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with a mission
In the year that saw the 70th anniversary of weekly magazine Donald Duck, DPG Media further expanded its kids’ cluster with the acquisition of Kidsweek and Samsam. With this comprehensive portfolio of magazines, the kids’ cluster is now the undisputed market leader. And that’s not just great news for kids who like to read – it’s also convenient for advertisers.
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PG Media’s kids’ cluster offers a good mix of entertainment, education and news, with Donald Duck, Tina and Zo Zit Dat and, since 1 December 2022, Kidsweek and Samsam. Kidsweek, a weekly newspaper for children launched back in 2003, comes out every Thursday in the Netherlands. Samsam has an even longer history: this magazine, which combines journalism and education and features children from all over the world, has been around since 1975. Both brands are household names among pupils and teachers in primary education, and have spawned teaching materials.
“Kidsweek and Samsam are all about journalism, making them a perfect fit for DPG Media,” says Sanne Linssen, managing director of Flow & Kids. “These brands are logical additions to our portfolio, given the large amount of overlap between our kids’ titles: they target the same audience and share the same mission.”
Sanne Linssen
(32), managing director Flow & Kids
Undisputed leader
Thanks in part to the acquisition of Kidsweek and Samsam, DPG Media is now the undisputed leader in the kids’ market. “Together, we reach almost half of all children in the Netherlands, over 400,000 – at home but also at school. We’re proud to inform, inspire and entertain such a large group of children between the ages of 7 and 12 in a safe, accessible and responsible way.”
Kids’ media play an important role in the development of future generations. “That’s a role that excites our editorial teams,” Linssen says. “With this collaboration, we want to provide the best possible content to all children. Because reading isn’t just important, it’s also a lot of fun. Every week, hundreds of thousands of children read our magazines. We want that number to be even bigger.”
The kids’ titles learn a lot from each other. Kidsweek and Samsam, for instance, have a firm foothold in schools, which could also be of interest to Donald Duck, Tina and Zo Zit Dat. The latter three could return the favour by sharing their entertainment expertise with their new colleagues at the journalistic titles. “In the coming years, the brands will continue to complement and strengthen each other, becoming even more effective at carrying out their social mission.”
Donald Duck turns 70
Weekly magazine Donald Duck celebrated its 70th anniversary in the Netherlands in 2022. There were exhibitions, anniversary books and special paperbacks, and the magazine also launched new products, such as the Donald Duck story time books.
“Despite these being tough times for print magazines, we can look back on a successful year,” says editor-in-chief Ferdi Felderhof. “Print circulation fluctuates between 180,000 and 200,000, so we remain one of the largest magazines in the Netherlands. Donald Duck is a magazine that’s read by generation after generation. It’s part of the cultural fabric, and that’s something we’re proud of.”
Shockingly low reading scores
That mission is to get primary school children to read more while also promoting reading pleasure. Reading scores in the Netherlands are shockingly low, with as many as 16 European countries performing better. For one of the most prosperous countries in the world, this is not just embarrassing, but also serious cause for concern. Research shows that children who don’t learn to read properly are significantly affected by this later in life. Their vocabulary remains limited and they are less well informed, making them more susceptible to fake news and conspiracy theories.
The kids’ titles ensure that children keep reading print media. And because they enjoy what they read, they improve their reading skills without even noticing it. They broaden their vocabulary and often end up learning something too.
