Geraldine Laybourne Joins Board of 9 Story Media Group
November, 10 2015
www.hollywoodreporter.com: By THR Staff - November 10, 2015
The appointment comes as the kids content space looks to exploit over-the-top opportunities.
Geraldine Laybourne has joined the board of directors of Canadian animation and distribution studio 9 Story Media Group. The appointment comes as kids content providers and distributors are seeing more opportunities in an over-the-top landscape that caters to young — and platform-agnostic — consumers.
“We are overjoyed to welcome Geraldine Laybourne to our board of directors,” Vince Commisso, president and CEO of 9 Story Media Group, said in a statement. “We have been on a mission to become the go-to studio for top-quality, creator-driven kids projects. Gerry has been an absolute leader over the course of her career for her support of creator-led projects. As a board member, her expertise and counsel will be absolutely invaluable as we grow to become a global leader in kids and family entertainment on all platforms.”
Laybourne, part of the team that created Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite, is co-founder and chairman of a kids technology company called Kandu. 9 Story produces several popular children's programs, including Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Arthur and Wild Kratts. Laybourne’s appointment follows 9 Story’s recent acquisition of studio Brown Bag Films. In 2014, Neil Court became an equity investor in 9 Story, along with Zelnick Media
Added Laybourne: “I was drawn to 9 Story for several reasons: the sincerity of their creator-driven mission, their track record of best-in-market production and the impressive talent in the company. Traditional kids networks are demanding new content and new approaches on a daily basis, and new platforms are recognizing how invaluable and sticky kids content is to their platform.”