Animation Company Embraces Disruption
The Magic School Bus, Octonauts and Wild Kratts. Do you recognize these best-in-class animated televisions shows? They all have one thing in common – they were all developed by 9 Story Media Group. On November 15th, more than 60 alumni and friends came out to hear from two leading alumni with over 60 years of combined experience in the entertainment space. The event was held on the talk show set of The Social at the Bell Media Studios.
9 Story Media Group is an industry-leading creator, producer and distributor of award-winning animated and live action content for young audiences around the world. Executive Chairman Neil Court (MBA ’86) and Co-Founder, President and CEO Vince Commisso (MBA ’92) recently revealed how 9 Story Media Group navigated an industry beset with disruptive technology at the “Disruption in the Content Distribution Business” event, produced by Schulich’s Global Alumni Network.
“We saw how businesses were being disrupted by Netflix and how over half the homes in North America subscribed to the service,” Court said during his fireside chat with Commisso. “We decided early to change our business model and go after streaming services, so when the change came we were reasonably unaffected.”
However shifting to adjust to new technology is nothing new for 9 Story Media Group. Their industry is always changing and Commisso credits their success to planning over two years ahead. “If we reacted to change we would not have a business,” Commisso said during the event.
To learn more about upcoming programming by the Schulich Global Alumni Network, please visit: www.schulich.yorku.ca/alumni