BabyTV
 | |
| Country | United Kingdom Israel United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide (except Asia) |
| Headquarters | London[1] |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | HDTV 1080i (downscaled to 480i/576i for the SD feeds) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific (Disney International Operations) |
| History | |
| Launched | 4 July 2005 |
| Closed | 1 October 2021 (Hong Kong and Unifi TV, Malaysia) 30 November 2021 (India) 1 February 2022 (Astro, Malaysia) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
BabyTV (stylised as Babytv) is a multilingual international television channel for babies and toddlers, owned by Fox Networks Group, a subsidiary of the Disney International Content and Operations division of The Walt Disney Company. It is headquartered in London[1] and was first launched in 2005 in the United Kingdom. BabyTV is distributed in over 100 countries, broadcasting in 18 languages (as of 2013). The channel does not broadcast television commercials. In the United States, the channel is distributed by Walt Disney Television.
History[edit]
BabyTV was first developed in December 2003 as an educational block in Israel by Ron Isaak, Maya and Liran Talit and members of their families.[2][3][4] It was first launched as a channel in July 2005, and in September 2007, News Corp's Fox International Channels acquired a major stake in BabyTV, placing it alongside its international offerings of Fox Crime, Fox, National Geographic and others.[3][2] The first six programmes to air on BabyTV were Hands Up, Tulli, Bouncy Balls, Jammers, Little Chick and 1, 2, 3, Tell A Story.
In 2006, Indovision with Dori Media Distribution started operating them in Indonesia. Rebranded as Vision 3 Baby, this channel is dubbed in Indonesian and has the same program content and schedules which Baby TV Asia beams; however, advertising is different on both beams. Vision 3 Baby has since been replaced by the international version of Baby TV. BabyTV was also launched on Sky Digital in the UK on 5 February 2007.[5]
In 2008, French authorities banned the broadcasting of programs aimed at children under the age of 3, and ordered warnings to be included on foreign channels available in France such as BabyTV and its competitor BabyFirst.[6]
The channel, along with Fox Crime and Fox, was launched in India on 25 March 2009.
In January 2011, BabyTV was added to the programming package of Dish Network on channel 126, and then changed to channel 824. On 1 December 2011, BabyTV was launched via SkyCable channel 140 and is only available through its digital platform. On 1 October 2012, BabyTV was launched via mio TV(now known as Singtel TV) channel 244 and it was the first to launch the channel in HDTV 16:9 Format. In Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, it is available on Now TV Channel 448, Macau Cable TV Channel 61 (SD) and 861 (HD) and Taiwan CATV Channel 311 (HD) and CHT MOD Channel 17. A Spanish version is available in the United States on cable and satellite providers (typically Dish Network) in some states. It is also available on Orbit Network, OSN Network, beIN Network and My-HD with Arabic language. On 20 March 2019, the channel became a part of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International as the result of acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company.
On 1 September 2021, BabyTV ceased broadcasting on Now TV.
On 1 October 2021, BabyTV is going to be available, but, along with numerous number of sister TV channels run by Disney (except National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild, Star Chinese Channel & Star Chinese Movies, Utsav Gold (Star Gold), Utsav Plus (Star Plus), Utsav Bharat (Star Bharat) and Vijay TV (Star Vijay) International are available on selected Pay TV providers) will end transmissions in Southeast Asia.[7][failed verification] On 18 October 2021, Disney announced that it would close down Baby TV in India alongside Star World and Star World Premiere HD on 30 November 2021, following similar decisions taken worldwide to close down English general entertainment channels.[8]
On 9 January 2022, Astro was informed its customers that BabyTV HD (Ch 618) would close its operations to Disney+ on 1 February 2022, and be replaced by Moonbug Kids (as a preview channel seen on Channel 620 on 18 to 31 January 2022).
Topics[edit]
BabyTV's original programming library, which is developed in-house in co-operation with childhood development experts and content experts is built around nine developmental topics, which cover all early learning skills and developmental milestones for babies and toddlers.[9]
The nine categories, include the following. They are:
- First Concepts
- Nature & Animals
- Music & Art
- Imagination & Creativity
- Building Friendships
- Songs & Rhymes
- Guessing Games
- Activities
- Bedtime
On demand[edit]
BabyTV's video on demand service features edited segments of BabyTV programming, categorized into their nine developmental themes, in hundreds of half hour segments and is available in languages including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin and Turkish. The on-demand channel is available on Singtel TV. It will be launched to StarHub TV in Singapore and other pay TV providers in Asia in the future.
Home video[edit]
BabyTV has introduced a DVD offering. "My First Years Library" is a library that covers early learning skills and developmental milestones that children encounter in their first years. BabyTV's DVD collection features segments of BabyTV content and includes some of the channel's leading characters, such as Pitch & Potch, & Kenny & Goorie.[10][11]
Broadcasting[edit]
RR Media provides playout and uplink services to the BabyTV channel. Languages are encrypted and uplinked via Hotbird 6, Measat 3a and Galaxy 23.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Contact Us - BabyTV". Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
Baby Network Limited, 10 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 7AP, United Kingdom
- ^ a b Carvajal, Doreen (18 May 2008). "BabyTV and BabyFirstTV target the diaper set". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ a b Krieger, Candice (2 August 2012). "The woman nurturing TV channel for babies". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (2008). Anytime Playdate: Inside the Preschool Entertainment Boom, or, How Television Became My Baby's Best Friend. Simon and Schuster. pp. 153–157 and passim. ISBN 978-1-4165-6433-1.
- ^ Baby TV launches on Sky - Tech News - Digital Spy
- ^ Christine Ollivier, "France bans broadcast of TV shows for babies", Associated Press in Deseret News, 20 August 2008.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (27 April 2021). "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Breaking News: Disney Star India exits English general entertainment; Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD to go off air by November 30". www.bestmediaifo.com. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ BabyTV - programs
- ^ BabyTV launches My First Years Library | Licensing Industry | News by Licensing.biz
- ^ BabyTV case study in the RRsat Website
External links[edit]
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
- 2003 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Television channels in the United Kingdom
- Television channels in the Netherlands
- Preschool education television networks
- Children's television channels in India
- Commercial-free television networks
- Children's television networks in the United States
- Television channels and stations established in 2005
- Disney television networks
- Disney television channels in the United Kingdom
- Fox Networks Group