With a catalog centered on music-led preschool content designed for YouTube and international adaptability, Fauna Entertainment is sharpening its focus on digital-first projects aimed at niche audiences with strong global potential. Through culturally rich storytelling, diverse characters, and scalable concepts built for multiplatform expansion, the company is developing brands with clear added value that can travel across markets and connect with young viewers worldwide.
As the children’s entertainment industry continues to adapt to a rapidly evolving digital landscape, companies are rethinking how content is created, distributed, and monetized. From the dominance of YouTube and mobile viewing to the growing importance of franchise-building and multiplatform strategies, the sector is facing both unprecedented challenges and new opportunities for global growth.
At Fauna Entertainment, this transformation is shaping a strategy focused on digital-first storytelling, culturally rich concepts, and scalable brands designed to connect with young audiences worldwide. The company is betting on niche-driven projects with clear identity and strong engagement potential, while navigating an increasingly competitive and fragmented market.
In the following interview with ttvnews, Emre Aksoy, Commercial Director at Fauna Entertainment, talks about the company’s upcoming projects and its vision for the future of kids’ content; and shares her perspective on the current state of the children’s business, the challenges of discoverability and funding, and why unique storytelling and audience-focused IP remain essential in a crowded digital ecosystem.
How has the demand for children’s content changed in recent years, both on television and digital platforms? What trends do you consider most relevant today?
Commissioning from broadcasters is down and slower. Most demand has shifted to digital, but it’s hit-driven. There’s less appetite for new unproven IP unless it already shows traction online. With the rise of AI, there is a flood of content on digital platforms now which makes it more difficult to stand out for new brands. Unique content and storytelling will continue to differentiate but established IP with solid fan-base will persist in the future.
What elements do you consider key when developing or acquiring a children’s show or film? What are international buyers looking for today?
Low risk, clear audience, and cost efficiency. Buyers want content that can travel easily across markets and doesn’t require heavy localization or high budgets. Unique content and storytelling will continue to thrive, brands having an existing fan-base on any kind of platform are prioritized.
How are new consumption habits (streaming, mobile, YouTube) impacting the way children’s content is produced and distributed?
Kids are primarily on YouTube and mobile. This pushes content to be shorter, faster to engage, and easier to binge. Production is increasingly shaped by platform behavior, not traditional storytelling pacing. On the distribution flexibility is key when it comes to exclusive agreements, brands need to be where consumption is, one outlet is not enough anymore to build a brand, thus content needs to be distributed at the maximum extent possible to reach out audience and fandom.
How important is brand building and franchises in children’s content today? Are you prioritizing projects with multiplatform potential?
It is more important than ever nowadays. Monetization is broken in both linear and digital. Linear commissioning or digital revenues such as YouTube are not enough anymore to make a brand sustainable. For that reason, while building a brand a 360 monetization is crucial in order to build a long term sustainable and profitable brand. IP owners must think digital, linear, gaming, L&M all at the same time to build and monetize a brand.
What are the main challenges currently facing the children’s industry (funding, discoverability, regulation, etc.) and where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth?
Funding is tighter and commissioning has slowed, especially on the broadcaster side. At the same time, the volume of content on digital platforms has increased significantly, driven in part by AI, which makes discoverability a major challenge. Platforms are more selective, and breaking through the noise is harder than before.
On the opportunity side, digital platforms still allow content to be tested directly with audiences. Projects that show clear traction can scale into distribution, licensing, and broader brand extensions. In the long run, quality, consistency, and a clear audience focus will differentiate strong IPs from the volume in the market.
What types of stories or formats do you think will shape the future of children’s content in the coming years?
Children mostly watch on mobile and YouTube, often individually, though co-viewing still matters in younger ages. This pushes content to be short, repeatable, and instantly engaging. Music-driven and simple formats perform best. Going forward, scalable, platform-native formats with clear hooks will lead.
How would you describe the identity of your children’s catalog today? What types of content or genres do you feel best represent the company?
Preschool-focused, music-led, digital-first content designed to perform on YouTube and adapt across markets.
What children’s projects do you currently have in development or production that reflect where you want to take your strategy in the coming years?
As a company we focus on digital first content with a unique hook that fits niche markets instead of broader markets. We are currently in production on Ben’s World, a music-driven preschool project centered around the learning journey of a Black child’s daily wins and failures through music.
We are also developing Moi Lana, which follows two siblings travelling the world and exploring the most known local folk song of each country they visit.The show is all about discovering new cultures.
Both projects reflect our focus on diversity, culturally rich storytelling, and creating content with clear added value that can travel and adapt across global markets.
