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What websites make the top rated children's animated shows?
Hi! Thanks for asking Wonder to find the top children's animation websites and producers.
The short answer is that with only broad criteria, I have sourced 10 relevant children's animation companies around the world. Below you will find a deep dive of my findings.
METHODOLOGY
I defined "top rated" as "critically acclaimed" companies where a program or the company as a whole has won or been nominated for a relevant award or where the company produces highly-rated TV programs. The items in the list appear in no particular order.
NICKELODEON
Nickelodeon produces a wide range of children's programming, from TV shows, shorts, films and digital content. The channel on TV is rated as the number one kids' network in 2016, garnering 1.2 million average viewers per day. In 2016, they premiered more than 600 new episodes on broadcast television, and over 1.6 billion streams across the NickJr app and NickJr.com. They are headquartered in Burbank, CA.
WARNER BROS.
Another industry stalwart, Warner Bros's productions have won more awards than can count. Founded back in 1930, the company produce shorts, feature-length animations, TV shows and digital content. They traditionally bounce between classic and contemporary characters, often fusing the two even within the same programming. Warner Bros. Animation is located in Hollywood, CA.
ROUGH DRAFT STUDIOS
As you did not specify an exact age, I also looked for relevant companies for slightly older children. Rough Draft Studios are the makers behind Futurama, The Simpsons Movie and Star Wars: Clone Wars. They are an animation production company who then work with studios to get work distributed. They have several Emmy-nominated projects, and are located in Glendale, CA.
9 STORY
9 Story creates, markets and distributes a variety of content for children. They are the companies behind famous brands like Daniel's Tiger Neighborhood, Wild Kratts and Peg + Cat. In 2015, they acquired Brown Bag Studios, the company behind Octonauts and Doc McStuffins. Their work has won Emmys, Peabody Awards and BAFTAs. 9 Story are headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
SUNRISE
Located in Tokyo, Sunrise International are a Japanese producer of animations, shows and films. A subsidiary of the well-known Bandai Namco Holdings, Sunrise is the studio behind Gundam Wing, InuYasha and Cowboy Bebop. While a very large company with many sub-divisions, one of their focuses is robot anime, which is apparently much more difficult to produce.
CYBER GROUP STUDIOS
I tried to find a variety of relevant companies, both large and small, to further increase your chances of getting your show distributed. Cyber Group Studios are headquartered in Paris, but offer a large variety of children's programs in many languages. They generally produce TV series, but also animated shorts. They are actively seeking new partners.
DHX MEDIA
DHX create, produce and distribute content through TV, film and digital. They have several well-known brands like Teletubbies, All Hail King Julien (from Madagascar) and Calliou. They are major content provider to streaming platforms, broadcasters and home entertainment companies. They are headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
BEYOND
Located in Sydney, Australia, Beyond are a large distributor of all types of programming, but they do also heavily feature kids' programming. They offer both live-action and animated content for kids 0-18. They are actively seeking new content, eager to partner with producers who can provide "high quality returnable series".
BREAKTHROUGH ENTERTAINMENT
Breakthrough also offer programming for all ages, but they have a substantial animated portfolio. As a company, they have been recognized at the Gemini Awards, Canadian Screen Awards, and Canadian Comedy Awards. They distribute feature films, TV shows and digital content around the world. Breakthrough Entertainment are headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
CAKE
Located in London, CAKE is an independent company producing, distributing and developing kids' and family content. They recently won Investor/Distributor of the Year at Cartoon Forum 2016, and have licensing for Angry Birds, Magic School Bus and Clifford the Big Red Dog.
CONCLUSION
I have included a variety of companies, both large and small, offering a range of specialities around the world. If you would like us to focus on more specific criteria for a company to partner with for your new series, please feel free to submit follow-up questions for a Wonder analyst to pick up where this research left off.
I hope this has been helpful! Please feel free to ask Wonder if you have any more questions.