Dec 15, 2020

CBS All Access Enhances Kids' Programming and Features for Re-launch

In preparation for relaunching CBS All Access as Paramount+, ViacomCBS is bolstering its streaming service's children's programming and strengthening parental controls to be more competitive in a heated market.

The platform's children's programming nearly doubled overnight, introducing nearly 800 episodes from its catalog. These include Nick Jr.'s Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Blue's Clues, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, and Shimmer and Shine. [These shows join previously launched series such as "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and the revival of "Danger Mouse." Next year will see the addition of Nickelodeon's "Kamp Koral," a spin-off series of "SpongeBob" and the new "The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run." These titles demonstrate how ViacomCBS will leverage its well-known brands and IPs as it builds a suite of content for its service.

Meanwhile, subscribers will be able to create up to six profiles per account, with each profile's content restricted according to age rating. Existing PIN-based parental controls will also remain.

These updates will bring CBS All Access in line with rival platforms. Children are an important demographic in the streaming wars. Subscribers with children are more likely to pay for the more expensive tier (with multiple profiles available) and stay subscribed.

Netflix, something of a pioneer in this area, announced this week that it is testing new tools in select markets: the Kids Activity Report, which informs parents what content their children are streaming, and the Family Profile, which identifies content suitable for the whole family The Family Profile identifies the right content for every member of the family. For more information, see the Techcrunch article.