Cutting the Cord: Programs for kids come to the fore
It's not just adult eyeballs that Netflix and other Net TV competitors are fighting over.
Sure, the streaming video leader has gotten plenty of attention for its original hits House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, and Amazon made news by inking a multiyear exclusive deal for HBO programming.
But there's just as much competition for younger viewers, too. This week, Amazon and Apple TV both made moves to boost kids' programming — just in time for summer vacation.
To its Prime Instant Video service, Amazon added episodes of the critically acclaimed series Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep series from U.K.-based Aardman Animation. (There's a Shaun the Sheep movie coming next year, so his star is on the rise.)
Amazon Prime ($99 annually, includes free two-day shipping on many items; you can watch on computers, Kindles, Fire TV and other devices) lets subscribers watch exclusive episodes and clips from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Blue's Clues.
Amazon is creating its own original kids programming, too. The first six episodes of the new series Creative Galaxy, an animated arts and crafts interactive program for ages 3 to 5 from the creator of Blue's Clues, became available Friday. Amazon Studios last month debuted its first series, the stop-motion animated Tumble Leaf. A third series, the live-action Annedroids (ages 4 to 7) from Dino Dan creator J.J. Johnson arrives July 25.
Apple TV, which you get through a $99 small set-top box, added a PBS Kids app last week (it has had a PBS app since November). On PBS Kids, you'll find several episodes of Thomas and Friends, Curious George and Peg & Cat — with episodes available for a limited time, typically a month or so — and a dozen-plus clips. Other PBS Kids series on Apple TV include Arthur, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Dinosaur Train, Wild Kratts, Word Girl, The Electric Company and Caillou. For the Sesame Street and Clifford the Big Red Dog series, you have to make do with clips.
Other family-friendly programs, as well as series for teens, can be found on the Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney XD apps. Those include everything from Phineas and Ferb to Marvel content such as Avengers Assemble and Star Wars: The New Yoda Chronicles, to episodes of Kickin' It.
These new additions on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Instant Video come a few weeks after Netflix announced that it has new episodes of the animated series DreamWorks Dragons, based on the How to Train Your Dragon films, planned for 2015.
Netflix began paying special attention to children as far back as three years ago. "If I remember correctly, Nickelodeon ratings took a surprising hit shortly after that," says Michael Greeson, co-founder of The Diffusion Group. "I know there was some debate about whether Netflix's new children's offering caused it, but the timing was a bit too coincidental."
Streaming services are right to pay attention to children's programming, he says. Kids aged 11 and under make up just about 9% of digital video viewers, according to research firm eMarketer, but they spend about two hours daily with media.
"Anecdotally, I have lots of friends with children that say Netflix's addition of children's programming was of great benefit to them, and they are using the service more often because of it," Greeson says.
Amazon and Apple hope for similar benefits by focusing on kid stuff, too.
"Cutting the Cord" is a regular column covering Net TV and ways to get it. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Mike Snider via e-mail. And follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.