WBD Kids' Major Wager on the Future of Entertainment is Both Digital and Linear

The year for Warner Bros. Discovery Kids has been quite exciting. With three children's channels—Pogo, Cartoon Network, and Discovery Kids—the network has tried a variety of approaches. In an effort to maintain its position as the industry leader, the network has made large expenditures in local content while also growing its anime world and experimenting with new formats.

Warner Bros. Discovery South Asia's kids' cluster leader, Uttam Pal Singh, told afaqs! that the network had tremendous growth in 2024 after launching regional successes like Titoo, Jay Jagannath, and Little Singham. Additionally, the network is experimenting with novel formats, such introducing a crossover between Little Singham and Chhota Bheem.

"We worked with our IP owners, Green Gold and Reliance Animation, to develop a shared storytelling universe on Pogo, even though we came from different teams and universes. Four films were produced as a result of this partnership, and during their initial weeks of release, all of them were number one. The first picture broke the record for the highest-rated children's film in the category," according to Singh.

Taking advantage of India's expanding child population

The growing children's entertainment market in India offers WBD prospects for sustained expansion. Singh emphasizes that because of established IPs and compliance, traditional television is still a trusted medium for parents. Because of this, its investments are mostly focused on linear television, with animation attracting a lot of interest.

"For us, television continues to be the key audience in terms of reach and engagement, and it is growing in India, albeit steadily rather than at a double-digit rate. Animation, with its widespread appeal, has a big influence in this field, yet linear television is still very popular. 

Six regional languages—Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam—are offered via the network to ensure cultural resonance and optimize prospects for brand engagement.

Although television continues to be the major focus, WBD is expanding its audience with channels like Discovery+, which offers popular series like Little Singham. Additionally, the network and Prime Video have teamed up to introduce CN Rewind, a carefully chosen add-on channel that includes beloved shows like Tom & Jerry and The Powerpuff Girls.

It is also active on YouTube and social media to make sure students may participate wherever they choose.

Developing strategic alliances to go beyond television

Even while WBD isn't yet producing original OTT content for children, popular TV series frequently make the transition to OTT platforms. 

"Live-action content, usually in the form of short episodic series, is currently the main focus of OTT platform growth and investment. He clarifies, "There are very few examples of animated series or IPs being developed for OTT."

The network gives marketers the chance to maximize their impact by interacting with localized characters and material, which increases viewership and co-viewing beyond children, because it distributes its content over six regional feeds.

Partnerships with companies looking to capitalize on family-friendly content are part of WBD's strategy. Partnerships with companies looking to capitalize on family-friendly content are part of WBD's strategy. "Co-viewing, where parents and kids watch together, offers a unique advertising opportunity," says Tanaz Mehta, head of advertising revenues for South Asia. Connecting with these audiences through TV and experiential activations, such as mall events and school programs, is beneficial for both traditional and non-traditional businesses.