Sky Kids (TV channel)

Last updated
Sky Kids
Logo used since 2023
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom & Ireland
TransmittersSatellite Sky Ireland & United Kingdom by number dial 609
Programming
Language(s) English
Picture format 1080i HDTV
Ownership
Owner Sky Group (Comcast)
Sister channels List of Sky UK channels
History
Launched13 February 2023;23 months ago (13 February 2023)
Links
Website www.sky.com/tv/kids
Availability
Terrestrial
Seattleite Sky Ireland & United Kingdom by number dial 609: https://www.rxtvinfo.com/2023/sky-kids-launch-triggers-channel-change.html [ dead link ‍]

Sky Kids is a British and Irish children's pay television channel owned and operated by the Sky Group, a subsidiary of Comcast and launched on 13 February 2023 [1] [2] as the first in-house Sky-branded children's network.

Contents

History

The concept of a Sky-branded children's television channel was first proposed in 1986 as part of Rupert Murdoch's bid to acquire British Satellite Broadcasting, a British direct broadcast satellite company which merged with Sky plc to form British Sky Broadcasting (then Sky Limited, now Sky UK). [3] The Children's Channel was eventually taken up by BSB after a failed attempt to acquire a 50% stake in TCC, Sky launched Fox Kids in 1996. A stake in the channel, which later rebranded in 2004 as Jetix, eventually reduced over time until it was fully acquired by The Walt Disney Company, who renamed the channel Disney XD in 2009. Sky also previously held a 40% stake in the 1993-launched the British venture of Nickelodeon and carried the networks with brand owner MTV Networks International (now Paramount International Networks) having 60% stake.

Prior to the launch of Sky Kids, a Sky Kids Magazine was briefly available for subscribers of Sky Magazine. A Sky Kids app was launched on 30 March 2016 featuring On Demand content specifically for children for Sky customers. [4]

On 31 October 2022, Sky sold their full stake in Nickelodeon UK Ltd. to Paramount Networks UK & Australia; the Nickelodeon agreement had contained a non-compete clause that otherwise restricted Sky and Comcast from launching a children's television network while still holding a stake in Nickelodeon UK Ltd. [5]

On 22 November 2022, Sky UK announced the launch of a linear and commercial-free Sky Kids channel in February the following year. [1] [6]

Programming

Original programmes for the channel announced at launch include the television serial programmes Ready, Eddie, Go! and My Friend Misty, the latter executive produced by Fearne Cotton. These are complemented by acquired programming from Comcast-owned DreamWorks Animation including Trolls: TrollsTopia , Where's Wally? , and Madagascar: A Little Wild and existing content commissioned for Sky such as MC Grammar: Wonder Raps and The Brilliant World of Tom Gates. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's television series</span> Television programs designed for and marketed to children

Children's television series are television programs designed specifically for children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are normally broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake, immediately before and after school schedules generally start in the country where they air. Educational themes are also prevalent, as well as the transmission of cautionary tales and narratives that teach problem-solving methods in some fashion or another, such as social disputes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comcast</span> American multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate

Comcast Corporation, formerly known as Comcast Holdings, is an American multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate incorporated and headquartered in Philadelphia.

Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group. In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema on demand content are available through these as well as via Now, EE TV and TalkTalk TV.

Paramount Media Networks is an American mass media division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of its television channels and online brands. The division was originally founded as MTV Networks in 1984, named after the MTV cable network. It would be known under this name until 2011; when it would be thereafter known as Viacom Media Networks until 2019; and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBCUniversal</span> American media and entertainment conglomerate

NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast and is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hulu</span> American subscription streaming service

Hulu is an American subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickelodeon (UK and Ireland)</span> British television channel

Nickelodeon is a British pay television network.

Now is a subscription over-the-top streaming television service launched in the United Kingdom in 2012. It is operated by Sky Group in Europe, and Xfinity in the US; both owned by the American media conglomerate Comcast.

ABC Family Worldwide is a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company that operates American basic cable channel Freeform and manages the programming libraries of BVS Entertainment and defunct brands Fox Kids and Jetix.

Xumo, LLC is an American internet television and consumer electronics company. It is a joint venture of Charter Communications and Comcast that operates the free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and advertising video on demand (AVOD) service Xumo Play, and develops digital media players and smart TVs. The Xumo Play platform's service operations are based in the Orange County suburb of Irvine, California. As of October 2020, Xumo Play has 24 million monthly active users.

Viacom International Inc. is the international division of the Paramount Media Networks subsidiary of Paramount Global that oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of its brands outside of the United States. These brands include Paramount Network, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and BET, as well as CBS-branded channels co-owned with AMC Networks International. PIN also owned a 30% stake in the Rainbow S.p.A. animation studio in Italy from 2011 to 2023 and a stake in Viacom18, an Indian joint venture with domestic partner TV18, from 2007 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney XD (United Kingdom and Ireland)</span> Childrens television channel, 1996–2020

Disney XD, formerly the Fox Kids Network, Fox Kids and Jetix, was a children's pay television channel that was operated in the UK & Ireland from 19 October 1996 to 30 September 2020. At the time of closure, it was owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company Limited, the EMEA arm of the Walt Disney Company.

AwesomenessTV Holdings, LLC, often shortened to Awesomeness, is an American digital media and entertainment network company owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Established in July 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the company operated a network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.

DreamWorks Channel, commonly known as DreamWorks, is a pay television network owned and operated by the international networks division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. First launched in Southeast Asia on 1 August 2015, it expanded to the rest of Asia as well as Europe, Africa and Oceania. Its programming is mainly sourced from DreamWorks Animation.

This is a timeline of the history of Sky Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Kids</span> American childrens television channel

Universal Kids is an American children's television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast.

Disney Media Networks was a business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversaw the company's television networks, cable channels, television production and distribution studios, and owned-and-operated television stations. The segment's primary divisions were Walt Disney Television and A&E Networks.

This is a timeline of UK children's programming on non-BBC and ITV channels.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sky to launch brand new 24-hour ad-free Sky Kids channel". Sky Group . 22 November 2022. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Sky Kids launch triggers channel changes". RXTV. 3 February 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ↑ Miller, Jonathan (1 September 1986). "Rapid decision on Satellite TV". The Times .
  4. ↑ Getzler, Wendy Goldman (30 March 2016). "Sky Kids app launches with original content in tow". Kidsscreen. Brunico Communications. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "NICKELODEON U.K. LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information". Companies House . Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "New ad-free Kids channel coming to Sky and NOW". RXTV. 22 November 2022. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.