Future Leaders

We live in a world full of complicated problems; perhaps every generation has made that claim, but it seems that nowadays the stakes are higher and the need for knowledge, open minds, diversity and inclusion is greater.

Every generation has also looked at younger generations hoping they would be agents of change. Indeed that hope prevails today as well, but nowadays children and youth need to be armed with equal parts information and open hearts if they are to confront the difficulties that face them. Of course, the burden of teaching our children lies with parents and schools, but since content is so pervasive—always just a click or a swipe away, 24 hours a day—it, too, can play an important role in kids’ lives. The executives and creatives we speak to in the MIPCOM issue of TV Kids share this view. While they are intent on engaging and entertaining children, they are also interested in shows that help kids better understand themselves and their world. Yes, buyers want a broad range of shows and definitely want to offer a lot of comedy. But we also hear calls for gender-neutral shows, or live-action series for tweens that touch on all sorts of topics relevant to this vulnerable age group, including the dangers of violence and cyberbullying—there’s nothing like a relatable favorite character to drive home a message.

We learn about the impact of music in shows for children of all ages and how essential gaming extensions are to many kids’ brands. Raven-Symoné, who enchanted kids in That’s So Raven, talks about reprising the role of Raven Baxter in Raven’s Home. Daniel Chong explains what served as inspiration for We Bare Bears, a show that, besides being incredibly funny, also touches on the themes of immigration and inclusion. Xand van Tulleken of Operation Ouch! stresses the value of making children more comfortable with doctors and hospitals. Claude Schmit talks about the strategies that are keeping Super RTL a market leader in Germany, which include reaching kids on all platforms; Alice Webb weighs in on the continued importance of public-service kids’ broadcasting; CAKE’s Tom van Waveren stresses the significance of working with independent producers and developing both local and global shows; Guru Studio’s Frank Falcone talks about the importance of quality over quantity; and Nick Walters traces the growth of the digital service Hopster.

Everyone we spoke to wants to provide fun entertainment for kids, but in the process, help them prepare for the future.

You can read the MIPCOM edition of TV Kids here.