Public channels meet again early on the second day of MIPJunior 2024 at the «European Public Broadcasters Uniting Forces» conference, a panel featuring key players executives from BBC, ZDF, France Télévisions, and Rai Kids. These industry leaders discussed the challenges and advantages of cooperation in producing children’s content, emphasizing the need for collaboration to sustain high-quality production in a rapidly evolving market.
Patricia Hidaldo, Director of Children’s Education at the BBC, highlighted the importance of partnerships, especially with international broadcasters, given the financial pressures and competition from streaming platforms. ‘We’ve seen an increase in investment from abroad, as we need support to meet the demand for children’s content’, she said. Hidaldo also explained that while the BBC must primarily serve the UK, 7% of their budget is allocated to international collaborations, offering opportunities for global partnerships.
In figures, BBC mostró el alcance de los contenidos infantiles en sus canales y su plataforma de streaming: BBC iPlayer tiene una librería de 3600 horas de contenido comisionado y adquirido, mientras que para su canal CBeebies, 4500 horas de contenido comisionado y adquirido, y CBBC para niños de 1 a 12 años, 3600 horas de contenido transmitido.
Also, Nicole Keeb, Head of International Co-Productions at ZDF, spoke about the broadcaster’s openness to working with partners across Europe, emphasizing the need to maintain high standards despite rising costs. ‘We want to keep our high quality, which everybody is used to from us. Working with other broadcasters allows us to do that’, Keeb noted. She also discussed how co-productions can be beneficial, especially when distributing content across different markets.
Pierre Siracusa, Head of Animation at France Télévisions, outlined the channel’s plans to invest more in animation, particularly for older children. ‘Our animation budget is set to increase to €36 million by 2026, and we are focused on expanding our content offering for 10+ audiences’, shared. He also emphasized the need to diversify content beyond animation, with a growing interest in documentaries for children.
Luca Milano, Executive Director of Rai Kids, pointed to the role of public broadcasters in maintaining prominence in an increasingly fragmented market. He highlighted the importance of public service media in resisting the pressures from commercial platforms. ‘We have to support producers in a market shaken by the inconsistent policies of platforms. Our consistent investments provide a reliable alternative’, Milano said.
