ITV to shutter its linear kidsnet and move content to ITVX (original) (raw)
Brit broadcaster ITV will migrate all of its kids programming to a new streaming hub called ITVX Kids this summer as entertainment's digital migration continues.
As part of a growing trend, UK broadcaster ITV is shifting its kids strategy to streaming and shutting down linear channel CITV.
In a phased migration, all of ITV’s children’s programming will move to streaming service ITVX, where it will live in a new hub for preschoolers and six to 12s called ITVX Kids that’s set to launch in July. ITV says ITVX Kids will offer more than 100 titles representing 1,000-plus hours of content, which is double the volume that’s currently running on CITV.
Recent launches like Happy The Hoglet and The Rubbish World of Dave Spud (pictured)—which has been commissioned for new episodes in 2024—will join the ITVX Kids lineup, along with British classics including Bob The Builder. Anything greenlit for CITV through the BFI Young Audiences Content Fund (which ended last year) will also move onto ITVX Kids.
New content is slated to premiere monthly on the streaming hub, which will feature a genre-based catalogue structure that showcases comedy, game shows, live-action and animation.
ITV will continue to air the LittleBe preschool segment on its reality/unscripted linear channel ITVBe. The broadcaster also plans to feature select kids content on the early-morning schedule of ITV2, which targets 16- to 34-year-olds.
Moving to a streaming-first strategy seems to be a media trend in the UK as kids, families and households continue to shift to different modes of TV consumption. The BBC adopted a similar strategy last year, and plans to transition CBBC from linear to its iPlayer digital service.
Interestingly, Sky is taking a totally different approach in the same market, having launched a new linear channel in February for under-sevens.
But the decline in viewing for CITV has been precipitous. Citing data from UK measurement body BARB, ITV noted in a release that broadcast TV viewing minutes among four- to 15-year-olds has declined by an estimated 62% since 2019. For the same period, BARB identified a 30% increase in non-linear viewing that it doesn’t currently track, namely SVOD/AVOD and gaming platforms.
The move to digital does come with an accessibility bonus. ITV says all content on ITVX Kids will be available with subtitles, and it has “prioritized” accessible programming that incorporates British Sign Language, such as Mission Employable and Dare Master.
