Project Sunbeam Report Warns Canadian Kids' Media in Crisis

A new report on Canadian children's media, Project Sunbeam: Kids' Rights in Canadian Media, has been released with an executive summary. The report was led by researcher Kim Wilson and commissioned by Rocket Fund Canada, and it draws on national surveys of industry members and educators, focus testing with children ages 4-15 and their parents, and interviews with industry members, academics, Indigenous Elders, equity organizations, AI experts, and regulatory specialists.

According to the findings, 85% of both Anglophone and Francophone industry respondents said Canada's children's and youth media sector is either in crisis or declining. Among Francophone respondents, 80% described the financial situation as a cultural emergency requiring immediate government intervention. And 82% of Francophone and 79% of Anglophone industry respondents said they don't feel prepared for the next generation of young audiences.

The audience research points to a deeper disconnect. Across the Anglophone and Francophone focus groups, 94% of children said they didn't care whether what they watched was Canadian, while 72% of children and youth said they don't see stories reflecting their lives.

The full white paper contains 49 key findings, 137 supporting findings, and 36 recommendations. It also cites Canadian Media Producers Association figures showing that Canadian children's and youth production volume plunged 41.2% in 2023-24. Production volume recovered somewhat the following year but remained well below previous levels, both before and during the pandemic.

The report was covered by cartoonbrew.com.