KidsCo

KidsCo
Launched	September 7, 2007 (Central and Eastern Europe, Western Asia) January 1, 2008 (Philippines and the Middle East) March 20, 2008 (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, and South Korea) November 15, 2009 (Australia) November 27, 2009 (Greece) May 1, 2010 (South Africa) June 1, 2012 (Malaysia)
Closed	31 December 2013 (Europe) February 13, 2014 (Southeast Asia and Australia) 2014 (all countries)
Owned by	NBCUniversal (51%) Corus Entertainment (43.8%)
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 576i (SDTV)
Country	Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia
Language	available in 18 languages

KidsCo was an international children's entertainment brand founded by Canadian broadcaster Corus Entertainment's Nelvana, American-based producer DIC Entertainment, and European broadcaster Sparrowhawk Media Group in April 2007.^[1] By the end of 2007, Sparrowhawk was purchased by media conglomerate NBC Universal, thus giving the company its share in the brand.^[2] In June 2008, DiC Entertainment was acquired by Cookie Jar Group, thus also having a stake.^[3] In May 2012, Cookie Jar's minority shares in KidsCo were brought by NBCUniversal and Corus, which saw NBCUniversal become majority shareholder with a 51% share while Corus obtained a 43.8% share.^[4][5]

KidsCo was closed down worldwide on early 2014 by its owners, in light of NBCUniversal's acquisition of US children's network Sprout and "growing challenges in the international children's television industry.^[6] The network was based in London at the time of its closure.^[7]

History

The first KidsCo networks were launched in Poland, Romania and Turkey on September 7, 2007. The channel also launched in Hungary, and Russia.^[8]

On January 1, 2008, KidsCo launched in the Philippines on SkyCable and in the Arab World on Orbit Showtime^[9] on March 20, 2008. On the first trimester of 2009 the channel was launched in Portugal on Optimus Clix. The channel become available also on Vodafone Casa TV platform on July 25, 2010.^[10]

KidsCo original logo used from 2007 to 2012

On November 15, 2009, KidsCo launched in Australia on Foxtel.^[11] On November 27, 2009, Kidsco launched In November 2009, Kidsco launched in Greece on Conn-x TV^[12] and in Cyprus on CytaVision.^[13] In November 2010 KidsCo became carried via Greece's IPTV On Telecoms platform.^[14] On May 1, 2010 Kidsco launched in South Africa on TopTV^[15] and on DStv on July 12, 2010.^[16]

^[17] In 2008 KidsCo suggested that it intended to launch throughout France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States that year, but this did not transpire.^[8] Despite numerous claims of an imminent UK launch since 2007,^{[18][19][20][21][22]} the channel never had presence in the country because as of 2011 market conditions mean a launch isn't commercially viable.^[8][23]

On January 8, 2013, KidsCo began broadcasting from Corus Quay in Toronto - a state-of-the-art facility that will broadcast the channel to over 100 territories in 17 languages.^[24] A refreshed logo, on-air look and website was also launched.^[25]

Citing growing challenges in the international children's television industry, and the addition of the competing USA channel Sprout to NBC's portfolio due to its recent acquisition by Comcast, KidsCo announced that it would shut down in early 2014.^[6]

The first KidsCo feed to close was in Turkey on January 1 (New Year's Day 2014). The main KidsCo feeds in Southeast Asia and Australia closed down soon after on February 13. The channels did not have replacements.

Shows and movies

• 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd
• 6teen^[26]
• Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog^[27]
• Angela Anaconda^[28]
• Babar^[29]
• Beverly Hills Teen Club^[30]
• The BFG^[31]
• Big And Hairy^[32]
• Birdz^[33]
• Blaster's Universe^[34]
• Bommi & Friends^[35][36]
• Boo & Me^[37][38]
• Cake^[39]
• Chuck Finn^[40][41]
• Chucklewood Critters^[42]
• Count Duckula^[43]
• Corduroy^[44]
• Creature Comforts^[45]
• Cyberchase^[46]
• Danger Mouse^[43]
• Dinosaur Island
• DinoSquad^[47][48]
• Donkey Kong Country^[49]
• Eyewitness^[50]
• The Fairly OddParents^[51]
• Fat Dog Mendoza^[52]
• Franklin^[53]
• Grossology^[54]
• Gulliver's Travels^[55]
• Heathcliff^[56]
• Inspector Gadget^[57][58]
• Iz and the Zizzles^[59]
• Jane and the Dragon^[60]
• Jass Time^[61]
• Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors^[62]
• Little Bear^[63]
• M.A.S.K.^[64]
• Maggie and the Ferocious Beast^[65]
• Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action!^[66]
• Max & Ruby^[67][68]
• Medabots^[69]
• Monster by Mistake^[70]
• My Friend Rabbit^[71]
• My Parents Are Aliens^[72]
• Ned's Newt^[73]
• Ocean Star: The Quest^[74]
• Pecola^[75]
• Pelswick^[76]
• Rainbow Brite^[77]
• Redwall^[78]
• Rescue Heroes^[79]
• Rolie Polie Olie^[80]
• Round the Twist^[81][82]
• Rupert^[83]
• Sabrina: The Animated Series^[84]
• Scout's Safari^[85]
• Seven Little Monsters^[86]
• Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century^[87]
• Shelldon
• Spheres^[88][89]
• Snake Tales^[90]
• Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)^[27]
• Sonic Underground^[91]
• Stickin Around^[92]
• The Super Mario Bros. Super Show^[93]
• Super Mario World^[94]
• Tales from the Cryptkeeper^[95]
• The Adventures of Paddington Bear^[96]
• The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3^[97]
• The Beach Crew^[98]
• The Berenstain Bears^[99]
• The Magic School Bus^[100]
• The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo^[101][102]
• The New Adventures of Madeline^[103]
• The New Adventures of Ocean Girl^[104]
• The Prince and the Pauper^[105]
• The Story of Tracy Beaker^[106]
• The Trojan Horse^[107]
• The Wiggles^[108]
• Turbo Dogs^[70]
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea^[109]
• Wallace and Gromit^[110]
• Wimzie's House^[111]
• The Wind in the Willows^[112]

Not all of the above shows available in all areas.

References

1. SPARROWHAWK MEDIA, DIC ENTERTAINMENT AND CORUS ENTERTAINMENT PARTNER TO LAUNCH KIDSCO, A BRANDED GLOBAL CHANNEL FOR CHILDREN
2. Haycock, Gavin (28 August 2007). "NBC Universal agrees to buy Sparrowhawk Media". Reuters. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
3. "Cookie Jar and DIC Entertainment to Merge, Creating Independent Global Children's Entertainment and Education Powerhouse". Market Wired. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
4. Dickson, Jeremy (14 May 2012). "NBCUniversal, Corus up their stakes in KidsCo". Kids Screen. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
5. Szalai, Georg (14 May 2012). "NBCUniversal International Raises Stakes in Children's Channel KidsCo". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
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41. "KidsCo Signs Content From Fireworks | Animation World Network". Awn.com. Retrieved 2015-06-03.
42. "Chucklewood Critters". DStv.com. 19 January 2011. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
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48. "KidsCo Secures First Run Deals For The Future Is Wild And DinoSquad". Realwire.com. 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
49. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
51. Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
52. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
53. Archived March 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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55. Archived March 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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57. Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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62. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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65. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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73. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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75. https://web.archive.org/web/20110714142935/http://www.mykidscotv.com/de/shows/pecola/. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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77. Archived March 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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81. Archived March 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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88. Archived April 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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90. Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
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