MIP London announced their programme and line up details of its transformation-led kids summit to be staged at the inaugural five-day international content and networking market to be held between 23-27 February 2025. The edition titled as the Kids First Summit: The Transformation Starts Here will be hosted at the IET London.
Sessions will focus on new ways to adapt, collaborate and navigate the shifting complex dynamics within the kid’s landscape. It will feature key players encompassing broadcast, streaming, gaming, digital first creation and distribution.
The Kids First Summit (27 February) is preceded by a Global Streaming Strategies Summit starting on Wednesday (26 February), that sees Evan Shapiro in conversation with streaming and digital platforms including YouTube, and which together form a must-attend two-day programme at MIP London for the international kids content community. A kid’s networking lounge will additionally serve as a central meeting point underpinning the two summits and host speed matchmaking sessions for delegates.
MIP London’s added focus on kids is part of a multi-genre conference programme at the event aimed at delivering more people, business and opportunities across a key content week in the global TV industry calendar. To date over 1000 delegates from more than 60 countries have confirmed their presence at MIP London including over 600 buyers – 150 of whom are directly relevant to the kids sector with representatives from Cartoon Network, De Agostini, ITV, Nickelodeon, NPO, NRK, Super RTL and The Walt Disney Company amongst those registered to date.
“The feedback to us from the international kids content community at MIP Junior in October could not have been clearer,” said MIP London and MIPCOM Cannes director Lucy Smith. “To give the kids industry the further opportunity to meet face to face again in Europe at the start of the year, to hear from leading players, to showcase emerging innovative financial and distribution models, and help fuel the conversations that can see the sector continue to adapt and reinvent collectively.”
Confirmed speakers at the Kids First Summit include leading UK and European commissioners from the BBC (children and education director Patricia Hidalgo); France Télévisions (children’s & youth acquisitions head and deputy director Claire Heinrich) and RAI Kids (executive director Luca Milano); in addition to contributors from next generation media company Animaj, AAA-gaming specialists The Gang, Digital Media and Creator Platform TheSoul Publishing, Digital Content Studio and Network Little Dot Studios and insight specialists Ampere Analysis. Kids Industries co-founder Gary Pope is on board as a moderator and further speakers will be confirmed prior to the event.
Located just off the Strand, MIP London’s premium venues, The Savoy and IET London provide a central meeting hub in the West End to connect with key players and stay at the forefront of TV’s transformation. Main stage keynotes, screenings, workshops and matchmaking sessions spanning scripted, unscripted and kids will run from 23 to 27 February.