TORONTO — Kids and family entertainment company WildBrain today announced it is launching several new kids and teen channels built around its content library on Samsung TV Plus in Europe and North America.
Samsung TV Plus is a free, ad-supported video service distributed exclusively on Samsung smart TVs. The first new linear channels WildBrain has launched include “Caillou and Friends” in France and Spain, and “Teletubbies and Friends” in Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, available as of December 9.
WildBrain will follow up in spring and summer 2021 by launching Degrassi channels for teens in Canada and the U.S., plus “Bob the Builder and Friends” in the U.K., Italy and Spain, and “Strawberry Shortcake and Friends” in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
WildBrain’s partnership with Samsung represents the first time the kids content company has launched ad-supported linear channels on a connected-TV service in Europe, says the company’s press release.
Citing research in a recent nScreenMedia report, commissioned by WildBrain Spark, the company’s AVOD network and studio, WildBrain says smart TVs and ad-supported video streaming have become favourite viewing options in the US. In addition, Samsung’s own Behind the Screens report shows ad-supported video-on-demand consumption grew by 29% since January 2020 across more than 30 million Samsung smart TVs in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, says WildBrain’s press release.
“All indicators show that connected TVs are the new choice for home viewing and that families are increasingly turning to ad-supported video services on this platform as a source of quality entertainment,” said Deirdre Brennan, executive vice-president of content partnerships at WildBrain, in the press release. “Through this exciting partnership with Samsung TV Plus we will offer distinct channels that draw on WildBrain’s deep content library, allowing us to share iconic shows like Teletubbies, Caillou, Strawberry Shortcake and Degrassi with millions of families across North America and Europe.”
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