ITV To Launch Children’s Channel Within Six Months

ITV is to launch a dedicated children’s TV channel within six months, although a name for the new service has yet to be decided.

The channel, which will be available on all digital platforms, will feature ITV’s existing slate of children’s programming, comprising originally produced drama, entertainment, animation, factual and pre-school programming.

The channel will also expand the broadcaster’s current children’s commissioning opportunities. Estelle Hughes, editor of CiTV will expand her existing role to take editorial responsibility for the new channel.

Nigel Pickard, director of programmes for ITV explained the move, stating: “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 added: “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, the sales team for which have “real expertise and experience,” said Lewis.

The creation of an ITV-branded kids channel has long been mooted, with the broadcaster understood to have shelved plans for a dedicated digital channel for children last year. ITV Kids was due to be unveiled in early 2005 as part of a new channel package to boost ITV’s digital presence. However, the was cancelled in June 2004, with ITV opting instead to open its schedules to Nickelodeon or Disney in return for a CiTV branded slot on either of their channels (see ITV Scraps Plans To Launch Digital Channel For Kids).

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