Children's Television Series - Channels

Channels

In the US there are three main children's commercial television channels, with each channel operating a number of secondary services:

• Nickelodeon, the first children's television channel, launched in 1979; it slowly gained in popularity over the course of the 1980s and early 1990s. Its target audience ranges from preschoolers to adults. It has aired a large variety of different programming ranging from educational programming, original animated programming (Nicktoons), live-action sitcoms, game shows, talk shows, dramas and sketch comedies and a late night classic programming block aimed for family, teens and adults (Nick at Nite).
  • Nickelodeon operates three digital channels separate from the main feed: Nick Jr., a channel devoted to preschool programming; TeenNick, aimed at teenagers with mostly live-action programs (which includes a two hour 1990s block in late night); and Nicktoons, which primarily (although not exclusively) runs animated programming.
• Cartoon Network, founded 1992, was perhaps the fastest growing network aimed primarily at children; thanks to extensive support from sister networks TBS and TNT, it was widely popular within five years of its launch. originally only airing classic animation from the archives of Time Warner (which includes productions of Turner Broadcasting, Warner Bros., MGM and Hanna-Barbera). Shortly thereafter, it began airing its own original animated programming (Cartoon Cartoons) similar to Nickelodeon's. Like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network has a wide range of demographics ranging from preschool to adults. It is credited with the helping the American Animation Renaissance in the 1990s, bringing animation back into popularity and bringing in many different styles of animation as possible. It also brought anime into prominence in late 1990s with its Toonami action block and aired late night programming such as the Midnight Run, ToonHeads and Space Ghost Coast to Coast which was more popular with older audiences and lead way for the creation of its young adult late night block Adult Swim in 2001.
  • Cartoon Network has only one digital channel, Boomerang, which focuses on Time Warner's archival animated programming and some other classic cartoons.

• The Disney Channel launched in 1983 as a premium television service; it did not achieve widespread popularity until it dropped to basic cable in 1997. It aired programming ranging from classic Disney films and animated shorts and original programming aimed at family. In 1997 it switched to cable and changed its style with airing preschool educational programming in the morning, children's entertainment in the afternoon and airing teen sitcoms, dramas, original movies and music videos during evening and classic Disney films and shorts at late night. In 2002, its revamped again dropping its classic Disney library. Its content has primarily drifted to live-action sitcoms aimed at younger girls.
  • Disney Channel has two digital channels: Disney Junior, which launched in 2012 and features preschool programming, and Disney XD, which caters primarily to boys. ABC Family, which predated the other channels, is operated somewhat separately from the Disney Channel, but its programming (which targets teenagers with more dramatic programming) is often seen as a continuation of the Disney synergy. Unlike the other channels, Disney Channel does not have an outlet for its archive programming (Toon Disney was shut down in 2009 to create Disney XD).

• The Hub is the newest children's television channel, founded in 2010. The channel, which was created after the dissolution of Discovery Kids, features extensive programming tie-ins to Hasbro products (Hasbro holds a partial stake in the network), similar to the programming model of 1980s Saturday morning cartoons. Its programming is a mix of original (mostly animated) series, reruns of mostly action-oriented cartoons, movies, family oriented game shows, and a block of family-friendly sitcoms in the evenings. The Hub does not have the extensive cable reach or cultural impact as the other three channels (although with the rise of the "brony" subculture, the channel's popularity has begun to increase). Being a digital channel itself (specifically of Discovery Channel), The Hub has no digital channels under it.

Under current mandates, all broadcast stations in the United States, including digital subchannels, must show a minimum of three hours per week of educational children's programming, regardless of the station's format. The transition to digital television has allowed for the debut of whole digital subchannels that air children's programming 24/7; examples include PBS Kids Sprout, qubo, and Smile of a Child TV.

In Canada there is YTV, Nickelodeon, Teletoon, Family, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Treehouse TV, Teletoon Retro, BBC Kids, and Cartoon Network.

In the UK there is CBBC, CBeebies, CITV, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Nick Jr., POP, Tiny Pop, Cartoonito, Disney Cinemagic, Pop Girl and Kix!.

In Australia there is ABC3, KidsCo, Disney Channel, Cbeebies, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and Cartoon Network.

In Japan there is NHK Educational TV, Kids Station, Disney XD, Nickelodeon (Now under a block on Animax known as "Nick Time") and Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network's age demographic is getting to more older viewers with shows like Regular Show, Adventure Time, and others.