German children’s and family channel Super RTL wants to close down its subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) service Kividoo this year and integrate the content on TVNow.
The move is in line with plans by broadcast group Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland to extend the programme line-up for children on its central streaming platform TVNow.
“We will therefore probably give up Kividoo in the course of this year,” Super RTL CEO Claude Schmit told German industry portal DWDL. “It was a difficult birth five years ago.” By using a new brand without any reference to Super RTL’s children’s brand Toggo, the channel had hoped to win partners from the area of the public broadcasters for its venture, according to Schmit.
“That didn’t really work out well. We make money with it, but there is no strategic perspective. It would therefore naturally make more sense to join forces with the local hero next door,” Schmit added with reference to TVNow.
Kividoo was launched in April 2015 as a ‘Netflix for kids’, offering series from content providers such as Hollywood studio Dreamworks, Studio Hamburg, ZDF Enterprises, Hit Entertainment, BBC Worldwide and German publishing house Tessloff Verlag.
In May 2019 the service was relaunched. At the time, Kividoo had around 30,000 subscribers.
A subscription currently costs €7.99 per month. New customers can test the service free of charge for 30 days.
