PBS Kids - Pbs Kids Video

PBS Kids is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. Some public television children's programs not produced by PBS member stations or transmitted by PBS which is produced by independent public television distributors such as American Public Television are not labeled as "PBS Kids" programming, and it is mainly a programming block branding.

History

PTV block

The framework for PBS Kids was established as part of PBS's "Ready to Learn" initiative, a project intended to facilitate access of early childhood educational programming to underprivileged children. On July 11, 1994, PBS repackaged their existing children's educational programming as a new block called "PTV". In addition to scheduled educational programming, PTV also incorporated interstitial content such as "The P-Pals", which featured animated characters shaped like PBS logos delivering educational content from their fictional world, "PTV Park". These interstitial shorts were aimed at younger children. Older children were targeted with live action and music video interstitials.

PBS Kids

On September 6, 1999, PBS launched the PBS Kids brand in several areas including its daytime Ready to Learn Service, PBS Online web pages for kids, and a home video label. Children's programming on the PBS network was then given unified branding. Along with the block of programming on PBS, PBS Kids lent its name to a separate television network, which launched on the same date and was targeted to children from 4 to 7 years old. The PBS Kids Channel ran for six years and was largely funded by El Segundo, California-based satellite provider DirecTV. This funding agreement ended in third quarter of 2005.

On September 30, 2000, the Bookworm Bunch programming block was introduced as PBS Kids' Saturday morning block. PBS Kids Go!, a programming block targeting older children, was launched in October 2004.

Block and local channels

The channel was shut down on September 26, 2005, in favor of a new commercial cable and satellite joint venture, PBS Kids Sprout, which was developed in partnership with two producers and Comcast (who later bought full control of the network via NBCUniversal). PBS gave licensees an option to sign on Sprout promoters, giving them cross-promotional and cash benefits in exchange for giving up the ability to broadcasting a competing preschool channel. About half, 80 stations, signed up to be promoters, while most of the other half programmed their own children's channel. Many stations with kids channels reduced the PBS Kids programming on their primary channel to a few hours in order to program more adult fare in the afternoon. PBS offered a replacement early school-aged kids network based on the block PBS Kids Go! by April 2006 to be launched in October 2006, but was cancelled before launch.

On May 8, 2013, PBS Kids programming was added to the Roku streaming player. As of October 7, 2013, to coincide with the debut of Peg + Cat, PBS Kids received another graphic redesign, and the PBS Kids Go! block and branding were dropped.

A new 24-hour PBS Kids Channel is expected to launch January 2017 with a live stream of the channel on the PBS Kids website and video app. PBS Kids is expected to continue as a daypart on PBS.

Programming blocks

• The Game (1996â€"September 6, 1999) afternoon programming block aimed at children aged 6 to 8.
• PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch (September 30, 2000â€"October 11, 2004) A Saturday morning block consisting of six animated series produced by Nelvana Limited.
• PBS Kids Go! (October 11, 2004â€"October 7, 2013) afternoon programming block aimed at children aged 6 to 8.
• PBS Kids Preschool Block (September 4, 2006â€"October 7, 2013)

References

External links

• Official website
• PBS Kids Play website