Category: Uncategorized

Two multinational streamers reported their half-year results yesterday with diverging fortunes.

𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅: 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
Netflix continues to demonstrate remarkable profitability and a massive subscriber base, now 278m. Growth is slowing, and ARPU falling (possibly due to the impact of the ad tier, which is growing but slowly), but with $7Bn cash in the bank, I’m thinking they’re going to be fine. Ted Sarandos spoke about the significant amount of quality local content Netflix is producing, which is key to their success. It’s a privileged position to be in.

𝗩𝗶𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆: 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵
Viaplay, fresh from a recent retreat and refocus into their core Nordic and Dutch markets, has a rockier path. They aim to carve more profitable path within a concentrated footprint focusing on local content and sports. Interestingly, Viaplay ARPU is much higher ($20.78) than Netflix ($10.87 in EMEA), I assume driven by premium sports being a core part of their mix. But without the economies of scale that 278m subs offer, profitability remains challenging. However, they are making progress.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘁: 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁
Key to both strategies is local content. Other major ‘global’ streamers (read: major US streamers) face challenges fully engaging diverse local audiences (without Netflix’s deep pockets). I’m not even convinced Disney has enough content to stand alone internationally (I recently churned off myself) nor do I think a bundled Paramount and Peacock (e.g.) would stand up.

Perhaps more innovative structures are needed, pushing these mega (‘global’) studio brands back a touch (if they’re able to swallow that much pride) and relying on local streamers with longstanding customer relationships and deep local understanding. In many EMEA markets, free-to-air broadcasters lead in local content provision, perhaps there are opportunities like Paramount falling behind Channel 5 in the UK (e.g.) – Netflix did speak of how important the ad tier was for new subscriber growth (engagement at a much lower price).

With US capital markets and the bargain basement price of some of these assets, partnering or purchasing more international brands could be an opportunity rather than these studios who are seemingly only intent on swallowing up each other. Though if treading this path perhaps don’t take a typical US approach. Ellison apparently wants his merged Paramount/Skydance business to come up with a new relationship with tech, perhaps he has the vision to come up with a new relationship with how they deal with International too!

By the Numbers

𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅 𝗛1 2024:
Revenue: $18,929m
Net Income: $4,479m (24%)
Subscribers: 278m
ARPU: $11.36
Mar Cap: $277.09B
Mar Cap per Sub: $988

𝗩𝗶𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗛1 2024:
Revenue: 9,241m SEK | $869m
Net Income: 485m SEK | $45m (5%)
Subscribers: 6.9m
ARPU: 222 SEK | $20.89
Mar Cap: 4.76B SEK | $448m
Mar Cap per Sub: 687 SEK | $64

(As appeared in MIPCOM daily)…

FROM the enduring appeal of Teletubbies, to the endless possibilities of new shows like preschool series Boy & Dragon, Cananda’s WildBrain is getting the most out of imaginiative content across a range of platforms, audiences heard at MIPJunior. Josh Scherba, president of WildBrain, Matt Rennie, vice-president of content & operations and Nico Lockhart, director of production at WildBrain Spark, took to the stage to share a WildBrain IP case study revealing the secrets of driving viewing figures through it’s “audience-led content creation”.

Hosted by Dubits’s senior vice-president Adam Woodgate, the panel explored WildBrain’s 360 approach to monetising kids’ brands globally in the digital world. The speakers revealed how Caillou, Strawberry Shortcake, Boy & Dragon and emojitown have evolved through development, production and distribution led by a unique understanding of audience, platforms and partners.

Rennie said, “We’re about high quality, high-volume, efficient production, treating YouTube as a astreamer with an engaged and scaled audience.”

Lockhart charted successes such as the rebooted Caillou, which follows a four-year-old boy as he discovers the world through imaginative play, as well as emojitown, for which WildBrain offers third-party service brand support. The latter show notched up one billion YouTube views in just 12 months, he said.

Discussing WildBrain’s first original IP, Boy & Dragon, Lockhart described how this show “delivered on its editorial promise” by offering “character-led drama… beyond the slapstick and physical comedy”. He reported that audiences tended to watch an average of four episodes on YouTube.

As owner of the global hit Teletubbies, WildBrain has also been exploring how to revisit an enduring icon with not one by two projects. “Just as Netflix started showing an interest in revising the show, we were already working on Teletubbies Let’s Go!, a new CG-animated spin-off for the official Teletubbies YouTube channel,” Scherba said.

WildBrain Spark has announced a digital-first, CG-animated spinoff of classic preschool series Teletubbies, featuring new tech, fresh characters and a weekly drop schedule to engage its YouTube audience.

Teletubbies Lets Go! (52 x five minutes) features Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po, along with supporting characters Tiddlytubbies, Noo Noo and Tiddly Noo. It’s separate and designed to stand alone from WildBrain’s new Teletubbies reboot, which will drop all 26 of its episodes on Netflix in mid-November. Conversely, Lets Go! will roll out weekly on YouTube for a year, starting in October.

The stories told in Let’s Go! are brand-new, and the series will introduce a group of “sun babies” that have been created specifically to better reflect the diversity of the Teletubbies audience. Narrators with American and British accents will freshen up the audio framework, along with new original songs produced by Daniel Dobbs (producer and one of several songwriters on Teletubbies album Ready, Steady, Go!). Nico Lockhart is on board as executive producer and Melissa Czaja will be the showrunner, with Matilda Tristram tapped as creative producer and Chris Parker penning scripts as lead writer.

Full ARTICLE HERE: https://kidscreen.com/2022/09/22/teletubbies-lets-go-offers-a-digital-first-take-on-a-classic-ip/

Teletubbies Lets Go! offers a digital-first take on a classic IP

I was delighted to be asked to join this panel at CMC hosted by Tiernan Douieb.

Some key takeaways included..

• The best commissions are child-centred.
• ‘Broadcast sensibility’ is still important across platforms.
• Kids are brilliant at self-curation and are good at discovering ‘known’ IP.
• Shows that stand out on busy platforms are more likely to win commissions.

https://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/profile/matt-rennie/

Media I.M. Incorporated, the London-based content distribution company that specialises in premium animation and family entertainment, has announced that Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along, a new spin-off from the hugely popular Sunny Bunnies pre-school series, will go into production this month, with the first episode due to be released in August.

Sunny Bunnies are five beaming balls that can appear anywhere there is a source of light, from sunshine to moonlight. In each episode, the cheeky creatures bring their fun and games to a different location—a circus, a sports stadium, a park—embarking on mischievous adventures and spreading laughter and happiness. And at the end of every episode, the fun continues with a collection of bloopers.

The new series of 26 x 2.5-min episodes is a co-production between the premium kids’ and family AVOD network, WildBrain Spark, and Poland’s Animation Café, which took over the production and rights to the pre-school phenomenon in March this year. The partnership will see Warsaw-based Animation Café ramp up production of the new Sunny Bunnies music sub-brand, which is being developed off the back of the global success of the Sunny Bunnies series, now in its sixth season. Sunny Bunnies has amassed more than 3.8 billion views and 2.6 million subscribers since it launched on YouTube in 2015.

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.skwigly.co.uk/sunny-bunnies-sing-along/

Animation Café and WildBrain Spark partner on new ‘Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along’ series

While 2020 hit pause on many things, our awesome WildBrain Spark Studios team in London continued to create a wealth of premium and brand-safe content for our original shows and for our partners.

We encountered challenges along the way, implementing new COVID-19 safety procedures, responding to rapidly changing guidelines and every one of us going to ‘work from home’ overnight. Despite the huge upheaval, our brilliant team remained resilient, adaptable and kept a sense of humour. Our Studios had a great year and for that we’re feeling extremely proud.

“I’m in awe of the ingenuity and relentless creativity of our team and the production partners we work with. 2020 changed everything, for all of us, but our team barely skipped a beat as the productions kept rolling and the huge array projects we work on got out the door to excite and engage our eager audience.” – Matt Rennie, Director of Operations

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.wildbrain-spark.com/insight-news/wildbrain-spark-studios-2020-rewind

Channel 4 today announced that Matt Rennie, Managing Director and Anthony Lilleyman, Chief Operating Officer of The Box Plus Network, will step down from their roles later this year as the Box Plus Network is fully integrated into Channel 4’s business operations.

This follows Channel 4 acquiring full ownership of The Box Plus Network in January when it bought the remaining 50% stake in the network it did not previously own from Bauer Media Group. The acquisition and subsequent integration of all Box Plus Network staff enables Channel 4 to increase value across the Box Plus Network and Channel 4 portfolios – and supercharge its wider strategy to enhance engagement with young audiences.

Box Plus Network staff will be integrated into teams at Channel 4’s Horseferry Road office in London from September.

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.channel4.com/press/news/box-plus-md-matt-rennie-and-coo-anthony-lilleyman-step-down-channel-4-integrates-box

Channel 4 today announced that Matt Rennie, Managing Director and Anthony Lilleyman, Chief Operating Officer of The Box Plus Network, will step down from their roles later this year as the Box Plus Network is fully integrated into Channel 4’s business operations.

This follows Channel 4 acquiring full ownership of The Box Plus Network in January when it bought the remaining 50% stake in the network it did not previously own from Bauer Media Group. The acquisition and subsequent integration of all Box Plus Network staff enables Channel 4 to increase value across the Box Plus Network and Channel 4 portfolios – and supercharge its wider strategy to enhance engagement with young audiences.

Box Plus Network staff will be integrated into teams at Channel 4’s Horseferry Road office in London from September.

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.channel4.com/press/news/box-plus-md-matt-rennie-and-coo-anthony-lilleyman-step-down-channel-4-integrates-box

The Great Escape has today revealed Lewis Capaldi as the first Spotlight act to play next year’s internationally renowned festival, as well as the return of The Great Escape Beach, AIM House at The Great Escape Conference and Attitude Is Everything’s plans for next year’s festival.

The Great Escape, the festival for new music, will be kicking off festival season by playing host to over 450 up and coming artists and music-led convention across 35 walkable venues from 8-11 May 2019 in Brighton, England. With 400 acts still be to announced, there’s much more to come for The Great Escape 2019!

Matt Rennie, MD of The Box Plus Network said, “Having worked with The Great Escape for a few years now, it’s safe to say that it’s become one of our annual editorial highlights and a great opportunity to take our new music brand, Box Fresh to the fans. To work with a festival who are dedicated to new artists is refreshing, relevant and rewarding. The fact we have someone with as much talent as Lewis on the spotlight stage at The Great Escape, along with all the other amazing artists there, is testament to the vibrancy of UK industry right now!”

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.music-news.com/news/Tickets/118032/Lewis-Capaldi-joins-The-Great-Escape-for-Spotlight-show