Mark Bishop, co-president of Blue Ant Studios, explains why there is a need for more teen content in 2024 and discusses the opportunities the company’s kids’ arm sees in the FAST space.
Mark Bishop
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for kids’ TV in 2024?
The kids’ business continues to offer great opportunities for content creators worldwide, as we know young audiences love to consume content on all platforms. However, the challenge for content producers, which is not unique to the kids’ business, is the need to co-finance content. Nowadays, partnerships involve finding multiple buyers in different territories to come together and pool their resources to co-finance premium content. While production costs are increasing, buyers are still looking for high-quality content at a reasonable price. As content producers, we bring partners together and try to find those who align with the intended target audience and share the same vision for a series. In the kids’ business, we aim to find global partners who are targeting the same demographic.
What programming trends do you expect to see this year?
There is a growing demand for content aimed at older children. While the focus has traditionally been on tweens, there is now a need for a wider range of teen content. However, creating such content is challenging, as kids are growing up quickly and moving on to primetime programming. The opportunity lies in producing sophisticated content that does not talk down to teens. This applies to all broadcasters and streaming platforms, from public broadcasters including the BBC and ABC Australia to Netflix, which has been successfully producing more teen-oriented shows such as Surviving Summer and Outer Banks. For years, it has been claimed that teenagers are not interested in watching content, but that is not true. They simply lacked content that was tailored to their interests and platforms willing to invest in creating content for them. There is now a significant opportunity to produce teen and young-adult content that speaks directly to them, reflecting their genuine experiences and perspectives on screen.
How will AVoD and FAST continue to impact the kids’ business?
As we have seen in multiple genres, AVoD and FAST present a real opportunity for monetising content. These platforms allow producers to connect with audiences who are looking for a different way to access content, often at a different price point. While there will still be premium shows commissioned for SVoD services, we know that in challenging economic times parents are looking for alternatives and ad-supported platforms are where they are finding them. These platforms have a lower barrier to entry and the price can be free or close to free.
The rise of AVoD and FAST is creating opportunities in all genres, especially kids and family because it brings another avenue for co-viewing opportunities that parents are always seeking out while existing beautifully on a smart TV in the middle of a living room. For advertisers, it’s a huge opportunity to get brands in front of this audience, which they may have not been able to for years, due to cord-cutting on linear television. Blue Ant Media’s global channels division is looking at a potential FAST channel for our newly-expanded library of kids, youth and family content from the marblemedia acquisition.
I often reminisce about when I was a kid and TGIF was the biggest hit on ABC on Friday nights. An important moment in the early 90s’ cultural zeitgeist, TGIF was a spectacular programming block dedicated to parents and kids designed around multiple generations being able to watch and experience content together via a lean-back experience. For parents, with many distractions for their families, there is very little time when they can engage in activities together and watch something they can trust for their kids on-screen as a way to bond. With FAST, we have an opportunity to bring that appointment-viewing experience back to family consumers.
Surviving Summer on Netflix has proved a need for teen-orientated programming
How will demand for content evolve in 2024?
The world continues to be a challenging place and people are seeking a way to escape and enjoy some optimism, especially through family and co-viewing content. Screen-based media has become a popular choice for viewers to share positive experiences and embrace hope. I believe this type of content, the kind we have produced traditionally at marblemedia, has the power to inspire and connect with audiences of all ages.
How will the faltering economy change commissioning/buying in the kids’ industry this year?
The kids’ entertainment industry in Canada is facing a lot of challenges. Domestic broadcasters have reduced their commissioning of kids’ content and the companies that are still surviving and thriving are those that are partnering with international buyers, while still being able to leverage Canadian funding like the Shaw Rocket Fund, CMF and tax credits. Producers who can be resourceful and find two or three partners to bring together are more likely to do well by diversifying the risk. On the other hand, those who are relying on a single buyer to pay for everything will likely face challenges. It’s up to us as producers to be creative and find ways to co-finance our projects. At Mipcom last October, every meeting we had touched on the economic reality of the industry. It’s clear that co-financing is the way forward if we want to succeed in this challenging market.
What impact will AI have on the kids’ business?
There are a lot of discussions happening currently about the opportunities and challenges posed by AI. Recent strikes in the US have brought this topic to the forefront. Therefore, it is essential to prioritise protecting our creative community and their interests. The human brain is the source of great ideas, whether it’s a book, a script or a comic book. Nothing can replace the human brain to create IP. Thus, we want to continue working with humans to create, develop and produce our shows. However, AI can bring a lot of efficiency to the table, especially when it comes to international expensive tasks like versioning, dubbing and subtitling. These activities have always been costly, but AI can help us optimise our investments in the right areas and ensure we allocate our resources properly in the creative process.
Will the strikes in the US have consequences for the kids’ industry?
Due to the strikes in the US, we have experienced a significant slowdown in the industry. Fortunately, in Canada, we have been able to continue moving forward with our local unions and guilds. However, this slowdown has made everyone more cautious and it has had a negative impact on the industry’s revenues, particularly with ad-supported networks that rely on scripted content. Broadcasters, both in the US and Canada, have reported that the strike is affecting their revenues, which as a result, is impacting their commissioning dollars.
