Tune in to C21FM today from 10am

Today we hear from Philippe Alessandri, founder and CEO of Paris-based Watch Next Media, about why funding animated series for kids isn’t getting any easier, despite a plethora of buyers looking for content.

Tune in to C21FM by CLICKING HERE.

Paris-based Watch Next Media was founded by Philippe Alessandri in 2015 after his departure from Zodiak Media and has gone on to produce shows such as Nate is Late, I Elvis Riboldi and Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese for a host of European broadcasters.

However, despite there being plenty of buyers out there looking for content for kids, it remains a tough task for producers looking to fund whole series, with complicated rights and windowing deals now the norm.

Alessandri, who is also president of Animation Europe and chair of France’s animation producers’ union the SPFA, spoke to C21FM about the challenges producing animated series for kids in Europe and what his company is doing to overcome them, including setting up shop in different countries to coproduce with itself.

He also discusses the re-emergence of Amazon as a kids buyer via its subscription service Amazon Kids+, how Watch Next plans to grow the capacity of its studio without renting any more space and the future of linear kids’ TV channels in France.

C21FM is live 24/7, with a block of interviews starting at 10am BST every day HERE.