C91热爆 Goes Digital
Coming
to a digital home near you 聟
At
6.00am on Monday 11 February the 91热爆 will launch the first of its
new portfolio of digital channels - CBeebies - followed an hour
later by C91热爆.
Subscription-free,
C91热爆 and CBeebies are the 91热爆聮s two new dedicated children聮s
channels and will offer a higher proportion of original programming
than any other children聮s channel currently broadcasting in
the UK - over 90% on CBeebies and over 70% on C91热爆. Platform neutral
(see Notes To Editors) C91热爆 and CBeebies will also be commercial-free
- carrying no advertising or sponsorship unlike some other dedicated
children聮s channels.
"The
launch of these two channels ensures that C91热爆 will be a major player
in the digital kids marketplace," comments Nigel Pickard, Controller,
C91热爆. "The channels offer a breadth of programming across all
the genres that is not already available to kids in digital homes."
Since
September 2001, C91热爆 has commissioned over 700 hours of new programming
across both channels with a spend of over 拢40 million. C91热爆
will shortly announce a further commissioning slate for the digital
channels and also for C91热爆 on 91热爆 ONE and 91热爆 TWO.
With
a schedule offering a broad range of programming from drama and
entertainment to factual news, C91热爆 will be a distinctive addition
to channels already available and will also launch with a number
of premiere shows in the launch schedule. Xchange - the weekday
magazine programme - is the channel聮s wake up call. Three times
a day, seven presenters will encourage viewers to get involved and
make their views known on the latest news from the worlds of entertainment,
music and sport. And Newsround bulletins - including the brand new
Newsround Lite focusing on the world of entertainment - will ensure
that viewers are also kept up to date with current news from around
the UK and the globe.
Stitch
Up springs tricks and stunts on unsuspecting members of the public.
Three teenagers - ably assisted by 聭Remote Control Kid聮
Simon Kane and leading comedians Adam Bloom, Jo Caulfield and Barry
Killerby - make sure that no one is safe from the torrent of gags
that are unleashed by the show. And Sunday takes on a whole slant
on C91热爆 with Smile and The Official Top 40 On C91热爆. Kids can ease
themselves slowly into the waking world with Fearne Cotton and Reggie
Yates with Smile - a three hour live show with a host of music,
celebrity guests, competitions and comedy. The Official Top 40 On
C91热爆 comes to C91热爆 presented by Konnie Huq and Adrian Dickson. From
6.00pm to 7.00pm, the presenters will count down the official top
40 in conjunction with Radio One. With live studio guests and the
latest videos and performances, the show will reveal the brand new
Number One simultaneously with Radio One.
"C91热爆
offers a real alternative," comments Pickard. "And with
more new series in production and a new commissioning slate on the
horizon, C91热爆 will constantly bring new premiere shows to the digital
audience including The Raven and Rule the School."
And
for 30 weeks of every year, C91热爆 will schedule schools programming
during the middle of the day. Class TV will feature the very best
programming drawn from the 91热爆聮s extensive school library and
the stripped schedule will make it an invaluable teaching resource
as teachers will be able to view series on a daily basis and not
the weekly basis as on 91热爆 TWO.
"Children
are at school for a large part of the year," adds Pickard,
"and therefore it was essential that C91热爆 could be an additional
resource in classrooms. Class TV will strengthen and compliment
the existing service on 91热爆 TWO."
CBeebies
- for under-5s, parents and carers - is a safe environment with
shows specially designed to assist younger children聮s pre-school
development. With four presenters who will sing songs, tell stories
and make things during presentation, the channel is based on a four
hour repeated schedule as research has proved that this is how younger
children consume television. Every hour is signposted by a key pre-school
show such as Teletubbies or Tweenies, and CBeebies will also premiere
eight brand new shows at launch including Teletubbies Everywhere,
Bits & Bobs and The Storymakers and The Shiny Show.
"C91热爆
is renowned globally for making some of the very best pre-school
programming in the world, "says Pickard, "and now the
channel - which is advertising and sponsorship-free - will be a
place that parents can trust to find some of the highest standards
in programming for this vulnerable age group that will aid their
pre-school development."
Both
channels are also investing in the new interactive platforms as
well as online to ensure that they offer a complete experience to
the viewer. CBeebies has launched with a portfolio of games for
younger children that have been designed to support the shows in
developing core pre-school skills. These games offer an opportunity
for the viewers to play them alone or with the help of an older
sibling or parent. C91热爆聮s interactive services include a pioneering
use of technology to marry all input to the channel - from e-mail,
interactive platforms, text messages etc - into one stream which
can be reflected live on the channel. Specific interactive elements
have been designed for The Saturday Show and Smile with further
projects in development.
"Interactive
television and online are core to these two channels," comments
Pickard. "For CBeebies it complements the schedule and allows
parents to take the 聭learning journey聮 of the channel
further. For older children, it will mean that they can get directly
involved in the channel itself and create a community which they
can really call their own."
Pickard
ends: "These two new channels underline C91热爆聮s ongoing
commitment to being the leader in the field of children聮s programming.
We will continue to stretch the boundaries of what is accepted for
this audience - challenging, stimulating and encouraging active
participation from the audience itself. These channels herald a
new age in children聮s television in the UK."
Notes
to Editors
C91热爆
and CBeebies are platform neutral and are available on Digital Satellite,
Digital Terrestrial and Digital Cable. The channel number details
are as follows:
路 C91热爆 (EPG 621; NTL 598; Telewest 701; ITV2 12; CoCo 67):
Monday to Sunday, 7.00am to 7.00pm
路 CBeebies (EPG 622; NTL 599; Telewest 702; ITV2 13; CoCo
68) : Monday to Sunday, 6.00am to 7.00pm
路 The eight CBeebies premieres are: Teletubbies Everywhere,
The Storymakers, Step Inside, SMarteenies, Bits & Bobs, Zingalong,
The Fab Lab, The Shiny Show.
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