March 31 felt like an earth-shattering day for the content production and distribution landscape as two “legacy” publishing companies made announcements that sent shockwaves across the industry—particularly in the kids’ segment.
In the morning, World Screen, the 40-year-old B2B group with a portfolio of brands that included TV Kids, said it was ceasing operations, with immediate effect, in a brief statement.
Just a few hours later, Brunico revealed that it was canceling all of its U.S. events, which include the long-running Kidscreen Summit, once regarded as an absolute must-attend for the sector. As the kids’ segment has taken a wider hit, politics have altered people’s perceptions about traveling to the U.S., and the event calendar has become more frenetic (this year it was up against the London TV Screenings and an extremely well-attended kids’ summit at MIP London); the conference has seen attendance erosion over the years. Joe Vitale, head of studio at Toon Pocket, said on LinkedIn that attendance didn’t reach the 1,000 mark this year.
“This decision was deeply considered and stemmed from the market consolidation that continues to progress and has structural impacts on the content production business,” said Russell Goldstein, president and CEO of Brunico Communications, in announcing the cancellations of Realscreen Summit, Kidscreen Summit, and NATPE Global.
With the strategic shift at Brunico, Jocelyn Christie, Kidscreen’s publisher, is out, after a 28-year run with the brand, “amid dismal market conditions,” she said on LinkedIn, “that have forced the company to reevaluate its strategy. This is a big change for me after so many years, but I’m excited to explore new directions and continue to do meaningful work in the industry.”
For many in the business, the news felt like a gut punch and a sign that some legacy players have struggled to adjust to the new landscape. “The conference model built around broadcaster budgets and large corporate delegations is over,” Jo Redfern commented on LinkedIn. “The industry’s funding, distribution, and monetization crises have caught up with the infrastructure that grew around it.”
“I think it’s time as an industry, and as a society, that we have to ask: how can we stop trying to survive inside the problem and instead find new ways to solve it?” asked Jason Tammemagi, chief creative officer at Cartoon Saloon, on LinkedIn.
The double whammy resulted in “a very sad day for our beloved industry,” veteran PR exec Valerie Taylor posted, “and a stark reminder of the incredibly challenging times we are all currently facing. We are living in a period of profound change, and it’s brutal.”
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