TV Kids MIPTV 2013

MIPTVEDITION

Apps for KidsFactual ProgrammingFamily Channel Turns 25SUPER RTL’s Claude SchmitDHX Media’s Steven DeNurePGS’s Philippe Soutter

THE MAGAZINE OF CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING APRIL 2013www.tvkids.ws

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As a creator, producer and distributor of ani-mated and live-action content, 9 Story Enter-tainment has many titles for internationalbuyers to choose from. Among the newestproperties being presented by the company arePeg + Cat, a new math-oriented animated pre-school series about a young girl and her felinecompanion, and Cache Craze, a live-actioncompetition program filled with adventure. Thecompany recently acquired Nerds and Monsters,an animated comedy for children between theages of 6 and 11. “It’s a great slate that spans allthe age demos, from preschool to family co-viewing,” says Natalie Osborne, the executive VPof business development at 9 Story. “Each showis full of humor, kid-relatable stories and is spoton for its age target.” According to Osborne, thetrend in children’s programming has been mov-ing away from pure action shows and towardpure comedies or comedy-action hybrids.

9 Story Entertainment• Peg + Cat • Nerds and Monsters • Cache Craze

Peg + Cat

A subsidiary of Konami Digital Entertainment,4K Media is responsible for managing the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand outside of Asia. This year in Cannes thecompany is promoting the animated franchise,which has enjoyed success in more than 90 coun-tries around the globe. ZEXAL, the newest install-ment, follows the adventures of a boy namedYuma, who is learning how to duel. “With Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, broadcasters can build upon thefranchise’s strong and loyal fan base by offeringthe timeless story line of heroes versus villains,”says Brian Lacey, an international broadcast salesconsultant to 4K Media. “Alongside ZEXAL, theYu-Gi-Oh! catalogue consists of the classic Yu-Gi-Oh! series, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s,and they will all be front and center in our mar-keting efforts during MIPTV.” Lacey mentionsthat the company is specifically looking to expandthe brand’s broadcast presence in Europe andLatin America.

4K Media• Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL

“The extensive Yu-Gi-Oh! library is especiallyappealing for new digital plaforms.”

—Brian Lacey

In This Issue

Hungry for AppsApps have become akey ingredient forsuccessful brands 28Real KidsThe art ofproducing kids’factual series 34Family at 25Astral Media’sJoe Tedesco & J. Kevin Wright 40InterviewsSUPER RTL’sClaude Schmit 44DHX Media’sSteven DeNure 47PGS Entertainment’sPhilippe Soutter 49Celebrating ExcellenceThe InternationalEmmy Kids Awards 50

“Recently, we are finding ‘edutainment’-based shows are traveling very well and kids love them!”

—Natalie Osborne

TV KIDS8

GET DAILY NEWS ON KIDS’ PROGRAMMING

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The Paris-based producer/distributor Arès-Filmsrecently secured the global broadcast distributionrights to the animated fantasy-adventure seriesGGO Football.The property blends the excite-ment of artificial-intelligence technology withthe appeal of a global football competition. Inthe show, the football players are actually artificial-intelligence robots, created with speed,strength and skills that surpass human ability. Anensemble cast of kid heroes, led by the spiritedIsaac, come together with their own GGO play-ers, facing hardships, challenges and stiff com-petition as they compete to capture the covetedGGO International Cup. There are 52 22-minute episodes that are available immediatelyfrom the company, with a second 52x22-minuteseries set for delivery in September. This givesbroadcasters plenty of time to link up with adver-tisers and sponsors for the series ahead of the2014 World Cup.

Arès-Films • GGO Football

GGO Football

The number one priority for American Greet-ings Properties (AGP) at MIPTV is to sell the13x22-minute third season of Strawberry Short-cake’s Berry Bitty Adventures, which recentlymade its debut on The Hub in the U.S. “Theall-new season features lots of berry excitingnew surprises for Strawberry Shortcake fans,” saysGia DeLaney, the company’s VP of programsales. “Not only does each girl adopt her veryown adorable puppy, but boy-pal HuckleberryPie also makes a triumphant return to the bittyscreen!” In addition, AGP is hoping to securefurther sales for Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot, a 26x22-minute series that also airs on TheHub. Given that both brands have been aroundfor decades, DeLaney feels that mothers mayfind these shows more appealing than newer,unfamiliar programs. “They are trusted brandsthat moms enjoyed when they were kids them-selves,” she says.

American Greetings Properties• Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures • Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot

Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures

“We are hoping tosecure additionaldigital deals for ourpopular series aswell as for ourlibrary catalogue.”

—Gia DeLaney

Ricardo Seguin GuisePublisher

Anna CarugatiEditor

Mansha DaswaniExecutive Editor

Kristin BrzoznowskiManaging Editor

Joanna PadovanoAssociate Editor

Simon WeaverOnline Director

Victor L. CuevasProduction Director

Phyllis Q. BusellArt Director

Meredith MillerProduction Associate

Cesar SueroSales & Marketing Director

Vanessa BrandSales & Marketing Manager

Terry AcunzoBusiness Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin GuisePresident

Anna CarugatiExecutive VP &

Group Editorial Director

Mansha DaswaniAssociate Publisher & VP of

Strategic Development

TV Kids© 2013 WSN INC.

1123 Broadway, #1207New York, NY 10010

Phone: (212) 924-7620Fax: (212) 924-6940

Website:www.tvkids.ws

TV KIDS10

OUR PLAYGROUND IS GETTING BIGGER


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One of Canada’s largest television production anddistribution companies, Breakthrough Entertain-ment brings its newest animated show, RocketMonkeys, to this year’s MIPTV. The series revolvesaround a pair of sibling primates charged with car-rying out important missions in space. “WhileRocket Monkeys is primarily a show for kids, theseries has both the slapstick and physical humorthat viewers of all ages will easily be entertainedby,” says Nat Abraham, the company’s presidentof distribution. The animated 26x30-minute pro-gram is created by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson,and is produced by Breakthrough Entertainmentin collaboration with TELETOON Canada andthe animation studio Atomic Cartoons. Break-through is also distributing the series, which beganairing on Nickelodeon in the U.S. this spring andis rolling out around the globe. “For many regions,the free-TV rights will become available after theinitial windows,” adds Abraham.

Breakthrough Entertainment• Rocket Monkeys

Rocket Monkeys

“The growth ofOTT, VOD andIPTV platformshas increasedthe overalldemand for ourcontent.”

—Nat Abraham

TV KIDS12


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A sci-fi show for kids, The Sparticle Mystery is a23x30-minute series set in a world where adultshave disappeared due to a faulty experiment.The cast is led by Wesley Nelson, Abigail Hard-ingham, Karim Zeroual, Megan Jones andOliver Bell, among other talents. The SparticleMystery is among the top programming pushesfor the London-based CAKE in Cannes, alongwith Space Racers and Clay Kids. Created byJavier Tostado, Clay Kids is a 52x11-minute clay-mation series meant for children between theages of 8 and 12. The company is also offeringup Get Well Soon, a 30x11-minute live-actionprogram that discusses common kids’ ailmentsusing puppetry and music. “All our shows havetheir individual appeal,” says Edward Galton,the chief commercial officer and managing direc-tor at CAKE. “They are compelling, well-madeand modern, and all feature characters that chil-dren across the world can relate to.”

CAKE• The Sparticle Mystery • Space Racers • Clay Kids

Space Racers

“We are spending a significant amount oftime and energy seekingto secure deals on aglobal level and it isstarting to pay off.”

—Edward Galton

TV KIDS14


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Based on the Square Enix video game, Mini Ninjasis about a group of ninjas fighting to rescue animalsthat were transformed into samurais by an evil wiz-ard. “The series, targeted at boys and girls 6 to 10, isthe perfect mix of action and comedy, and is actuallythat kind of rare concept that appeals to both publicand commercial broadcasters,” says Carole Brin,the head of international television sales and acqui-sitions at Cyber Group Studios. The company is alsopresenting the book-based Mademoiselle Zazie,which centers on the adventures of Zazie and Max,two friends who are 7 years old and live by the sea.“Mademoiselle Zazie, resolutely contemporary, evolvesin an environment of diversity—and the main theme,friendship, makes the show appealing to childrenworldwide,” says Brin. Cyber Group is promotingseason two of Zou, which follows the life of a youngzebra. The series has a number of digital exten-sions to complement it, including an e-book,offered in English, French, German and Italian.

Cyber Group Studios• Mini Ninjas • Mademoiselle Zazie • Zou

Mademoiselle Zazie

“TV channels attachmore and moreimportance to theexistence of digitalcontent linked withthe series.”

—Carole Brin

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Established in Argentina, Exim Licensing Grouphas increased its operations to include the principalmarkets of Ibero-America and has moved its head-quarters to Miami. The company’s main territoriesfor sales are Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina andChile. “As for emerging markets, Asia has always beenour focus, and this MIPTV will give us some oppor-tunities to analyze” that region, says Elias Hofman,the company’s president. Securing sales for the ani-mated property Bondi Band is the main goal this yearfor the company, which co-produces the series along-side Ledafilms and Mondo TV Spain. The 52x11-minute show follows the adventures of superherobandmates Tony, Laila, Azim, Boris, David andNina. The series ran on Disney XD in LatinAmerica on Saturdays and Sundays during themiddle of last year. “Our series Bondi Band isobviously our priority, but we will be in Canneswith our eyes open wide [so as to] not to miss anynew opportunities,” says Hofman.

Exim Licensing Group• Bondi Band

Bondi Band

“Our target right now is to get our new series BondiBand into EMEA.”

—Elias Hofman

TV KIDS18


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FremantleMedia’s Kids & Family Entertainment division has beencreating children’s content for the past three years and currentlyhas 15 titles in production. Of these, the company is highlightingElla the Elephant, a new animated preschool series; Strange Hill High,an adventure comedy show for kids; and Tree Fu Tom, which is aco-production with CBBC. “Tree Fu Tom has done exceptionallywell internationally, and we anticipate continued sales worldwideas we head into the second season of the program,” says AndrewBerman, the VP of distribution for FremantleMedia Kids &Family Entertainment. The preschool show “goes over and abovejust great characters and compelling story lines to encourage chil-dren to make movements designed by specialists in the area ofmotor-skills development,” says Berman.

Foothill Entertainment linked up with global production and cre-ative partners on all three of its top highlights, explains Jo Kavanagh-Payne, the company’s president. “Boy and the Dinosaur is based inthe U.K. with a blue-chip production team from 1461 Ltd that haspeople who worked on such global hits as Chugginton, The TiggerMovie and Rastamouse, among others. On G.U.N.K. Aliens we arepartnered with Gill Carr of Moody Street Kids in Australia, FrankTaylor of Title Entertainment and Donnie Anderson of GallusEntertainment in Canada, and we are anchoring the European endwith Foothill Europe.” She adds, “Finally, with Raz & Benny, wehave a U.K.-based creator in Simon Hodgkiss and his partner WillRockall, our production partner in India, DQ Entertainment, anda production pipeline that involves top creatives in Los Angeles.”

Foothill Entertainment

“We try to set trendsinstead of follow them.”

—Andrew BermanElla the Elephant

“The days arelong gone whenone could

develop and produce showswith a single-territory focus.”

—Jo Kavanagh-Payne

FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment

The preschool series Wish Come True, presented by Guru Stu-dio, follows the adventures of a little girl and her cat. The showis based on a property developed by the art collectiveFriendsWithYou. Justin Time, another preschool program fromthe Guru catalogue, is broadcast in more than 70 countries andhas been nominated for three Annie Awards. Also on the com-pany’s slate is Space Face, a comedy/action series targeted atchildren between the ages of 7 and 11. “With Space Face wehave focused primarily on getting the comedic timing in theshow right for an international audience, and we think it speaksdirectly to the everyday concerns of being a kid, using theinternational language of comedy,” says Mary Bredin, the VPof development and acquisitions at Guru Studio.

“We are veryexcited by

the potential of a numberof emerging markets suchas Russia.”

—Mary Bredin

Guru Studio

• Boy and the Dinosaur • G.U.N.K. Aliens • Raz & Benny

• Ella the Elephant • Strange Hill High • Tree Fu Tom

• Wish Come True • Justin Time • Space Face

244 World Screen 4/13

Raz & Benny

Wish ComeTrue

TV KIDS20


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Co-produced with Giochi Preziosi and written by Man ofAction, Gormiti is one of several titles that Mondo TV bringsto MIPTV this year. The 3D CGI series focuses on a char-acter named Agrom, who is the prince of the Earth tribe.The 52x26-minute boy-skewed show was inspired by a lineof pocket-sized collectible toys from Giochi Preziosi. “Gor-miti has demonstrated for the last five years now how strongand popular the characters are,” says Micheline Azoury, thehead of international sales and brand manager for MondoTV. The company is also offering The Drakers, a 26x26-minute 2D animated series, and the 52x13-minute BeastKeeper, which is about a boy who possesses the ability totame wild beasts, use their powers and fuse with them.

The new season of Yakari, which tells the story of a youngSioux boy with a magical gift, is being showcased by Media-toon Distribution at this year’s MIPTV. “The iconic Yakari pre-school brand, with its values of friendship, adventure, fun andpreservation of nature, is becoming more and more famous,”says Jérôme Alby, the company’s deputy general manager.Another title in Mediatoon’s catalogue is Little Spirou, a showabout a crafty 8-year-old. The program is based on Spirou andFantasio, a popular comic-book series that was first introduced75 years ago. Then there is Quiz Time, which helps youngviewers learn about numbers and spatial skills. The latest sea-son of Quiz Time contains 26 episodes that were specificallydesigned for children with hearing disabilities.

Mediatoon Distribution

Beast Keeper

Mondo TV S.p.A.

Broadcast in more than 180 countries, League of Super Evil is atop offering from Nerd Corps Entertainment in Cannes. Thecompany is also showcasing Endangered Species, an original com-edy series. “It’s a character-driven comedy that puts three veryunlikely friends living together in a tree stump, and they haveall kinds of crazy adventures within their surprisingly endlesshome,” says Ken Faier, the president of Nerd Corps Entertain-ment. “It’s got that same mix of fun and funny that we’ve seenwork so well with kids 6 to 11 around the world, backed bygreat animation and a unique visual style.” Also on offer isSlugterra, which is rolling out globally on Disney XD. The showfocuses on an underground world filled with evil-battling slugsthat change into powerful creatures when fired from a blaster.

Nerd Corps Entertainment

• Yakari • Quiz Time • Little Spirou

• The Drakers • Gormiti • Beast Keeper

• Slugterra • Endangered Species • League of Super Evil


Quiz Time

Slugterra

TV KIDS22

“We haveexpandedour online

and interactive teams todevelop great onlinegaming and apps formobile devices.”

—Ken Faier

“Our broadcasters andlicensing partners wantto lean on programs withinternational values.”

—Jérôme Alby


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The hit Power Rangers franchise is celebrating its 20th anniver-sary with a new installment, Power Rangers Megaforce. “The newseries delivers mega action, humor, excitement and entertain-ment,” says Elie Dekel, the president of Saban Brands. Thelive-action franchise is broadcast in more than 150 countries.“Power Rangers has the universal themes of teamwork, friend-ship and doing what is right. The core messages of the showresonate with kids around the world.” Also on the company’sslate is Julius Jr., an animated preschool show based on the PaulFrank family of characters, and Digimon Fusion, the sixth install-ment of the popular Digimon franchise about digital monsters.Julius Jr. and Digimon Fusion are airing on Nick Jr. and Nick-elodeon in the U.S., respectively, this year.

With a second season due to be released next year, SendokaiChampions centers on four children who have been chosen tosave the world from an inter-dimensional invasion. Laland is acomedy series about a planet that is inhabited by musical crea-tures known as Sulfis. “Sendokai Champions and Laland are greatproperties, full of action and comedy in the case of SendokaiChampions, and comedy and adventure for Laland,” says LauraGarcía Ortega, the head of international sales and licensing atNottingham Forest. The company is also highlighting Jokebox,a 3D animated short sitcom for teens and adults. “Its sense ofhumor is fully international and, thanks to its format, it has greatmultiplatform potential not only on TV but also through othermedia,” says García Ortega of Jokebox.

Nottingham Forest

“Brandsmustpresentan omni-channelapproach

that delivers contentthrough television,online and mobile.”

—Elie DekelPower Rangers Megaforce

“Contentconsumptionby childrenis changingvery quicklyand we cannot justfocus on theTV screen.”

—Laura García Ortega

Saban Brands

There are new versions of the classic animated series Maya theBee, Vic the Viking and Heidi available from Studio 100 Media,all of which first launched on television in the 1970s. “Withthe new CGI versions we have already placed Maya the Bee inmore than 130 countries, Heidi in approximately 80 and Victhe Viking in approximately 50 countries,” says Patrick Elmen-dorff, the company’s managing director. “These sales showthat the new animated programs are still very popular inter-nationally and we are convinced that further broadcasters willbe inspired by the adventures of these beloved characters inthe future.” Studio 100 is also highlighting Supermegahyperpets,an animated preschool show about animals that have the abil-ity to turn into superheroes.

“We areobserving anongoing trendfor animationseries in CGI,3D and 2D

with strong charactersand fascinating storylines.”

—Patrick Elmendorff

Studio 100 Media

• Sendokai Champions • Laland • Jokebox

• Power Rangers Megaforce • Julius Jr. • Digimon Fusion

• Maya the Bee • Vic the Viking • Heidi


Laland

Heidi

TV KIDS24


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Based on a graphic novel of the same name, The Deep is ananimated action-adventure series aimed at tween-aged view-ers. The show centers on a family of underwater explorers.“We like to think of it as Star Trek in the deep seas,” says AlisonWarner, the VP of IP sales, acquisitions and co-productions atTechnicolor Digital Productions. “Each episode is a combi-nation of adventure, jeopardy and humor with a dose of mys-terious fantastical creatures thrown in, which hascross-cultural appeal.” The company is also bringing to mar-ket Atomic Puppet, a comedy series for children between theages of 6 and 11. “Atomic Puppet is an extremely funny ani-mated sitcom about the relationship between a boy and anegotistical superhero,” adds Warner.

The Suzy’s Zoo brand dates back to 1968, when it beganas a line of note cards. The property has since grown to fea-ture more than 200 named characters on a wide range ofsocial-expression products. The three main character sets areLittle Suzy’s Zoo, Duckport and Wags and Whiskers. “Suzy’sZoo has proven itself globally again and again over its 45-yearhistory as an evergreen brand that seems to know no culturalborders,” says Suzy Spafford, the creator and CEO of Suzy’sZoo. “They love and know Suzy’s Zoo in England, Finland,Italy, Turkey, France, Spain, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, CostaRica, Mexico, Canada, China and many other parts of theglobe—plus, of course, the United States.” The brand is rep-resented by Lawless Entertainment.

Suzy’s Zoo

“We’ve foundthat pitchingour second-screen strategyfor The Deep,along with the

actual content pitch, hasbeen an incredible sellingpoint to the networks.”

—Alison WarnerThe Deep

Technicolor Digital Productions

With production slated to start in the spring, Tip the Mouseis one of the titles that m4e’s Telescreen is looking to drivesales for. The preschool series was inspired by the interna-tionally successful children’s books about a young mouseliving in the woods with his family. The company is alsoshowcasing Mia and me, which combines live action andCGI animation. The first season of Mia and me has alreadybeen sold in more than 60 countries around the globe.There is also Dex Hamilton and the Doomsday Swarm, a newscience-fiction feature film. “Dex Hamilton and the DoomsdaySwarm is a great CGI movie, a rollicking sci-fi adventurethat will surely appeal to a broad, young male target group,”says Sjoerd Raemakers, Telescreen’s general manager.

“The market for new-mediaplatformsis growingconstantly,

so more online playersare attending theimportant events.”

—Sjoerd Raemakers

Telescreen

• Little Suzy’s Zoo • Duckport • Wags and Whiskers

• The Deep • Atomic Puppet

• Mia and me • Tip the Mouse • Dex Hamilton and the Doomsday Swarm


Mia and me

TV KIDS26

“My life’s purpose is tomake peoplehappy, and toshare the joyexperiencedwhen onerememberswhat it is liketo be a child.”

—Suzy SpaffordWags and Whiskers


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he children’s television industry has undergone some-thing of a revolution in its attitude toward digital media

in recent years. Not long ago, the industry was marked by acautious approach, a result of the suspicion that developingdigital content might turn out to be some ghastly black holesucking up huge amounts of development cash. Now, digitaldevelopment in the form of products for the apps market hasbecome an essential component of the marketing plan of anysuccessful children’s property. The sudden enthusiasm for apps is largely due to the phe-

nomenal success of devices such as Apple’s iPhone, iPad andiPod touch. These have in turn prompted the growth of theApp Store, which has provided kids’ producers with an excit-ing new shop window for their content.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESSThere is no real restriction on the type of content that makesa successful app, says Derek Roberto, the VP of new media atAmerican Greetings Properties (AGP), which has launched anumber of apps based around its Strawberry Shortcake char-

acter. “There is a whole range, from basic preschool count-ing and ABCs to storytelling, games, activities and creativeapps for tweens,” he says.Ken Faier, the president of the Canadian children’s pro-

ducer and distributor Nerd Corps Entertainment, confirmsthat apps for kids can take on many forms.“The type of app depends on the property and the inherent

play pattern—for instance, action properties that have gamingelements built in, or literary properties that inspire readingand interactivity.” Nerd Corps launched its first app, Slug it Out!, in early

December of 2012. It was based on the company’s ani-mated series for Disney XD, Slugterra. An action puzzle, theapp uses a “match three” mechanic to duel. Kids collectslugs, power them up by matching tiles and then fire themat an opponent. “It’s a strong reflection of the core themesof the show,” says Faier. “The ratings and feedback havebeen extremely strong, and we hit number 15 on the paidlist for puzzle games and remain in the top 50 to 100 inaction games.”


TV KIDS28

Developing apps has become a key ingredient for building kids’shows into hit global brands.

Cyber Group’s Zou.

By David Wood

AppsHUNGRY for

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At the Paris-based Cyber Group Studios, the chairman andCEO, Pierre Sissmann, has identified 2013 as the right time totake the plunge into the app market. “We have been scout-ing the market for a year and a half. We didn’t want to wasteour resources making a lot of wrong turns, but this year weare going to launch three apps. The first is an e-book based onthe preschool series Zou with developer 3DDUO.” The other two are apps for Cyber Group’s Ozie Boo! and

Tales of Tatonka, lined up for release later this year. Like Sissmann, many producers have noted that over

the last 18 months the launch of a succession of hitkids’ apps has emphasized the fact

that demand is high andthe potential rewardsare huge.

WHERE’S MY APPETIZER?AGP’s Roberto observes that “the rapidadoption of smartphones and tablets hasboosted demand with both parents and kidsconstantly looking for newcontent—that’s why thereare over a million apps inApple’s App Store.” That’s good news in one

sense, but a major challengein another: how to get noticedamong a million competitors. There are a number of strate-

gies for rising to the top, suggestsNerd Corps’ Faier. “Having a brandthat is on TV, in retail and online isclearly an advantage. It’s inter-esting to note that in theearly days of the AppStore, known brands didnot seem to drive appsales in a significant way,

but that is no longer the case. As happens on all platforms asthey get more crowded, eventually you need to have a brandthat has awareness to cut through.” One company with plenty of brand awareness is

DreamWorks Classics, home to established children’scharacters such as Postman Pat, Noddy, Casper and Waldoof Where’s Waldo?DreamWorks Classics was early to market with prop-

erties such as the Waldo apps, which have been down-loaded more than 7 million times and appear in the top25 paid apps of all time in ten countries. Nicole Blake, the executive VP of global marketing

and consumer products at DreamWorks Classics, saysthat creating a successful app is partly about getting the cre-ative treatment right and partly about finding the best routeto market. “Key to designing a successful app is making sure there is

a known play pattern or something familiar in the way itworks that the demographic you are aiming at will recog-nize,” she says. “In the case of Where’s Waldo?, the consumerexpects it will be a search and find. So we made sure theapp delivers on that. Then you need to make sure the brandteam works closely alongside the digital development teamto make it as true to the brand in terms of attributes andpersonality as possible.”Another major factor in the success of an app is match-ing its game-play characteristics to the intended demo-graphic—a successful app needs to be both age andbrand appropriate. “Just like developing a TV series for a preschooler, you

have to ensure you are testing along the way so youknow what your audience gets engaged in, matchingits pacing, dexterity, and emotional and intellectualdevelopment to the audience,” says Faier.Many apps are built for independent play—achild can interact with games or e-books whenhe or she is not watching the show. Apps builtfor tweens, however, often promote second-screen activities.Tweens are the most switched on to the

entertainment values, the playability and thetechnology involved in apps. Plus, they arevery receptive to the attendant social-media

channels that reinforce good apps. Jay Bennett, the creative director of Smoke-

bomb Entertainment, a division of Shaftesbury,has launched apps for two of the company’sshows for the Canadian tween network YTV:Totally Amp’d and Unlikely Heroes. “For our ten-part tween series Totally Amp’d we created newcontent each week, which allows you to playalong with the show. The app features a musicmixer and design studio, and kids can remix itand sing along. “An important component is the social

strategy, which is based around Facebook,Twitter and the YTV site. Users can upload

their mixes into Facebook for peer recognition and prizes.It helps bridge the gap between episodes, creating a 360-degree experience which drives the audience back to thenext episode.”

TV KIDS30

On the hunt: DreamWorks Classics’Where’s Waldo? brandhas been a huge hit inthe app world.

Ready, aim, fire:Nerd Corps launchedits first app last year,Slug it Out!, based onits Disney XD seriesSlugterra.


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Making the app was a good learning experience, recallsBennett. “Initially we tried Totally Amp’d with all theepisodes within the app when we launched. We found ourusers watched them all and popped up on social channelsasking, “What’s next? By launching everything at once weremoved our ability to tell a story and continue to buildthat audience. In retrospect, a ten-week release might havebeen more effective.”

TECH TRIALSOn Nerd Corps’ Slugterra, the app launch was pushed backwhen tests revealed that the introductory tutorial side of thegame needed more work. “It was a great learning experiencefor us, and our subsequent ratings and reviews prove it wasprobably wise to hold off on the launch until the game wasperfected,” says Faier. It’s here that developing apps departs from the web expe-

rience, Faier continues. “With the web you are told it’s best toget something out there and iterate. In the app world, it’smore important to game test and put it out when it is fullyfleshed out. If you don’t hit in the first few weeks, it is hardto get any traction at all.” Assuming that the creative treatment is right, finding the right

leverage to make sure your property gets seen is also critical. In terms of technology, focusing efforts on Apple’s iOS

platform is the most effective strategy, largely because Applehas a significant lead in device adoption for kids with hand-me-down phones, tablets and their own iPod touches, says

Faier, although he concedes that Android is developing rap-idly as another important mobile platform. “We look for app partners with a built-in network so

they can cross-promote our app with their other products,”adds DreamWorks Classics’ Blake. “It’s a helpful way todrive success at a launch and give visibility. Platforms suchas the App Store or Android work in a similar way to phys-ical retail stores. In retail the most successful products areat eye level at the front of the store—it’s the same with theApp Store’s merchandising, where the most popular is themost prominent.” Smokebomb’s Bennett agrees: “Getting in the featured apps

section is the name of the game because it really increases vis-ibility and downloads.” For Blake, developing good relationships with “key retail

storefronts is all-important. It really helps with your promo-tion and placement. To get to be the most popular you needthe best promotional spaces, so you need to focus everythingon getting onto those best-seller lists.” Anecdotal reports indicate that a prominent position in the

App Store can increase sales by 3,000 percent.Another route is to make the most of a broadcaster’s

own digital platform, stresses Bennett. “YTV already has 1 million eyeballs a month, so assuming we can get 25 percent of that audience to pay attention, perhaps one inten might download our app. That’s 25,000 downloads.Not a bad start.” One of the most exciting features of the app market is that

brands can be created, according to Nerd Corps’ Faier. “Wefeel it is important to focus on our own brands initially ratherthan create original IP specifically for apps,” he says. “Butwhile TV is still our core business, we do see ourselves evolv-ing over time to a point where we could launch a new brandin the mobile space using that as a launchpad for TV. “In addition to our first-ever Slugterra game for the App

Store, we have also developed a multiplayer game for ourcomedy series League of Super Evil for launch later this year.We have learned a lot about marketing apps and want tomake sure we put that learning into the launch.”

COUNTING COSTSGeneral budgets for quality app development are in the$50,000-to-$200,000 range, with most being above the$100,000 mark. It’s important to realize that the creation anddevelopment of the app is potentially ongoing. If there isdemand for a product it is necessary to update it with newcontent, potentially creating a new revenue stream. “If you arecharging 99 cents per download, less 30 percent for Apple,you have to hit a few hundred thousand downloads to makethis a viable standalone business,” says Faier.Faier concludes that while everyone is still very much in

the early stages of developing children’s apps, much has beenlearned, such as making sure the level of innovation in anyproduct is in step with the development of the market. “The device manufacturers are focusing their support and

promotion around apps that drive the use and adoption oftheir smart devices and new technologies,” explains Faier.“However, focusing exclusively on innovation can also leaveyour market behind. Success is about striking the right bal-ance between providing something that is very recognizablebut at the same time unique.”


Sticking to thebasics: AmericanGreetings Propertieshas launched a number of appsaround its veteranStrawberry Shortcakebrand.

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apturing the attention of young viewers is becomingincreasingly difficult, given the plethora of channels,

websites, apps, video games and more available to them. Andfor factual shows in particular, the road to luring viewers is atough one as they face off against the surfeit of anima-tion, live-action comedy, drama and movies on general-entertainment and kids’ networks.

Whether the subject is science, history, outdoor activities,natural history, wildlife or current affairs, factual programs anddocumentaries aimed at schoolchildren, tweens and youngteenagers have much to compete against to gain budget-cutting broadcasters’ notice. But the fact that global reality-TVhits such as MasterChef and The Apprentice have successfully cre-ated youth-oriented spinoffs ( Junior MasterChef and YoungApprentice) is ample evidence that, when conceived correctly,kids’ factual shows can be ratings winners.

“Factual [content] has been aimed at adults because it acts asa whole family’s entry point to a show’s brand,” notes VinceCommisso, the president and CEO of 9 Story Entertainment.“With kids’ factual, it is an entry point for young viewers andbroadcasters are looking for more content like this.”

One show that has managed to attract the interest of kidsacross the globe is Horrible Histories, produced by LionTelevision. It’s a series of comedy sketches based on true, no-holds-barred historical events—gory, yucky details and all.

“I don’t think any subject is too boring or too difficult forkids,” says Richard Bradley, Lion Television’s joint managingdirector. “It’s how you tell the story. For them, HorribleHistories is not a history lesson but a story with weird char-acters, terrible events, all those bits of human life that areindiscreet to talk about, such as that in medieval times, peo-ple used to throw poo out of their windows.”


AProducers and distributors weigh in on the fine art of producing factual series for kids. By Juliana Koranteng

RE

LKIDS

Beyond’s History Hunters.34 TV KIDS

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The trick is to acquire an instinct for understanding what makescontemporary storytelling tick with kids, Bradley adds. Apply thatto nonfiction TV entertainment and they will tune in again and again.

SURVIVAL SKILLS“There are two key elements to consider in the production of kids’ con-tent,” says 9 Story’s Commisso. “The ‘mirror’ that reflects how kids seethemselves; and the ‘window’ through which they see what they aspire to.With factual, they see themselves being put in challenging positions butwith fun, twists and consequences that are very funny.” 9 Story’s Survive Thiswith Les Stroud, who hosted Discovery Channel’s Survivorman, aims tointroduce 14- to 17-year-olds to life in the wild. It started in 2009 onCanada’s YTV and has since been sold to numerous territories, includingthe U.S. on Cartoon Network, Australia’s ABC, Sweden’s SVT, Norway’sNRK, Boomerang in Latin America and Discovery Kids in Asia.

Turkey-based Minika TV and Zee Learn in India recentlysnapped up 9 Story’s Making Stuff, a live-action factual series aimed atdemonstrating to curious children how everyday items are designed andmade. The show is already on air in Canada, Israel and Portugal and hasbeen sold for transmission in Malaysia and Brunei.

A new factual show on 9 Story’s books is Cache Craze, a 10x1-houradventure documentary centered on geocaching—the popular GPS-aided treasure hunt that requires players to find items hidden by otherplayers in obscure places in any part of the world. Cache Craze sets up“insane” challenges during a ten-week competition to see which of theparticipating families completes the tasks to locate craftily hidden treas-ures. It has been commissioned by YTV to premiere this spring and willbe available at MIPTV.

“It is a competition set in a physical social media setting, and youregister your success online,” Commisso says. “It appeals to broad fam-ily audiences because there are technical challenges, adventure, treasure-hunt elements and mental challenges and kids watching will want todo it themselves. We also like to think our young participants will walkaway feeling positive for at least taking part.”

So where is the demand for children’s nonfiction programmingmost prevalent? “The Asia-Pacific region, in particular, is very pro-active in kids’ factual content and they all want long-running series,”says Munia Kanna-Konsek, the head of sales at Beyond Distribution.“We have been able to place large packages of programs with assortedbroadcasters in assorted territories.”

Spinning wheels: Cache Craze is the latest addition to 9 Story’s stable offactual shows for kids.



Among the kids’ “edutainment” shows in Beyond’s portfolio are titleslike Steam Punks, Lab Rats Challenge, Kid Detectives, Backyard Science andDick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild! “All have at least 50 episodes, teaching kids howto do things, all set challenges and stimulate the mind,” Kanna-Konseksays. On Beyond’s MIPTV slate will be Junior Vets and History Hunters.“Junior Vets focuses on animals but, in this series, it shows the kids receiv-ing hands-on training at a veterinary school. It is entertaining, heart-warming and life-affirming and all the while never losing sight of theintense training program these kids have entered into.” History Huntersexplores customs, inventions and discoveries from bygone years. It edu-cates kids through entertainment.

FINDING THE FUNDSThose involved in the business of factual television for kids observethat financing these shows can often be a challenge. “There is littlefunding here in Australia for this type of programming for children,”admits Bernadette O’Mahony, the head of development and produc-tion at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF).O’Mahony notes that until the public-broadcast kids’ network ABC3

launched, networks were not commissioning kids’ factual content on a reg-ular basis. Among the limited, but growing, locally produced fare isBushwhacked!, which is ACTF-executive produced and airs on ABC3.“It’s not where the government funding in children’s tends to be aimed

at; funding is more widely available for the live-action dramas and anima-tion, which have higher budgets and employ larger numbers of people. Itwould be great if there was more funding for kids’ factual programs as theycan be difficult to finance here in Australia,” says O’Mahoney.ABC3, which is aimed at 7- to 15-year-old viewers, accounts for a sig-

nificant share of kids’ factual in Australia. In addition to Bushwhacked!,another popular nonfiction series on the network is Prank Patrol. In itsdebut season it was the number one live-action show on ABC3, and its sec-ond garnered a 23-percent share among 5- to 12-year-olds across allfree-to-air channels. Now in its third season, Prank Patrol Australia, adaptedfrom the successful YTV series, has been licensed by MarVistaEntertainment to CBBC, ZDF and RAI, among others.The cost of kids’ nonfiction productions varies, depending on the

objective. 9 Story’s Commisso estimates that costs can range from$250,000 to $800,000 per hour. In Australia, Tim Brooke-Hunt, con-troller of children’s TV at ABC Television, notes, “These shows rangefrom high-volume, low-cost series with budgets under A$50,000($51,715) per half-hour to low-volume, high-concept series with budgetsover A$100,000 ($103,430) per half-hour.”Inevitably, any content owner targeting kids will have to step into

the digital-media domain. For example, Lion Television has created digi-tal vignettes to accompany Horrible Histories. “If a TV show is successful,young viewers want an extended relationship with the brand; they don’twant it to end with just the TV,” Bradley says.

Comic chops: Prank Patrol Australia has been a major hit for ABC3 andhas been sold worldwide by MarVista Entertainment.


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Celebrating its 25th birthday this year, Astral Media’s FamilyChannel has carved a niche for itself as a destination for fun,engaging live-action comedies for tween audiences across multi-ple platforms. With roughly half of its programming slatelicensed from Disney Channel, the channel, reaching 6 millionCanadian homes, fills out its grid with hit original series as wellas select acquisitions, all parent-approved and celebrating theeveryday joys of family life. Joe Tedesco, the senior VP and gen-eral manager at Astral Kids, tells TV Kids about what’s pro-pelled the service over the last 25 years and how it aims to stayrelevant in the future.

TV KIDS: How has the Family Channel brand evolved overthe last 25 years?TEDESCO: Family Channel started as a pay service, not veryhighly penetrated because of its packaging and price point. Itsmandate was to be more of a general-interest family-type ser -vice, appealing to a broad segment of kids and parents. Over theyears it’s gone through a significant evolution. The first bigstep for the channel was in 1998 when we migrated onto amuch more broadly distributed tier, which dramaticallyincreased our distribution. In 2001, when Astral took control ofFamily, one of the first things we did was look at repositioningthe brand. That’s when we started to target the tween segment,a demographic that wasn’t being well served at the time. Ourbrand repositioning was also a better fit with Disney’s successesin live-action comedy programming such as Lizzie McGuireand Even Stevens, and our Canadian original content was sup-plementing that as well. Part of the repositioning was the devel-opment of the “Never a dull moment” tagline, which was anexpression of everyday life and families. Over the years we con-tinue to evolve our brand. One of the key priorities for us isto make sure that the brand stays relevant. Our aim is to create

an environment where kids can celebrate everyday life, wherethey can do it in a fun [way]. Spontaneous comedy is a bigcomponent of our brand. But what’s also important is that [thechannel] is parent-approved. Kids, in particular in that [tween]age group, still like spending time with their parents. Offeringan inclusive destination where they can enjoy entertainmentas a family is something they highly value.

TV KIDS: You’ve also evolved into being a multiplatformoffering.TEDESCO: Absolutely. We started with launching FamilyOnDemand four years ago. It started out as a set-top prod-uct and then evolved online. Now we’ve extended it intomobile and tablets, etc. Obviously, [the TV set] is still by farthe single most important platform in terms of the way peo-ple consume TV, but that world is evolving and changing andpeople are using other devices. We think it’s critical that we’reresponsive to those changing consumer preferences. Linear TVviewership is still huge, but many of our viewers want to be ableto get content wherever, whenever and on whatever devicethey want to get it. When we have big event-type programmingnow, we don’t start analyzing viewership until we get the seven-day numbers, which includes PVR viewing, because we knowthat linear viewing is just one part of the equation.

TV KIDS: How do you capture, and keep, your audience’sattention in an increasingly cluttered media environment?TEDESCO: The competitive landscape has grown exponen-tionally. When we launched the channel we were in a 15- to20-channel environment. It really gets down to staying rele-vant, understanding your consumer, understanding the envi-ronment that they enjoy, and having the content that speaks tothem. We’re very fortunate to be aligned with Disney, who isthe most prolific producer of content of that genre. We takecare to augment that with our own Canadian content. Also,given that [kids] are using a variety of devices to consumecontent, it also becomes key that you are making yourselfavailable on those platforms so you can keep them engaged.

TV KIDS: You mentioned original content; many of thoseshows have also sold well internationally.TEDESCO: We’ve had a number of shows that we’ve pro-duced that have gone on to major international success. It’s anarea that we pay a lot of attention to. Sixty percent of ourschedule comes from Disney. We have a 30-percent Canadiancontent component, so ensuring that we have programmingthat resonates with our audience is really key. We’re alsofocused on developing a local star system, because it’s goodfor our country, but it’s also good for the network—we canaccess this talent base and leverage the actors for many of thegrassroots activities we execute. There’s a real dual purposein my mind to producing content that engages viewers andcreating recognizable talent that can then help with ourbrand-building activities.

TV KIDS:What are your thoughts on how OTT services likeNetflix are affecting the ratings for kids’ channels?TEDESCO: Any time there’s an opportunity for someone toconsume content somewhere else, it means increased competi-tion. But at the end of the day it comes down to the contentexperience. What’s most important to us is that our content is

40 TV KIDS

Family at 25By Mansha Daswani

Astral’s JoeTedesco

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exclusive to Family Channel—you can’taccess our content from any other serviceprovider in Canada and that gives us acompetitive advantage. Currently, wedon’t see OTT as a major threat becauseour content is exclusive to our channel.This enables us to embrace nonlineardevices and platforms as an extensionof the linear channel, like we havedone with Disney XD on Xbox, andthis has proven to increase engagementand drive viewership.

TV KIDS: What have been your mainpro-social campaigns?TEDESCO: One initiative that we’ve beenmost focused on and that we’ve supportedfor ten years is bullying awareness. We’vebeen very committed to that. One of thethings that makes social-responsibility pro-grams successful is staying focused andcommitting resources. That’s why westarted our Stand UP! to bullying cam-paign. We chose that initiative in particu-lar because when we went out ten yearsago and were looking at causes we couldinvolve ourselves with, the issue of bully-ing really emerged as one that was top ofmind in our age group. Back then notmany people were talking about it. Theawareness surrounding the issue hasexploded now, and that’s fantastic. Ourcontinued focus will be on bullyingawareness, and we do a lot of work interms of extending that program into theschools across the country and workingwith other partner agencies that areinvolved in that cause.

TV KIDS: What are your overall goalsfor the Astral Kids portfolio?TEDESCO: We’re always focused onbecoming number one in the categoriesthat we operate in. That’s what we strivefor and what gets us excited every day.We are in a mature business, but toremain a healthy business you have tofind new opportunities to grow,whether that is working with our affili-ates to grow subscriptions to our chan-nels or growing advertising revenues—we have one ad-supported channel,Disney XD. We are also looking tomonetize our presence in alternativeplatforms as well. We continually investin research to develop an intimateunderstanding of our audiences so wecan ensure our content and brands stayrelevant to them, and we engage themin whatever platform they choose toconsume entertainment content.


TV KIDS42

As the senior VP ofprogramming at AstralMedia, J. Kevin Wrightis tasked with ensuringthat Family’s acquiredand commissionedcontent keeps kidsen gaged, and enter-

tained, on television, online and on-demand. He tellsTV Kids about his approach to delivering the best contentfor Canadian tweens.

TV KIDS: What do you look for in shows for Family?WRIGHT: It’s twofold. First we ask ourselves, is it afit for our strategy, and is it something that looks likeit would be at home amongst the Disney content?The kinds of things we look for generally are live-action comedy series. That’s a large component ofwhat we get from Disney and what works for ouraudiences. The other thing that’s important is theability to extend that property across other platforms,because Family is available across broadband, on set-top, on-demand, etc.

TV KIDS: Tell us about your development process,and how you fine-tune projects to suit your needs?WRIGHT: It’s very difficult sometimes to see thefinished product during the concept stage. We startby defining in our own minds clearly what our pro-gramming strategy is. We ask ourselves, what’s thespecific demo that we’re targeting? What kind of for-mat do we think is most effective to hit that target?We look at content that we’re getting from othersources. And then we communicate to our inde-pendent producers what our needs are, and the typesof things that are working for us. Then they comeback with ideas, and we develop those ideas. We’revery active in the scripting stage and the concept-development stage. When we feel it’s appropriate wecommission pilots, so we can test the idea, flesh it outand put it in front of a focus group and see how itlooks and how kids react to it.

TV KIDS: What are the specific challenges youencounter in developing live-action kids’ contentversus animation?WRIGHT: There are challenges with animation—obviously, there’s the lead time and animation is aless flexible process; in live action you can tweak onset if something isn’t funny or doesn’t seem to work.It’s tricky though, because animation tends to have abetter shelf life, so you do aim for a certain level ofcurrency with live-action shows. The challenge is

always not to appear derivative when you’re doinglive-action shows, because as you’re creating contentother people are creating content too, and some-times things come up in the zeitgeist—everyonesays, Let’s do a show about kids taking over a TV sta-tion, and suddenly there are seven of them in theworks! You do have to take risks and do things thatmaybe aren’t expected.

TV KIDS: How do you stay relevant with this demothat seems to have so many other distractions?WRIGHT: We fully accept that kids have the greatcapacity to multitask. It’s in our interest [to] find amultiplatform angle to engage the kids while they’rewatching the service. For example, we’ve developeda new show, The Next Step, that launched in March.We have multiplatform content as well as an aftershow. We’re trying to come at the show from dif-ferent angles—from a social platform, from an incre-mental content standpoint—so that kids can get toknow the characters and have a social connection to[the series]. That’s all assuming you’ve got a goodshow to start with. You can have all the multiplatformadditional content in the world, but if the show isnot very good to start with, if you don’t have a lik-able cast, then you’re not going to be successful.

TV KIDS: How important are co-productions?WRIGHT: Most of our original productions aredone either as co-productions or are financedthrough a variety of other sources. Very rarely dowe 100-percent commission programs; they’re justtoo expensive! Co-productions allow us to accessfinancing from other regions, and also the talent.Canada has world-class talent but there are othertalent pools out there that we’d love to work with.

TV KIDS: What’s the art to a happy partnership?WRIGHT: There are two things. One is, being upfrontat the very beginning about the type of show thatyou’re trying to create. If someone is targeting a dif-ferent age demo [than you are], that’s a recipe for dis-aster. If someone is looking for a more serious show ora lighter show—you have to make sure right up frontthat the agendas are aligned. And then it’s a matter ofhaving really open lines of communication. We try tocommunicate with our partners on an ongoing basisso that we don’t send the producer conflicting notes,which I’m sure happens more often than we’d all liketo admit! And then we’ll do postmortems after eachseason to say, What are we happy with? What workedand what didn’t work? How can we make the showbetter and make sure we’re all on the same page?

Astral’s J. Kevin Wright

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Facing increasing competition from both linear channels andnew-media platforms, SUPER RTL has managed, over the last15-plus years, to maintain its leadership position among Ger-man kids’ TV services. Claude Schmit, the CEO of the jointventure between The Walt Disney Company and RTL Group,knows, however, that maintaining that position requires inno-vation and a keen understanding of how children are spend-ing their time with media these days. He recently sat downwith TV Kids to talk about refining the daytime schedule,experimenting with nonlinear platforms and bolstering thechannel’s prime-time slate for families.

TV KIDS: How have you been able to remain the marketleader in the German kids’ segment for more than 15 years?SCHMIT: Fortunately, we have been able to find exactly thetype of programming that was required by our audience.Obviously, that’s changed over the last 15 years. We werelucky to be able to pick those shows we needed for a specifictime slot in our schedule.

TV KIDS: How do your programmers commission andacquire shows that will be able to sit alongside the library ofcontent that comes to the channel from Disney?SCHMIT: It’s nothing mathematical. You cannot say, I need25 percent of that kind of material and 25 percent of thatkind—that doesn’t work. Our people are running aroundthe markets, they are looking at everything and they knowthere is a specific time slot [to fill], a specific [audience to] tar-get: I need preschool, I need live action for older kids, etc.Since they know what they are looking for, it is relatively easyto spot the right things that are available on the market.

TV KIDS: You mentioned late last year that increasing yourshare of viewing in the 14-to-49 segment was a priority. Whyis this important, and how are you looking to achieve this goal?

SCHMIT: We are a little schizophrenicat SUPER RTL. We have one time slotfrom 6 o’clock in the morning to 8o’clock at night, which is the kids’ andfamily entertainment block. So the tar-get there is primarily kids, secondarilyadults. As of 8:15 p.m., which in Ger-many is the switching time—where thenews from the public channels[ends]—our slate is different. We don’ttarget kids, we target a [broader] familyaudience, or what we call heads ofhouseholds with kids. We are trying todo new things in daytime and we arealso trying to do new things in primetime. In daytime we want to become alittle bit more German, and a little bitmore educational. That’s a USP [uniqueselling point] of SUPER RTL and it’sone of the main USPs also of the pub-lic channel, which is relatively strong.In prime time we are the number onekids’ channel, but we are not the num-ber one adult channel, unfortunately—but that’s never going to happen! Herewe try to be family-oriented, especially

in the first two hours of the evening, from 8 to 9 and thenfrom 9 to 10. We are trying to get a little more female- ratherthan male-oriented.

TV KIDS: Tween audiences in particular have so manyopportunities to be entertained elsewhere, be it on Facebookor watching Glee. How do you keep up with them?SCHMIT: Well, for example, we broadcast Glee. That helps. Itotally realize they are a very, very difficult target group. Andthey are the least attached to television, as such. We have to bevery careful not to focus too much on that demographic. Wehave a few others that are also very important: preschoolers and6 to 9, 10 or even 11, 12. So we have to make sure our portfo-lio is balanced, because it’s not even that the advertising marketis one third, one third, one third. It’s a little bit more compli-cated. We have to make sure that our offer is balanced accord-ing to the needs of the market. We know the 10 to 13 targetgroup is very difficult to deal with; we have to offer interestingprograms for them, but not necessarily on television, becausethey are not necessarily the main users of television. We haveto make sure we’re offering adequate platforms for them.

TV KIDS:What have you learned about how kids engagewith the SUPER RTL brand on new-media platforms?SCHMIT: We are at the very early stages. It’s too early toextrapolate. Obviously, what we see is that media consumptionis changing, so we have to be present wherever our target groupis. We still believe that TV as such is going to continue to play adominant role in media consumption. Second-screen applica-tions [will be used], but it’s the second screen, not the firstscreen. We have to see how our audience is going to play withthese different systems. Honestly, we don’t know yet. We arelearning by doing, we are learning by watching them, we arelearning by trying to understand how they function. I’m goingto be honest: it’s not that we are generating a huge amount of

SUPER RTL’s ClaudeSchmit

By Mansha Daswani

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45TV KIDS

money with these additional platforms. Our revenues are stilldriven 80 percent by TV advertising. It hasn’t changed muchover the last [few] years. I remember ten years ago everyone wassaying, “TV advertising revenues are going to disappear, they aregoing to be replaced by non-TV advertising revenues.” Hon-estly, I haven’t seen it yet. Maybe our station is the only excep-tion in the world where that hasn’t happened yet—I’m slightlydoubtful about that; it’s relatively common. So that’s why we say,We have to be present, [but] we’re not going to invest hugeamounts of money as long as there isn’t a corresponding busi-ness model behind it. For the time being we are playing in everyfield. We’ve launched free apps, we are launching paid apps.Again, it’s not that we’re selling hundreds of millions of apps, but[we need to] be present to see how our target group is copingwith these new offers.

TV KIDS: You mentioned traditional TV advertising. Howhas the market been over the past year, and what are yourprojections for the year ahead?SCHMIT: Here again we have two markets we cater to: thekids’ advertising market and the adult advertising market.The kids’ advertising market in Germany is not growing bydouble digits every year. Those days are over. We suppose it’sgoing to be similar in 2013. However, the biggest part of kids’advertising revenues goes through our books. And that hasnot changed over the last years. Prime-time adult advertising revenues—it’s difficult to say.

Obviously, everything there depends to a large extent on thegeneral economic conditions. Fortunately, in Germany theseare good, all the indicators are relatively positive, but againwe’re not expecting double-digit growth rates.

TV KIDS: Advertising is 80 percent of your revenues—whatmakes up the other 20 percent?SCHMIT: It’s an interesting mix of merchandising revenues andInternet revenues as well. We are operating a couple of pay plat-forms, which is an interestingbusiness to be in, and we’re verylucky we launched them almostten years ago. That businessmodel has come under pressureas well, because a lot of freeplatforms have launched wherekids can watch the same thingthey can watch on our pay plat-forms. If you don’t have to payfor it, obviously that’s a verystrong USP. The good thing is,revenues and [impact on profit]are two different things. Even ifour revenue base is still stronglybased on TV advertising, obvi-ously all the other businesseshave a different cost structureattached to them. We have verylimited costs [for the Internetplatforms]. So these businessesaccount for more than [20 per-cent] of our [profit]. That’s thename of the game—it’s notturnover, it’s profit.

TV KIDS:What’s your sense of how the competitive land-scape will change should Netflix or another OTT operatordelivering kids’ content arrive in Germany?SCHMIT: I see a threat, definitely, because every kid whowatches programs on a different platform isn’t watchingSUPER RTL. But it’s also an opportunity—would we be will-ing to launch similar platforms in Germany under our ownbrands? That is totally possible. Again, I don’t see the businessmodel yet. It might come one of these days, but for the timebeing I don’t think it’s a very profitable business. That doesn’tsay we’re not doing it—we have to defend our position. Weare considering entering into that market as well.

TV KIDS: What are the main issues you’re focusing on forthis year and next?SCHMIT: We have to defend our market-leadership position.We have been market leader for nearly 16 years in a row. Thatis something we have to continue: remain the key number onechannel for kids in Germany. But it has to be a profitable busi-ness as well. And we are very profitable. We have to see what arethe general circumstances surrounding us in the future. Arewe still going to be as profitable as we were in the past? If not,what can we do to achieve that high profitability? These are themain challenges. There is one in particular which raises someconcern: the EU Pledge [a voluntary initiative by various foodand beverage companies to limit kids’ advertising in the Euro-pean Union, particularly for products lacking nutritional value].That is something we are following very closely.

TV KIDS: Disney has acquired Das Vierte, another channel inGermany. What are the implications of that for SUPER RTL?SCHMIT:We have read in the press that Disney bought atele vision channel and I suppose they are not going to broad-cast soccer games! We have made some assumptions of whatthey are going to do and we shall react accordingly; whetherthese are correct or not, I have no idea. We shall see.

4/13 World Screen 269

Science of success:SUPER RTL offers its

audience a mix ofimported content and

locally originated seriessuch as Woozle Goozle,

a science magazine.

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47TV KIDS


Born in 2006 with the merger of DECODE Entertainment andHalifax Film Company, DHX Media is today one of the largestindependents in the kids’ programming business. Following itsacquisitions of, among others, Studio B Productions, W!ldbrainand Cookie Jar Entertainment, DHX has amassed a library ofmore than 8,500 half-hours of kids’ content, a volume that hasallowed it to aggressively target opportunities with digital-mediaplatforms. Steven DeNure, president and COO of the company,shares the thinking behind building a family media powerhouse.

TV KIDS: What led to the acquisition of Cookie Jar last year?DENURE: We created DHX Media six years ago, initiallyfrom the combination of DECODE and Halifax Film. Wehad an idea to roll up a number of independents to create aconsolidated company with a larger catalogue that was wellcapitalized. Content comes in and out of fashion, but we’vehad a steady belief that in a world where viewers are able towatch whatever they want, when they want, with multipledistribution opportunities, owning content is key. The acqui-sition of Cookie Jar was part of our long-term strategy tobe able to not only create and sell, but to own content on aworldwide basis. Interestingly enough, Cookie Jar, underMichael Hirsh and Toper Taylor, had been doing almostexactly the same thing, in quite a different way. Cookie Jaris ultimately a combination of a number of different cata-logues over the years, including CINAR, DIC and Film-Fair. The acquisition of Cookie Jar and the integration intoDHX is part of the ongoing consolidation of the industry,and in our case creates the largest independently owned kids’catalogue in the world, outside of the studios. Currently,DHXis a real combination of the skillsets, systems and people fromboth companies, and from past acquisitions like Studio Band W!ldbrain. Cookie Jar has been a leader in not onlydeveloping the digital sales opportunities, but also in deliver-ing to those new customers, and DHX is now able to capi-talize on that experience.

TV KIDS: Given your experience running DECODE, whatare the benefits of now being part of this larger entity?DENURE: DECODE was a small independent that was drivencreatively, but with a real focus on sales—that’s the ethos that wewanted to preserve at DHX. The goal is to be creatively adven-turous, skilled at selling and, at the same time, be smart and care-ful financially. One of the key advantages of being part of a larger organiza-

tion is access to the capital markets. While lots of independentsthink they understand something about the capital markets, [theseare] actually skill sets that you don’t naturally get from the businessof creating, producing and selling television shows. As an inde-pendent, you tend to go out and try and raise funds for your proj-ect when your project is ready for production. But that is notalways when the capital markets want to give funds to people inthe content business. The capital markets ebb and flow—some-times media and content are in favor and sometimes they arenot. One of the things we’ve been able to do is time it so we’reraising money when media is in favor in the capital market.

TV KIDS: You have studios in Vancouver, Halifax and LosAngeles—do they collaborate on projects?DENURE: Most of the projects are done independently withineach studio, although we are working to increase collaboration.

We also outsource some production, both to animation studios inAsia and to other independent studios in Canada. What we’vetried to ensure is that each project is made in the studio that isright for it.

TV KIDS: What are the key initiatives you’ll be spendingtime on over the next year?DENURE: There are a number of different priorities. One isto focus on the catalogue and to continue to sell those rightswherever possible, including the ongoing development of thedigital client base, which has been a significant area ofgrowth. The second key thing is increasing proprietary pro-duction, and we have consolidated our development slateunder Stephanie Betts. She has a mandate to work with part-ners to create more proprietary content that we can feed intothe distribution arm, which is run by Josh Scherba. We arealso focused on working with other producers to help financeand distribute projects that we’re not necessarily producing orco-producing—projects like Rastamouse and SheZow. Third,we are working to grow our licensing business on the inter-national side through CPLG and by focusing domesticallyon key properties like Yo Gabba Gabba! and Caillou.

TV KIDS: What challenges and opportunities do you see forDHX in the current climate?DENURE:We think there’s tremendous opportunity on thedigital side, particularly SVOD, as new services launch aroundthe world. There is an overall challenge in the business withrespect to funding new content, as there is some erosion ofbroadcast businesses, and broadcasters either buy less or payless. That’s the real challenge facing us all, big or small.

By Mansha Daswani

DHX Media’s Steven DeNure

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Founded five years ago, PGS Entertainment has been workingto provide kids’ programming producers with the support andinternational distribution network needed to ensure the globalsuccess of their shows. The company has aligned itself with anumber of leading producers in the industry, amassing a cata-logue that contains several iconic brands, among them TheLittle Prince and Iron Man: Armored Adventures. PhilippeSoutter, the co-founder and president of PGS, is intent onfocusing purely on the distribution and brand-management ofthird-party shows. He shares with TV Kids his view of the cur-rent children’s television industry.

TV KIDS:What has been the strategy for growing the business?SOUTTER: The biggest contributing factor to our successhas been our singular focus on the distribution of quality kids’programming. We aren’t producers and we don’t plan to getinto that business. Our aim is to be producers’ most reliableand trusted partner. We are able to offer them our experi-ence and market understanding of what buyers are lookingfor around the world and, in turn, we offer buyers only thehighest-quality kids’ programming brands.

TV KIDS: What qualities does a project need to have in orderto join the PGS catalogue?SOUTTER: We look for strong characters, strong story lines andgreat graphics. Beyond that, we look for shows that have that lit-tle something different, something that makes it stand out.

We think we’ve found that standout quality in TAT Pro-ductions’ seriesThe Jungle Bunch. The main character is a pen-guin that thinks he’s a tiger and he’s raising his tiger-fish sonto be the next King of the Jungle. It’s very funny and wasrecently nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award.

We also look for iconic brands, which is where we’ve hadthe most success. Our long-standing partnership withMethod Animation has afforded us the opportunity to rep-resent such incredibly well-known character-driven brands asIron Man, The Little Prince and Chaplin & Co.

We also recently started working with Andy and Amy Hey-ward’s A Squared (A²) Entertainment, which is focused onunique “content with a purpose” for the 6- to 12-year-olddemographic. Again, this is something a little different. Thecurrent mindset is that entertainment and educational pro-gramming is only for the preschool demo, but A²’s The SecretKidVenture Club is a great example of how programming forthis group can be entertaining and purposefully engaging.

TV KIDS: What types of brand-management support doesPGS offer a producer? SOUTTER: While brand management has always been onour minds, it has only been within the last year that we beganoffering a total rights-management package to our clients. Wedidn’t have the resources to extend that option at first, butnow we are off and running.

As we are always trying to approach things differently, wehave launched a “creation hub” for the brands we representthat replaces the old concept of a style guide and offers awell-thought-out array of possible products and conceptsready for manufacture. We believe that our job as a brandmanager is to enhance the brand experience, not just slap alogo on a T-shirt. We think proactively about the DNA of abrand and the best brand-extension platforms for that brand.

TV KIDS: How has PGS gone about securing such iconicbrands for the catalogue?SOUTTER:We always knew there was strength in brands thatwere household names around the world. In order to work withthe people who created and owned those brands, we had to grad-ually build trust and prove that we were the right company torepresent these valuable, iconic brands. We took that approach andbuilt relationships with people like Aton Soumache and DimitriRassam at Method Animation, Samuel Kaminka at Samka Pro-ductions, and Ken Faier at Nerd Corps Entertainment. Thesewere our very first clients and, after four years, we are still work-ing with all of them. This is great validation that PGS is an excel-lent partner for the individuals and companies we work with.

TV KIDS:What are broadcasters looking for in this market?SOUTTER: In difficult times, buyers always look for whatmakes sense for their audience as well as their bottom lines.That’s why iconic brands are deemed a safer bet. But they arealso looking for something different...the proverbial “breakouthit.” This mix of safe, trusted brands for the whole family andshows that help them stand out from the competition is themagic potion for networks in today’s global economy. At PGS,we are prepared to provide buyers with just the right mix.

By KristinBrzoznowski

PGS Entertainment’s Philippe Soutter

49TV KIDS


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This year marked the first annual International Emmy KidsAwards, with a competition and stand-alone ceremonyorganized by the International Academy of Television Arts& Sciences. A bevy of luminaries from the children’s pro-gramming industry gathered in New York to celebrate thenominees and winners at the inaugural event. The gala,which took place at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, waspacked with creators, producers, distributors, channelexecutives and others who set out to celebrate the best of

the best in kids’ programming producedoutside the United States. The Inter -national Academy of Television Arts &Sciences teamed up with presenting part-ners TV Kids, Shaw Rocket Fund, HasbroStudios, SVT/DRTV and Ernst & Youngfor this event. Entries into the kids’ com-petition ran concurrently with theInternational Emmy Awards competition.In the end, six winners—representingArgentina, Japan, Norway and the U.K.—took home Emmy statues.

Bruce L. Paisner, the president and CEOof the Academy, opened the event by wel-coming attendees and introducing theNew York City Children’s Chorus, whoperformed for the crowd. Among theevening’s other presenters were the Britishactor and comedian Eddie Izzard;Canadian actress Vanessa Morgan, star ofMy Babysitter’s a Vampire; Swedish andDanish kids’ television hosts Ylva Hällenand Jakob Stegelmann, respectively;Australian entertainer Sam Moran, a for-mer member of the children’s band TheWiggles; and FDNY firefighter DanielGlover, who was joined on stage by theTransformer Rescue Bot Heatwave.

The award for Kids: Series went toJunior High School Diaries: Harmony of Two,from Japan’s NHK. Norway’s EnergySurvival, from Fabelaktiv and NRK, wonfor Kids: Non-Scripted Entertainment.Argentina’s El Jardín de Clarilú won thecategory of Kids: Preschool. The CBBCin-house production Newsround: MyAutism and Me brought home the first ofthree wins for the U.K., this one in thecategory of Kids: Factual. In another winfor the U.K., the Emmy for Kids:

Animation went to The Amazing World of Gumball, fromCartoon Network Europe, Dandelion Studios, BoulderMedia and Studio Soi. The U.K.’s Lost Christmas picked upthe win for Kids: TV Movie/Mini-Series.

“With this new event solely dedicated to kids’ pro-gramming, the International Academy is proud to be thepremier global platform for excellence in children’s televi-sion,” said Paisner. “We congratulate [all the] winners fortheir outstanding achievements.”

50 TV KIDS Eddie Izzard


By Kristin Brzoznowski

CELEBRATINGEXCELLENCE

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TV Kids MIPTV 2013