Moonbug’s Revenues Grew 148% In 2021

Moonbug Entertainment has become one of the biggest players in children’s music and YouTube videos, having rolled up brands including CoComelon, Little Baby Bum and Blippi.

Newly-published financial results reveal that its business grew strongly in 2021, with revenues growing 148% to £110.2m (which would have been around $149.2m at the end of that year). Moonbug’s gross profit grew even faster, by 159% to £81.4m.

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However, the company actually recorded a net loss for 2021 of £78.1m, which is explained by one-off exceptional costs of £93.2m related to its acquisition by Candle Media in November 2021.

Who’s that? A company co-founded by Kevin Mayer, formerly of Disney and a short stint as TikTok CEO, and backed by investment firm Blackstone Group. It paid $3bn for Moonbug in 2021.

Moonbug has a mixed history with the music industry, striking a deal with Universal Music Group in August 2021, but arousing the wrath of bodies representing songwriters in March 2022 over its approach to performing rights royalties.

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Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery And More Will Drive Original Content Spend In 2023

Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are expected to lead the content spending race in 2023, even though the streaming industry at large is expected to cut back due to economic pressures, according to analysts.

The research firm anticipates Disney will reach $10.5 billion in original content spend this year, while WBD’s content investment will exceed $9.5 billion. But even with those companies making investments, analysts anticipates global content expenditure to increase by just 2% year-on-year in 2023 – compared to a 6% growth rate last year.

Meaning this year will likely see the slowest content spend growth in a decade – excluding the pandemic-driven content slump in 2020, said analysts. The firm added global economic headwinds will curb household spending and advertising investment, which in turn will lead media companies to implement more cost-saving measures.

YouTube Premium:
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Both Disney and WBD are in the midst of refreshing their streaming strategy. Disney+ in December launched its first ad-supported tier, which comes with the same content catalog that’s offered on the premium plan. Content ranges from Disney classic movies to series franchises like “Star Wars” and “Marvel Cinematic Universe,” and Disney scored another content acquisition win in October with BBC’s “Doctor Who” series.

Whereas WBD is gearing up to combine its HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming services into one app, expected to launch this spring. In anticipation of the combined service, the company has been trimming down premium content on HBO Max. Last year, WBD halted production of some European-produced originals and subsequently cancelled a number of domestic HBO shows, such as “The Nevers” and “Westworld.”

Within spend on SVOD content alone, Ampere predicts Netflix will make up over a quarter of subscription-based original content worldwide in 2023. Netflix is particularly leaning into more international content to gain a wider distribution of viewers. For instance, the streamer is currently developing a reality game show based on its hit Korean drama “Squid Game.”

Insidus Games:
- Tom And Jerry: Infurnal Escape
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Research analysts predicted SVOD services will see an 8% year-on-year increase in total content investment, but it will lag the 25% growth rate seen in 2022.

“Services will continue to focus on original content to compete in a crowded, cost-sensitive market, but we are already seeing a shift in content commissioning to incorporate a greater volume of cheaper unscripted formats,” Walsh stated.

New Channel Alert: WildEarth To Launch In The UK Later In The Year

Two years ago, MultiChoice launched Wild Earth TV as a pop-up channel and had proven to be a success that MultiChoice now offers it full-time. Prior to that, the brand had made plans to expand outside of African soil.

As seen last year, they were made available in the United States and parts of Europe with the UK added to the lineup of regions to source Wild Earth as the brand geared up for its 2023 debut.

Test transmissions began on the Astra 2G satellite, paving the way for the channel to join Sky. It follows Wild Earth’s recent expansion via streaming platforms and apps, including Rakuten TV, LG Channels, Roku and Plex.

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Using a combination of live broadcasting, expert naturalists, interactivity, community and a point-of-view shooting style, WildEarth says it helps millions of viewers feel remotely present in nature without increasing their footprint.

Programmes on the channel include African Sunset Safari Live between 13:30 and 17:30 GMT and Penguin Beach, a live interactive show from the Cape Coast in South Africa between 12:30 and 13:30 GMT.

Wild Earth secured an Ofcom licence to broadcast on satellite in September 2022. It is operated by a company based in Dorset.

DStv:
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New Series Alert (Rumour): Presenting The Five Turkish Dramas Rumoured To Rollout In South Africa

For reasons beyond my control, I can't disclose who picked up rights to the show or the timeframe for part of these shows but if you've been following my blog for sometime then you know my number 1 picks are on the Everyday Novelas section of my site.

Last year, I mentioned a couple of shows I'd recommend for certain brands part of it not giving percentages are rumoured content but as it is I can't share much details on anything just yet.

You browse a lot of content most of which haven't watched then you get directed to areas where you find 90% of the content there is already viewed with the remaining 10% awaiting release so here it is the 5 shows rumoured for the stations near you.

1. Söz (The Oath)

Yavuz, a well-trained Turkish soldier, is in Istanbul with his fiance where a terrorist operation takes place. Bahar, who is not a surgeon, tries to save his fiance. After this incident, Yavuz goes back to Karabayir and Bahar follows him all the way to give him something that belongs to him. The series stars Tolga Saritas, Meric Aral and Nihat Altinkaya.

eExtra:
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2. Zemheri (Love Storm)

Firuze and Ayaz. Two beautiful heart, two family carrying children overhead. Fate brought them together. Her father's unjust conviction in the elevator accident that killed thirteen people triggered Firuze. Carrying the responsibility of being the man of the house, Ayaz is faced with Firuze, which he sacrificed for his mother when he was about to marry another.

3. Kirmizi Oda (The Red Room)

Already viewed on SABC 3, The Red Room is set in a therapist office in Istanbul, where we see vulnerable women and men who pass through to get treatment and handle their traumas and problems. It stars Binnur Kaya, Erkan Petekkaya and Evrim Alasya.

4. Ramo

The series will focus on the conflict between the two families and a great love that will flourish between this struggle. The series stars Murat Yıldırım, Esra Bilgiç, İlker Aksum and Yiğit Özşener.

Everyday Novelas:
- Between You And Me now on Zee One
- Eternal Love coming soon to Star Life
- Nurses S3 coming soon to Telemundo
- Fearless Heart coming soon to Telemundo

5. Elimi Birakma (Don't Let Go Of My Hand)

The story revolves around a girl named Azra who is studying abroad in America to become a professional cook just like her father. The series stars Alina Boz, Alp Navruz, Dolunay Soysert and Ebru Aykaç.

New Series Alert: Razia Sultan + Broken Bonds + Every Girl's Dream + It's Not Easy To Love + 4 More Series Anticipated To Rollout On Zee World In 2023

Zee World, a Bollywood entertainment channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises which is currently in talks with Culver Max Entertainment on a potential merger is set to rollout four new series including already announced Every Girl's Dream, Broken Bonds, Razia Sultan and It's Not Easy To Love.

Joining the pack of new content is the Zee One exclusive series Carmen, Trinayani, Between You And Me and Untangled.

New Series:
- Razia Sultan: Based on the real life figure of the same name, Razia Sultan is a historical drama that charts the rise of a remarkable real-life figure, the first woman to ever rule the Delhi Sultanate. It has the typical court intrigue you can expect from "Game of Thrones" type series. It premieres 13 January.
- Broken Bonds (Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti): Originally titled Fragmented Family, the show will depict the world of 2 children who try to bring their parents together and rekindle their happy family. It stars Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi, Neha Marda and Yash Sinha. It premieres 13 January.
- Every Girl's Dream (Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na, becomes a nightmare as it was hyped since last year): It revolves around Krisha a hospitality graduate, trying best to prove herself and help her family financially by working at her father's friends' royal hotel in Udaipur. It was there where she meets her Prince Charming, Devraj. Anjali Tatrari and Avinesh Rekhi played the lead roles. It premieres 17 January.
- It's Not Easy To Love (likely Mithai): Mithai, a gifted sweet maker, is on a quest to establish her professional identity. What happens when Mithai’s world collides with Siddharth, a software engineer and heir to a traditional sweet making business.

Everyday Novelas:
- Between You And Me now on Zee One
- Eternal Love coming soon to Star Life
- Nurses S3 coming soon to Telemundo
- Fearless Heart coming soon to Telemundo

Zee One Scraps/Upcoming Shows:
- Trinayani: Trinayani's ability to foresee the future and the past often lands her in trouble. Despite the setbacks, she strives to use her gift to protect the people around her from harm. The series stars Ashika Padukone, Chandu B Gowda and Pavitra Jayaram in lead roles.
- Untangled (Rishton Ka Manjha): Based on the Zee Bangla drama Deep Jwele Jai, the series follows Diya, a gully badminton player, meets Arjun, a former badminton champ from an affluent family, who resents his own kin. It stars Aanchal Goswami and Krushal Ahuja in the lead-roles.
- Carmen: An Egyptian drama which follows the titular character whose in search for fame and relocates to Cairo where she finds no alternative but to lie. Then she falls in love with Tawfik which puts her in comedic situations. The series stars Reham Haggag, Mohamed Al Kilan, Walaa Elshrif, Mohammad Mahran, Omar El Shenawy and Mohamed Marzaban.
- Between You And Me (Meri Hanikarak Biwi): This show revolves around the life of two completely different individuals, Akilesh Pandey and Iravati aka Ira Desai. Aksilesh is a village simpleton and an ardent follower of Bajrang Bali while Ira is an aspiring medical student. Destiny had meant these two individuals to meet and unite. Karan Suchak and Jiya Shankar take on the lead roles.

Zee World:
- Conspiracy Theory: the passing of Sushant Singh Rajput
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