PBS is poised to launch a 24-hour kids-centric television channel called PBS Kids later this year, whose content will also be livestreamed on a plethora of digital platforms. It’s a move by the public broadcaster to make it easier for children to consume content on their own terms — including “during primetime and other after-school hours when viewing among families is high,” according to a press release.
In addition to on-demand episodes and clips, a stream of the forthcoming television channel (provided by local station affiliates) will be able to be viewed on pbskids.org, the PBS Kids Video app, and over-the-top platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One, and Chromecast.
The digital service will feature popular PBS shows like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Odd Squad, Wild Kratts and Dinosaur Train. Shortly after its launch, PBS says it will add gamification features into the mix, “enabling children to toggle between a PBS Kids show and an activity that extends learning.”
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“Given that 54 percent of all children nationwide do not have the opportunity to attend preschool,” PBS president and CEO Paula Kreuger said in a statement, “providing access is a critical element of our public service mission.”
PBS Kids averages 420 million streams per month, according to PBS, and its website is the top destination for children’s content in terms of total views and minutes spent, it said, citing comScore.
Given a recent study which found that 57 percent of kids prefer watching video on portable devices like smartphones and tablets as opposed to on traditional television screens, PBS’ latest launch arrives as many players are honing in on kids content. Netflix and Amazon are also making major plays for the highly-coveted demographic, while YouTube Kids hit 10 million downloads last November and kicked off a global rollout.
