How Disney Plans to Make Your Kids Interact More
By Movieguide®️ Contributor
Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden recently shared at an Investors conference that Disney+ viewers can expect more interactive features in their children’s programming.
“The work we’re doing now, although I have nothing specific to announce on the technology side, are features that will specifically address how kids are interacting with content right now in a very contemporary way,” Walden said.
She continued, “[L]ooking holistically at that kids audience, we know we have the stories that they love. We’re working on the technology that will allow them to engage with them in a way they want.”
While Walden did not delve into specifics of the interactive technology in development, she did say that Disney will continue to partner with other media giant YouTube, whose Disney Jr. channel has over 22 million subscribers.
“We produce thousands of videos based on our series specifically for YouTube… We do that because we know that’s where kids like to consume content,” she said. “Along with Disney+, we want to keep them engaged. We want to keep incubating IP on a platform that’s important to creators and kids.”
Walden also lauded the success of Disney+ Streams options that launched last September. Streams is a curated continuous playlist; one of those streams is Disney+ Playtime channels. The Playtime Channels and ABC News stream have brought in 10 million plus streaming hours in the US.
“Disney+ Playtime has been very successful because, of course, parents don’t have to keep selecting another show,” Walden said. “They can watch BLUEY or all of our programming and that is helping us to introduce this young audience to multiple franchises.”
READ MORE: DISNEY+ TO LAUNCH ‘ALWAYS-ON’ CHANNELS
Disney-owned ESPN will also see some additions with its flagship streaming service that will launch this fall. The program will have enhanced statistics and fantasy sports integration.
“Young consumers are leaning more and more into streaming experiences, both fixed televisions on walls and mobile devices, and the more ESPN can be present for a new generation of consumers with a product that serves them really well, the better off ESPN business is,” Disney CEO Bob Iger stated.
Related: 11 Christmas Movies to Stream on Disney+
Speaking of reaching the new generation, there are talks of a User- Generated Content that will be added sometime after the initial flagship launch, aimed at reaching parents that will, in turn, draw Gen Alpha viewers more into live games.
“[Gen Alpha] have grown up in a media era where attention spans have gotten so short that the idea of watching a two- or three-hour live game with commercials seems laughably arcane,” Alexander Sherman wrote in The Kickoff.
“Along with the leagues, Disney’s ESPN is the most at risk if younger viewers don’t evolve into game watchers,” Sherman added. “The network’s entire business is predicated on live viewing. Disney has committed tens of billions of dollars in live sports contracts – more than any other company.”
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