[WillPS]

In all seriousness though I do have a question, given that Sky has recently Launcher their own linear kids channel, which Is Sky Kids, It really makes me wonder if Sky Is going to seize the opportunity and make their channel available on Freeview. Given that now both ITV and the BBC are closing their kids linear TV channels, this would give Sky a huge boost

Does seem interesting that Sky have launched a linear kids channel while Disney, ITV and the BBC are closing theirs. Makes you wonder if they know something the others don't.

Not really. Sky are just differently exposed to ITV (and every other commercial TV network, for that).

They are primarily a pay TV platform provider. Historically they have sold their platform based on the number of channels they make available, most of which they did not carry any profit risk or responsibility for.

As more and more of those channels become unviable it makes sense for Sky to fill in some of those gaps themselves, especially as they have the content available anyway, and the playout/uplink facilities, so the only real cost for them is the satellite carriage (which itself is less sought after and thus less expensive).

With Sky Kids in particular, one presumes the previous arrangement with Paramount was problematic on both sides given Paramount's increasing focus on their own platform.

[eyeTV]

I would think this would need Ofcom approval and some further guarantee on future investment in children's programming.

Why ? it’s not PSB channel …
and OFCOM seems to reduce non BBC PSB obligations all round in any case…
….. and there are no “kids” requirement on itv
www.ofcom.org.uk 

Maybe not, however, ITV have always used the existence of the CITV channel in response to Ofcom in relation to their commitment to PSB children's content.

In this document which is probably the most recent review of PSB Childrens programming they state:

"ITV makes a significant contribution to children’s media in the UK, through the CITV channel which offers original commissions including Scrambled! and Spy School. CITV is the only main linear channel on free-to-air TV that regularly broadcasts content for 6-12 year olds in our weekends block. In 2019, we’ve increased CITV’s budget for children’s content by almost 10% and engaged with the Young Audiences Content Fund, aiming to commission more programmes that reflect the lives of British kids today with CITV's unique tone of voice. Our ITV News team are developing a digital news and current affairs service aimed at teenagers, an exciting next step for ITV News."

www.ofcom.org.uk 

Incidentally, I don't think that ITV News service aimed at teenagers ever came about.

[Roger Darthwell]

My personal opinion is that Sky still believes in the value of linear TV and that they rightfully believe that the best solution for the future is a combined linear TV & on demand presence, and this is the correct strategy

Sky probably also have the money the others don't.

After an initial shock, this news doesn't come exactly as a big surprise, anyway

Yeah but about the money we could also have said the same thing about Disney, which is this huge media conglomerate way bigger than ITV itself, yet they still closed them so I honestly don't think that money is the biggest issue here

[Kojak]

Why ? it’s not PSB channel …
and OFCOM seems to reduce non BBC PSB obligations all round in any case…
….. and there are no “kids” requirement on itv
www.ofcom.org.uk 

Maybe not, however, ITV have always used the existence of the CITV channel in response to Ofcom in relation to their commitment to PSB children's content.

In this document which is probably the most recent review of PSB Childrens programming they state:

"ITV makes a significant contribution to children’s media in the UK, through the CITV channel which offers original commissions including Scrambled! and Spy School. CITV is the only main linear channel on free-to-air TV that regularly broadcasts content for 6-12 year olds in our weekends block. In 2019, we’ve increased CITV’s budget for children’s content by almost 10% and engaged with the Young Audiences Content Fund, aiming to commission more programmes that reflect the lives of British kids today with CITV's unique tone of voice. Our ITV News team are developing a digital news and current affairs service aimed at teenagers, an exciting next step for ITV News."

www.ofcom.org.uk 

Incidentally, I don't think that ITV News service aimed at teenagers ever came about.

There is The Rundown, which might be what they were referring to. Though ITV do have history of big promises that they never keep - I remember when the ITV News Channel closed, they talked about planned bulletins for ITV2 and 3, which never happened.

The Rundown from ITV News: Watch today's edition | ITV News
The Rundown is a news service for young people by ITV News, with a new edition r…
  Source: www.itv.com

[ACTV]

Was that service 'The Rundown' by any chance?

Edit: just beaten to it

[Roger Darthwell]

Why ? it’s not PSB channel …
and OFCOM seems to reduce non BBC PSB obligations all round in any case…
….. and there are no “kids” requirement on itv
www.ofcom.org.uk 

Maybe not, however, ITV have always used the existence of the CITV channel in response to Ofcom in relation to their commitment to PSB children's content.

In this document which is probably the most recent review of PSB Childrens programming they state:

"ITV makes a significant contribution to children’s media in the UK, through the CITV channel which offers original commissions including Scrambled! and Spy School. CITV is the only main linear channel on free-to-air TV that regularly broadcasts content for 6-12 year olds in our weekends block. In 2019, we’ve increased CITV’s budget for children’s content by almost 10% and engaged with the Young Audiences Content Fund, aiming to commission more programmes that reflect the lives of British kids today with CITV's unique tone of voice. Our ITV News team are developing a digital news and current affairs service aimed at teenagers, an exciting next step for ITV News."

www.ofcom.org.uk 

Incidentally, I don't think that ITV News service aimed at teenagers ever came about.

I honestly can't wait to hear ITV's excuse when the next review of PSB Children's programming will come along, on another note it's sad and depressing to see how things reverted after 3 short years

[Rex]

In all seriousness though I do have a question, given that Sky has recently Launcher their own linear kids channel, which Is Sky Kids, It really makes me wonder if Sky Is going to seize the opportunity and make their channel available on Freeview. Given that now both ITV and the BBC are closing their kids linear TV channels, this would give Sky a huge boost

If they did so, Sky would gain a significant audience to children who can't get Sky or NOW. But that's a near 0% chance, Sky are in the business of boosting their Pay TV services and Sky Kids is a part of that. Smart of them to target the preschool audience where linear TV is still viable. 

The CBBC closure is one to keep a very close eye on in the long term, I expect them to go further into detail of where they plan to take the brand forward either later this year or in 2024. They did something similar in December 2014 when they outlined the initial BBC Three online plan

[Roger Darthwell]

In all seriousness though I do have a question, given that Sky has recently Launcher their own linear kids channel, which Is Sky Kids, It really makes me wonder if Sky Is going to seize the opportunity and make their channel available on Freeview. Given that now both ITV and the BBC are closing their kids linear TV channels, this would give Sky a huge boost

If they did so, Sky would gain a significant audience to children who can't get Sky or NOW. But that's a near 0% chance, Sky are in the business of boosting their Pay TV services and Sky Kids is a part of that. Smart of them to target the preschool audience where linear TV is still viable. 

The CBBC closure is one to keep a very close eye on in the long term, I expect them to go further into detail of where they plan to take the brand forward either later this year or in 2024. They did something similar in December 2014 when they outlined the initial BBC Three online plan

With the risk of going slightly off topic, the last update we had on CBBC's closure (and of BBC Four BTW) was in May last year where Charlotte Moore (the BBC's Chief Content Officer) said that the channels won't close "until we think they don't bring value to audiences".  "At the moment, they are extremely good value," Moore insisted. "We won't close those channels until there is that tipping point. Now when that tipping point will come, when we think, 'Actually, that isn't providing value to audiences', none of us quite know, but we're using data to evaluate that all the time." 
Make of that what you will

[JAS84]

The 2015 version of Teletubbies is still being shown on CBeebies to this day. Bob the Builder was indeed shown on Milkshake for a while before ending up on LittleBe.

It’s worth mentioning that the press release doesn’t even mention the live-action Teletubbies series, it’s the animated shorts series ‘Teletubbies Let’s Go!’

Ah - never heard of it, and they forgot the comma, so I assumed Lets Go was a new Sooty programme, given that Sooty is the next thing mentioned there.

In all seriousness though I do have a question, given that Sky has recently Launcher their own linear kids channel, which Is Sky Kids, It really makes me wonder if Sky Is going to seize the opportunity and make their channel available on Freeview. Given that now both ITV and the BBC are closing their kids linear TV channels, this would give Sky a huge boost

Sky Kids is a competitor to Cbeebies and LittleBe, not CBBC and CITV, so it wouldn't be a like for like replacement. Pop will be the only Freeview kids channel aimed at older children left. Maybe Pop Max will be made available on the platform nationally (instead of just in Manchester) to fill the void.

[Rex]

If they did so, Sky would gain a significant audience to children who can't get Sky or NOW. But that's a near 0% chance, Sky are in the business of boosting their Pay TV services and Sky Kids is a part of that. Smart of them to target the preschool audience where linear TV is still viable. 

The CBBC closure is one to keep a very close eye on in the long term, I expect them to go further into detail of where they plan to take the brand forward either later this year or in 2024. They did something similar in December 2014 when they outlined the initial BBC Three online plan

With the risk of going slightly off topic, the last update we had on CBBC's closure (and of BBC Four BTW) was in May last year where Charlotte Moore (the BBC's Chief Content Officer) said that the channels won't close "until we think they don't bring value to audiences".  "At the moment, they are extremely good value," Moore insisted. "We won't close those channels until there is that tipping point. Now when that tipping point will come, when we think, 'Actually, that isn't providing value to audiences', none of us quite know, but we're using data to evaluate that all the time." 
Make of that what you will

Been very aware of that. Internally this is the argument that ITV has made in closing down CITV; the budget is there, but the children aren't there watching it. It was astute of them to provide actual data supporting their justification to close the channel. ITV are in a bit of a lucky position regarding their other channels. ITV2 and 3 consistently rate well to the point where the latter is the most-watched channel outside of the 5 main channels, ITV4 and Be perform well too. 

The real argument Moore made was, how much are we spending on this channel? And is it possible to have a viable audience watching to justify that programming budget?

CBBC has the same problem CITV has. There is money to be invested in children's content but the audiences are continuing to shrink to a level where the BBC has to rethink on what kind of service it has to offer for children. No doubt that a linear closure for sure will impact those without reliable internet access at the moment. 

BBC Four as of the last annual report only cost around £22m to run but it has been so neutered as a channel that the BBC can't possibly risk salami-slicing the budget again and again. What else will go from it? The international drama? The arts performances? Right now both channels offer value but from a realistic perspective the Beeb is looking at the situation for the long term. And I'm sure all broadcasters are doing so too for their own linear services.