Genius Brands creates Kartoon Channel

Kartoon Channel’s line-up will include Stan Lee’s Mighty 7

US kids’ media company Genius Brands International is merging its digital networks Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV into a new offering called Kartoon Channel.

Kartoon Channel, set to launch on June 15, will provide kids aged 2-11s with access to more than 4,000 episodes of shows including Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, Gummi Bears, Dino the Dinosaur, Stan Lee’s Mighty 7 and Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab.

Genius Brands said it has decided to launch Kartoon Channel following a “dramatic” increase in viewership of both Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV recently, and that the new rebranded network will significantly expand its distribution.

Kartoon Channel is now working with ad monetisation and content optimisation technology firm Dooya TV to grow ad sales among major cable providers such as Comcast, Cox, Dish and Sling TV.

The channel will be distributed across Genius Brands owned-and-operated apps, multiple TV providers and OTT platforms as both an AVoD and SVoD service.

Genius Brands’ current platforms include Dish, Amazon Prime, Sling TV, Comcast’s Xfinity On Demand, Roku, Apple TV, Apple iOs, Android, Cox, Tubi and Xumo. New platforms launching Kartoon Channel include SelectTV, RedBox, Plex and Canela Media.

“The hallmark of Kartoon Channel is ‘Smart and Safe.’ All programmes are carefully curated to not only be entertaining and enriching but also to ensure there is no violence, no negative stereotypes, no inappropriate language, and no excessive commercialisation. We are extremely focused on providing positive purposeful content that parents can always know will provide safe viewing for their children,” said Andy Heyward, Genius Brands International’s chairman and CEO.