ITV confirms plans for FTA kids channel
Wednesday, August 17 2005, 15:15 BST -- by Neil Wilkes
ITV has confirmed that it will be launching a dedicated kids channel "within the next six months".
The as-yet untitled station will be available across all platforms, including Freeview, and is expected to timeshare with ITV4, the new male-oriented channel launching on November 1.
The broadcaster has been keen to enter the competitive children's multichannel market for some time. A joint venture with Nickelodeon was abandoned recently due to "legal complications".
ITV is to launch the UK’s first digital free-to-air commercial children’s channel.
The new channel, which ITV plans to make available on all platforms including Freeview, will launch within the next six months. The name of the channel has yet to be confirmed.
The channel will feature ITV’s existing slate of children’s programming which includes originally produced drama, entertainment, animation, factual and pre-school programming. The channel will also be looking to expand commissioning opportunities and acquisitions in the coming months.
Estelle Hughes, Editor of CiTV will expand her existing role to take editorial responsibility for the channel.
Nigel Pickard, Director of Programmes for ITV said: “This is a great opportunity for ITV to reinforce its position as a valued and trusted provider of children’s programming in an increasingly competitive market and to bring ITV to a new generation of viewers.”
Jonathan Lewis, ITV’s Director of Digital Channels said: “A dedicated kids channel will enable us to fully exploit our existing library of quality children’s programming and build valuable brands around new properties such as Granada’s Pocoyo. We will also reap the benefits of being the only commercial children’s channel on Freeview.
Sales for the new channel will be handled by GMTV. “This is a very competitive and specialised market, in which GMTV’s sales team have real expertise and experience. It makes absolute commercial sense for us to exploit that expertise and work with the team that is closest to that market,” said Lewis.
The channel will also be looking to expand commissioning opportunities and acquisitions in the coming months.
That sounds good, maybe a deal with Disney since Niclelodeon's caved in?
Square Eyes posted:
Jonathan Lewis, ITV’s Director of Digital Channels said: “A dedicated kids channel will
enable us to fully exploit our existing library of quality children’s programming
and build valuable brands around new properties such as Granada’s Pocoyo. .
So we could see some classic shows afterall which would be ace. I'd like to see:
-Woof
-Zzzzap
-Mike and Angelo
-SMTV
-Top ten of Everything
-Pump It Up/Get Wet/Mad for It
-24 Seven
-Weirdsister College
I wonder if this new channel will be full of childrens programmes from the 1980's such as the original 80's He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (which CITV used to show) and Rainbow.
That's probably too good to be true though
Yes I would love to see Fun House again as well, plus repeats of Knightmare.
Potentially this channel could be full of these great 80's kids shows. ITV3 has so far been showing alot of 70's and 80's shows, so it's looking promising the ITV Kids channel may go down that same route.
I hope it's at a decent time. The CBBC Channel are 7 in the morning till 7 in the evening,so i think if ITV4 is 8pm-8am and the CiTV Channel 8am-8pm i'd prefer CiTV.
Anyway,if they repeat SMTV then we'll have to have Sky Digital and blank tapes by the time it launches!
