Open Tech Calendar

Taking place against a backdrop of shifting consumption trends and market dynamics underpinning the supply of children’s media content, this seminar will offer a timely opportunity to consider the future for the UK children’s content industry.

It takes place in light of Ofcom’s final report on the future of public service broadcasting showing a reduction in levels of commissioning and provision of children’s programming and their latest Communications Market Report highlighting a decline in the daily time children aged 4-15 spend watching broadcast TV.

Delegates at this seminar will assess latest strategies for investing, commissioning and distributing linear and non-linear children’s content and the associated commercial opportunities and challenges for monetising content across online, mobile, apps and on-demand platforms.

In anticipation of the Government’s proposals on the future of the BBC following their consultative document, delegates will also consider the future role of the corporation as a commissioner and producer of original children’s content and the impact of an introduction of contestable funding for children’s television to incentivise the commercial PSBs to create more original, UK-centric content.

We are delighted that Alice Webb, Director, BBC Children's, BBC has kindly agreed to deliver a keynote address together with Jo Arden, Head of Strategy, 23red; Shahriar Coupal, Director of the Committees of Advertising Practice and Director of Advertising Policy and Practice, Advertising Standards Authority; Joshua Davidson, ‎Founder and Managing Director, Night Zookeeper; Ian Douthwaite, Chief Executive Officer, Dubit; Clare O’Brien, Senior Programmes Manager, Internet Advertising Bureau; Michael Rose, Co-Founder, Magic Light Pictures; Professor Jeanette Steemers, Professor of Media and Communications and Co-Director, The Communications and Media Research Institute, University of Westminster; Jon Watts, Co-Founder and Director, MTM London; Tom van Waveren, Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director, CAKE and a senior speaker from Virgin Media. Additional senior participants are currently being approached.