C5 to top up Milkshake! with YACF

The UK’s Channel 5 is developing six projects that will qualify for investment from the government’s Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF) as it looks to double local content on its preschool block Milkshake!.

Louise Bucknole

Louise Bucknole, VP of programming for Viacom International Media Networks Kids, UK and Ireland, told delegates at the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield yesterday that the six as-yet-unannounced potential projects for C5 – which has been owned by US giant Viacom since 2014 – would focus on live-action drama, high-end animation and factual.

Launched in April, the YACF is the first of its kind to specifically focus on television for people under the age of 18 and will see £57m (US$72m) put towards programming over the next three years.

C5 has pledged to increase the budget of its children’s block Milkshake! by 100%, which will see it up production of new UK originals for Milkshake! from 29 hours in 2018 to 50 hours per year from 2021.

This came in response to media regulator Ofcom last year criticising UK commercial public service broadcasters, including C5, for not doing enough to provide for younger audiences.

The channel has commissioned in-house production Milkshake! Monkey’s Amazing Adventures (25×5′), which follows the Milkshake! Monkey as he learns about the UK, visiting various locations to understand more about history and geography. The series will begin airing in the block this October.

Meanwhile, Milkshake! has also re-commissioned Floogals, Little Princess and Peppa Pig and renewed acquisitions Pirata & Capitano and Thomas & Friends.

“It’s a very exciting time for the brand, with the recent investment from Channel 5 a reflection of how well Milkshake! continues to perform. This, alongside the six projects applying for the Young Audiences Content Fund, is going to provide us with a lot more scope to keep producing a strong pipeline of best-in-class British preschool content that will continue to drive Milkshake! as the number-one breakfast block and brand,” said Bucknole.