Press release from ABC TV
From May 2, ABC1„s morning children‟s programs will be replaced by ABC News Breakfast. The move allows ABC2 to extend its children‟s pre-school programming to 13 hours airing daily from 6am-7pm.
ABC TV‟s Controller of Children‟s Television, Tim Brooke-Hunt said “The purpose of the changes to our broadcast schedules on May 2 is to provide our pre-school audience (aged up to 5 years) with age-appropriate programming from 6am to 7pm, seven days per week, on digital channel ABC2.
“ABC1 will continue to broadcast the children‟s programs from 3pm to 6pm each weekday.”
The new timeslot on ABC2 will exclusively launch the World Premiere of the Bananas In Pyjamas animated series which will screen daily at 8am and 1.30pm starting on May 2.
The Bananas will be followed by a new season of Sesame Street and ABC TV‟s much loved favourites, Giggle and Hoot and Play School. Ratings of existing children‟s content show that since January 2010, ABC2 is the number one daytime channel amongst 0-4 year olds across all FTA and Pay TV channels and is currently achieving a 27.2% share amongst this age group.
In 2011 the top rating Australian children‟s programs include: Play School, Giggle And Hoot, Dirtgirlworld and The Wiggles.
ABC For Kids preschool programming is also supported by an online site where viewers can catch up on their favourite preschool shows, play games, choose creative activities and best of all allow carers to choose what the children can see, making it a safer and more secure environment.
For ABC TV‟s older school-aged audience, ABC3 will continue to provide 15 hours of programs daily from 6am to 9pm. This is complemented by the ABC3 website which provides catch-up TV, games and much more.
For a full feature on children's TV, check out the April/May issue of IF magazine.