of creativity to draw from,” says Chantal Ling, VP of original series and co-productions at Mercury Filmworks. “All three series deliver positive messaging that crosses cultural boundaries, along with a tremendous amount of entertainment value.”

MIAM! animation

The MiniWhats / Our Summer of Freedom / It’s my body!

The June period is dedicated to MIFA/Annecy for MIAM! animation. “We plan to meet broadcasters to spread our shows all over the world,” says Mélanie Errea, head of sales and acquisitions. “We are proud to see two of our series in the Annecy Film Festival official competition: Edmond and Lucy and Boys Boys Boys.” Further series highlights from MIAM! animation include the preschool show The MiniWhats, following six joyful friends, along with the family-targeted Our Summer of Freedom and the YA-skewed It’s my body!

Octicorn

“The

viewers and creating an impact.”

“Our aim is to spread the messages of our content across the world, connecting with

—Mélanie Errea

The MiniWhats

goal in everything we do is to lead with our core values, which are integrity, boldness, leadership, diversity, innovation, commitment and passion.”

—Chantal Ling

& Friends

Mondo TV Group

MeteoHeroes / Monster Loving Maniacs / One Love

Mondo TV Group’s summer slate features two seasons of the environmental series MeteoHeroes. The 2D comedy Monster Loving Maniacs, centering on three siblings who are being trained as monster hunters but would prefer to look for a way to save them instead, “touches on bigger themes like families, relationships and coping with our fears,” says Luana Perrero, head of sales. One Love, meanwhile, teaches children about handling emotions, kindness, courage and friendship. Other titles on offer are Agent 203, Grisù, Leo’s World, The Tales of Wonder Keepers and Action Kidz.

Riki Group

Beardy Bodo / The Fixies / Tina and Tony

The preschool series Beardy Bodo leads the offering from Riki Group, currently celebrating its 20th anniversary. “Our goal was to create an unusual educational project that would combine cognitive elements and ludicrous humor, a bit of hooliganism with a proper system, the impression of free communication in a strict framework of education,” says Anna Mysskaya, head of international development. The catalog also includes The Fixies, following little creatures that keep technology running, and Tina and Tony, about a hippo and elephant duo.

“We can hardly wait to bring these great productions to young audiences everywhere.”

“Watching Beardy Bodo with children is not boring; you should try it yourself, and you will fall in love with our imperfect beardy man.”

—Anna Mysskaya

Beardy Bodo

—Luana Perrero

Monster Loving Maniacs

Serious Kids

The Sound Collector / The Ghastly Ghoul / Flix

Serious Kids’ The Sound Collector follows a hardof-hearing being who loves discovering new sounds, including the blooping of sea anemones and the scuttling of beetles. The special The Ghastly Ghoul sees a fluffy monster who doesn’t believe he is scary enough form a bond with a girl struggling with her own fears. Flix comes from a book by artist Tomi Ungerer. “The core values of the show are widely sought-after, such as tolerance, courage, friendship, community and family,” says Leila Ouledcheikh, senior VP of global distribution and commercial development.

Toon2Tango

Monster Loving Maniacs / The Wee Littles / Agent 203

Toon2Tango is highlighting Monster Loving Maniacs, a 2D comedy that follows monsterhunting kids who secretly love the paranormal creatures. It comes from a production agreement with Mondo TV Group. The Wee Littles centers on a tiny forest family. “They work together to figure out how to overcome life’s little obstacles— like raindrops the size of your head—with imagination, positive support and humor,” says Ulli Stoef, CEO and producer at Toon2Tango. Agent 203 , another co-production with Mondo TV, is also among the highlights.

“Our shows have stories with universal messaging and emotional moments reflective of real life.”

“We’re busy now and in the near future with genuinely exciting ideas and collaborations, but we’re always looking for more that fit our needs.”

—Ulli Stoef

Agent 203

—Leila Ouledcheikh

The Sound Collector

ZDF Studios

Spellbound / Grisù / Törtle

The ZDF Studios highlight Spellbound is a liveaction series about a teenager who relocates from a small town in the U.S. to study at the Paris Opera Ballet School. Things turn upside down when she discovers a book of family spells in the back room of her Aunt Ginger’s apothecary. In animation, Grisù centers on a fire-fighting dragon who’s always ready for missions around the world. Törtle is about a tortoise who grew up in a pet shop and constantly finds himself in a culture clash between humans and animals.

Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution

Shasha & Milo / Silverpoint / Topo Gigio

Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution, part of Banijay Kids & Family, has a mix of genres to offer up, including the action-comedy Shasha & Milo, coproduced by Zodiak Kids & Family France and South Korea’s Pingo Entertainment. The catalog also features the sci-fi drama Silverpoint. “From the brilliantly talented team at Zodiak Kids & Family Productions UK, its second season has just launched on CBBC and iPlayer in the U.K.,” says Cécile Cau, senior VP of sales, co-productions and acquisitions. There are two seasons of Topo Gigio, reimagined by Movimenti Production in Italy.

“Banijay Kids & Family’s six labels are led by great producers with strong teams behind them.”

—Cécile Cau

Spellbound

Shasha & Milo

TOON TIME

Leading distribution executives weigh in on the styles, tones and narrative techniques needed to make an impact with kids today.

By Mansha Daswani

Generation Alpha may be unlike any other demographic kids’ media executives are used to catering to. A huge majority are spending at least part of their busy days on gaming. And they’re consuming all kinds of content, from the beautifully animated, expensive-to-make shows on broadcasters and streamers all the way through to made-on-ashoestring-budget videos found across the creator economy.

“When you look at where they spend their video time, increasingly there’s this ‘yes/and’ point of view among all consumers, but especially among those under the age of 20,” says media cartographer and thought leader Evan Shapiro. “YouTube is one of the first places that they’ll go for video content. Netflix is the second place. Twitch is a place that they spend a tremendous amount of time, but then also Disney+. There’s this real acceptance of the idea that I’m going to jump from free media on social video to premium video on a subscription platform and back and forth. The idea that publishers don’t see social video as premium video is a big mistake. They’re going to miss a whole generation if they don’t pay attention to social video consumption, which younger consumers see as equal to premium video.”

Gaming is a primary entry point into content for this demo, as is TikTok. So, it’s incumbent upon IP owners to be everywhere.

“If you own a really big brand like Snoopy or Teletubbies or something like that, it makes a lot of sense to make a deal with an Apple or a Netflix because they’re going to pay you enormous sums of money to get exclusive access to that intellectual property,” Shapiro says. “However, if you’re an IP rights holder or a producer of content, 50 percent of the value that you’re going to get out of your intellectual property from this point forward is going to come from what most people call the creator economy, but what I call the community economy.”

If you focus solely on the “gatekeeper economy,” Shapiro says, “you’re going to leave so much of your relationship with your audience and the value you can get out of your intellectual property if you do not practice in the community economy.”

A little over a year into her appointment as managing director of a new kids and family unit at BBC Studios, Cecilia Persson has

been focused on setting a clear content strategy that will allow the division to take advantage of all the opportunities in the market today. Working in tandem with broadcast partners, digital and consumer-products teams has been key “to make sure that we are pulling together and approaching the audience at the same time and really harnessing what the characters and stories are about and ensuring that we’re giving the best opportunity for our shows to land. [We’re] also making sure that there’s consistency in how our characters are presented and that they embody the characteristics and the joy that the shows are about. It’s essential for this audience as they’re coming up now, particularly in preschool, that they are able to connect and see the characters that they love and see the stories that they enjoy in many places, and that they can dig deeper and learn more and understand more. That sort of access is important for kids today. And that’s what we’re working on accomplishing with our content.”

Of course, being everywhere doesn’t mean you will automatically have a hit on your hands. And figuring out exactly what will move children to consume the content, play the game and plead with their parents for the merchandise is an ever-evolving conundrum.

Jasmine & Jambo is among the series being rolled out by France’s Dandelooo.

“For preschool, we need our brands to have high visibility,” says Delphine Dumont, the chief commercial officer at Banijay Kids & Family. “As a result, there is currently a big demand for wellknown IP, and we are seeing increased interest in the revival of classic shows. At Banijay Kids & Family, we are home to iconic shows such as Topo Gigio and Mumfie, which have been lovingly reimagined for today’s preschoolers.”

“Discoverability is, of course, a key factor for everybody,” observes Katharina Pietzsch, Director at ZDF Studios’ Junior department. “If you already have a known brand, it’s just simply easier to find. But we’ve actually been rebooting classic IPs for a long time, and not just for the streamers. There’s always been a trend to revisit classic properties. It’s not a trend that is new. It’s sometimes an easy way or a safe bet; your chances for success might be higher.”

Successfully executing a reboot is no easy feat, Pietzsch notes. “It’s really important to keep the DNA, so parents can recognize the original. They will still see what they loved about it. Sometimes it’s really fun to work with subtle references, inside jokes, visual references, character names, voices, iconic lines. Parents really go for that. We get a lot of feedback from properties where the new version is really different look-wise from the original. And that’s a tricky part because a lot of people don’t like that. Keeping something visually and tonally from the original keeps the DNA alive.”

Toon2Tango is working with Baboon Animation on the CGI series Bek and the Bunnies.

Pietzsch says she and her team use a track record of success to determine if a brand should be resurrected. “We always look at what’s at the heart of the IP. What do we love most about it? What is it known for? And then, can it still be relevant for kids today and how can it be made that way?”

And even though kids are spending a lot of their time consuming shows that were made in a gamer’s basement with a webcam or shot-on-iPhone TikTok videos, producers continue to invest in cutting-edge animation technology to ensure they have the tools at their disposal to tell stories the way they want to—and at the budgets the market is now demanding.

“We are all pushed to create more innovation by the market itself,” says Ulli Stoef, CEO and producer at Toon2Tango. “Quite some money has been taken away from the market. So at the moment, budgets are a little bit tighter. We have to be really innovative and cost-effective in order to produce great shows with the utmost creativity. That almost cries for innovation.”

Animation innovation has always been part of the DNA at Cyber Group Studios, with the company most recently experimenting with real-time animation. Raphaëlle Mathieu, the company’s COO, calls using Unreal Engine a “game-changer.” Its use is “complementary” to the company’s traditional animation pipeline. “It gives us more possibilities, more flexibility and more ability to speak in a language that is appropriate to the content or to the cost-effective need of creating content with budgets that are

Banijay Kids & Family’s Topo Gigio has been rebooted for contemporary audiences.

getting smaller. Or when you need to create content that is digital-native.”

In subject matter, mean while, commissioners are looking for “lovable characters who spark empathy, who are experiencing everyday situations that kids can relate to, but also emotional intelligence,” reports Sophie “Kido” Prigent, head of sales at HARI. “And a lot of comedy. With all that, if you can bring the family to watch the shows together, then you tick so many boxes.”

Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin, producer and head of international at Dandelooo, also references the enduring demand for comedy but adds that commissioning partners are also “asking for more meaningful programs. Parents and broadcasters don’t want kids to just be eyeballs anymore and be entertained, but they want to have takeaways. Not in an educational or preachy way, but intertwined into the story to have things that are helping kids feel better about themselves.”

As for how kids find your show, though, that remains a challenge that the entire sector is grappling with. “Distributors need to ensure content is as visible as possible,” Banijay’s Dumont explains. “As a platform-agnostic business, we have the freedom to work with any platform and are open to nonexclusive deals, in order to maximize availability and strengthen our viewership.”

The exclusivity question is in flux, especially as broadcasters look to up their presence in the free on-demand space. “They

ZDF Studios is offering up the updated take on the beloved Grisù brand.

require the whole series to be there, unlimited, at any given time,” HARI’s Prigent says. “That is making it a bit challenging for us to get the pay services to come in and have these multiple windows. In that sense, FAST channels work much better, I think, because it’s linear still.”

Even just choosing promotional art for a show can be difficult, Dandelooo’s Pétry-Sirvin notes.

“One of the platforms is saying that they are looking for sticky programs. They’re talking about the thumbnail choice. The kid has to click on something they recognize as a brand or something extremely striking. That scares me; I have to say. It’s good in a way because it’s the essence of what the show is about. But at the same time, your series is judged on a very small image. You cannot explain what it’s about and how good it’s going to be. It’s a way of judging that is extremely harsh. You have to be extremely impactful on two centimeters.”

Tapping into social media is key. “You can really start creating or building momentum before the launch and then just keep feeding social media, even if it’s only snippets,” ZDF Studios’ Pietzsch says.

“Behind the scenes, pictures from the cast or the crew, it just creates such a buzz even before you launch. And that’s really helping on a lot of our brands as well.”

“We have created this series of walled gardens that makes finding content

Cyber Group Studios’ Press Start! is headed to Peacock.

incredibly hard,” says Shapiro on the discoverability question. “We’ve also oversaturated the market in storytelling to a certain extent. We’ve created a massive paradox of choice issue for publishers and audiences. The more choice you give consumers, the fewer choices they will actually make. I think that’s why testing things out and building audience and community in direct-to-consumer relationships is incredibly important. Just because you sell a show to Netflix doesn’t mean they’re going to surface it well and it doesn’t mean anyone’s going to see it. If you operate exclusively through the gatekeeper economy, even if you’re lucky enough to sell a show to a gatekeeper, the odds that it’s going to get a second or third season are decreasing at a very rapid rate.”

On what’s ahead, Shapiro says, “Disruption is now the operating system of the ecosystem. Generation A is going to be extremely different than every generation that came before it, more so than previous generations because of what they just went through in their most formative years, but also because they are so technologically savvy. They factor it into who they are and what they do. Change is now a constant state and you’re going to have to be OK with that. And if you’re not OK with it, that’s OK—but don’t be in the entertainment or media business.”

HARI’s Grizzy & t he Lemmings has been a huge hit on YouTube.

MERCURY RISING

Mercury Filmworks’ Heath Kenny on how the studio has evolved over the last 25 years and where it’s headed next.

By Kristin Brzoznowski

Celebrating its 25th year in the animation industry, Mercury Filmworks has grown in a number of ways to position the studio where it is today. “We went from trying to prove to the industry that hand-drawn, really high-end animation could be done in Toon Boom’s Harmony to not only proving it, but going beyond that initial promise,” says Heath Kenny, chief content officer. “We’ve been able to push it beyond what anyone expected to be able to do with that software, which has given our community and the industry opportunities to do much more with 2D digital animation than what was expected.”

Mercury Filmworks’

A Mouse Called Julian.

Mercury Filmworks remains an agile and collaborative partner, producing acclaimed content such as Hilda for Netflix. “We’ve established ourselves as not only creative, but incredibly reliable, very much well-rounded and mature partners that can take on complex, valuable problems for our clients and not only solve them, but solve them in a way that protects them from collaboration chaos,” Kenny says. “That reassurance for third-party service work is a badge of honor that we’re proud to wear.”

As that core business has expanded, Mercury Filmworks has built its originals strategy over the last two and a half years with projects such as Octicorn & Friends , Bunny McBee , A Mouse Called Julian , Tales of the Underwear Dragon and more. “We’ve embraced innovation and pushed into telling our own stories and inspiring our creators to step up and take a swing at creating their own characters and building the worlds they live in,” Kenny says.

“People are intrigued; they want to know more, and they want to collaborate with us,” he adds. “We’re building partnerships, and we continue to be trusted with book properties and originals from our community and beyond.”

“We’ve embraced innovation and pushed into telling our own stories.”

—Heath Kenny

Maud Branly

The M6 Group boasts a broad array of o ff erings for kids and families, from Gulli, the M6 Kid block, Canal J and TiJi in France to Gulli Girl and TiJi in the Baltics and CIS, Gulli Bil Arabi and Gulli Africa. Maud Branly, children’s acquisitions director and international TV channels children’s programming director, oversees the content mix across this varied bouquet. Her work is being recognized with the TV Kids Pioneer Award.

By Kristin Brzoznowski

TV KIDS: How has yo ur acquisition strategy had to adjust to kids’ changing viewing habits?

BRANLY: We all know that the media industry as a whole is still going through an intensive shift. We communicate with children of the digital-native generation, and we have to adapt our content and strategy to these new consumer habits. It is now more and more important to acquire “deep rights” and to be able to propose the right combination between

lin ear broadcast and nonlinear exploitation. We are looking for content that we can exploit across all our platforms.

TV KIDS: Has securing exclusivity become more important?

BRANLY: Competition is stronger as there are more and more [players] in the market. In this competitive context, it is essential for us to propose exclusive content for kids that they will find only on our channels and services. So yes, we are taking exclusive rights wherever we can and covering broader usage across VOD. Having said this, if something is outstanding and already on pay TV or a [digital] platform, we are happy to be part of it anyway. We work on a case-by-case basis and have different approaches depending on the program.

TV KIDS: With regard to acquisitions, what are you looking for?

BRANLY: We have very diverse needs! We have such a wide range of channels, platforms and targets throughout all the territories, so we are flexible and broadminded. We are always looking for high-profile content, shows in live action

Mattel’s Enchantimals is among the offerings on M6 Group’s Gulli channel.

and animation. We want well-told stories with fresh and funny designs.

On Gulli, we propose a lot of original creations, but we also have well-known and beloved franchises such as The Loud House , Pokémon , Barbie and Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks . We are looking for shows that fit the Gulli DNA: comedy, laughter and based in reality for kids to recognize themselves. Mainly, what we will be looking at in the animation space is comedy. The positioning of Gulli is to target kids from 4 to 12, so we’re also looking for upper-preschool, action-adventure, girls’ shows and live-action series. We want to keep offering all kinds of content to our audience.

For TiJi in France, our priority is to find upper-preschool shows targeting kids from 5 to 7. The channel is slightly more girly. Our top series are Polly Pocket , Spirit and Zoom the White Dolphin .

Canal J is our action-adventure channel for kids from 6 to 10. The top shows are Pokémon, Power Rangers and Kung Fu Panda.

The TiJi lineup includes the animated series Dino Ranch from Boat Rocker Studios.

For all our channels, we are looking for shows with a lot of volume, if possible, so that we can create big blocks of programs in the grid and create brands in the long term.

TV KIDS: How are you localizing the channels outside of France?

BRANLY: It’s very important to have content available on all our channels for the brands’ consistency and because we share a similar DNA in terms of values (tolerance, openness and cheerfulness). This is often the case for the French content. This is also a way to contribute to the promotion of French animation, which has a substantial share of the grid. We adapt the programming grids to the kids’ habits and school rhythms and broadcast local content. So, our acquisition strategy for those channels is to propose the right balance between French animation, international blockbusters and local content.