News: TVOntario to propose TVOKids+ to CRTC
The channel will not carry advertising, save for “sponsor messages” similar in nature to TVOntario. TVOKids+ will fulfill the same educational mandate as TVOKids, which is aimed at children ten years (i.e., Grade 5) and younger. The CRTC will hear TVO’s application on May 12, 2010.
I have to wonder where TVOntario is going with this. TVO’s “Go Public” campaign essentially asks viewers to give the network more financial support. TVO’s even using the “Viewers Like You” tag before its shows, which is the last thing it should be cribbing from PBS.
On the other hand, TVOKids is a major part of TVO’s broadcast schedule. A spinoff actually makes sense, given TVO’s reputation for educational programming. At least the channel has a stated purpose and goal.
Whether TVOKids+ can help TVO make money is another matter, but it’s not like TVO has that many assets to spin off. What else can it launch? A documentary channel? 24 hours of The Agenda with Steve Paikin reruns? It’s probably better to focus on the Internet, since that’s where the real action will be in the future.
TVOkids as digital cable channel makes perfect sense. a forward looking strategy that recognizes that there are audiences (i.e children and seniors) remaining that need/require the fixed schedule/regime of a broadcast day. Unwilling or unable to negotiate the internet, the FAMILIARity of the broadcast schedule is a boon! Lets hope that TVO finds the right talent to helm this effort. All the best to them and I look forward to seeing TVO Jay Jays Jam on the bigger screen! (and I’m 48 years old without children…..)
Comment by Kathy March — March 23, 2010 @ 12:23 pm
[...] TVO aiming to launch a new specialty channel, TVOKids, spinning out of their popular kids programming block. Cameron Archer’s 2 cents. [...]
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