TRENDS: What Makes Kids Watch

UK-based research outfit Dubit returns to Kids Content Futures to present its latest study into what drives children to select one piece of content over another and how the surge in direct-to-consumer SVoD services targeting families may impact discoverability.
Moderated by: Nico Franks, editor, C21kids

Stephanie Whitley
Manager, planning and brand strategyDubit

Adam Woodgate
Research directorDubit

Moderator Nico Franks
Editor C21Kids

Let’s Push Things Forward: LGBTQ in Kids’ TV

LGBTQ characters are becoming more prominent in kids’ TV, but issues remain around representation and visibility in key roles. What is being done to break down barriers to progress and what should programme-makers be mindful of to ensure inclusive, diverse, and accurate portrayals of the LGBTQ community?
Moderated by: Shabnam Rezaei, co-founder and president, Big Bad Boo

Kez Margrie
Children’s commissioning editor, 6-16BBC

David Levine
VP, kids programmingDisney Channels Europe and Africa/UK & Ireland

Miki Chojnacka
Chief creative and content officerHopster

Moderator Shabnam Rezaei
Co-founder and presidentBig Bad Boo

Independent Thinking: The Future of Aardman

The newly-appointed MD at multi-award-winning studio Aardman will discuss his vision for the company’s future: the importance of employee ownership, working with traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms and maintaining a balance between commercial success and creative integrity.
Moderated by: Nico Franks, editor, C21kids

Sean Clarke
Managing directorAardman

Moderator Nico Franks
Editor C21Kids

Coffee Break

OPPORTUNITY: Netflix in EMEA

Nico Franks talks to Netflix’s Alexi Wheeler and Aardman’s Sarah Cox about their new partnership on animated short film Robin Robin and to discuss the challenges and opportunities of creating local, authentic stories to engage global audiences.
Moderated by: Nico Franks, editor, C21kids

Alexi Wheeler
Manager, kids and family international originals, EMEANetflix

Sarah Cox
Executive creative directorAardman

Moderator Nico Franks
Editor C21Kids

OTT 2.0 - The Future of On Demand

We’re going through a period of unprecedented change in the TV industry, with Disney+ set to be followed by a slew of SVoD services from US media giants all hoping to catch up with Netflix. But what impact will these have on kids’ TV and which types of VoD should producers and distributors be focusing on?
Moderated by: Lucinda Whiteley, creative director, Novel Entertainment

Tim Searle
Head of animationBeano Studios

Henrietta Hurford-Jones
Director of children’s, content partnerships BBC Studios

John Robson
Co-founder and cheif operating officer Moonbug

Paul Robinson
Executive vice presidentToonz Media Group

Moderator Lucinda Whiteley
Creative directorNovel Entertainment

Networking Lunch

Brave New World: What Happens Next in Kids Content

When tech possibilities seem infinite, how do we make the most of those possibilities? Four leading experts in their field talk about how they make their choices, where those choices have taken them and where they think they might lead.
Moderated by: Lucinda Whiteley, creative director, Novel Entertainment

Alison Norrington
Founder, creative director and storytellerStorycentral

Guy Gadney
CEOCharisma.ai

Emily Savage
Head of immersive and creative partnershipsDigital Catapult

Mark MacDonald
Head of broadcastLittle Dot Studios

Moderator Lucinda Whiteley
Creative directorNovel Entertainment

IN CONVERSATION: Ed Wells, Sesame Workshop

In Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary year, Ed Wells discusses how the global phenomenon has stayed vital and ahead of the curve by successfully navigating the VoD boom, partnering with the likes of YouTube, Apple and HBO Max to launch new original content, while keeping Sesame Street freely available on public television and fulfilling its mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
Moderated by: Nico Franks, editor C21kids

Ed Wells
SVP and head of international media and educationSesame Workshop

Moderator Nico Franks
Editor C21Kids

OPPORTUNITY: YACF - What’s Coming Up

The UK’s Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF) recently announced the first projects that will benefit from its £57m (US$73.5m) injection into the country’s TV industry. We’ll hear from some of the project’s creators and the decision maker in charge of the fund to find out why they were chosen and what’s next for the fund.
Moderated by: Anne Brogan, Kindle Entertainment

Jackie Edwards
Head of fund, Young Audiences Content FundBFI

Angharad Elen
Writer, producer and executive producer of Person/a

Callan Allen
Actor and originator of As Dead As It Gets

Foz Allan
Executive producer on As Dead As It Gets and creative director Bryncoed Productions Ltd

Tim Bryans
Co-creator and producer of The HeariosALT Animation

Moderator Anne Brogan
Joint managing directorKindle Entertainment

CLOSING REMARKS

Moderator Nico Franks
Editor C21Kids

Closing cocktail