| Revision as of 14:52, 4 December 2022 view source168.220.175.223 (talk)No edit summaryTag: Reverted← Previous edit |
Latest revision as of 22:47, 20 January 2024 view source LilianaUwU (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Page movers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers41,692 edits Reverted 1 edit by OllieE2b (talk): NoTags: Twinkle New redirect Undo |
| (47 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
|
{{mergeto|Universal Kids|discuss=Talk:Universal Kids#Merge proposal}} |
|
#REDIRECT ] |
|
|
|
|
{{Other uses|Sprout (disambiguation){{!}}Sprout}} |
|
|
|
{{Redirect category shell| |
|
{{Infobox TV channel |
|
|
|
{{R from former name}} |
|
| name = Sprout |
|
|
| logo = Sprout logo.svg |
|
|
| logofile = Sprout logo.svg |
|
|
| logosize = 190px |
|
|
| logocaption = Logo used since 2009 |
|
|
| launch = {{small|(as Comcast video on demand folder)}}<br>{{Start date and age|2005|9|26}} (as a channel)<br>{{Start date and age|2017|9|9}} (as a programming block) |
|
|
| closed date = {{End date and age|2017|9|9}} (as a channel) |
|
|
| picture format = {{Plainlist| |
|
|
* ] (]) |
|
|
* (] ] for ] feeds) |
|
|
}} |
|
}} |
|
| owner = {{Plainlist| |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* (]) |
|
|
* (]) |
|
|
* (Children's Network, LLC.) |
|
|
}} |
|
|
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2005|9|26}} (as a channel)<br>{{Start date and age|2017|9|9}} (programming block) |
|
|
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2017|9|9}} (as a channel)<br>{{End date and age|2018|1|23}} (programming block) |
|
|
| website = {{URL|http://web.archive.org/20171024030801/http://www.sproutonline.com}} |
|
|
| slogan = ''Free to Grow'' |
|
|
| country = ] |
|
|
| language = English |
|
|
| broadcast area = Nationwide |
|
|
| headquarters = ], ], ] |
|
|
| former names = {{Plainlist| |
|
|
* PBS Kids Sprout (2005–2013) |
|
|
}} |
|
|
| sister names = {{Plainlist| |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
* ] |
|
|
}} |
|
|
| replaced names = ] (first generation; on most providers) |
|
|
| timeshift names = |
|
|
| area = Nationwide |
|
|
| network = ] |
|
|
}} |
|
|
'''Sprout''' is an ] ] ], ], ], and ] on the newly-launched ] and was previously an ] television network. It is owned by the ] subsidiary of ] (and by ] all together). The block, which also maintains a section of programs on Universal Kids' complimentary ] (VOD) service and ], features a mix of ]-oriented ]. |
|
|
|
|
|
The network was originally launched in 2005 as '''PBS Kids Sprout'''—a joint venture between ], ], ], and ]. Following Comcast's purchase of NBC Universal, the company gradually bought out the remaining owners' shares in the channel, reaching full ownership in 2014. The channel's operations were subsequently relocated from ] to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/05052014-sprout-relocate-new-york-city|title=Governor Cuomo Announces that NBCUniversal's Sprout the First 24-Hour Preschool Network Will Relocate to New York City|accessdate=October 26, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140608_Sprouting_her_wings.html|title=Sprouting her wings|date=June 8, 2014|work=]|accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
==Background== |
|
|
{{see also|PBS Kids}} |
|
|
Sprout traces its origins to the PBS Kids network (referred to as '''PBS Kids Channel''' in press materials), which launched on September 6, 1999 coinciding with PBS Kids' rebrand that day. The PBS Kids feed was available on digital cable and satellite television, and was also offered to PBS member stations for use on a "cablecast" service (a cable-only local channel provided by the member station) or for use on the member station's over-the-air analog channel to provide a portion of the daytime PBS Kids programming on the station. Participating stations were required to pay an annual fee of $1,000 to use the feed. At launch, 32 PBS member stations had signed up to use the service. The channel was created, in part, to compete against ] and its sister network ] (which now shares its name with the Nick Jr. block).<ref>{{cite web|title=Multi-purpose PBS Kids takes flight next week|url=http://current.org/files/archive-site/ch/ch916k.html|website=Current.org|accessdate=November 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PBS launches kids network|url=http://variety.com/1999/tv/news/pbs-launches-kids-network-1117755360/|website=Variety|accessdate=November 19, 2015}}</ref> Because the cable rights to the ] program library were owned by Noggin (which CTW owned a 50% interest in at the time), the channel did not broadcast any CTW programming, including '']'', a long staple of PBS' children's programming lineup. The CTW-produced '']'', which premiered on the same day as the launch of the PBS Kids Channel, was the only exception to this. |
|
|
|
|
|
The channel was not successful and had only reached 9 million households as of 2002, compared to Noggin's 23.3 million households at the time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sesame quits Noggin network|url=http://current.org/files/archive-site/npr/ch0216noggin.html|website=Current.org|accessdate=November 19, 2015}}</ref> Once the channel shut down, many member stations which had been using the PBS Kids channel on their cablecast channels or over-the-air digital subchannels continued to operate their children's channels as local services scheduled independently of a satellite feed, while other member stations shut down their kids channels entirely and redirected viewers of those channels to the newly launched PBS Kids Sprout. PBS later revived the PBS Kids Channel on January 16, 2017, this time with an online streaming option in addition to utilizing largely the same distribution methods that had been used for the original channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2016/02/pbs-launch-kids-channel-live-stream-1201707522/|title=PBS To Launch PBS Kids – A 24/7 Children's Channel And Live Stream|last=Evans|first=Greg|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 23, 2016|accessdate=September 10, 2017}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
==History== |
|
|
] |
|
|
On October 20, 2004, ] announced that it had entered into a joint partnership with cable provider ], and production companies ] and ] to launch a then-unnamed cable and satellite television channel aimed at preschool children.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Comcast, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop Announce Plans to Launch Ground-breaking 24-hour Preschool Children's Television Channel|date=2004-10-20|publisher=PBS|location=Arlington, VA|url=http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20041019_kidschannel.html|accessdate=2013-08-03}}</ref> On April 4, 2005, Comcast announced that the network would be known as '''] Sprout''', launching initially as a branded ] service before launching as a linear television channel later in the year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26669-2005Apr4.html?nav=rss_business|title=Comcast, PBS Plan New Service|website=Washington Post|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
The linear network officially launched on September 26, 2005, with a reach of around 16 million viewers across ] and ] cable.<ref name="tvweek-launch">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2005/12/saluting-sprouts-launch-pbs-sp/|title=Saluting Sprout’s Launch: PBS Sprouts a Kids Triumph|website=TVWeek|language=en-US|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> The multi-platform approach was designed to appeal to different viewing habits, with the linear channel focused on variety, and the on-demand services focused on instantaneous access to specific programs. The linear service was designed around ] ]s, featuring activities and other feature segments presented by on-air hosts. Some of these segments were designed to promote supplemental content (including activities and interactive features) on Sprout's website. Andrew Beecham, a former director of worldwide programming strategy for the ] brand, stated that the Sprout would eschew the U.S. convention of combining multiple short episodes of a series into a single half-hour episode with interstitial segments for U.S. broadcast, in favor of airing individual shorts. Beecham explained that with this practice, "you get to sample a huge variety of material. You'll get all these smaller shows that translate into something bigger." The network would be advertising-supported, but ads would only air between programs in small quantities, and would be aimed towards parents and caregivers.<ref name="tvweek-launch"/> |
|
|
|
|
|
===Effects of Comcast/NBC merger=== |
|
|
Comcast acquired a 51% majority stake of ] in January 2011, and would assume full ownership of the company on March 19, 2013. As a result, Comcast's interest in Sprout was turned over to the company. When ] sold ] to ] on October 24, 2011, HIT's ownership interest in Sprout was not included in the deal and was retained by Apax Partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedeal.com/content/consumer-retail/apax-sells-hit-entertainment-to-mattel.php|title=Apax sells Hit Entertainment to Mattel|last=Braude|first=Jonathan|work=The Deal|date=October 24, 2011|accessdate=August 3, 2013}}</ref> In 2012, Sesame Workshop sold its interest in Sprout to NBCUniversal. On November 13, 2013, NBCUniversal acquired Apax and PBS's shares in the network, giving Comcast full ownership. Its operations were then merged into its ] subsidiary,<ref>{{cite web|last=Jensen|first=Elizabeth|title=NBCUniversal Takes Full Ownership of Sprout Cable Network|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/media/nbcuniversal-takes-ownership-of-sprout-cable-network.html?_r=0|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=10 February 2014}}</ref> and the "]" branding was dropped from the network's name, leaving it as simply '''Sprout'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-acquires-full-ownership-kids-655690|title=NBCUniversal Acquires Ownership of Kids' Channel Sprout|last=Nordyke|first=Kimberly|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 13, 2013|accessdate=April 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304243904579196351406283562|title=NBCUniversal Buys Remainder of Sprout Network|last=Hagey|first=Keach|work=Wall Street Journal|date=November 13, 2013|accessdate=November 14, 2013}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
In January 2017, Deirdre Brennan, formerly of ], was named the new president of Sprout.<ref name=ksn-unikids/> |
|
|
|
|
|
=== Universal Kids === |
|
|
].|left]] |
|
|
On May 1, 2017, it was announced that Sprout would be re-launched as ''']''' on September 9, 2017. The re-branded network will revamp its evening and primetime programming to target youth and family viewing, with plans to incorporate new original series targeting the demographic (such as '']''), as well as other international imports (such as the Australian series '']'' and the Canadian series '']''). The remainder of the network's programming will continue to consist of preschool programming under the Sprout brand, occupying 15 hours per-day of programming from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.<ref name=":0" /> |
|
|
|
|
|
]' recent acquisition of ] will also be leveraged by Universal Kids to bolster its programming; critics felt that the DWA purchase and the launch of Universal Kids were meant to help NBCUniversal establish a viable multi-platform presence in children's media, and a competitor to other major children's brands such as ], ], and ].<ref name="variety-universalkids">{{cite news|last1=Steinberg|first1=Brian|title=NBCU’s Sprout Grows Up: Universal Kids to Debut in September |url= http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sprout-universal-kids-tv-nbcuniversal-1202404505/ |accessdate= May 8, 2017 |work=Variety |date= May 1, 2017 }}</ref><ref name="ksn-unikids">{{cite web|url=http://kidscreen.com/2017/05/01/a-new-age-sprout-to-become-universal-kids/|title=A new age: Sprout to become Universal Kids |last= Getzler |first=Wendy |work=Kidscreen |date= May 1, 2017 |accessdate= May 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/business/media/nbcuniversal-childrens-channel.html|title=NBCUniversal is Building Its Own Children's Channel|last=Barnes|first=Brooke|date=April 30, 2017|accessdate=May 1, 2017|work=]}}</ref><ref name="variety-universalkids" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/people/nbcu-evp-duccio-donati-takes-on-dreamworks-channel/|title=NBCU EVP Duccio Donati Takes on DreamWorks Channel |work=Animation Magazine |date= August 3, 2017 |accessdate= August 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kidscreen.com/2017/08/04/duccio-donati-tapped-for-new-kids-role-at-nbcuniversal/|title=Duccio Donati tapped for new kids role at NBCUniversal |work=Kidscreen |date= August 4, 2017}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
==Programming== |
|
|
{{main article|List of programs broadcast by Universal Kids}} |
|
|
|
|
|
===Programming blocks=== |
|
|
====Current blocks==== |
|
|
*'''''Sprout House''''' – the network's late-morning block; it debuted on August 14, 2017 as a replacement for ''Sunny Side Up'', and is hosted by Carly Ciarrocchi and the new character Snug, a talking dog, through 90-second segments throughout the block. The program was designed to be more flexible to produce than its predecessor, with a varied "]" set with additional areas and camera options. Unlike ''Sunny Side Up'', its segments are pre-recorded rather than broadcast live; supervising producer Vinny Steves felt that the live format was too "limiting", and stated that the new format was also designed to enable the segments to be distributed on digital platforms such as social media. With the launch of ''Sprout House'', the network began to downplay its long-time mascot, Chica, although she will remain in pre-taped segments under the title "Chica at School".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sprout-house-universal-kids-comcast-nbcuniversal-snug-chica-1202522307/|title=NBCUniversal Builds ‘Sprout House,’ Hopes Kids Will Visit|last=Steinberg|first=Brian|date=2017-08-10|work=Variety|access-date=2017-08-17|language=en-US}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
====Former blocks==== |
|
|
* '''''The Let's Go Show''''' – afternoon music and science block<ref name=amag/> |
|
|
* ''''']''''' – morning music block that features Coo, a ], teaching kids to sing.<ref name=amag/> |
|
|
* ''''']''''' with ] (Sam, Murray, Anthony, Jeff) |
|
|
* ''''']''''' |
|
|
* '''''The Super Sproutlet Show''''' |
|
|
* ''''']''''' – ''The Good Night Show'' was the network's evening block, airing daily from 6 PM to 9 PM Eastern Time, with repeats throughout the night, hosted by Nina (Michele Lepe) and Star (Stacia Newcomb). It featured <ref name=amag>{{cite news|last1=Ball|first1=Ryan|title=New Blocks for PBS KIDS Sprout|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/new-blocks-for-pbs-kids-sprout/|accessdate=April 8, 2016|work=Animation Magazine|date=October 8, 2007}}</ref> Hush the Goldfish and Lucy the Firefly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcumv.com/talent/michele-lepe?show=151039|title=Michele Lepe NBCUniversal Media Village|work=]}}</ref> In 2007, ''Lucy, Light the Way'', an animated guessing game, began with the block's 2007 season.<ref name=amag/> The block ran from the day the channel was launched up until March 31, 2017. |
|
|
* ''''']''''' – ''Sunny Side Up'' was the network's late morning block, airing from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. It featured a puppet character named Chica the Chicken,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/the-chica-show/cast/EP01638826?aid=zap2it|title=''The Chica Show'' cast|work=]}}</ref> who was also the focus of the spinoff series '']''. On August 11, 2017, the show was replaced by '''''Sprout House'''''. |
|
|
|
|
|
==References== |
|
|
{{reflist}} |
|
|
|
|
|
==External links== |
|
|
* {{Official website|https://www.sprout.com}} |
|
|
|
|
|
{{KidsTVBlocksUS}} |
|
|
] |
|