91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 and 91Èȱ¬ Radio 7 have announced changes to their children's programming that will see the introduction of a daily children's breakfast show on Radio 7, while Radio 4 will decommission the weekly Go4it strand but will enhance family-friendly listening across its schedule.

CBeebies on Radio 7 moves into a new breakfast slot in April – from 5.00-8.00am, seven days a week – in a bid to reach more early-rising 0-6 year-olds and their parents.

This also brings it in line with the scheduling of CBeebies TV on µþµþ°äÌý°Õ·É´Ç and allows the 91Èȱ¬ to assess whether more children would tune into radio shows if they are scheduled around their daily routine. 

In its new slot, CBeebies radio will offer the under-sixes an exciting range of new as well as familiar content. 

New programmes include Lazytown Extra, which follows character Ziggy as he motivates children to follow an active lifestyle; Jane Horrocks becomes Madame Maestro in a specially-commissioned classical music series; Poetry Pie, which vividly brings to life the poems of well-known contemporary poets, launches following its successful run on the CBeebies TV channel; and CBeebies listeners tell all their news in Jelly's Newsdesk.ÌýÌý

Children will also be able to catch all the usual stories, nursery rhymes, music, quizzes, jokes, and CBeebies favourites such as Lazytown, Me Too!, Kerwhizz and Harry And Toto.

At weekends, Big Toe Books will move to 8.00-9.00am, following on from the CBeebies breakfast show, thus offering four hours of uninterrupted children's programmes. On weekdays, it will move from 7.00-8.00am to 4.00-5.00pm, where it will cater for children once they have returned from school. 

Michael Carrington, Controller, CBeebies, said: "There's no doubt that children's media habits have changed – as the success of 91Èȱ¬ Children's television channels and websites illustrate – and the new Radio 7 schedule for CBeebies will allow us to explore the appetite for children's radio in the digital world.

"We'll be closely monitoring the impact of these changes and reporting back to the Trust in the Spring as part of an ongoing review into Children's services."

At the same time, Radio 4 is decommissioning Go4it, the weekly children's programme currently broadcast on Sunday evenings at 7.15pm. The programme has struggled to attract a young audience – RAJAR figures show the average age of listeners is over 50 – and the network hopes to attract children through other family-friendly programmes.

Mark Damazer, Controller, Radio, 4 said: "Go4it has done its very best to reach a children's audience. Barney and the team have done a terrific job in creating some fine programmes – last year's programme on bereavement was particularly outstanding – but we have to shape the schedule in the best interests of our listeners and we have not been able to find a successful way of putting a programme for children on an adult radio station."

While Go4it will cease to transmit in the Spring, Radio 4 remains committed to programming for families.

These will include the following dramas: Roald Dahl's Matilda, commissioned as the Christmas Classic Serial; Black Hearts In Battersea; Emil And The Detectives and The Wizard Of Oz. For the time being, archive readings from classic reads such as Adrian Mole, Just William and Born Free will transmit on Sunday at 7.45pm.

Notes to Editors

CBeebies moves from its 2.00-5.00pm daily weekday slot to 5.00-8.00am, where it will cater for early-rising 0-6 year-olds, in line with the 6.00-8.00am scheduling of CBeebies TV on 91Èȱ¬ Two. Or catch it anytime via the CBeebies website, bbc.co.uk/cbeebies, or download two podcasts a week.

Radio 7's Big Toe Books to be moved from 7.00-8.00am to 4.00-5.00pm on weekdays.

At weekends Big Toe Books will be broadcast from 8.00-9.00am, following on from CBeebies, therefore keeping children's programmes in one block.

CBeebies radio will continue to be streamed via bbc.co.uk/cbeebies. Fans can also catch up on missed programmes or listen to two podcasts each week from their favourite CBeebies presenters.

Go4it was launched on Easter Sunday 2001 after a 10-year absence of children's programming on the network.

The network is finalising details on the programme to replace Go4it in the schedule and will make an announcement in due course.

In 2008 Go4It had just 22,000 children listening in a typical week (RAJAR).

Big Toe Books and other Radio 4 programming for younger listeners can be listened to at bbc.co.uk/radio4 or on 91Èȱ¬ iPlayer.

JA