ABC, BBC join forces to find the next global hit for young audiences

Melinda Wearne (left) and Patricia Hidalgo

Australian pubcaster the ABC and its UK counterpart the BBC have formed a historic partnership to co-develop and coproduce children’s content with Aussie and UK producers for global audiences.

ABC Children & Family and BBC Children’s & Education said the Shared Horizons initiative reflects a shared commitment to the vital public service role children’s content plays in helping young audiences understand the world around them through entertaining, innovative, high-quality, original programming.

Building on a long-standing partnership and shared values, the ABC and BBC initiative establishes a framework for identifying and developing high-quality projects, the two said.

It is designed to bring together the creative strengths of both production sectors while supporting independent producers and creators.

The ABC and BBC will focus on content that creates a pathway for talent in both countries. The partnership is seeking premium concepts and creator-driven projects that will be able to succeed across both territories.

Focused on scripted live-action drama and animation, the initiative will support content for preschool audiences, children aged five to eight, and young audiences up to 10 years old, designed for linear broadcast and streaming platforms.

The initiative reflects a growing appetite among pubcasters to increase collaboration on co-commissions and coproductions as they compete with the global streamers and fight for the many eyeballs straying to platforms like YouTube.

The BBC was among the European public broadcasters that recently issued the first call for children’s drama projects as part of the fledgling alliance of Northern European public broadcasters, The Northern Star Project.

ABC Children & Family head Melinda Wearne said: “The ABC and the BBC share a public service DNA that puts children at the heart of what we do.

“This partnership gives producers in Australia and the UK the confidence to think big, knowing they have two major public broadcasters ready to collaborate from the very beginning of the creative process. The best children’s stories are always grounded in authentic local experiences and universal themes, and we want creators to celebrate what makes their communities and cultures unique.”

BBC Children & Education director Patricia Hidalgo said: “At its best, public service children’s content helps young audiences make sense of the world around them. Through Shared Horizons, the BBC and ABC will combine the creative talent of the UK and Australia to develop distinctive stories with global reach and discover the next generation of children’s characters and ideas.”

Australian submissions for this development opportunity open in September and can be made through the ABC Children & Family production portal, Children’s Pitch – TV Independent Production, where applicants can find further information about the initiative, including key dates and submission requirements.

British submissions can be made as for any other project through the BBC’s Pitching and Commissioning System, the official digital portal used by the BBC for independent production companies to submit television programme proposals and coproductions.