The Children‘s Media Conference

CMC 2017 - Research 1 - How Open is Children’s Definition of TV?

This session will provide rich new insight into the evolving nature of children’s television viewing. We will explore the openness of their definition of ‘TV’, illustrating the findings with compelling video footage. We will look at what TV means to children today – how open are they to new types and sources of content? How open is their definition of what constitutes TV and how is this openness reflected in their behaviour? We will examine data on:

• Time spent watching – what do we know about the amount of time children are spending watching TV and how this compares to time spent online?
• The role of devices – how open are children to consuming content on other devices?
• What are children watching – commercial or PSB? Children’s airtime or general airtime?
• Catch-up, on-demand and YouTube – how does linear, broadcast TV stack up against the desire to watch what you want when you want it? Is YouTube really becoming the go-to place for all children’s content desires?
• Who children are watching with – how much of children’s viewing is accompanied by adults and how much are they watching by themselves? Is family viewing still an important part of family life?

CMC 2017 - Creative Keynote - Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood

Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood – presenters, actors, general all-round comedy fools – are celebrating 21 years on TV. Now they’ve come of age, Dick and Dom will bring their unique brand of anarchic wit and general banter to a keynote which promises a glimpse inside their heads to see what on earth is going on in there. What we know for sure is that children’s TV runs through their veins, having being passionate about kids’ content since they themselves were children. They tell us they have more to say than just Bogies!

CMC 2017 - Changemaker - Nikki Christou

Nikki Lilly, YouTube sensation, 2016 Junior Bake Off winner and recently Emmy award winner for her series ‘My Life’ series on CBBC is an inspiration to all of us. She has a rare medical condition arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and has had 70 operations to date.
When Nikki was 10 she decided to start her YouTube channel to show people what her life is like and now has over 821,000 subscribers. She is a self-taught influencer and creates all her content to upload onto all her social channels.

She is admired throughout the world and in demand to share her life’s experiences which includes interviewing dignitaries from around the world including the likes of  Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, Jamie Oliver, Raheem Sterling, Andy Murray, Claudia Winkleman, Nicole Scherzinger, David Walliams, Gary Linekar, Dani Dyer, Jacquline Wilson, Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield.

CMC 2017 - The Last Word

Can we replace limitation, lack of expectation and frustration with inspiration, aspiration and personal satisfaction?  Are we open to the challenge?

As Lemn Sissay and George the Poet so graphically revealed at last year's CMC, the life of children and young people in the care system, and other marginalised groups, is bounded by prejudice, pessimism and reduced opportunities. And it’s not getting better, as the world closes its eyes to the marginalised.

Some people are working to make a difference. Inspired Youth is a multi award-winning social enterprise embracing the creativity and vibrancy of arts, media and high quality video production to inspire, educate, challenge and inform. They specialise in putting real people at the heart of a creative process to create powerful campaigns around social issues - from the perspective of those who know.  Show Me That I Matter is York’s children in care Council. It was founded to stress the importance of listening to young people’s voices and providing a platform for them to be heard on the issues that most affect them. 

They’ll show the work of young people challenged to express themselves and empowered to open up their world to others.

And they’ll ask – are we really listening?  What should we do, as an industry, and as individuals who communicate with kids, to open our doors to difference and open the eyes of the young audience to the authentic issues in the world around them?

CMC 2017 - Opening the Vault

This panel of children’s media financing experts will discuss the variety of ways you can raise or source money for your project. We will cover third-party sources for funding television and film, and address the funding needs of publishing and the non-profit performance sectors.

CMC 2017 - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Prospective producers enter the den to pitch their ides to the dragons – and, this year, the audience too. But who will walk away with investment?

CMC 2017 - Changemaker - Yasmin Lodhi

Hailing from the Midlands Yasmin graduated from the University of Aberystwyth with a degree in English Literature. Her passions lie in storytelling and community building through up-skilling the young leaders of tomorrow. She is a Senior Manager and all-round ideation light-bulb at Stemettes – an award-winning social enterprise inspiring the next generation of females into science, technology, engineering and mathematics roles via a series of events and opportunities.

CMC 2017 - Changemaker - Steven Kavuma

Steven Kavuma is a playwright, director, student at RCSSD and activist achieving greater social diversity within theatre. He recently founded the Diversity School Initiative. He’s also Co-founder and Co- Executive director of The S&K Project.

CMC 2017 - Development Masterclass: Terry Kalagian

In this Masterclass Terry Kalagian, VP, Creative for Animation at Gaumont, shares her 20 years of experience across the entertainment industry, looking closely at the realities of the commercial world and what it actually takes to sell a show. She considers the choices we, as creatives, need to make for our IP and how much we should compromise to create a success.

CMC 2017 - Play to Learn or Learn to Play?

Digital learning games promised a bright future for education and engagement of young people. But what difference have they really made in the last 10 years? What does the future hold for game-based learning and can it really compete with game-based fun?