SB-04: KidsCo 1.0 | Step 1: Overcoming The qubo/KEWLopolis Hurdle

Originally Posted by Jeff Harris

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Two reasons many people believe KidsCo isn't even in the cards in the United States are the two programming blocks the three core partners are operating. NBC Universal and Corus are partners on qubo along with Entertainment Rights (particularly Big Ideas), Scholastic Entertainment, and ION Media Networks while DiC is partnered with American Greetings on KEWLopolis, CBS's programming block. Funny thing is that while they claim KidsCo would compete against them those blocks, their competitors, the other three voices, are also competing against themselves. Disney Channel goes against ABC Kids, Disney Channel, ABC Family, and Toon Disney/Jetix. Cartoon Network goes against Boomerang. Nickelodeon is against Nicktoons Network, Noggin, and The N. Now 4KidsTV on Fox is taking on The CW 4Kids. Even PBS Kids goes against PBS Sprout. There's a reason they're dominant in the marketplace. They're adapting themselves for their audiences and creating new ones in the process.

qubo and KEWLopolis have limited market share. KEWLopolis is rarely advertised on CBS and qubo, though seen on multiple outlets including its own digital channel, is also barely advertised on NBC, Telemundo, and ION. They're also limited to being exclusively E/I outlets. qubo won't air anything higher than TV-Y on their lineup and centered around preschoolers and won't air commercials that promote products or movies on the main network. qubo's also more educational and morally-based than other similar blocks, mostly because of the ION, Big Ideas, and Scholastic influences.

KidsCo wouldn't be limited to the problems plagued by qubo and KEWLopolis. There's no educational or moral agenda connected to this endeavor. Sure, there will have to be E/I programming on the lineup, but it won't be the majority of the shows. KEWLopolis and qubo would be of no danger of being cancelled as a result of the creation of KidsCo because those endeavors still serve a purpose of providing just E/I programming to those networks. Plus, the investors in KEWLopolis and qubo not involved in KidsCo would continue to be a part of those blocks. The KidsCo investors would continue to remain significant partners of those blocks as well as pursue the creation of a channel in the United States.

In fact, KidsCo would be something that could be legitimately seen as a competitor to the three major outlets, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network.

And if I had it my way, they'll do it as a digital broadcast channel.