Treehouse TV

Last updated

Treehouse TV
Logo used since April 8, 2013
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario
Programming
Language(s)English
Audio described
Picture format 1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner Corus Entertainment
Parent YTV Canada, Inc.
Sister channels YTV
History
LaunchedNovember 1, 1997;27 years ago (1997-11-01)
Links
Website treehousetv.com
fr.teletoon.com

Treehouse TV (commonly known as Treehouse) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel that launched on November 1, 1997, as the first full-day preschool-oriented channel in Canada. [1] It is owned by YTV Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment, and was named after sister network YTV's former programming block, "The Treehouse".

Contents

When Treehouse TV first launched, it aired daily from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m., [2] before switching to a 24-hour schedule sometime before 2003. In addition to producing its own original series, the channel carries third-party preschool programs from various international markets. Much like YTV, the majority of Treehouse's acquired content has come from U.S.-based Nickelodeon (through its Nick Jr. preschool brand), alongside shows from Sesame Workshop and PBS Kids. In 2025, Nickelodeon programming was dropped from the channel.

As of 2011, Treehouse TV was available to over 7.5 million homes across Canada. [3]

History

Treehouse block on YTV (1994–1998)

"The Treehouse" originated as a programming block on YTV from 1994 to 1997. The Treehouse block logo.png
"The Treehouse" originated as a programming block on YTV from 1994 to 1997.

YTV introduced a daily programming block for children in 1994, which came to be known as "The Treehouse". [4] In lieu of commercials, breaks between programs on the block featured segments hosted by three program jockeys ("PJs") [5] named PJ Katie, PJ Krista, and PJ Todd, who made crafts, played games, and held contests from a tree house–themed set. [6] [7]

The PJs' co-hosts were a group of stuffed animal puppets called the Fuzzpaws. On Fridays, PJ Katie would act out stories with clay animals. These segments were eventually spun off into the series PJ Katie's Farm . [8]

As a channel (1997–present)

Previous logo, used until 2013. Treehousetv.svg
Previous logo, used until 2013.

In early 1996, it was announced that YTV was looking to "break part of [its] audience off with a separate network aimed at viewers under the age of 6." [9] The Treehouse block revealed in the first half of April 1996 that YTV was developing a spin-off network targeted towards preschoolers named Treehouse TV, and solicited letters supporting the network for the CRTC and Treehouse on-air. [10] The network's president, Patricia Macdonald, said she had "done a lot of research that led us to the conclusion that the kids market is underserved." [11] On September 4, the CRTC approved YTV's request to launch Treehouse TV. [12]

The new channel eventually debuted on Saturday, November 1, 1997, at 8:00 a.m. EST. For a few months, The Treehouse block on YTV continued to air alongside the channel. In 1998, the Treehouse block was replaced by YTV Jr., an unhosted block.

Like the Treehouse block, the Treehouse channel was commercial-free, opting instead to show interstitial shorts in between shows. These shorts featured a new set of characters who lived in Treetown. Despite the PJs (program jockeys) from the original Treehouse block not returning for the Treehouse channel, PJ Katie's Farm reran on Treehouse throughout 1999. [13]

In March 2005, Corus Entertainment began offering a video on demand service called Treehouse On Demand to cable providers such as Rogers Cable and Cogeco, delivering content from Treehouse TV. [14] It is offered as a free service to customers who subscribe to each providers digital cable service. Some providers such as SaskTel offer it as a standalone premium subscription service. Between June 2015 and May 2019, Corus operated TreehouseGO, a TV Everywhere service available on iOS and Android devices. [15] [16]

In 2011, Corus launched a standalone subscription video on demand service for iOS. [17] It was later rebranded to Treehouse Classic before a 2016 revamp dropped the "Classic" branding. [18]

On February 5, 2013, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment's animation division, launched the Treehouse Direct channel on YouTube. [19] On March 2, 2015, Treehouse TV launched its own YouTube channel. [20]

On July 19, 2019, Corus Entertainment filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against an Oklahoma-based medical marijuana dispensary chain, known as "Treehouse Dispensary", alleging the chain "wilfully copied and is using a confusing similar imitation" of the Treehouse TV logo. An attorney for the dispensary contested the claims and said that the business "categorically denies that its logo infringes on any existing trademarks in the United States." [21] [22] Corus won the lawsuit through a default judgment the following December. [23]

On July 4, 2022, the CRTC announced plans to renew the license of Treehouse TV, along with those of Boomerang, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Télétoon, YTV, Disney Channel, La Chaîne Disney, Disney Junior, and Disney XD, for another two years (licenses not valid as of August 31, 2024). [24]

Amid financial pressure at parent company Corus Entertainment, the company's rights to Nickelodeon programming broadcast on YTV and Treehouse expired on September 1, 2025, the same day YTV's dedicated Nickelodeon channel ceased operations. [25] Nickelodeon programs remain available in Canada through the Paramount+ streaming service.

Programming

Treehouse airs a mix of live-action and animated programming targeted at preschoolers and young children, primarily those aged six and under. Treehouse airs multiple series produced by sister subsidiary Nelvana alongside programming from third-parties such as Sesame Workshop and Hasbro Entertainment.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ownership Chart 32b" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Canadian prodcos' tot TV talent perks up kids market". Archived from the original on February 24, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Treehouse: Canada's top kids net stays the course" (PDF). Kidscreen . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Nanaimo Daily News from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada on August 5, 1994 · 35".
  5. ↑ "The Oral History of 1990s YTV". December 22, 2015. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  6. ↑ "The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on October 2, 1995 · 47". Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Special Report: Canada's YTV turns 10: Treehouse TV is focus for international growth". Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  8. ↑ "That time when '90s kids were hooked on Treehouse". Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ "The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on February 10, 1996 · 116". February 10, 1996.
  10. ↑ "Treehouse Sunday April 14th 1996". February 12, 2020 – via YouTube.
  11. ↑ "The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on April 7, 1996 · 70". April 7, 1996.
  12. ↑ "ARCHIVED - Decision CRTC 96-603". 1996. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada on August 13, 1999 · 139". August 13, 1999. Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Treehouse Gives Canadian Kids Programming Power". Corus Entertainment (Press release). Toronto. March 4, 2005. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  15. ↑ Bailey, Katie (June 29, 2015). "Corus launches TreehouseGO". Playback . Brunico Communications. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Service Update: May 1 - Corus Apps Decommission". Shaw Communications . Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  17. ↑ Amber MacArthur (August 15, 2011). "Treehouse video app: Is 10 bucks a month too much?". Right Click. Yahoo! News . Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  18. ↑ Getzler, Wendy (September 8, 2016). "Corus debuts refreshed Treehouse App". Kidscreen . Brunico Communications . Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Treehouse Direct". YouTube . Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  20. ↑ "TreehouseTV". YouTube . Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Canadian animation studio Nelvana sues Oklahoma dispensary over logo". BNN Bloomberg . Bell Media. Associated Press. July 25, 2019. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  22. ↑ Samantha Vicent (July 23, 2019). "Child entertainment firm sues Oklahoma marijuana dispensary, alleges trademark infringement". Tulsa World . BH Media . Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  23. ↑ Lao, David (December 31, 2019). "Canadian studio wins 'Treehouse' logo copyright dispute against Oklahoma cannabis dispensary". Global News . Corus Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-180". CRTC. July 4, 2022. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Nickelodeon Programming Set to Leave YTV and Treehouse - NickALive!".
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