CBeebies
| CBeebies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | 11 February 2002 (UK)[1] |
| Owned by | BBC |
| Picture format |
16:9 576i (SDTV) – UK, Poland 4:3 576i (SDTV) – other countries 1080i (HDTV) |
| Audience share | 1.4% (February 2015, BARB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | MediaCityUK, Salford |
| Sister channel(s) |
BBC One BBC Two BBC Three BBC Four BBC News BBC Parliament CBBC |
| Website |
www |
Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview (UK) |
Channel 121 Channel 124 (HD) |
| Satellite | |
| Freesat (UK) |
Channel 601 (SD/HD) Channel 608 (SD) |
| Sky (UK) |
Channel 614 (SD/HD) Channel 624 (SD/HD) |
| Sky (Ireland) | Channel 614 |
| Astra 2E | 10773 H 22000 5/6 |
| Astra 2F | 11024 H 23000 2/3 (HD) |
| n (Poland) | Channel 97 |
| Orange TV (Poland) | Channel 112 |
| SKY México (Mexico) | Channel 329 |
| DStv (South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Mozambique) | Channel 306 |
| Foxtel (Australia) | Channel 705 |
| Austar (Australia) | Channel 705 |
| Dish Network (USA) | Channel 848 |
| Indovision (Indonesia) | Channel 41 |
| SkyLife (Korean) | Channel 652 |
| TrueVisions (Thailand) | Channel 43 |
| Eutelsat 10A (BFBS) | 8004 |
| NSS 12 (BFBS) | 8104 |
| NSS 806 (BFBS) | 8104 |
| Astro (Malaysia) | Channel 620 (Coming Soon) |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media (UK) |
Channel 702 Channel 711 (HD) |
| Smallworld Cable (UK) |
Channel 702 Channel 711 (HD) |
| UPC Ireland (Ireland) | Channel 609 |
| Comcast (USA) | Channel 72 |
| Indovision (Indonesia) | Channel 41 |
| Telenet (Belgium) | Channel 604 |
| Vectra (Poland) | Channel 405 |
| Foxtel (Australia) | Channel 705 |
| Optus TV (Australia) | Channel 705 |
| Cable Mágico (Peru) | Channel 418 |
| StarHub TV (Singapore) | Channel 303 |
| TrueVisions (Thailand) | Channel 43 |
| Cable TV Hong Kong (Hong Kong) | Channel 140 |
| SkyCable (Philippines) | Channel 119 (Digital) |
| WightFibre (UK) | Channel 18 |
| Ziggo (Netherlands) | Channel 64 |
| Telenet (Belgium) | Channel 604 |
| IPTV | |
| KPN (Netherlands) | Channel 26 |
| now TV (Hong Kong) | Channel 447 |
| UniFi (Malaysia) | Channel 553 |
| Telfort (Netherlands) | Channel 26 |
| XS4ALL (Netherlands) | Channel 26 |
| Streaming media | |
| BBC iPlayer | Watch live (UK only) |
| FilmOn | Watch live |
| Horizon Go |
Watch live (Ireland only) Watch live (Switzerland only) |
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at encouraging "learning through play in a consistently safe environment for children aged 6 or under",[2] and providing "high quality, mostly UK-produced programmes".[3]
The name is used to brand the free-to-air domestic British channel, and is used for international variants supported by advertising, subscription or both. The channel was first launched on 11 February 2002.
The channel has won a number of awards. At the BAFTA Children's Awards, it won awards in 2002 and in every year between 2004 and 2009, including "Best Pre-school Live Action Series" in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008. It has also won "Best Schools Programme – 0–6 years" awards (or equivalent) from the Royal Television Society from 2002 to 2005. CBeebies is the most-watched children's channel in the UK. CBeebies HD officially launched on 10 December 2013.
History
The CBeebies channel was launched, together with CBBC, on 11 February 2002.[4] The domestic CBeebies channel broadcasts from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day – a result of the channel sharing bandwidth with the channel BBC Four on the Freeview platform. The station was joined later on by an audio counterpart, CBeebies Radio, which broadcast for three hours each day on the radio station BBC Radio 7, however since the station was rebranded as BBC Radio 4 Extra this obligation has ceased. Later on they launched a weekly publication called CBeebies Weekly. It also launched its own channel in 2008 and was remaining to show from 6:00am until 7:00pm as the main room to perform the links on BBC Two are not used any more as they got their own studio.
Since 27 March 2013, CBeebies has been carried by the British Forces Broadcasting Service, sharing a channel with BFBS Extra.[5]
The international CBeebies channel is advert-free and wholly owned by BBC Worldwide. The first international launch for the CBeebies channel was in India in May 2007, although the channel was withdrawn at the end of November 2012 due to "commercial considerations".[6]
The channel is available in the Republic of Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Poland, Indonesia, Mexico, Africa, Australia, and the United States (in Spanish only). In March 2011, the on demand version of the network was launched in the US and is available on Xfinity.
Management
In the UK, CBeebies is operated by the BBC Children's division and part of BBC North. The division is also responsible for CBBC and overall strategic responsibility for all of the BBC's domestic services for children rests with the Director of Children's, Joe Godwin (since late 2009). The direction of the domestic CBeebies channel itself rests with Kay Benbow, the current Controller of the channel and responsible for commissioning all CBeebies content across BBC television, online, interactive TV, and radio.[7] She took over from the first controller Michael Carrington in 2010.[8]
Internationally, CBeebies is owned by BBC Worldwide, who operate the brand.
Programming
CBeebies offers a mix of mostly UK-produced entertainment and educational output designed to encourage learning through play. These goals are realised through a range of programmes about simple science, natural history, music and movement, storytelling, make up and make do, puzzle programmes and animation.[9] The channel's schedule is deliberately the same every weekday, with a different schedule at weekends, so that children can know what is on instinctively. The schedule also includes signed programmes, shown in the UK between 14:00 and 17:00 on weekends.
The international channels also show many programmes broadcast on the UK channel, however some include programmes unique to that service or are available through other networks in the UK (for example, Humf, which airs on Nick Jr. in the UK). Inversely however, shows that air on CBeebies in the UK may air on networks other than CBeebies worldwide (for example, Chuggington airs on Disney Junior Asia instead of CBeebies in the Asian region).
Most viewed programmes
The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on CBeebies, based on Live +7 data supplied by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.[10]
| Rank | Show | Episode | Date | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numberjacks | Wee Three Phone Home | 6 March 2009 | 1,158,000 |
| 2 | The Octonauts | A Very Vegimals Christmas | 17 December 2013 | 806,000 |
| 3 | Justin's House | All Wrapped Up | 15 December 2011 | 800,000 |
| 4 | CBeebies Pantomime | Aladdin | 17 December 2010 | 785,000 |
| 5 | CBeebies Christmas Panto | Jack and the Beanstalk | 21 December 2012 | 782,000 |
| 6 | Justin's House | Robert's Inventions | 16 October 2011 | 744,000 |
| 7 | Gigglebiz | Series 1, Episode 24 | 9 October 2009 | 730,000 |
| 8 | Chuggington | Breaking Brewster | 2 February 2010 | 722,000 |
| 9 | The Adventures of Abney & Teal | Faraway Island | 1 February 2012 | 717,000 |
| 10 | Justin's House | Housewarming | 9 October 2011 | 716,000 |
Presentation
The links between programmes on CBeebies are primarily achieved through the use of in-vision continuity, using presenters to interact with the children. In the UK, links are pre-recorded rather than broadcast live, as is the case on sister channel CBBC. They were originally pre recorded from studio TC0 at BBC Television Centre in London, however moved out in 2008 to Teddington Studios, and returned briefly in 2010. From September 2011, the links have been based at the BBC's Northern base at MediaCityUK in Salford, Greater Manchester, following the move of the BBC Children's department there. International variants feature broadcast links produced either in the corresponding country, or from a central base.
Logos and idents
Presenters
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Many of the presenters used to have histories as characters on other services or on children's programmes. CBeebies has had 13 presenters.
In the UK, presenters seen on the channel and the stranded service are:
- Andy Day (2007–present)
- Cerrie Burnell (2009–present)
- Alex Winters (2009–present)
- Katy Ashworth (2011–present)
- Cat Sandion (2013–present)
- Aneta Bożena Piotrowska (2014-present)
- Ben Cajee (2015-present)
There are also 8 former presenters:
- Sue Monroe (2002–2006)
- Nicole Davis (2003–2006)
- Justin Fletcher (2006–2007, 2012)
- Sarah-Jane Honeywell (2006–2007)
- Eva Alexander (2006)
- Chris Jarvis (2002–2009)
- Pui Fan Lee (2002–2009)
- Sidney Sloane (2002–2013)
The longest serving member is Sloane who presented the show alongside all 13 other presenters except for Aneta, for just over a decade (11 years).
The international variants feature different personalities per broadcast region. In Australia, Tara Colegrave is the main presenter since 2008,[11][12] while in Hong Kong and Singapore Pui Fan Lee is the main presenter having transferred there from the UK channel in 2008.[12][13][14] The Latin American variant uses Roser Cabañas, present on-screen since 2009,[15] with the Polish channel showcasing Aneta Bożena Piotrowska as main presenter since 2008. From November 2014, Aneta has also been appearing as a continuity presenter in the UK.[12][13][16] The South African channel utilises Sidney Sloane.[12]
Stranded Segments
In the UK, the CBeebies channel and terrestrial service use stranded segments throughout the day.
From 2002 to 2006, each weekday was divided into six segments; five of which presented by one of the original five "core presenters" namely Chris, Nicole, Pui, Sid and Sue. Each was given a core theme (for instance Sid's segment included "building and making" programmes such as Bob the Builder, Nicole's included animal programmes and so on). This went on until 6:00 p.m., where a segment titled The Bedtime Hour was aired. This segmentation was later dispensed in 2006 when Sue and Nicole left with: only the Bedtime Hour segment was retained.
In March 2007, the segments were revived and modified to denote the time of day and the levels of activity. These segments are:
- Get, Set, Go! – Early Morning schedule between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Includes programmes such as Tikkabilla, Pingu, Postman Pat, Tweenies, Everything's Rosie, Chuggington, Octonauts and Kate and Mim-Mim.
- Discover and Do – Late Morning and Early Afternoon weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The strand is aimed at young children who would not be attending school or pre-school. It often contains programmes that give a learning opportunity to viewers, such as Numberjacks, Alphablocks, The Numtums, Mr Bloom's Nursery, Something Special, or Melody. Between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., a section called Lunch Time is aired.
- Big Fun Time – Late afternoon weekdays between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. This strand aims at the higher end of its remit, airing programming for the children who have recently returned from school. Programs include Nina and the Neurons, Tree Fu Tom, and Rastamouse.
- Bedtime Hour – The final hour of CBeebies broadcasting between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The original stranded section of the channel, Bedtime Hour features calm-natured programmes, such as In the Night Garden, 3rd & Bird, 64 Zoo Lane, Waybuloo, and Charlie and Lola, with story telling both within and out of the programmes and closes with a final song, "The Time Has Come to Say Goodnight", as transmission closes and goes over to BBC Four.
During the weekend, Big Fun Time airs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Discover and Do segments does not air during the weekends, meaning the channel is themeless from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
When these segments were initially introduced, each segment featured its own presenting team and set, with Chris Jarvis and Pui Fan Lee who left in January 2009 then Alex Winters and Cerrie Burnell presenting Discover and Do in the CBeebies "living room"; Lunch Time in the "kitchen"; Bedtime Hour in the "bedroom"; Sidney Sloane and Andy Day presenting Get, Set, Go! in the "living room" and Big Fun Time in the "garage". However, since moving production to Manchester this is no longer the case, with the exception of Bedtime Hour which is presented from the area nearest the house's bed.
Storytimes
While the lunchtime story is usually read by one of the regular presenters, the final show of each day, the "Bedtime Story" is read by a guest storyteller, including well known actors, comedians, and past presenters of BBC children's television. Some notable storytellers in this slot have included Simon Pegg, David Hasselhof, Lulu, Damian Lewis, Rosamund Pike, Ben Faulks, Michael Rosen and Floella Benjamin. In an unusual move, James Bolam appeared on "Bedtime Story" in costume and in character as Grandpa from Grandpa in My Pocket, not as himself.
CBeebies HD
On 16 July 2013, the BBC announced that a high-definition (HD) simulcast of CBeebies would be launched by early 2014.[17] The channel launched on 10 December 2013, though will roll-out nationwide up to June 2014 (as will BBC News HD and BBC Four HD).[18] The channel broadcasts on the BBC's new HD multiplex on Freeview and shares its stream with BBC Four HD as they air at different times. Prior to launch, the majority of CBeebies' HD output was broadcast on BBC HD before its closure on 26 March 2013.
Other ventures
CBeebies website
The CBeebies website coincided with the launch of the UK channel in February 2002 and showcases a child friendly site with activities themed to all CBeebies programmes, past and present, with games, songs and print-outs featuring for nearly all shows. The UK version also features links to CBeebies iPlayer, a child friendly version of the BBC iPlayer featuring CBeebies programmes only, to CBeebies radio player and a dedicated micro site containing advice for raising children and toddlers called CBeebies Grown-ups, which was relaunched in 2011.[19][20][21]
The international channels are run by BBC Worldwide, and their websites are operated by the company also. As a result, not all of them are the same and some channels have less extensive websites than other services. CBeebies channels in Asia, Australia, Poland, South Africa and the USA all have their own international variant.
Album releases
Five CBeebies-branded CDs have been released, 'CBeebies: The Official Album' in 2002, 'My CBeebies Album' in 2006, 'My CBeebies Album (Christmas Edition)' in 2007, 'CBeebies: Song Time' in 2010, and 'CBeebies: The Album' in 2012.
CBeebies Land
CBeebies Land opened in May 2014. Designed as a retheme of the previous Storybook Land and Old McDonald's Farmyard areas of the Alton Towers Resort theme park. It contains a range of themed rides, attractions as well as live entertainment based around various popular programmes. Containing various indoor and outdoor activities aimed at making an immersive and interactive world for children and young families.
The site based within Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire includes some of the more popular characters from the original channel for guests to meet. Described as a 'fun environment for pre-schoolers to play and learn' by critics.[22]
At the start of the year, the theme park sporadically released information on the characters involved in the development via their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
- On 4 January, Mr. Tumble was the first character confirmed - featuring in the Something Special Sensory Garden[23] and 5 January saw Mr. Bloom confirmed as featuring in the development in the form of Mr. Bloom's Allotments.[24]
- On 6 January the park revealed an In the Night Garden redesign of their existing Riverbank Eyespy. On the re-themed attraction, In The Night Garden Magical Boat Ride, guests will be able to drift around the 'enchanted dreamworld'; an area that will use colours, sights and sounds to bring picture books to life. Iggle Piggle, Makka Pakka and Upsy Daisy will all be on the Night Garden Island to help children appreciate the values of diversity, and enjoy the wonder in the world around them.
Stephen Gould, commercial director at DHX Media who licence In The Night Garden commented, "We are extremely excited to be working in partnership with BBC Worldwide, Merlin Entertainments and Alton Towers Resort on this new venture. In The Night Garden is the ideal draw brand to provide a fun, nurturing, inspiring and immersive environment for CBeebies Land and its visitors."[25]
The fourth reveal on 7 January was that of Nina and the Neurons[26] Based around the popular show which sees Nina, with the help of her animated sense Neurons, explain how and why the world around us works as it does. Nina's Science Lab will bring together the Neurons to show how they control your five senses. In a hands-on scientific attraction, children will learn how their bodies work and what they do.[27]
Awards
The UK channel and the programmes it has broadcast have received a number of awards throughout the years. In 2002, the Cbeebies Interactive TV Services was nominated in the Best Interactive Service category and CBeebies Online was nominated in the same category in 2005 at the BAFTA Children's Awards. The channel was awarded Best Children's Channel and Highly Commended at the Broadcast Digital Channel Awards 2006,[28] however only achieved a nomination in 2007[29] and 2008.[30] The channel was also named Children's Channel of the Year at the BAFTA Children's awards in 2007,[31] 2010,[32] 2011 [33] and 2013 [34] and was nominated for Channel of the Year in 2008 and 2009[35]
The CBeebies UK website was nominated Best Interactive Site at the 2007 BAFTA Children's awards,[31] and the brand as a whole also won the Best Design and Innovation award by the Royal Television Society, whose awarding panel said "Its website is an integral part of the brand, with its TV production and online teams working together to create innovative game play and immersive web experiences."[36]
See also
- CBBC
- BBC Children's idents
- BBC
- BBC Worldwide
- List of CBeebies Shows
References
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/childrens2012
- ↑ BBC Trust Cbeebies service licence BBC Trust. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ↑ "Editorial standards" BBC Trust. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ↑ Brown, Maggie (11 February 2012). "Happy birthday CBBC and CBeebies". RadioTimes. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
- ↑ BFBS TV IS CHANGING
- ↑ BBC Pulls Plug on Two India Channels – India Real Time – WSJ
- ↑ "Biography – Kay Benbow". BBC Press Office. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ↑ "Carrington Leaves BBC". by Mark Sweney, guardian.co.uk. 27 January 2010.
- ↑ Cbeebies service licence (Nov 2012)
- ↑ Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, via
- ↑ Ganska, Helen (29 October 2008). "TV Guide: Cross to British channels". Perth Now (Perth, Australia: News Corporation). Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "New Host for CBeebies Africa Revealed". Johannesburg, South Africa: Total Exposure. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "New Polish host for CBeebies revealed". London, UK: BBC. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ Castle-Young, Amy (11 October 2007). "BBC Global Channels Asia-Pacific launches three channels on Hong Kong's now TV". BBC. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ "CBeebies unveils first presenter for Latin American and US Hispanic audiences". Press Office (London, UK: BBC). 2 October 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ Polish Wikipedia Cbeebies article
- ↑ "BBC to launch five new HD channels". BBC News. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ↑ "BBC to launch five new subscription-free HD channels on Tuesday 10 December". BBC. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ↑ "CBeebies Website Home Page". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
- ↑ "BBC's CBeebies". Tribune India. 10 June 2002. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
- ↑ "Beeb's a Boon for the Kids". The Daily Mirror (London, UK: Trinity Mirror). 15 February 2002. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
- ↑ "Alton Towers Resort Press Centre". Press.altontowers.com. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "CBeebies Land - Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "CBeebies Land - Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "TowersTimes.co.uk : Alton Towers : Park News". Old.towerstimes.co.uk. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "CBeebies Land - Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "TowersTimes.co.uk : Alton Towers : Park News". Old.towerstimes.co.uk. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "Broadcast Digital Channel Awards 2006 – winners". Digital Channel Awards. Broadcast Magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2007.
- ↑ "ITV2 named best digital channel". Digital Channel Awards. Broadcast Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ↑ "Digital Channel Awards Shortlist 2008". Digital Channel Awards. Broadcast Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Past Winners and Nominees – Children's – Awards – 2007". BAFTA. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ↑ "2010 Children's Channel of the Year | BAFTA Awards". Awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "2011 Children's Channel of the Year | BAFTA Awards". Awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "2013 Children's Channel of the Year | BAFTA Awards". Awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "Past Winners and Nominees – Children's – Awards – 2009". BAFTA. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ↑ "RTS Craft and Design Award Winners 2009". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to CBeebies. |
- CBeebies at BBC Online
- CBeebies to move (Broadcast)
- CBeebies to quit BBC TV Centre (The Guardian)
