Genius Brands Unveils Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse

Genius Brands International is set to launch the subscription-based Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse this spring.

Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse will be anchored by technology from the acquisition of the Ameba TV children’s video streaming service and include all of the popular programs available on Kartoon Channel!, as well as exclusive metaversal content. The new platform is slated to launch on April 15.

Featuring a fully integrated design, Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse will offer custom avatars and emojis for kids, exclusive games, branded Kidaverse VR goggles, immersive content and NFTs for kids (“KFT”s). It will also feature collectible digital cards based on many of the channel’s popular characters and a digital currency for kids called Kidaverse MetaBuck$. Additionally, the Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse is planning to introduce child-safe messaging (“Messies”), podcasts, music and more.

Andy Heyward, chairman and CEO of Genius Brands, said: “Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse is expected to revolutionize children’s entertainment because it will include all of the popular animated programs of a children’s channel, metaverse features and, most importantly, it will be fully curated and child safe. The single strongest message we receive from parents is the concern about safety for children on screens, whether it is program content or roaming around the internet and various apps. The premise of the Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse is to provide children with fun, positive, engaging digital media AND to provide them with a safe and parent-controlled product.”

Ameba Founder Tony Havelka added: “Ameba was the earliest independent kids’ streamer! We are thrilled to bring our technology, our content and our team to Kartoon Channel! Together, we look forward to launching the next-generation platform for kids, embodying not just program content but metaversal features and kid-safe messaging.”

Kartoon Channel! President Jon Ollwerther, who will oversee the development of the Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse and its rollout across North America, commented: “As Kartoon Channel! has grown, many of our viewers have asked for a commercial-free version of the experience. While our free, ad-supported platform will still be available to consumers, the subscription-based Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse will address that market need, while also building the 360-degree kids’ digital media platform of the future. We believe it will be a unique entertainment experience that simply cannot be had anywhere else.”

Paul Robinson, former managing director of Disney Channels Worldwide and now managing director of Kartoon Channel! Worldwide, will lead the launch of Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse throughout the rest of the world.