By: Maurice Wheeler 

Following a noticeable slump in TV spending—and heightened fears about AI-generated content—2024 is poised to be a defining period for many companies in the kids entertainment space.  

On the back of a year that has felt stagnant in many ways, 2024 will likely be a turning point that pushes not just the limits of our business models, but also what kids and families will accept from the brands and content in their lives. 

All in all, this will be a year of action and feedback, testing the ground to see what works now, resetting industry standards, and establishing a new status quo.

1. AI-generated content comes of age, and the audience delivers a verdict

In 2023, most media and production companies were busy adding AI to their pipelines, and having internal discussions about what percentage of their output should be created by this technology. 

In 2024, AI-generated content will start to hit screens, and we’ll see what the audience thinks of it. Will parents mind that a show for their children was written by AI? Or will the 20 minutes of peace they get while their kids are entertained override any moral concerns? As with everything, opinions are sure to fall on a spectrum, but this year we will begin to understand how parents are spread out along that curve.

Many in the industry are worried about what AI will do to the heart and soul of children’s media, but this year, we will really see what it can do for their balance sheets, too. 

2. Much less talking the talk, and much more walking the walk

2024 is an election year in many key regions. Therefore, polarizing and divisive narratives are likely to reach a fever pitch. Two to three years ago, it was important for brands to show where they stood and to take a position on most issues—but in 2024, many will become apolitical as consumers flock to more neutral brands and media outlets.  

That’s not to say issues to do with the environment, DEI and politics won’t be important, but consumers will be looking at what organizations are doing rather than what they’re saying. 

There will be more focus on what goes on “behind the camera” and less on the output itself. Consumers won’t want shows telling them what they need to do to save the planet; instead, they will be casting a keener eye on what media organizations themselves are doing on these fronts. And as the EU brings in rules to govern how much a company can stretch the truth about their green credentials, we will see a little less conversation and a little more action.  

3. Media will feel the pinch and this will affect channel and production strategies dramatically

The latest media Golden Age is coming to an end as SVODs begin to seek profit over growth, and as public broadcasters continue to get squeezed in the global recession.  

For content to succeed going forward, it needs to be highly financially viable: that means evergreen, cheap to produce and sellable in the international market. For the most part, children’s media has done OK in meeting these factors. But big-budget topical shows delivered weekly that require studios and sizable production teams are going to suffer.  

As the Global Kids Sport Report we released in November shows, the world of sports is going through a pivotal moment right now. Sports content is not very evergreen, it’s expensive to produce, and only a few productions are internationally successful. Sporting organizations need to reevaluate their content and fan engagement strategies if they are going to continue to prosper as they have over the last decade.

Maurice Wheeler is CEO at We Are Family UK, which helps clients at all stages of their marketing journey, from initial product development and consumer research all the way to locally executing their marketing and retail campaigns. For more than 20 years Wheeler has developed audience-led strategies that have helped clients, including Nickelodeon, BBC, Disney, Microsoft, Google, Universal Music, Unilever and Lego.

Photo courtesy of Emily Wade via Unsplash.