Integrated structure unites development, production and animation to accelerate growth and expand global content pipeline
TORONTO, ON – May 5, 2026 – Blue Ant Media today announced the expansion of its Kids, Family & YA division, uniting its studios and leadership under a single, integrated model designed to accelerate growth, streamline operations and expand its global content pipeline.
The division is led by Jennifer Twiner McCarron, President, Kids, Family & YA, and sits within Blue Ant Studios under Co-President Matt Hornburg, who oversees global content development and production.
The business will now operate under three verticals:
- Content Development & Commercial Strategy, led by Diane Rankin, EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy. Rankin will drive the originals and coproduction pipeline of new content and partnerships across kids, family, YA for global buyers, working closely with the studio’s live action and animation production divisions, as well as the Kids & Family sales and acquisitions teams at Blue Ant Rights. Her leadership team includes Hillary Zwick Turner, SVP, Scripted, Live Action Content, and AJ Trauth, who has been promoted to SVP, Scripted, Animation & Live Action Content.
- Scripted & Live Action, led by Lindsay Macadam, EVP, Scripted & Live Action, Blue Ant Studios. Macadam oversees the full lifecycle of live action scripted production from development through delivery, driving creative execution, project pipeline, and managing key buyer and partner relationships and production services opportunities. Lindsay’s team will work in collaboration with Hillary Zwick Turner, AJ Trauth and the development team from concept through execution across the scripted slate.
- Animation, led by Joel Bradley, EVP, Animation, Blue Ant Studios. Bradley will lead the combined animation division across 2D and 3D production services, coproductions and animated originals spanning preschool to adult, building on the foundations of Atomic Cartoons and Jam Filled Entertainment. His leadership team includes Tori Coulthart, SVP, Animation, who will lead Jam Filled Entertainment, and Steve Grover, SVP, Animation, who will lead Atomic Cartoons.
These teams will work in close collaboration with Blue Ant Rights, including Richard Goldsmith EVP, Kids & Family Brands, who leads Blue Ant’s new consumer products division.
As part of these changes, Lori McIndoe will transition out of the company. Blue Ant Media extends its sincere thanks to McIndoe for her skillful leadership and contributions as President of Jam Filled Entertainment, where she was integral to the studio’s growth and success.
This new structure brings together Blue Ant’s creative and commercial capabilities into a more integrated and scalable model, designed to unlock new opportunities across its Kids, Family & YA business. The changes will accelerate decision-making, increase creative output, and allow for greater agility in responding to global demand for premium content, while building a stronger pipeline of high-value, globally relevant IP.
“The expansion of our Kids, Family & YA division brings together the full strength of our creative and commercial capabilities in a more unified and focused way,” said Jennifer Twiner McCarron, President, Kids, Family & YA. “By aligning our development, production and animation teams, we are better positioned to scale efficiently, respond to global demand for premium content, and drive long-term growth, while expanding our creative ambition and building a stronger slate of globally relevant IP for partners and audiences around the world.”
As part of this evolution, Blue Ant Media is refining its studio and production model to enhance efficiency and global competitiveness. Blue Ant Studios will maintain both the Atomic Cartoons and Jam Filled Entertainment brands, each tagged as ‘A Blue Ant Studios Animation Company’ in the near term, ensuring continuity for partners while advancing a more integrated studio strategy.
The integrated model is already delivering results with several soon to be announced productions bringing together Jam Filled Entertainment and Atomic Cartoons, leveraging talent and production efficiencies across Ontario and British Columbia.
About Blue Ant Studios
An award-winning international production and rights management business, Blue Ant Studios’ diverse slate spans premium factual and high-impact documentaries, competition and entertainment formats, lifestyle, kids, youth and family, comedy, drama and animation, for broadcasters and streamers throughout the world. A division of Blue Ant Media (TSX: BAMI), the Studio encompasses Blue Ant Studios, Insight Productions, Jam Filled Entertainment and Atomic Cartoons. Its award-winning slate includes iconic, fan-favourite shows such as Blown Away, Canada’s Drag Race, Mysteries From Above, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker, Kim’s Convenience, Highway Thru Hell, Top Chef Canada, Northwoods Survival, The Great Canadian Baking Show and Amazing Race Canada.
The Studio’s International distribution arm, Blue Ant Rights, represents over 9,000 hours of acclaimed content from Blue Ant Studios and third-party producers, maximizing rights opportunities and connecting buyers with programming that resonates with global audiences. With offices in Toronto, London, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Ottawa, Singapore, Sydney, and Vancouver the studio is well-positioned in key markets worldwide.
About Blue Ant Media
Blue Ant Media (TSX: BAMI) is an international streamer, production studio, advertising sales, and rights business. The company operates a diverse portfolio of free streaming and pay TV channels internationally, including Love Nature, Cottage Life, Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth Canada, HauntTV, Homeful, and Love Pets, as well as the subscription streaming service MagellanTV. Its studio business produces and distributes a wide range of premium content across key genres for streaming and broadcast platforms worldwide. Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with a presence in London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, Singapore, Sydney, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver. blueantmedia.com