Julien Borde, president of Mediawan Kids & Family, discusses the trends he expects to see in the kids’ content sector this year and how AI and the creator economy will shape the future of production.
Julien Borde
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for kids’ TV in 2026?
We are navigating an incredibly dynamic and often paradoxical landscape. While animation as a whole is experiencing robust growth, particularly with the enormous global investment in adult animation and anime, kids’ animation faces distinct and significant challenges. The primary hurdles include securing adequate investment in a tighter economic climate and managing increasingly fragmented consumption habits. However, these challenges simultaneously unlock immense opportunities: digital-first approaches are fundamentally reinventing production and distribution models, streaming platforms are refining their editorial strategies for children’s audiences and public service broadcasters remain critical for sustaining diverse creativity and local content in Europe.
What programming trends do you expect to see this year?
In children’s programming, we anticipate three dominant trends shaping the market this year: digital-first content, a strong resurgence in action-adventure and strategically targeted live-action projects. Our partners are actively seeking content to fill specific editorial white spaces and meet evolving audience demands. In the digital-first realm, for instance, we are excited to launch our inaugural animated series, Wadoo, in collaboration with the digital media giant El Reino Infantil. For action-adventure, we have Stéphane Berry, one of the original creators of Totally Spies, initiating production on our new series Artefacts, which boasts a distinctive ‘franime’ design. Concurrently, in live-action, Luis Mariani, renowned for his work on Violetta, is preparing our new telenovela project, Boo, in coproduction with Elefantec. These examples underscore our commitment to identifying and developing projects that align with these emerging trends.
How will demand for content evolve in 2026?
Broadcasters and streamers will continue to be more selective than ever in 2026, prioritising ‘Holy Grail’ content that not only delivers high-quality, compelling storytelling but also cultivates strong, organic fan base engagement. They are actively seeking projects with genuine global appeal, robust franchise potential and a distinctive authenticity that can cut through the noise in an increasingly saturated market. Content that fosters deep emotional connections, offers immersive experiences and encourages active participation will undoubtedly be in highest demand.
Miraculous: Tales of Lady Bug & Chat Noir
How will the economic crisis change commissioning/buying in the kids’ industry this year?
The current economic climate undoubtedly makes securing investment more challenging, yet animation producers are inherently resilient and adept at pioneering innovative financing solutions. We anticipate a greater emphasis on strategic coproductions, creative partnerships with brands – particularly toy companies eager to build extensive content universes – and leveraging of new technologies like AI to optimise production budgets without compromising quality. While financial prudence will be paramount, the intrinsic demand for high-calibre content ensures that innovative, well-conceived projects will continue to find pathways to production.
What impact will AI continue to have on the kids’ sector?
We believe AI will exert a profound, dual impact on the kids’ sector. On one hand, we anticipate a tsunami of user-generated content, which will further fragment audience attention and create new monetisation challenges. On the other hand, within professional studios, AI, when responsibly integrated and with human creativity firmly at its core, can dramatically accelerate development cycles and streamline production processes. Animation has been ‘prompting’ technology since the inception of CGI in the 90s, giving our industry a unique expertise in blending technological innovation with artistic vision. We are confident that all genres will benefit from animation producers and talents who know how to harness technology to drive both efficiency and ground-breaking creativity.
How will the growth of the creator economy affect the kids’ industry?
The creator economy represents a significant and exciting opportunity for the kids’ industry. It provides an invaluable avenue to discover fresh universes, cultivate authentic voices and unearth new talent outside of traditional development pipelines. These creators often possess an innate understanding of their target audience and have already built highly engaged communities. This offers fertile ground for identifying and developing compelling new intellectual properties that resonate deeply and genuinely with young viewers, fostering a more diverse and innovative content ecosystem.
What consequences might the continuing growth of YouTube have?
YouTube offers immense scale, brilliantly showcased by Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. Its billions of views prove the platform’s efficiency for global reach and direct fan engagement. This can build powerful, cost-effective IPs and communities with incredible speed. However, for content not achieving this scale, challenges abound. Monetisation remains difficult for many and audience fragmentation is a constant threat.
How might the rise in popularity of social gaming platforms like Roblox impact or influence the kids’ sector?
Social gaming, like Roblox, profoundly influences kids by shifting expectations towards interaction and immersion. It drives demand for interactive storytelling and personalisation. These platforms expand existing IPs and incubate new ones, fostering strong communities. A perfect example of that is the latest launch on Roblox of Miraculous’ new Chibi series before launch on YouTube.
How will Mediawan Kids & Family be changing its strategy to adapt to the new landscape in 2026?
Our 2026 strategy emphasises agility, diversification and innovation. We’re investing in diverse, multi-platform IP and strengthening strategic partnerships. Our studios in Europe are cooking 15 animated shows and two animated movies for delivery staring in 2026. Our slate is ultra-diversified to address all the needs of an ever-changing market, from well-known IPs to new seeds. We’re embracing AI to enhance creativity and efficiency, nurturing new talent and maintaining an audience-centric, data-driven approach across all platforms.
