After 23 years shaping the Children’s Media Conference (CMC), founding Editorial Director Greg Childs OBE is handing over responsibility for the Conference’s editorial direction to Helen McAleer.
As the new Editorial Director, McAleer will take on responsibility for curating the editorial programme and content of the annual industry event, leading planning for the 2027 Conference.
A member of the CMC Advisory Committee and a Board Director of the Children’s Media Foundation, Helen now also joins the Children’s Media Conference Board.
She is currently a consultant advising UK and international production and publishing companies on business strategy. Previously, she was Managing Director of Walker Books and founded the Emmy-winning, BAFTA-nominated Walker Productions, following 12 years in senior leadership roles at BBC Worldwide (now BBC Studios).
Helen McAleer said:
“Our industry is facing significant challenges, and CMC has always responded to changes in content creation, distribution and financing with realism and relevance. We are committed to continuing that approach while looking firmly to the future for our delegates and the wider children’s media community. I’m excited to lead CMC into its next chapter.”
Greg Childs will remain on the CMC Board as a founding member, focusing on the Conference’s long-term evolution to ensure it continues to deliver insight and value to a rapidly changing industry.
He added: “The very first session at the very first CMC was about ’the coming of broadband’. Well, it came… and so did on demand delivery, interactive content, reduction in commissioning spend, increased international cooperation, the rise of the streamers and especially YouTube, multiple platform fandom, AI production, and so much more. CMC has weathered all these storms within the industry and will continue to bring the various parts of the kids’ content world together to work out solutions, find partnerships and build on shared understanding. The work goes on!”
The CMC board is currently reviewing plans for the 2027 Conference, with Helen leading a refreshed CMC, supported by Greg, to ensure the event evolves to suit the industry’s needs while preserving the qualities that have made it one of the world’s leading creative and business events for the children’s media sector.
