Bidding adieu to the year 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery gives a sneak peak of their performance across its kids’ entertainment channels – Cartoon Network, POGO and Discovery Kids. They are passionate about local home grown content alongside the anime content which is once again gaining popularity on the broadcast channels.
AnimationXpress got in touch with Warner Bros. Discovery South Asia kids cluster head Uttam Pal Singh to understand their strategies and plans for 2023.
The Warner Bros. Discovery kids cluster’s portfolio is driven by localisation and investment in local original shows and homegrown content. Constant innovation with their existing formats, powerful storylines and adding relatable references for local audiences has helped them emerge as the top kids’ entertainment network, with Cartoon Network enjoying the highest engagement in the kids’ genre.
“In 2022, we built momentum on all three channels by launching new and relatable content in engaging formats, smartly positioning the classic shows, introducing Indian audiences to new genres and growing fan bases. For example, understanding anime’s increasing demand in India, we introduced Dragon Ball Super and Digimon Adventure on Cartoon Network for our audiences (young adults and kids alike) to watch it in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, no longer just with English subtitles, enabling them to fully experience the magic of Japanese anime. Similarly, looking at the popularity of Little Singham, we expanded the universe with the launch of Baby Little Singham on Discovery Kids,” said Singh.
According to him, despite the proliferation of platforms, legacy kids’ networks such as Warner Bros. Discovery will retain the reach penetration, with a strong popular-culture footprint to achieve fan loyalty among kids and families.
“In India, linear TV will continue to lead the viewership and attract new audiences. With the continuous surge in co-viewing, all eyes will be on the kids’ genre to offer entertaining content and drive consumption in a variety of languages and genres that appeal to all age groups. Following a successful 2022 for our kids’ cluster, our strategy will be to champion homegrown and relatable content, enabling fans across India to enjoy world-class animation and compelling stories in their preferred language,” he added.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been a leader when it comes to creating innovative content or fulfilling the demand as per the ongoing trend. The viewers will be looking forward to more amazing shows on Cartoon Network, POGO and Discovery Kids in the coming year.