8 April 2024 - The business of Bluey

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G’day News Clubbers. The topic this week is Bluey - the Aussie-produced phenomenon that has taken the kids entertainment world by storm.

Kate is the parent of a 4yo and a 2yo and will happily admit you can barely turn a corner in her house without seeing something Bluey branded… And Claire has no kids but freely admits to being a Bluey fan after she was moved by the episode about cricket. 

We’re just 2 people, but we reckon we represent the breadth of Bluey’s fanbase. And geez it’s got a lot of fans…. Last year it was one of the most streamed TV shows in the world. You read that right - the world... So the fact that there’s new content means it is going to be in the news a lot this week. That’s after a new episode dropped over the weekend and then this coming Sunday, a first-ever 28-minute ‘movie’ will be released.

Bluey is owned and produced by Ludo Studios - an Aussie outfit based in Brisbane - and the commercial rights are owned by the BBC. That’s all a bit interesting so this week News Club will be about the juggernaut that is Bluey. 

Our Club Picks this week are:

1. An interview in The Independent with the creator of Bluey, Joe Blumm. He talks about the inspiration for the show and how he wanted to make something that is a cross between The Simpsons and Peppa Pig. 

2. A piece in the Financial Review (paywall) from a few years ago which goes through how the ABC missed out on the commercial rights to Bluey. 

3. A recent piece by Bloomberg (paywall) that throws up the possibility Bluey won’t continue forever. You can listen to the transcript of that for free here. 

4. And ahead of the Bluey ‘movie’ on Sunday, an interview in the Weekend Australian (paywall) with Melinda Zanetti aka Chilli with a promise that “all but the blackest hearts will cry.”

If you’re new to the world of Bluey - welcome. There’s a lot to know about what many in the Australian media industry say is the most successful local export over the last decade… or maybe ever?

Your friends in news
Kate Watson and Claire Kimball

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