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For the American TV channel owned by First Media, see BabyFirst.

BabyTV (stylised as Babytv) is a multilingual, international television channel for babies, toddlers and preschoolers aged 3 or lower. The channel is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company Limited, the international division of The Walt Disney Company and is headquartered in London[1] with television distribution handled by Disney subsidiaries across the world. The channel first launched in 2003 in Israel and in 2005 in the United Kingdom. BabyTV is distributed in over 100 countries, broadcasting in 18 languages (as of 2013). The channel broadcasts shows without television commercial interruptions. In the United States, the channel is distributed by Disney General Entertainment Content.

History

Founding

BabyTV was first developed in December 2003 as an educational block for babies and toddlers in Israel by Ron Isaak, Maya and Liran Talit and members of their families.[2][3] The Talits relocated to London to establish International Baby TV. Their first international deal was with Télévision Par Satellite in France.[4]

The first six programmes to air on BabyTV were "Hands Up", "Tulli", "Bouncy Balls", "Jammers", "Little Chick" and "1, 2, 3, Tell A Story".

News Corp acquisition and international expansion

In October 2007, News Corp's Fox International Channels acquired a majority stake in BabyTV, placing it alongside its international offerings of Fox Crime, Fox, National Geographic and others.[4][2]

In 2006, Indovision and Dori Media International launched Baby TV in Indonesia.[5][6] Rebranded as Vision 3 Baby and dubbed in Indonesian, it has the same program content and schedules as BabyTV Asia. Vision 3 Baby has since been replaced by the international version of BabyTV. The channel was also launched on Sky Digital in the UK on 5 February 2007.[7] In January 2008, StarHub brought it to Singapore.[8] By this time, BabyTV was also available in South Korea through MegaTV and HanaTV, Taiwan via Yoyo TV, on VTV3 in Vietnam, and on FoxHD and the National Geographic Channel in Japan.[6] In October, the channel was added to Daarsat in Nigeria.[9][10]

In 2008, French authorities banned the broadcasting of programs aimed at children under the age of 3, and ordered warnings to be included on foreign channels available in France such as BabyTV and its competitor BabyFirst.[11]

The channel, along with Fox Crime and Fox, was launched in India on 25 March 2009.[12] In June, a localized Spanish-language channel was added to Sky Mexico.[13] The following month, it was also added to Sky Italia.[14] In July 2010, it was announced that Fox and Asia Television Limited would bring BabyTV to Hong Kong through Now TV.[15][16]

In January 2011, RRsat signed an agreement with BabyTV to distribute the channel to North America via Intelsat’s Galaxy 23 satellite.[17] In February, BabyTV was added to the Spanish-language programming package of Dish Network.[18] In May, it launched in Malaysia via Astro. In December, BabyTV was launched in the Philippines via Sky Cable.

In June 2012, the channel was brought to Japan in partnership with J:COM.[19] In October, BabyTV premiered on mio TV (now known as Singtel TV) in Singapore.[20] That same month, Pixel TV in Ukraine added the channel.[21] In November 2016, BabyTV was added to Sling TV as part of the company's offering for children.[22]

It is also available on Orbit Network, OSN Network, beIN Network and My-HD with Arabic language.

Disney acquisition and discontinuation

On March 20, 2019, The Walt Disney Company finalized it's acquisition of 21st Century Fox.[23] Baby TV became a part of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International.

On 31 January 2021, Japanese cable providers stopped airing BabyTV. On 1 September 2021, BabyTV ceased broadcasting on Now TV.

On 1 October 2021, BabyTV and numerous other Disney-owned channels would end transmissions in Southeast Asia.[24] On 18 October 2021, Disney announced that it would close down BabyTV in India alongside Star World and Star World Premiere HD on 15 March 2023, following similar decisions taken worldwide to close down English general entertainment channels.[25]

In January 2022, Astro informed its customers that BabyTV would be replaced by Moonbug Kids starting in February.[26]

On 9 June 2022, BabyTV ceased broadcasting in Latvia, because the TV license was from Russia.[27]

On 1 October 2022, BabyTV, National Geographic, and National Geographic Wild were closed in Italy and Russia, discontinuing all active linear TV services owned by Disney in those countries, apart from Disney Channel in Russia. BabyTV is still available in Russian and Italian on YouTube.

Baby Network Limited was liquidated in September 2023.[28] That same month, Charter Communications dropped BabyTV, among several other channels, from Spectrum.[29] As part of its effort to focus on the Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar streaming services, The Walt Disney Company ceased broadcasting in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Korea, and Philippines in October 2023.[30] Services in Taiwan were shut down in December.[31][32]

In 2024, ownership transitioned over to The Walt Disney Company Ltd., although BabyTV remains a standalone service out of Disney's marketing and brand strategies.

On March 28, 2024, BabyTV's transmission in The Netherlands, Portugal, and Scandinavia was hijacked to broadcast Russian propaganda.[33] A second hack took place on April 17; the channel was then taken off the air as a precaution.[34][35]

Topics

BabyTV's original programming library, which is developed in-house in co-operation with childhood development experts and content experts is built around nine developmental topics, which cover all early learning skills and developmental milestones for babies and toddlers.

The nine categories, include the following. They are:

  • First Concepts
  • Nature & Animals
  • Music & Art
  • Imagination & Creativity
  • Building Friendships
  • Songs & Rhymes
  • Guessing Games
  • Activities
  • Bedtime

On demand

BabyTV's video on demand service features edited segments of BabyTV programming, categorized into their nine developmental themes, in hundreds of half hour segments and is available in languages including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin and Turkish. The on-demand channel is available on Singtel TV. It will be launched to StarHub TV in Singapore and other pay TV providers in Asia in the future.

Home video

BabyTV has introduced a DVD offering. "My First Years Library" is a library that covers early learning skills and developmental milestones that children encounter in their first years. BabyTV's DVD collection features segments of BabyTV content and includes some of the channel's leading characters, such as Pitch & Potch, & Kenny & Goorie.[36][37]

Broadcasting

RR Media provides playout and uplink services to the BabyTV channel. Languages are encrypted and uplinked via Hotbird 6, Measat 3a and Galaxy 23.

References

  1. ^ a b "Contact Us - BabyTV". Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Baby Network Limited, 10 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 7AP, United Kingdom
  2. ^ a b Carvajal, Doreen (18 May 2008). "BabyTV and BabyFirstTV target the diaper set". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  3. ^ Hayes, Dade (2008). Anytime Playdate: Inside the Preschool Entertainment Boom, or, How Television Became My Baby's Best Friend. Simon and Schuster. pp. 153–157 and passim. ISBN 978-1-4165-6433-1.
  4. ^ a b Krieger, Candice (2 August 2012). "The woman nurturing TV channel for babies". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Baby TV to launch in Indonesia next month". indiantelevision.com. 12 April 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b Stein, Janine (1 February 2008). "Asia TV market takes baby steps". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Baby TV launches on Sky". Digital Spy. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  8. ^ "StarHub Delivers BabyTV For Infants". corporate.starhub.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  9. ^ "BabyTV extends its reach in Africa with a launch on DAARSAT in Nigeria, next month (October 7)". brandora.orbitlabs.de. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  10. ^ Moody, Annemarie (17 September 2008). "BabyTV To Launch In Nigeria Next Month". Animation World Network. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  11. ^ Ollivier, Christine (20 August 2008). "France bans broadcast of TV shows for babies". Associated Press – via Deseret News.
  12. ^ Bhushan, Nyay (1 July 2010). "Fox launches seven channels in India". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  13. ^ Moody, Annemarie (2 June 2009). "BabyTV Launches on Sky Mexico". Animation World Network. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Italian first for Fox's Baby". C21media. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  15. ^ Leung, Jane (8 July 2010). "Hong Kong aTV partners with Fox International Channels for BabyTV | Media". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Baby TV launched in Hong Kong on free-to-air channel aTV". adobo Magazine Online. 11 July 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  17. ^ Hill, Jeffrey (19 January 2011). "RRsat to Distribute BabyTV Channel in North America on Galaxy-23". Via Satellite. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  18. ^ Ramos-Weiner, Maribel (17 February 2011). "DISH Network first to introduce Spanish-language BabyTV channel in U.S." PRODU (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  19. ^ Dickson, Jeremy (8 June 2012). "BabyTV reaches wider audience in Japan". Kidscreen. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Singtel mio TV expands kids' content offering with launch of Discovery Kids". www.singtel.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  21. ^ Washington, Ed (22 October 2012). "BabyTV Inks Deals Around the Globe". Animation World Network. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  22. ^ Perez, Sarah (2 November 2016). "Sling TV goes after parents with launch of new on-demand Kids channel". TechCrunch. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  23. ^ Dreier, Natalie (20 March 2019). "Disney's acquisition of Fox finalized; what does Disney own now?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  24. ^ Multiple sources:
  25. ^ "Breaking News: Disney Star India exits English general entertainment; Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD to go off air by November 30". www.bestmediaifo.com. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  26. ^ "Popular Moonbug Kids channel debuts on Astro | Press Release | Mediaroom | Astro". corporate.astro.com.my. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Uzziņa: Latvijā aizliegtie 80 Krievijas TV kanāli" [80 Russian TV channels banned in Latvia]. www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  28. ^ "BABY NETWORK LIMITED insolvency - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  29. ^ Cheng, Roger (11 September 2023). "Spectrum's New Deal With Disney Ends Cable Blackout, Gives Customers Free Disney+ But Drops 8 Networks". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  30. ^ "BABY TV, NAT GEO, NAT GEO WILD, SCM, SCC END OF BROADCAST". mysky.com. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  31. ^ Quy, Luu (1 October 2023). "National Geographic stops broadcasting in Vietnam". VnExpress International.
  32. ^ Frater, Patrick (14 June 2023). "Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea". Variety. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  33. ^ "Cyber attack on TV channel BabyTV: Toddlers suddenly exposed to Russian propaganda | NL Times". nltimes.nl. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  34. ^ "Ziggo takes down kids' broadcaster BabyTV after hackers again show Russian propaganda | NL Times". nltimes.nl. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  35. ^ Proctor, Emily (18 April 2024). "Dutch children's TV station hacked to play Russian propaganda". IamExpat. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  36. ^ "BabyTV launches My First Years Library | Latest news from the licensing industry | Licensing.biz". 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Case study BabyTV - RRsat Global Communications Network". 17 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

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