Nick, Turner, BBC promise toon cash

MIPTV: Broadcaster financing for the best new animated content is in the pot despite the embattled market, according to executives from Nickelodeon, CBeebies and Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) EMEA.

The panel A Global Animation Marketplace, comprising Jules Borkent, Viacom International Media Network’s senior VP of global acquisitions and programming for Nick, CBeebies’ controller Kay Benbow and TBS EMEA’s chief content officer Michael Carrington unanimously agreed there was a bright future for animated content despite the current state of the global market.

Carrington, who has commissioned coproductions such as The Amazing World of Gumball and Jelly Jamm, said the copro market was tough but it was a business model to which TBS remained committed.

“Coproduction has always been tough and it goes in swings and roundabouts. Sometimes there seems to be a lot of money swashing around everybody has access to it. But actually, broadcasters concentrate on value for money and it has always been a squeeze on producers. But for the right idea, the money comes,” he said.

“It’s about partnerships and coming together with some money and interest attached,” added CBeebies’ Benbow. “I’m well aware if CBeebies is attached it might make it easier to get financing elsewhere but it’s about finding the gap and not being the same as what we already have. It’s about trying to be different and it’s about looking a couple of years ahead.”

Nick’s Borkent agreed, noting the Viacom-owned broadcaster was keen to join new projects at the earliest stage possible. “You have to remember that sometimes it can be two years before a show goes to air, and we’ve had some success with that and have new shows launching this year. The earlier we can come onboard the better – it’s definitely an advantage.”

Carrington said TBS channels such as Cartoon Network and Boomerang were seeking “stories that are engaging and exciting for our audiences but also something that makes us distinctive from our competitors,” and was keen to find visually unique forms of animation such as the hybrid medium Gumball was created in.

Content on the broadcaster’s wish list was “more girl leads” for CBeebies, toons for 6-9s for Nickelodeon and “comedy for 6-12s” for TBS.

The role of digital in new projects was also discussed following a question from the floor during the Global Animation Market debate. Benbow said producers did not need to have a “fully worked-out idea” of the multi-platform element, “but you certainly need to have an idea of where your idea might work and on what platform. Clearly animation lends itself to the multi-platform offering.”