Joss Duffield, VP of Distribution, spoke to ttvnews about how the company’s content strategy, based on characters and stories with recognized IPs, and which resonate with global audiences and have strong marketing potential, has allowed them to reach every corner of the globe.
With shows that are currently airing in over 150 countries, 9 Story Media Group knows a thing or two about what makes kids’ content successful worldwide. And even in these troubled times for the audiovisual industry as a whole, the company has amassed a catalog of titles with guaranteed success.
In the following interview with ttvnews, Joss Duffield, VP of Distribution at 9 Story Media Group, shares details about how the company has been able to put together a catalog of hit productions by focusing on established IPs with strong marketing potential and stories that resonate with global audiences.
What is your current outlook on the kids’ content industry? What do you believe will be the main trends in terms of genres and productions for 2025?
The kids content industry is more competitive than ever, with discoverability and reduced budgets for greenlights making it increasingly difficult for new series to break through. Given these challenges, it’s becoming increasingly important to lean into established IP that comes with built-in audience awareness or strong marketing potential.
At 9 Story, we are strategically focusing on new series that tap into existing fan bases or brand recognition for our development slate. This includes Momoguro, in partnership with Baobab Studios and based on their successful Roblox game for 6-12-year-olds; The Magic School Bus: Mighty Explorers, a preschool spinoff of the beloved franchise; Sixteen Souls, a live action series for 14+ audiences based on the hit Scholastic book series; and Juno the Jellyfish, our new series in development with Crayola. Now that we are part of the Scholastic family, we are well positioned to adapt the company’s amazing book properties into series and specials.
What are the main challenges of producing kids’ content today? What do you look for when it comes to selecting projects for your catalog?
Beyond the discoverability and market challenges discussed earlier, one of the biggest hurdles in kids’ content today is ensuring that stories resonate with global audiences. To achieve this, we prioritize universal themes—narratives that children around the world can relate to, regardless of language or culture.
This approach extends to both our original productions and third-party acquisitions, where we seek out content that has broad appeal while maintaining a distinct creative voice. Over the past year, we’ve been fortunate to add three standout acquisition titles to our catalog that exemplify this global relatability: The Woohoos! (52 x 7 min) and The Singalings (26 x 5 min) from Snipple Originals, as well as SciShow Kids (57 x 18-30 min) from the team behind the popular YouTube series SciShow, which boasts 1.2 million subscribers.
Which are the star titles from your current catalog for the international market?
Our international catalog continues to expand with top-performing titles that offer broad appeal. Some of our key titles making an impact globally include:
Dylan’s Playtime Adventures – A vibrant preschool series based on the beloved Dylan book series by Guy Parker-Rees, encouraging imaginative play and active problem-solving.
A Kind of Spark – A groundbreaking live-action series for older kids, adapted from Elle McNicoll’s award-winning book. This coming-of-age drama follows an autistic protagonist on a journey of self-discovery and advocacy.
Lu & the Bally Bunch – A heartwarming preschool series celebrating kindness, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
Let’s Go, Bananas! – A laugh-out-loud animated comedy, packed with physical humor and high-energy antics, showcasing the everyday humour that occurs within families.
Unlike older generations, who accessed content solely on linear TV, having content available whenever-wherever they want is the norm for kids today. How do you think the streaming evolution has changed the business of how kids content is distributed?
The streaming revolution, along with the prevalence of YouTube, has fundamentally transformed content distribution, especially for younger audiences. Children now expect instant access to their favorite shows across multiple devices. This shift necessitates a strategic approach to content availability, ensuring that our titles are accessible on various platforms including YouTube and other AVODs. Moreover, the rise of FAST channels has opened new avenues for content delivery, a trend we’ve actively embraced as part of our distribution strategy.
In this regard, which platforms and territories do you currently work with? Which regions do you believe have the biggest potential for your content to grow in?
We have a truly global reach with our content available in nearly every major territory worldwide. Shows like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Wild Kratts are seen in over 150 countries! We have established relationships with major streaming and broadcasters across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, ensuring that our content reaches young audiences wherever they are. Latin America continues to be a key growth focus for us, where we see a continued demand for high quality kids’ programming.
How do you see kids’ content and younger audiences evolving in the coming years?
Kids today don’t just want to watch content; they want to experience, engage and create. With platforms like Roblox, kids want immersive storytelling that extends beyond traditional TV into interactive experiences across multiple platforms. This means that content needs to be designed with cross-platform engagement in mind, and incorporate elements like gaming, social interaction and digital extensions.
At the same time, we’re seeing a rise in self-content creation, with platforms like YouTube, Roblox and TikTok empowering older kids to co-create, remix and engage with the stories they love. For example, my son would like his own YouTube channel for his upcoming 8th birthday, where he would film various trains in the UK! This shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge for content creators—finding ways to create high quality programs where kids can be more interactive with the content.
