Want to be more inspired and informed next year? Get your all-access Business Pass today, and take part in 50-plus keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, buyer intel Q&As, research presentations, master classes and more.

We’ve also doubled the number of one-on-one buyer meetings in our popular Speed Pitching and Coffee with… sessions, and are offering more facilitated networking opportunities than ever before.

Our program truly has it all! You can explore the full lineup online now, but here are some highlights we’re particularly excited about:

KEYNOTE—Dr. Jane Goodall on finding hope in dark days
Famed environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall has worked with millions of young people around the world, inspiring them to take action in their communities through the Jane Goodall Institute and Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots. Recognized for her tireless and vital conservation efforts, she spreads her message through optimism—a visionary idea in today’s unsteady world. At Kidscreen Summit, Dr. Goodall will share her unique experience, and explore the role the kids entertainment industry can play in helping children develop a lifelong love of the natural world.

KEYNOTE—Reframing the narrative: How to deconstruct racism through the stories we tell
From TV shows to headlines, all stories have a structure. You know what else has a structure? Racism—that’s what makes it systemic. Watch along as Emmy-winning comedy writer, author and Obama White House advisor Baratunde Thurston explores how we can reframe the actions we (and our characters) take to be more inclusive, and the role content producers play in shaping how kids see race on screen.

KEYNOTE—Avoiding the digital content trap with Bharat Anand
In the golden age of media, “content is king” has permeated the creative landscape and marketplace as an unchallenged mantra. Make great shows, and buyers and viewers will follow. But economist and Harvard professor Bharat Anand calls this the “content trap” and warns against relying on old business models to chase growth. Simply taking your existing content and putting it online isn’t enough. Instead, producers, distributors and broadcasters need to rethink what it really means to provide content. Join us for this illuminating keynote that will make you ask: Can my business strategy survive the virtual era, or do I need to be doing more?

Master planning with WarnerMedia’s Tom Ascheim
The media industry is ever-evolving, and it can be a challenge to keep up with all the new faces and strategies. This year alone, Warner Bros. brought in a new head of kids and family, absorbed HBO Max’s kid-focused programming, and branched into preschool animation. WB President of Kids, Young Adults & Classics Tom Ascheim lays out his strategy for WarnerMedia in a candid fireside chat at Kidscreen Summit Virtual.

Master planning with eOne’s Olivier Dumont
Play patterns are shifting, TV audiences are fragmenting, and streaming platforms are popping up faster than you can say “plus”. How do you compete for eyeballs? Now part of the Hasbro family and with some of the most popular IPs on the planet in his arsenal, eOne President of Family Brands Olivier Dumont joins us for an intimate fireside chat to share how he plans on finding the right balance between legacy franchises and new properties, and why a focus on brands is always the answer.

The changing perception of self
It has not been an easy year, and that’s likely to have a lasting impact on how kids see themselves and their place in the world. Smarty Pants has surveyed more than 5,700 of them to get a handle on these important shifts in self-perception. From creative and cool, to stressed and depressed, if understanding what makes kids tick is important to your business, this session should be at the top of your can’t-miss list.

The science of sparking joy
Figuring out a formula for triggering that awesome feeling of pure and unbridled happiness that we call joy is one of entertainment’s holy grails. And Gigglebug’s Anttu Harlin is looking to get closer to finding it with a new global study that explores how kids experience joy in their own lives, and how producers and broadcasters looking to delight young viewers can bake it into their content.

COVID-proofing your live-action shoot
On-site nurses, filming insurance, a ban on kissing—producers in the live-action trenches are adjusting to “normal-for-now” and making it work on set. We’ve invited a few of them to talk with us about their COVID-filming wins, continuing pain points, and how they’re adjusting budgets and protocols to keep the cameras rolling through the pandemic.

User-generated content on a whole new level
Looking for a better way to bring your audience into the content creation process? From kid panels providing real-time feedback, to crewing up with tween and teen producers, this session will explore a variety of working models for more authentically involving young voices and POVs.

DEBATE—Mapping out hit strategy: Go big or start small?
Baby Shark, Angry Birds, Ryan ToysReview. The internet has made it possible to turn an idea from anywhere into a major global phenomenon. But what’s the best way to chase that end result? Do you go broad and universal, or niche and local? Should a global strategy be planned from the start, or is it better to fine-tune with a local audience first? Experts with experience on both sides of the fence will passionately debate which is the better hit-making approach.

MASTER CLASS—Perfecting your virtual pitch
Pitching is an art form. But what works in real life doesn’t always work online. Before the Summit even starts, take your virtual pitch to the next level with practical, hands-on tips from execs who’ve successfully bought and sold shows in lockdown, and hear what works best when it comes to getting on a buyer’s radar from your home office.