Every sector of the media business felt the pinch of 2024\u2019s recalibration, but none more so than the children\u2019s content sector. The collapse of two of France\u2019s biggest animation IP owners, TeamTO and Cyber Group Studios, and U.K. producer Factory Transmedia, reflected the travails of the business, which is still contending with endemic changes in how kids access content and the overall commissioning downturn.<\/p>\n
In its offer to acquire the Cyber Group assets, United Smile, a toy company, maintained that the \u201cindustry needs to reinvent itself and integrate the ability to produce films and series for children, to broadcast them on the platforms on which children spend most of their free time and to develop video games, connected toys and immersive experiences in augmented and virtual reality.\u201d Committing to investing up to \u20ac5 million over the next few years to get Cyber Group Studios back on track, United Smile said it wanted to prepare the business for \u201cthe upturn expected in 2027.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fate of the Cyber Group portfolio is still being decided, while the TeamTO assets ended up with Italian-based RIVA Studios. In other M&A activity, it was a busy year for Superprod Group, which acquired Watch Next Media, Studio 352 and M\u00e9lusine Productions and partnered with Alexi Wheeler to set up Wheel In Motion. Banijay Kids & Family bought Procidis. CAKE took control of Jetpack Distribution. 9 Story Media Group acquired Portfolio Entertainment and joined Scholastic. WildBrain sold a majority stake in its TV channels business\u2014including Family Channel\u2014to IoM Media Ventures. Mediawan partnered with ZAG in a joint venture to manage the\u00a0Miraculous<\/em>\u00a0franchise. Ellipse Animation bought Studio Campedelli. Toho purchased the North American animation producer and distributor GKIDS. CosmoBlue Media acquired Macademia, parent of the Azoomee and Da Vinci brands. Meanwhile, the planned merger of Super RTL and Nickelodeon was called off after the German Federal Cartel Office informed RTL and Paramount that it intended to block the deal.<\/p>\n The proposed merger of Super RTL and Nickelodeon in Germany was a response to the continued challenges faced by \u201ctraditional\u201d linear players trying to keep audiences from decamping to SVOD or YouTube or Roblox or anywhere else kids are spending their time. Indeed, it was clear from our review of last year\u2019s biggest headlines that the quest to be everywhere kids are continued unabated for IP owners, channels and platforms last year.<\/p>\n It was a busy year for FAST\u2014even though monetization in this space continues to be challenging. Of note, WildBrain teamed with Pluto TV to launch the first-ever single-IP Pok\u00e9mon FAST channel and expanded the reach of Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake services, among others. 9 Story Media Group and Cineverse Corp. landed 9 Story Presents: Garfield and Friends on Sling Freestream. Banijay Rights introduced the Mr Bean FAST channel. Mattel launched Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action and Mattel Jr. Cineverse rolled out the Yu-Gi-Oh! FAST channel on LG Channels, while Moonbug Entertainment unveiled one for Blippi. Aardman brought the Shaun the Sheep & Friends FAST channel to Xumo Play.<\/p>\n IP owners also scaled their presence on YouTube, including Banijay Kids & Family rebranding its hub channels and launching a raft of new ones under the ZeeKay strand, Studio 100 International unveiling Studio 100\u2014Heroes of Childhood featuring classic animated series and HARI\u2019s new YouTube channels for\u00a0Mystery Lane<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Grizzy & the Lemmings<\/em>.<\/p>\n In the subscription space, Prime Video launched CN Rewind, Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s digital channel featuring Cartoon Network\u2019s evergreen classics, in India and Sandbox Group\u2019s PlayKids Learning in New Zealand. Paramount shut down Noggin. BBC Studios revealed plans to launch BBC Kids in Korea as a monthly subscription service on KT Corporation\u2019s Genie TV Kids Land.<\/p>\n A review of commissioning news, meanwhile, reflects the broader trend toward known IP across the media sector. There was plenty of activity in the book-based space. Rainbow is set to bring adventurer Corto Maltese to the screen in a new live-action TV series based on Hugo Pratt\u2019s graphic novels. BBC and ZDF co-commissioned\u00a0The Lady<\/em>\u00a0Grace Mysteries<\/em>. Studio 100 International and Gaumont teamed with I Josh Around to co-develop a new animated series inspired by Rudyard Kipling\u2019s\u00a0The Jungle Book<\/em>. Trustbridge Entertainment aligned with Mercury Filmworks for\u00a0The World of Gustavo<\/em>, BBC Studios Kids & Family for\u00a0My Friend Maisy<\/em>, 9 Story Media Group for adaptations of Candlewick Press books and Cisneros Kids for Meg Medina\u2019s Merci Su\u00e1rez book trilogy. The\u00a0Zog<\/em>\u00a0books are getting a series at BBC Children\u2019s, which also went for\u00a0Crongton<\/em>, an adaptation of Alex Wheatle\u2019s best-selling books. Foundation Media Partners signed a first-look deal with Simon & Schuster Children\u2019s Publishing for film and TV adaptations of book properties. ZDF, ZDF Studios and France T\u00e9l\u00e9visions greenlit\u00a020<\/em>\u00a0Dance Street<\/em>, based on the Elizabeth Barf\u00e9ty book series. Dandelooo received a CANAL+ commission for\u00a0Max & Bunny<\/em>\u00a0(Max & Lapin<\/em>). Serious Kids and Keyframe Studios entered a partnership to co-produce\u00a0Cats React to Facts<\/em>, based on the series of books by Izzy Howell. Lion Forge Entertainment is developing a live-action TV series for\u00a0The Secret Society of Rebel Girls<\/em>. Guru Studio optioned the TV rights to the classic children\u2019s book series\u00a0Spot<\/em>. Superprod Group and Coolabi Group partnered to adapt\u00a0Beast Quest.\u00a0<\/em>Watch Next Media signed a wide-ranging deal with Mr. Men Little Miss, part of the Japanese company Sanrio, that includes plans for a new preschool series.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the known-IP space, Disney continued to tap into its deep portfolio, unveiling Marvel\u2019s\u00a0Iron Man and his Awesome Friends<\/em>,\u00a0Sofia the First: Royal Magic<\/em>, an\u00a0Inside Out<\/em>\u00a0series and a live-action\u00a0Vampirina<\/em>. The\u00a0Adventure Time<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Regular Show<\/em>\u00a0franchises are getting new series at Cartoon Network. Mattel Television Studios unveiled\u00a0Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase\u00a0<\/em>and a feature-length animated film based on\u00a0Bob the Builder<\/em>. The Pok\u00e9mon Company International and Aardman are teaming up for a \u201cspecial project\u201d to come in 2027. YouTube and the creator economy are proving to be a valuable source of new concepts. Mercury Filmworks and France\u2019s La Chouette Compagnie aligned for a series based on the YouTube channel Don\u2019t Walk Home Alone After Dark. Gaming IP is also being explored, with Baobab Studios and 9 Story Media Group aligning for a show based on\u00a0Momoguro.<\/em><\/p>\n In terms of prequels, spin-offs and feature specials, meanwhile, CAKE embarked on\u00a0Kiri and Lou Rarararara!<\/em>\u00a0Studio 100 International unveiled\u00a0Arnie & Barney<\/em>, the first major spin-off from the\u00a0Maya the Bee<\/em>\u00a0franchise. BBC Children\u2019s and Education and RT\u00c9jr commissioned\u00a0Pablo: Boy Meets School<\/em>. Japan\u2019s TV Asahi and Sony Pictures Networks India aligned for a sequel to the cult kids\u2019 animation series\u00a0Obocchama-kun<\/em>. HARI greenlit\u00a0Baby Lemmings<\/em>. CBeebies is rebooting\u00a0Balamory<\/em>. Nickelodeon Studios greenlit a new spin-off based on characters from the live-action superhero comedy\u00a0The Thundermans<\/em>. Boat Rocker slated\u00a0Dino Ranch: Island Explorers<\/em>.<\/p>\n