BBC Children’s and Education and ABC Children and Family have entered into a landmark alliance to jointly develop and produce new content for young audiences.
The pact for the Shared Horizons initiative builds upon a long-running partnership between the two public-service broadcasters. It establishes a framework to identify and develop high-quality projects, tapping into the strengths of the production infrastructure and creativity in their respective markets. The BBC and ABC will co-develop and co-produce projects in both markets, focusing on premium concepts and creator-driven projects that will resonate in the U.K. and Australia. It is open to scripted live-action drama and animation ideas for preschool audiences, 5 to 8, and 10-plus, with projects destined for both linear broadcast and streaming platforms.
Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC Children and Education, stated, “At its best, public service children’s content helps young audiences make sense of the world around them. Through Shared Horizons, the BBC and ABC will combine the creative talent of the U.K. and Australia to develop distinctive stories with global reach and discover the next generation of children’s characters and ideas.”
Melinda Wearne, ABC’s head of children and family, added, “The ABC and the BBC share a public service DNA that puts children at the heart of what we do. This partnership gives producers in Australia and the U.K. the confidence to think big, knowing they have two major public broadcasters ready to collaborate from the very beginning of the creative process. The best children’s stories are always grounded in authentic local experiences and universal themes, and we want creators to celebrate what makes their communities and cultures unique.”
BBC Children’s is also a partner in the Northern Star Project, with DR, NPO, NRK, and VRT, for live-action scripted projects for kids 7-plus.
