ABC Kids Channel

Infobox TV channel
name = ABC Kids Channel
logofile = ABCKids.svg
logosize = 140px
logoalt = ABC Kids Channel Logo
launch = August 1 2001
closed date = June 30 2003
owner = Australian Broadcasting
Corporation
network = ABC Television
picture format = 576i (SDTV)
web = [http://web.archive.org/web/20030608111937/www.abc.net.au/children/digital/default.htm abc.net.au/children/digital]
terr serv 1 = SD Digital
terr chan 1 = Channel 21
sat serv 1 = Austar Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 14
cable serv 1 = Optus Digital
cable chan 1 = Channel 21
|:"This article is about the former digital television channel. For the programming strand on ABC1 and ABC2, see ABC Kids."The ABC Kids Channel was an ABC Television channel available to viewers of digital terrestrial television in Australia. Launched on August 1, 2001, the channel offered repeats of popular ABC Kids programmes both simulcast and timeshifted. The ABC Kids Channel closed on June 30, 2003 due to funding shortages.

History

The ABC Kids Channel commenced transmission nationally on August 1, 2001, becoming ABC Television's first digital multichannel service. The channel, broadcast from 6:00am to 6:00pm, was officially inaugurated by former ABC Managing Director, Jonathan Shier, at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra on August 7, 2001. cite web
url = http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s512835.htm
title = ABC Launches Kids Channel
accessdate = 2007-09-25
date = 2001-08-07
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation ] The ABC launched the channel without additional funding, hoping that its success would prompt an additional government grant.

Broken Studio

The ABC Kids Channel died on June 30, 2003 along with Fly TV, in the first of a series of cuts to save around AU$25 million a year for the ABC. cite web
url = http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s863660.htm
title = ABC Closes Digital Multichannels
accessdate = 2007-09-25
date = 2003-05-26
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation ] The ABC could not secure government funding to keep the channel on-air, but ostensibly revived the channel as ABC2 less than two years later in March 2005. The sluggish uptake of digital television in Australia (which, as of 2007 remains far below projected penetration) made justifying a digital-only channel with a low viewership against the cost of keeping the channel on air difficult.However, the ABC Kids brand did survive on ABC1, ABC2 and ABC Online.

Programming

The ABC Kids Channel's programming consisted primarily of timeshifted and simulcast shows from ABC1, and classic content from the ABC Television archives.

Typical schedule

Note: "Australian" programs are in Purple"';"British" programs are in Green;"New Zealand" programs are in Orange; "Canadian" programs are in Red;"American" programs are in Blue.The above represents the ABC Kids Channel's September 2002 morning schedule. cite web
url = http://web.archive.org/web/20030608111937/www.abc.net.au/children/digital/default.htm
title = ABC Kids (Digital) Television Schedule
accessdate = 2007-09-25
date = 2002-09-01
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation ]

Availability

The ABC Kids Channel was available from 6:00am to 6:00pm on both digital terrestrial television and subscription services; Austar and Optus Television. However, it could not gain carriage on Foxtel due to Foxtel's financial interests in the Australian rights to competitors Nickelodeon and Fox Kids.

The channel created significant tension between the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Viacom (owners of Nickelodeon), as ABC Television interpreted it's free-to-air rights deal for the screening of Nickelodeon content on ABC1 to allow them to broadcast the programs on the ABC Kids Channel for no extra cost. While this interpration was found to be correct, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation lost the free-to-air rights to newly produced Nickelodeon programs to Network Ten.

Logos

The ABC Kids Channel only used one main logo throughout its history, from 2001 to 2003.

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20030608111937/www.abc.net.au/children/digital/default.htm Official Site]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/corp/ Corporate Site]
* [http://www.abc.net.au Australian Broadcasting Corporation]