[Brekkie]

Tiny Pop is the latest kids channel to go online only, ending Freeview, Satellite and Cable transmissions from March.

Although this is the trend a bit of a surprise IMO considering the Pop kids channels punch above their weight, Narrative as a whole has grown market share and Pop Max hasn't long launched on Freeview. The kids channels aimed at younger kids tend to do better too.

rxtvinfo.com 

Popular Freeview kids channel switches to online-only > RXTV info
Children's channel Tiny POP will be solely available via online & strea…
  Source: rxtvinfo.com

[Allanbuzzy]

I do wonder if this makes other broadcasters consider the potential of FAST. Really bizarre they're doing it for their younger offshoot but their reasoning of the shift to online for this generation makes sense.

Course, it does make me wonder if there's potential for the BBC to end up doing the same thing for CBBC. If they did it for CBeebies, parents would be fuming.

[Milkshake]

Not surprised, Most of pop channels now run via the Local slots? I don't think Ive seen one of thier channel in ages.

[Kunst]

It's weird, I would've expected the older skewed POP to go online first, or POP Max

[callumwatchestelly]

Tiny Pop is the latest kids channel to go online only, ending Freeview, Satellite and Cable transmissions from March.

Although this is the trend a bit of a surprise IMO considering the Pop kids channels punch above their weight, Narrative as a whole has grown market share and Pop Max hasn't long launched on Freeview. The kids channels aimed at younger kids tend to do better too.

rxtvinfo.com 

I'm not sure I'd be surprised if all Pop channels went in an online only state then...

[Rex]

I do wonder if this makes other broadcasters consider the potential of FAST. Really bizarre they're doing it for their younger offshoot but their reasoning of the shift to online for this generation makes sense.

Course, it does make me wonder if there's potential for the BBC to end up doing the same thing for CBBC. If they did it for CBeebies, parents would be fuming.

Moves like these are only going to strengthen the BBC's case to close CBBC, the best case scenario is a move to FAST channel without the carriage costs.

This domino effect really began with the CITV closure last year

[i.h]

Moves like these are only going to strengthen the BBC's case to close CBBC, the best case scenario is a move to FAST channel without the carriage costs.

This domino effect really began with the CITV closure last year

Just as with the original BBC Three closure, it wouldn't actually save very much. Much of their broadcast infrastructure (ie the freeview/satellite capacity) runs at a fixed cost whether they transmit one channel or ten. At best there might be some kind of saving on the services that are bought in from Red Bee - but someone's got to do FAST.

Pop can realise actual savings because they had to rent space from others. ITV seemed to use its closure as a vehicle to encourage ITVX takeup, not as an actual cost saving activity.

Then there's the inevitable backlash that would come from turning a licence fee funded core service into something that needs a further subscription to operate.

[Brekkie]

Moves like these are only going to strengthen the BBC's case to close CBBC, the best case scenario is a move to FAST channel without the carriage costs.

This domino effect really began with the CITV closure last year

I'd actually say the opposite - commercial channels going online means the BBC linear channels are arguably even more needed.

I see the existing POP and Tiny Pop fast channels run a different schedule to their TV equivalents. They run less ads too - but not sure if when they air shows that would usually need a 31 minute slot to get an internal ad break would get an internal ad break in a 24-26 minute slot online.

[Kunst]

Online AFAIK OFCOM legislation does not apply, therefore they can show internal advertising even in slots shorter than 31 mins.

E.g. kids content on Pluto TV, at least here in Italy, has 2 breaks or 1, which wouldn't be admissable here on normal channels

[Brekkie]

Do have to wonder how long that anomaly will be allowed to exist.