Cricket Media

Cricket Media stands as a multifaceted education and media entity with a rich history rooted in high-quality children's literature. The company's origins trace back to the 1973 launch of Cricket magazine by Marianne Carus and her husband Blouke Carus of Open Court Publishing Company. Marianne, driven by a need for superior short reading materials for children that she discovered while developing reading programs, envisioned a literary magazine for kids akin to "The New Yorker for children." This foundational print business, which grew to include nine distinct, award-winning magazines for ages ranging from toddlers to teens, was eventually sold to ePals Corporation in 2011, which later became the modern Cricket Media.

The company's business model is diversified, generating revenue through several channels. Its core offering remains its suite of print and digital magazine subscriptions, including titles like CRICKET®, LADYBUG®, and MUSE®, which are sold to families and educational institutions. Beyond subscriptions, Cricket Media has developed a significant digital presence through its collaborative learning platforms. Programs like CricketTogether™, an eMentoring service, connect students with mentors to enhance literacy and critical thinking, often through corporate sponsorships. The company also partners with organizations like IEEE to create specialized STEM-focused eMentoring programs, such as TryEngineering Together. Revenue is further supplemented by licensing its extensive content library and by offering language-learning services.

A pivotal development in the company's trajectory was the February 2025 acquisition of Sensical, a streaming service previously owned by Common Sense Networks. This strategic move integrated Sensical's algorithm-driven, age-appropriate video streaming technology with Cricket's deep content portfolio. The acquisition expands Cricket's ecosystem to a multi-format model encompassing print, digital learning tools, and video content, targeting 'Gen Alpha'. The combined entity now operates under the leadership of Eric Berger, the former CEO of Sensical. This merger enhances advertising opportunities and creates new cross-media subscription products, positioning Cricket Media to engage a digitally native generation of children through a trusted, comprehensive media and learning environment.

Keywords: children's media, educational content, e-learning, magazine publishing, digital learning, eMentoring, streaming service, literacy programs, STEM education, family media, Sensical, Cricket magazine, edtech, content licensing, online learning, children's publishing, educational technology, corporate mentoring, K-12 education, digital subscriptions, child development