TORONTO – TVO is partnering with ClevrU, a Waterloo-based mobile education company, to bring existing TVOKids content to smartphone users in China. ClevrU operates a web site and provides mobile apps in China which allows smartphone users easy access to a high-quality mobile learning experience.
The partnership highlights TVO’s strategy to expand beyond government funding by exploring new business models for digital content and working to increase self-generated revenues including partnerships with private sector organizations such as ClevrU.
"Smartphone use in China is exploding and parents are looking for quality educational experiences for their children," said Dana Fox, President, ClevrU. "TVO's reputation for trusted educational content for kids makes TVO an ideal partner in this new venture."
TVO is presented in China as the Ontario Educational Communications Authority (TVO's legal name) under the brand Learn English. The content offered includes over 430 videos from TVOKids programs like Melvin's Marvelous Words and Alphabet Goop that teach children how to read, write and spell in a fun and engaging way.
Initially this content is being test marketed with a group of China Unicom subscribers in Beijing, with plans to expand marketing efforts across ClevrU's other marketing partners including Renren (the Facebook of China) later in 2012. The Learn English content is now available for free with e-commerce capabilities being added to the ClevrU web site in coming months.
"What's so exciting about TVO's partnership with ClevrU is that it allows us to repurpose existing digital assets for an entirely new audience that we know has a tremendous thirst for quality educational content," said Lisa de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer, TVO. "This innovative new initiative has the potential to drive an entirely new revenue stream for TVO that will support the delivery of our educational mandate in Ontario."
Each TVO educational video is complemented by material such as printable resources and follow-along slides in Chinese which help guide the child as he or she learns English.
