Genius Brands International continues to build its worldwide network of digital entertainment platforms, as it announced the creation of Genius Networks, consolidating Kartoon Channel!, Frederator Network, and Ameba TV under the new banner. Concurrently, Genius Brands has promoted Todd Steinman to spearhead the newly created business unit as Genius Networks president.
Genius Networks encompasses a broad digital content offering across the media landscape, including Ad-Free Subscription VOD (SVOD), Ad Supported VOD (AVOD), Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels, and a network of leading animation creators on the biggest digital platforms in the world (YouTube, Meta, TikTok), averaging over one billion views per month. Genius Brands launched Kartoon Channel! in 2020, and it has ranked as the top customer reviewed Apple App Store children’s streaming app ever since. In 2022, the company acquired Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media which brought Frederator Network to the Genius Brands’ family. Additionally Genius Brands acquired Ameba TV, a pioneering children’s Amazon Prime Video Channel and SVOD service.
“Consolidating our consumer platforms under Todd’s proven leadership, gives us the ability to grow our brands globally, increase revenue and maximise profits more quickly, as he has done in his previous roles with the Walt Disney Company, Warner Brothers and WPP. There are an expanding number of opportunities to take advantage of, requiring a singular vision to achieve our ambitious goals, and Todd has an impeccable track record for developing and implementing profitable digital entertainment businesses. As we continue to grow, he will be focused on monetising our brands and content in innovative ways to further propel Genius Brands as the global leader in children’s entertainment,” said Genius Brands chairman and CEO Andy Heyward.
“I’m thrilled to take the reins of the newly created Genius Networks and lead operations, content, monetisation, and distribution to further accelerate the Company’s consumer facing goals. We have a very talented, innovative and committed team, and given the current breadth of our brands on a multitude of platforms, we are positioned to drive growth and enhance profitability for each of our brands. Growth must go hand in hand with profitability, and that will be my focus,” said Todd Steinman.
Steinman, a veteran digital media and entertainment executive, joined Genius Brands last year as chief revenue & marketing officer for Kartoon Channel!. Prior to Genius Brands, he served as vice president in the direct to consumer division at The Walt Disney Company, which included Disney+ during its launch. He helped create solutions to leverage Disney’s portfolio of network brands, including DISNEY, HULU, ESPN, ABC, FREEFORM, FX, and Nat Geo, while setting strategy for revenue teams.
Previously, Steinman co-founded the digital media agency, M80, which provided digital media strategy, social media management and analytics to Fortune 500 companies. When M80 was acquired by WPP, Todd stayed on to lead the NBC Universal business where he negotiated multi-million-dollar media deals with Google/YouTube, Amazon, Disney, Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify, and others, while managing an annual budget north of $1 billion.
