African Animation Network To Get First Ever Competitor With A Dedicated Channel

In 2019, Nick Wilson the cofounder to African Animation Network unveiled plans to launch a 24 hour linear channel strictly for African produced animation with plans to get original content. From what is understood, some funding would be needed to get this off the ground.

Prior to its rollout, they were plans to launch a dedicated programming block on numerous local broadcasters in the African market likely even DStv as sources sited these broadcasters as "major outlets". Following that instance, there's technically been no update.

Nick Wilson and the rest of his team at African Animation Network have since then been producing Garbage Boy And Trash Can for Cartoon Network. They aren't looking to compete with their potential linear offering but as seen already strive with partnerships.

In the coming months, MultiChoice and Ngwato Nkosi Group are set to unveil a new children's channel to their platforms, Play Room. Described as a fun and educational platform featuring animated series in local languages alongside live-action shows.

From what's seen on the schedule, Play Room appears to not only be taking on the likes of eMedia's eToonz but also Nick Wilson's African Animation Network. Alongside a channel there's various local shows such as Akili And Me, Jabu's Jungle and Bino And Fino.

African Animation Network had operated a digital channel years prior for short films and series. The linear counterpart would most likely continue this format and possible feature the above-mentioned shows as they were looking to get educational and kid friendly content.

BBC Children’s Has Ordered A Trio Of New Shows For CBeebies and CBBC (BBC Kids)

For CBeebies, the pubcaster has commissioned Mojo Swoptops (52 x 11 minutes) from Blue Zoo and Tararaboom. The CG-animated preschool series stars an anthropomorphic vehicle who solves the problems in his local community by literally donning new headgear, such as helicopter blades. The series is based on Cindy Black’s book series of the same name.

CBeebies has also greenlit the animated series Rafi the Wishing Wizard from BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions, about a family of modern-day wizards who face the challenges of living in a bustling city.

And for the six-to-12 demo, CBBC has ordered Black Dog Television’s Pickle Storm (10 x 22 minutes), a live-action series about the adventures of a nine-year-old who has to leave his fantasy world and seek refuge in the UK.

In renewal news, CBeebies has reupped Maramedia’s

animated/live-action preschool series Olga da Polga (13 x 11 minutes) for a second season. It’s about an eight-year-old girl, her family and her pet guinea pig, and is based on a book series by Michael Bond (who is better known as the creator of Paddington Bear.)

CBBC has also renewed 9 Story Media Group’s A Kind of Spark for a second season. Based on the same-name book by Elle McNicoll, the series premiered on CBBC in April. Season two will continue the story of Addie, a neurodivergent 11-year-old girl who solves mysteries.

The BBC has been busy adding content to CBeebies and CBBC lately. Just last week, the pubcaster ordered a Hey Duggee preschool spinoff from Studio AKA called Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club (26 x seven minutes), as well as renewing the original series for a 20 x seven-minute fifth season. And earlier this month, the broadcaster partnered with Toronto-based Sinking Ship Entertainment to produce a UK version of the live-action series Odd Squad (12 x 30 minutes).

BBC Studios Kids & Family Orders Hey Duggee Spinoff

BBC Studios Kids & Family and CBeebies have commissioned new preschool series Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club from Studio AKA.

A spinoff of the London-based prodco’s Hey Duggee, the new 2D-animated series centers around a friendly dog who encourages his animal friends to try new things. A release date hasn’t yet been announced for the 26 x seven-minute show.

BBC Studios Kids & Family and CBeebies have also renewed the original Hey Duggee series for a 20 x seven-minute fifth season, which will premiere sometime in 2025. 

Since its debut on CBeebies in December 2014, several broadcasters have picked up Hey Duggee, including Nick Jr. (US), Tencent Video (China) and Cartoonito (Italy). The show remains popular—it was the most streamed CBeebies title on BBC iPlayer in 2022 and the second most-watched series on CBeebies between January and August this year, according to the pubcaster.

Hey Duggee also made the leap from screen to stage this year with Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, which ran in the UK from December 2022 to August 2023. BBC Studios handles the IP’s consumer products rights, and to date has signed 28 L&M partners in the UK alone, including master toy partner Golden Bear.

Transformers: Earthspark Inked To More International Broadcasters

Hasbro has locked in ABC Australia as a new broadcast partner for its CG-animated adventure series Transformers: EarthSpark (26 x 22 minutes).

The first 10 episodes of this family-friendly show from eOne and Paramount will debut in December on linear channel ABC ME and the ABC iview streamer. The remaining 16 episodes will air next year. 

The show will join several other eOne series already in ABC’s lineup, including Peppa Pig and PJ Masks .

Hasbro has been paving the way for EarthSpark‘s Australian expansion this month, launching toys related to the show at mass retailers throughout the country.

The series premiered globally on Paramount+ in 2022, and eOne inked deals for the toon earlier this year with several international broadcasters, including Gulli (France), Channel 5 (Singapore), TV Cultura (Brazil) and Super! (Italy). In July, the

BBC picked it up for CBBC and BBC iPlayer, where it’s among the top-10 most-watched shows on the app, according to a release.

Recap To The Month: National Geographic And National Geographic Wild MENA Had Been Merged With EMEA, FOX Might Close Within The Region

Following the inception of Disney+, multiple Disney Channels have been closing down across the world as the company looks to consolidate their content to the streamer. They've also been looking at possibly selling their linear offering of course this is applicable to the United States.

But from what this entails, Disney is working towards a deadline to the remaining linear offering with Asia set to close theirs by the end of the year with a lot of European countries still harvesting most channels and other regions which have yet to receive Disney+.

Last month, Disney closed a number of linear channels across Asia and this included National Geographic and National Geographic Wild. They also managed the brands of the same name whose feeds had since then been managed within EMEA following these closures.

Despite having its operations merged with Africa, National Geographic Wild to date still has varied offering from the rest of Europe which brings to question it's future as a pay-tv channel. 

From what we've heard, Disney EMEA now takes charge of National Geographic Wild but unlike Disney Channel it appears Disney Asia still maintains control of the channel. Either National Geographic Wild will integrate probably by 31 December 2023 or close down to its entirety.

Prior to the demise of Disney MENA, the FOX channel remain intact within these regions. Considering that Disney in Asia and EMEA no longer supply the FOX brand as further content has been integrated to Disney+ it's likely that the channel will close down.

Another theory that would come in mind would be having Disney merge the FOX MENA (Arabic) with the ones seen in Portugal and Mozambique (Portuguese). Seeing as most FOX channels such as FX and FOX Movies trace back to these territories its the only liable option.