ViacomCBS Launches 'My Nick Jr.' Service on KPN in the Netherlands

ViacomCBS Networks Benelux today (October 15) launched My Nick Jr., Nickelodeon's award-winning personal programming service for preschoolers in the Netherlands (Nederland) in partnership with Dutch telecommunications company KPN!

KPN's TV customers with a Plus or Kids package can now access My Nick Jr., a linear edutainment product aimed at young viewers between 2 and 6 years old. The service enables parents to personalise what their child watches and for how long, as well as what educational themes to focus on, such as language and math.

My Nick Jr. features hours of educational episodes of beloved Nick Jr. shows. Using the service, preschoolers can improve important skills such as calculation, creativity, and languages, all while having fun with their favourite Nick Jr. characters.

My Nick Jr. is available on KPN channel 50.

My Nick Jr. has previously launched in China, France, Spain and the UK.

Official ViacomCBS Networks Benelux press (pers) release:

ViacomCBS creëert veilige kijk- en leeromgeving met lancering van My Nick Jr. bij KPN

15/10/2020

My Nick Jr. biedt een gepersonaliseerde, veilige, educatieve en reclamevrije kijkervaring voor kinderen

Vanaf vandaag hebben klanten van KPN toegang tot My Nick Jr., een uniek en lineair edutainment product van ViacomCBS gericht op de jongste kijker. Binnen My Nick Jr. krijgen ouders de mogelijkheid om het kijkgedrag van hun kinderen te cureren en personaliseren rondom 11 educatieve thema’s (zoals taal en rekenen). My Nick Jr. biedt hiermee een veilige en leerzame omgeving voor kinderen zonder enige vorm van reclame. Het innovatieve nieuwe product is vanaf nu lineair beschikbaar voor alle klanten van KPN met een Plus- of Kidspakket via kanaal 50.

 

My Nick Jr. bevat meer dan 600 verschillende programma’s, zoals PAW Patrol en Blaze & The Monster Machines, gericht op kinderen tussen de 2 en 6 jaar. Ouders kunnen door het kiezen van verschillende educatieve thema’s tot 3 verschillende kanalen aanmaken voor een volledig gepersonaliseerde lineaire kijkervaring voor hun kinderen.

 

My Nick Jr. lanceerde eerder al in China, Frankrijk en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. In Frankrijk won het educatieve product al onder meer de prijs voor ‘best enhanced TV service’ tijdens de ITV Awards op MIPCOM en de award voor ‘entertainment app of the year’ tijdens de Trophée des Apps.

 

My Nick Jr. is als lineaire zender vanaf nu voor alle KPN klanten met een Plus- of Kidspakket beschikbaar via kanaal 50.

 

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From KPN:

Met de gratis My Nick Jr. app kijken kinderen veilig naar programma’s

Ouders opgelet. Nickelodeon komt met een nieuwe gratis app die vanaf nu gratis te gebruiken is als je het Pluspakket of Kidspakket hebt. Deze app is een veilige, en leuke tv-app voor kinderen. Hij geeft jou controle over wat jouw kind te zien krijgt en hoe lang. Je vindt de slimme My Nick Jr. app op kanaal 50.

Hoe werkt het?

Ga naar kanaal 50 om de app op je TV op te starten. Maak eenvoudig een profiel aan voor één of meerdere kinderen. Selecteer per profiel minimaal 3 thema’s, bijvoorbeeld Rekenen, Creativiteit of Nieuwsgierigheid. Selecteer vervolgens minimaal 3 favoriete programma’s, zoals Dora, Shimmer en Shine of Paw Patrol.

Je kunt de app ook instellen op basis van leeftijd of geslacht. Aan de hand van de opgegeven voorkeuren en ingestelde kijktijd, past de app de programma’s aan die jouw kind in een veilige omgeving kan kijken. Het openen en afsluiten van de app is alleen mogelijk door middel van het oplossen van een rekensom, dus je kinderen kunnen niet zomaar de app afsluiten.

De My Nick Jr. app uitproberen?

Zet je TV aan en ga dan nu naar kanaal 50 om gebruik te maken van de app. Zie je de app nog niet? Dan heb je misschien nog geen zenderpakket van KPN. Je vindt hier informatie hoe je het Pluspakket of Kidspakket kunt bestellen.     

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KPN customers get access to My Nick Jr

KPN's TV customers with a Plus or Kids package can now access My Nick Jr, a linear edutainment product from ViacomCBS, aimed at young viewers between 2 and 6 years old. The service enables parents to personalise the viewing behaviour of their children around 11 educational themes, such as language and math. They can create three channels in this way.

My Nick Jr has already launched in China, France and the UK.

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Meer Nick: Jantje Beton, Nickelodeon Netherlands and More Partner to Launch 'De Buitenspelers' Initiative!

H/T: Totaal TV.

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Nickelodeon Partners With Vodafone To Launch My Nick Jr. In Spain

Nickelodeon España has today announced the exciting news that the number-one entertainment brand for kids has teamed up with Vodafone España to launch a localised version of the award-winning My Nick Jr. personal programming service, which allows parents to programme a customised playlist for their preschool child, in Spain!

Launched today, Nickelodeon's fully customisable interactive My Nick Jr. personal programming service is available to Vodafone España customers who subscribe to the 'Extra' and 'Total' TV packages.

Aimed at children aged 3-6 years old, My Nick Jr. features hours of educational episodes of beloved Nick Jr. UK shows such as Dora the Explorer, Bubble Guppies, Go, Diego, Go!, Team Umizoomi, Ni Hao, Kai Lan, and Blue's Clues. Using the service, preschoolers can improve important skills such as calculation, creativity, and languages, all while having fun with their favourite Nick Jr. characters.

Using the app, parents can create a My Nick Jr. profile for their child. Within each profile, parents may select specific topics that they wish to make prominent in their child's My Nick Jr. playlist as well as the duration for which they wish their child to watch Nick Jr. programming. Parents can create up to three individual profiles.

My Nick Jr. comes with two pre-configured custom channels: Knowledge and Behaviour, which feature programming focused on these two subjects.

Once a child has finished watching an episode they are asked to rate the show using the 'Like' or 'Do Not Like' buttons. The Nick Jr. app quickly learns the preferences of the child and chooses episodes to play accordingly.

My Nick Jr. has been created using the most modern methods to ensure that each child that uses the service has a customized channel which has been perfectly tailored to their tastes and needs.

My Nick Jr. was first launched in France through CanalSat, a unit of Vivendi SA, in 2012. Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) subsequently launched the service in the UK through Virgin Media for its TiVo customers, in the U.S. through Verizon, and in China via SMIT.

From Nickelodeon España's official Nick Xtra blog:

16/09/2016

DESCUBRE MY NICK JR, CANAL PERSONALIZADO PARA LOS MÁS PEQUES

Hoy traemos un lanzamiento súper molón dirigido a los más peques de la casa. Así que si tienes hermanos/as, vecinos/as, primos/as pequeños presta mucha atención. Se trata de un canal de tele personalizado y adaptado completamente a los gustos de los más pequeños. ¿A que suena muy bien? Sigue leyendo…

Se llama My Nick Jr. y estará disponible para los abonados de Vodafone que tengan contratado el paquete TV Extra o el TV Total a través del dial 81. Dentro se pueden crear hasta tres canales distintos, por si hay varios peques en casa, y que cada uno lleve su nombre.

Las series de My Nick Jr. son todas educativas y ayudan a los niños/as a mejorar habilidades como el cálculo, la creatividad, los idiomas… Y todo lo aprenden divirtiéndose, ¿no es genial?

Al ver cada capítulo hay que hacer clic en ”me gusta” o “no me gusta” y así se va adaptando el canal a los gustos del niño/a, retransmitiendo siempre series y contenidos que le puedan gustar. ¡Parece magia!

My Nick Jr. se ha creado con los métodos más modernos para asegurar que cada niño/a tenga su canal personalizado perfectamente adaptado a sus gustos y necesidades. ¿A que mola?

Además de los canales personalizados hay dos que ya vienen configurados: Conocimiento y Comportamiento, centrados en estos dos temas.

Así que si tienes hermanos, primos, vecinos… de entre 3 y 6 años date prisa y cuéntales como divertirse mientras aprenden con My Nick Jr.

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Additionally, via Europa Press:

Vodafone incluye en su oferta de televisión 'My Nick Jr.', un canal interactivo que permite a padres elegir contenidos

MADRID, 16 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Vodafone España ha incluido en su oferta de televisión 'My Nick Jr.', un canal interactivo que permite a los padres adaptar los contenidos disponibles en función de las preferencias, gustos y edad de sus hijos.

Según ha informado este viernes 16 de septiembre la compañía de telecomunicaciones, este nuevo canal estará disponible para los clientes que cuenten con los paquetes de televisión 'Extra' y 'Total'.

En relación con 'My Nick Jr.', ha explicado que es "totalmente personalizable" por los padres, y tiene en cuenta las preferencias seleccionadas por cada usuario, basadas a su vez en su opinión sobre el contenido del que disfruta.

"Los padres podrán elegir entre los temas educativos disponibles, como lengua extranjera, memoria o cálculo. El niño, por su parte, irá indicando al final de cada capítulo si le ha gustado o no, configurando así sus preferencias, creando su propio canal. Además, el padre configura el tiempo de visualización del canal en función también de sus necesidades", ha detallado.

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Viacom and SMIT Enter Collaboration to Bring Award-Winning Edutainment Kids Service "My Nick Jr." to China

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world's leading providers of original entertainment content, has today, Wednesday 23rd April 2014, announced in the following press release, from Business Wire, that it has entered a collaboration with SMIT, a global leader in conditional access module (CAM) manufacturing based in China! The award-winning "My Nick Jr.", a first of its kind user-personalized edutainment programming service that allows parents to curate and customize their children's multiplatform linear viewing experience around 11 educational themes, will be launched in China by both partners – marking the first time in the world that "My Nick Jr." will be delivered as a dedicated over-the-top (OTT) service! This collaboration also signifies the inaugural introduction of "My Nick Jr." in Asia following successful debuts of the service in France and the UK, and an announced launch in the U.S.

Announced at the Asia Pacific Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali this week, "My Nick Jr." in China will be available to subscribers of iVmall, an OTT Internet video service platform operated by Shenzhen Video Mall Network Technology Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of SMIT. iVmall will run China's first completely paid subscriber model for an Internet video service and is expected to roll out "My Nick Jr." as part of iVmall's commercial launch by middle of 2014 via iOS and Android apps and a dedicated website.

Xueliang Huang, Chairman and CEO of SMIT Corporation, and Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom International Media Networks, with Nick Jr. Megastar Dora the Explorer (Photo: Business Wire)

"My Nick Jr." in China will feature hundreds of Nick Jr. episodes, including titles such as "Dora the Explorer", "Go, Diego, Go!", "Team Umizoomi" and "Ni Hao, Kai Lan". The advertisement-free personalized programming service allows parents to create a customized "My Nick Jr." profile and schedule for their child, according to their child's age and gender, and 11 educational themes identified within the programs in Nick Jr.'s extensive library of preschool content (e.g. Problem Solving, Math, Language and more). "My Nick Jr." also constantly adapts to the preferences of each child, who may at any time use the app to rate each episode. The partnership with SMIT also marks the first time that "My Nick Jr." will be offered in two languages in one market, providing parents the option to set their children's viewing experience to English or Mandarin. Additionally, parents may choose desired viewing durations, can be sent email 'report cards' summarizing what their children have watched and which topics have been covered within the viewed episodes, and use the shows for discussions with their children.

According to the latest report by CNNIC, 247 out of nearly 500 million Chinese mobile users now watch videos online in China.

"My Nick Jr." was first launched in France through CanalSat, a unit of Vivendi SA, in 2012. It has launched in the UK through Virgin Media for its TiVo customers and will soon launch in the U.S. through Verizon. VIMN Asia plans to roll out My Nick Jr. to other Asia Pay-TV/OTT operators later.

Nickelodeon's "My Nick Jr." won "Best Application for Entertainment" at the Trophée des Apps in October 2013 and "Best Enhanced TV Service" at International Interactive TV Awards during MIPCOM 2012.

Original Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia Press Release:

Viacom and SMIT Enter Collaboration to Bring Award-Winning¹ Edutainment Kids Service, My Nick Jr. to China

Launch Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind User-Personalized Edutainment Programming Service to Asia

April 23, 2014 11:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

BALI, Indonesia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading providers of original entertainment content, today announced it has entered a collaboration with SMIT, a global leader in conditional access module (CAM) manufacturing based in China. The award-winning¹ My Nick Jr., a first of its kind user-personalized edutainment programming service that allows parents to curate and customize their children’s multiplatform linear viewing experience around 11 educational themes, will be launched in China by both partners – marking the first time in the world that My Nick Jr. will be delivered as a dedicated over-the-top (OTT) service. This collaboration also signifies the inaugural introduction of My Nick Jr. in Asia following successful debuts of the service in France and the UK, and an announced launch in the U.S.

Announced at the Asia Pacific Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali this week, My Nick Jr. in China will be available to subscribers of iVmall, an OTT Internet video service platform operated by Shenzhen Video Mall Network Technology Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of SMIT. iVmall will run China’s first completely paid subscriber model for an Internet video service and is expected to roll out My Nick Jr. as part of iVmall’s commercial launch by middle of 2014 via iOS and Android apps and a dedicated website.

My Nick Jr. in China will feature hundreds of Nick Jr. episodes, including titles such as Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go!, Team Umizoomi and Ni Hao Kai Lan. The advertisement-free personalized programming service allows parents to create a customized My Nick Jr. profile and schedule for their child, according to their child’s age and gender, and 11 educational themes identified within the programs in Nick Jr.’s extensive library of preschool content (e.g. Problem Solving, Math, Language and more). My Nick Jr. also constantly adapts to the preferences of each child, who may at any time use the app to rate each episode. The partnership with SMIT also marks the first time that My Nick Jr. will be offered in two languages in one market, providing parents the option to set their children’s viewing experience to English or Mandarin. Additionally, parents may choose desired viewing durations, can be sent email ‘report cards’ summarizing what their children have watched and which topics have been covered within the viewed episodes, and use the shows for discussions with their children.

"Nick Jr. is about giving children and parents what they want – 'A Smart Place to Play'. With My Nick Jr., we are offering parents a unique user-personalized digital viewing edutainment experience for their children to learn in a safe, supervised environment while maximizing their enjoyment watching their beloved Nick Jr. shows and characters like Dora the Explorer," said Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIMN. "We're thrilled to be SMIT's exclusive international kids' entertainment app partner for pre-school children through this collaboration on iVmall. SMIT not only shares our belief in this product for children, but also delivers the technology know-how to bring My Nick Jr. to life in China."

"We are convinced of the potential of the My Nick Jr. service as we are living in the world of personalization. Chinese families who join our Internet video service will love the My Nick Jr. service for their children and we are delighted to not only be the first Internet video platform to launch it in China, but in Asia too. This certainly reinforces our commitment to be a serious player in the burgeoning Internet Video service market in China," said Chairman and CEO of SMIT Corporation, Xueliang Huang.

According to the latest report by CNNIC, 247 out of nearly 500 million Chinese mobile users now watch videos online in China.

My Nick Jr. was first launched in France through CanalSat, a unit of Vivendi SA, in 2012. It has launched in the UK through Virgin Media for its TiVo customers and will soon launch in the U.S. through Verizon. VIMN Asia plans to roll out My Nick Jr. to other Asia Pay-TV/OTT operators later.

¹ My Nick Jr. won “Best Application for Entertainment” at the Trophée des Apps in October 2013 and “Best Enhanced TV Service” at International Interactive TV Awards during MIPCOM 2012.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year globally and 16th year in Asia, is one of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia entertainment brands for kids and family. The company has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does with a portfolio that extends across television, music, publishing, digital media, mobile and consumer products. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. are seen in more than 60 million households throughout North and Southeast Asia region with 24-hour programming services including Nickelodeon Southeast Asia, Nickelodeon Korea, as well as Nickelodeon branded program blocks and syndications. For information about Nickelodeon in Asia, visit www.nick-asia.com.

About Viacom International Media Networks

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is comprised of many of the world's most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands are seen globally in more than 600 million households in 170 territories and 37 languages via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

About iVmall

iVmall (originated from the concept of Internet Video Mall) is a service platform operated by "ShenZhen Video Mall Network Technology Co., Ltd.", a subsidiary of SMIT. Aimed to be as the first full pay service platform in China, iVmall provides users with unique quality programs in pre-school education, sports, lifestyle and live events (please note that the products planning might be adjusted). Subscribers can enjoy quality programs without the interruptions of commercials (advertisement), [...]

The goal is to build up our service platform to be the no. 1 brand that provides subscribers (aimed for upper middle class) an efficient access to be connecting to the world-class quality life, i.e. to Travel with iVmall to see the world.

About SMIT Corporation

SMIT Corporation ("SMIT") provides devices that enable secure digital content delivery for the pay-TV industry, allowing authorized subscribers access to protected content. SMIT is a global leader in the design and development of conditional access modules ("CAM"s), which enable the delivery of premium content to digital TVs without the need for a set-top-box ("STB"). SMIT's CAMs are custom designed to meet the strict security requirements of each conditional access ("CA") provider and the varied user-interface and compliance requirements of each pay TV operator. As Over-the-Top TV ("OTT"), internet video streaming, enriches the way content is delivered and consumed, SMIT also provides OTT solution and offers cloud platform to allow access to paid content by multiple screens in the household.

Contacts
Media:

Viacom International Media Networks
Adeline Ong, (65) 6420 7240
Mobile: (65) 9366 7323
Senior Director, Corporate & Brand Communications, Asia
[...]
Twitter: @VIMNAsia_PR
or
VIMN
Kate Laverge, +1 212-654-4335
Vice President, Communications
[...]
or
VIMN
Bernadette Simpao, +1-212-654-4311
Senior Director, Communications
[...]
or
iVmall
Lolina Chou, 00886939236904
Director of International Content
[...]

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Nickelodeon Executives Talk About Creating Content For The Digital-First Age

According to a 2013 study by the Georgia Institute of Technology, more than 90% of young people are considered to be digital natives in the developed world, a statistic which hasn't been lost on major US kid networks, including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Sprout. In their efforts to offer the best, most accessible content to tech-savvy kids, wherever and whenever they want it, all three broadcasters have recently launched new innovative streaming-based services aimed to educate and entertain their youngest viewers.

In the following article from the children's entertainment and media news website Kidscreen, Nickelodeon Group president Cyma Zarghami, Pier Gazzolo, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), and Matthew Evans, Nickelodeon Group Senior Vice President (SVP) of Nickelodeon Digital, talk about how they are reaching kids everywhere with the Nick App and My Nick Jr. apps, and the upcoming Nick Jr. App, which Nickelodeon is planning to release during Spring 2014.

First launched in 2012 on CanalSat in France, Nickelodeon's My Nick Jr. platform is now available to more than two million Virgin Media TiVo homes in the UK, to Verizon FiOS customers in the US. In the article, below, Kidscreen reports that Nickelodeon are currently in advanced discussions with five more international partners across three continents to launch the My Nickelodeon Junior app in more international territories:

Disney, Nick and Sprout dish on creating content for the digital-first age

According to a 2013 study by the Georgia Institute of Technology, more than 90% of young people are considered to be digital natives in the developed world, a statistic not lost on major US kidnets Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Sprout. In their efforts to offer the best, most accessible content to tech-savvy kids, wherever and whenever they want it, all three broadcasters have recently launched new innovative streaming-based services aimed to educate and entertain their youngest viewers.

It's a clear sign of the times, given the impact SVOD services like Netflix have had on more traditional linear television. But despite all the talk of how SVOD services potentially breed cable-cutters and cannibalize linear ratings, traditional TV remains on top. Metrics guru Nielsen's December 2013 cross-platform report on global media consumption patterns found that traditional TV is the most-consumed form of media among all demographics.

And with TV holding strong as the top destination for viewing, kidnets are seeing the new multiplatform landscape as a prime space to offer highly measurable, non-linear extensions and original IP designed to complement linear programming.

While the nets are certainly going to great lengths to establish a non-linear presence with core six to 11 viewers, the interesting thing is that much of their effort in the SVOD and app space is focused on preschool programming. A smart move considering the percentage of US kids under two who used a mobile device in 2013 rose to 38% from 10% in 2011, according to research firm Common Sense Media's 2013 report, Zero to Eight: Children's Media Use in America.

Beyond the affinity preschoolers have for tablets and smartphones, Gary Pope suggests another reason why broadcasters might be interested in appealing to the demo in this way. The childhood development expert and co-founder of UK-based family research and branding agency, Kid Industries, contends that kidnets have a lot to gain by thinking differently when it comes to digital. He says digital-first experiences for preschoolers, if well executed, could be more beneficial when it comes to gaining and retaining new viewers as they grow older.

"If a viewer has a good learning experience that is playful and emotive, and solidifies a memory that he or she is able to recall, then it's much more advantageous for companies to gain a customer through an interaction rather than the passive viewing of linear TV," says Pope. "It gives kids much more connectedness to the content."

To that end, almost a year since it introduced the free interactive Nick App, which has amassed more than eight million downloads globally since its US debut in February 2013, Nickelodeon turned its attention to preschoolers and unveiled My Nick Junior. The commercial-free, interactive VOD channel is inspired by the Netflixes of the world and personalized media services like Pandora.

First launched in 2012 on CanalSat in France, the platform is now available to more than two million Virgin Media TiVo homes in the UK, to Verizon FiOS customers in the US, and advanced discussions are underway between Nick and five more international partners across three continents.

The hybrid experience, which features both scheduled programming and on-demand options, lets parents customize video playlists for their preschool child and curate titles according to developmental themes such as "science and nature," "creativity," and "problem solving." Preschoolers can also rate their favorite episodes. My Nick Junior then "learns" the child's preferences and programs accordingly, choosing from a library that features 650 episodes of Nick Jr. series.

According to Pier Gazzolo, COO of Viacom International Media Networks, the model was test-driven in France in August 2012. As of October 2013, more than 600,000 episodes were viewed per month, and by January this year, users had created more than 120,000 personalized channels.

More importantly, Gazzolo says My Nick Junior didn't cannibalize Nick Jr.'s French linear channel. "We continue to grow our ratings. Viewers are watching on the linear channels, then going to My Nick Junior, then switching back to linear to watch more," says Gazzolo. "It actually complements more than it cannibalizes, and is a great way to connect parents with their kids."

Nickelodeon Group president Cyma Zarghami says staying on top of digital trends is something the network can't afford to ignore, despite the fact that 95% of all preschool viewing in the US still takes place via linear TV.

"Television is where we've been able to build our brand equity and trust with the audience, but at the same time we don't want to be caught not knowing where the audience is going, which is why we are building best-in-class platforms," says Zarghami.

"When and if the day comes where there is a true shift in the viewership, then we will have as much equity and quality in both places as we possibly can."

Further growing its digital footprint, Nickelodeon is releasing the long-awaited Nick Jr. App in the US this spring as a free, live-streaming branded platform for iPads. Its launch will coincide with the debut of more than 100 hours of new preschool content for Nick's 2014/15 preschool slate, including Dora spinoff Dora and Friends and STEM curriculum-based Blaze and the Monster Machines.

The ad-supported app, according to Nickelodeon Group SVP of Nick Digital, Matthew Evans, features live-streaming of network shows, educational activities, short-form videos and a unique function that lets characters like Dora the Explorer and Twist from The Fresh Beat Band respond to users through tap interactions. Full-length on-demand episodes and the linear feed of Nick Jr. can also be accessed by households that subscribe to a TV service package with Nick and any one of its 18 distributors.

Evans says it is not a re-skin of the Nick App and was developed specifically for preschoolers as the primary users, as opposed to My Nick Junior, which is more of a parent-driven platform. "We're giving kids the opportunity to feel empowered through guided exploration and engagement with the Nick preschool characters that they love," says Evans.

Meanwhile, staying focused on the SVOD revolution has been top-of-mind for Nick rival Disney, but the Mouse House has opted for a slightly different preschool strategy.

Recognizing the explosion of mobile device usage by preschoolers, Disney decided to launch its brand-new original animated preschool series Sheriff Callie's Wild West on its WATCH Disney Junior app last November, a full two months before premiering the show on its US Disney Junior block and channel in January.

The app-launch strategy, a first for Disney, was risky but it paid off. Sheriff Callie's television debut drew record ratings and was the top-ranked show in its time period across all preschool demos. The series also generated more than 23 million video views via the WATCH Disney Junior iOS app between November and January.

"We had a lot of conversations about whether or not we should even try this type of launch, and there was a lot of talk about cannibalization of content, but we just didn't see that," says Lauren DeVillier, VP of digital media for Disney Channels Worldwide.

She attributes the launch's success to a combination of factors—including the quality of the show's stories and characters and Disney's use of short-form teasers to introduce kids to Sheriff Callie's cast before making full episodes available on the app.

"The WATCH apps stand up to all of the other distribution portals based on their content alone. When you look at Hulu and Netflix, it is the content that people are attracted to. Our apps are only as good as the content inside of them," contends DeVillier. She adds that the tricky part of promoting a digital-first show is managing the plethora of media access points consumers use today. "We had to be really clear about messaging. In addition, the concept of WATCH is still really new. We still have a lot to do in educating consumers on what it is and how to get it."

Launched in 2012, Disney's suite of WATCH apps for Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior and ABC allow authenticated Comcast cable subscribers to access top Disney series live and on-demand anywhere they want. To date, they have generated a whopping 1.5 billion video views, but DeVillier says linear still leads the pack. "We're always driving back to the network because it is the primary touchpoint," she says.

Even with this first success, DeVillier wouldn't reveal whether or not Disney has any short- or long-term plans to launch any more original preschool shows via the app-first route. "We talk about it and look at each project individually. Digital is such an integral part of the overall strategy for what we do with our shows now," she says.

Case in point is the Disney Junior Appisodes app for iOS devices, which lets kids interact with various activities embedded into episodes of select Disney Junior shows like Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Since launching in 2012, the app continues to resonate with consumers. In December 2013, a total of 11 of the top 50 grossing kids apps for iOS were based on Disney properties (Disney Junior Appisodes included), according to digital analytics firm App Annie. "For us, launching Appisodes was a natural evolution of getting kids really engaged in the stories and being able to move narratives forward," says DeVillier.

While Disney continues to dip its toes into the digital-first space for preschool, Nickelodeon's approach has been to premiere new preschool programs to its built-in TV audience first. "The idea that we would introduce content to eight million homes, when we have 95 million homes to do it with, is counter-intuitive to the business we're in. As long as the TV platform [for preschool] is bigger than the digital platforms, we'll continue to use the TV channel as our mother ship to introduce content, and then migrate to digital," says Zarghami.

Nick did premiere Wallykazam!, the kidnet's first preschool series with an embedded literacy curriculum, as a free download on the US iTunes store a week before bowing the program on its Nick Junior block in early February. However, Zarghami says the decision was part of a coordinated marketing campaign, not an overarching business strategy.

"On special occasions, if we do believe there is an appetite to put more content in one place than another to experiment or drive the audience to digital, then we can do that," Zarghami says. "We have some great ideas about extended content that could go on the Nick Jr. App that would be exclusive offshoots of the content we have for TV."

For My Nick Junior, Gazollo says there are no current plans to launch digital-first content. "If we and our partners reach a place where we both feel it would be beneficial to launch new content there first, we might consider it, but that has not been part of the plan so far," he says.

As Disney and Nickelodeon continue to evolve multiplatform preschool strategies, 24-hour US preschool net Sprout has been blurring the lines between linear and digital for nine years. It launched as a VOD channel before taking to traditional airwaves.

"Launching on VOD first was a very good indication of us being prepared for where we are today, on every screen wherever kids can access us," says Andrew Beecham, Sprout SVP of programming. "Our linear service, which is all about short-form content, is still the key because it is the only place where you get the full Sprout experience from our signature blocks. But VOD is fantastic for kids who need a deeper experience and may want to watch multiple 30-minute episodes."

Further expanding its on-the-go digital reach, the network recently launched Sprout Now, a web-streaming app that gives its authenticated channel subscribers access to content on multiple platforms and is part of cable giant (and Sprout owner) Comcast's ongoing TV Everywhere initiative.

Among the app's current features are almost all of Sprout's linear content (including originals like The Chica Show and third-party series such as Sesame Street), a simple-to-use, icon-driven interface, and a tool for creating user favorites lists.
Sprout Now adds to the network's growing library of apps, which helps drive eyeballs to Sprout's linear and web services. "We are very good about leading our viewers from one platform to the next. We have the same programming on all of our destinations, but it's packaged in different ways to suit what kids and parents are doing at key times of the day," says Beecham.

As for launching new digital-first preschool original series, Sprout is taking an inventive approach that falls somewhere between the mindsets of Disney and Nickelodeon.

The channel, which is in the midst of transitioning its linear service to an originals-driven slate, is using the digital-first approach to test new short-form appisodes that could potentially be turned into long-form commissions.

Enter Edison the Invention Detective. Created by New York-based interactive media company yummico, and produced in partnership with DHX Media, the new 11-minute appisode series follows the adventures of Edison, a young girl inventor who loves to solve mysteries.

"We believe this is the first time an appisode is being used by a US broadcaster as a low-cost alternative to traditional TV pilot development," says yummico co-founder Traci Paige Johnson of Blue's Clues fame. (When asked if Disney would consider creating original appisodes for pilot development, DeVillier says it plans to stick to appisodes based on its iconic brands. "We have no current plans to do this, but we are always looking at innovative new ideas," she says.)

With Sprout's first Edison appisode set for an April launch to kick off a period of public and internal evaluation, the channel is also readying its new original series Ruff-Ruff, Tweet & Dave, a preschool game show that encourages viewers to play along on a tablet or smartphone. A reward system for answering questions correctly and for coming back to the program is a key feature, along with the series' audio watermarking technology. "It's a great way of extending the video experience," says Beecham.

Assessing the new landscape, Johnson expects the wave of new streaming platforms and digital products aimed at preschoolers to continue to swell. "The next five years will be telling as the seeds of digital-first and subscription models on tablets grow into bigger trees," she says. "Anything can happen, which is exciting and nerve wracking, but you have to keep making things with heart that speak to kids and parents, and the best will rise to the top."

Tags: apps, Disney Channel, mobile, My Nickelodeon Junior, Nickelodeon, Sprout, SVOD, WATCH Disney Channel

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Nickelodeon UK And Virgin Media Launch My Nick Jr. App In The UK

Nickelodeon UK has announced in the following Press Release that Nickelodeon UK, the number one commercial kids TV network in the UK, and the UK cable operator Virgin Media have teamed up to bring the "My Nick Jr. App" to the UK! The commercial-free personal programming service will be available to Virgin Media TiVo customers on TV packages L and XL from today, Thursday 27th February 2014, and will allow parents to programme a customised playlist for their preschool child.

"My Nick Jr. is a unique service in the UK delivering Nick Jr. programming to families in a format they can control," said Tina McCann, Managing Director, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland. "The wealth of Nick Jr. programming available on the app ensures that there will always be something to delight and enlighten viewers while My Nick Jr.'s interface offers parents an innovative way to guide their preschooler's viewing and to set the developmental themes that are important to them."

Dora the Explorer

"My Nick Jr." features 650 Nick Jr. UK episodes including episodes of beloved Nick Jr. UK shows such as "Dora the Explorer", "Bubble Guppies", "Tickety Toc" and "Dinosaur Train". Using the app, parents can create an individual "My Nick Jr." profile for their child. Within this profile, parents may select specific topics that they wish to make prominent in their child's "My Nick Jr." playlist as well as the duration for which they wish their child to watch Nick Jr. programming. Once a child has finished watching an episode they are asked to rate the show using the 'arrow up' or 'arrow down', via Virgin Media's TiVo remote. The Nick Jr. app learns the preferences of the child and chooses episodes to play accordingly. Through the app, parents may elect to be sent emails summarising what their children have watched and which topics have been covered within the viewed episodes.

Scott Kewley, Director of digital entertainment, Virgin Media said, "We know our TiVo families are going to love the new "My Nick Jr." app and we're delighted to be the first TV platform to launch it in the UK. It's a fantastic addition to our app line-up providing a unique TV experience where children learn while having fun watching some of their favourite shows."

Dinosaur Train

Themes covered in episodes within the "My Nick Jr." library include problem solving, memory, reasoning, mathematics, respect, friendship, science & nature, creativity and foreign language. "My Nick Jr." initially launched in France on CanalSat in 2013 and will roll out in the US on Verizon Communications Inc.'s FiOS TV service in the coming months. The service will launch across more international territories later in the year.

Original Nickelodeon UK Press Release:

MY NICK JR. ARRIVES IN THE UK WITH VIRGIN MEDIA

Launch of personally-curated channel available in over two million Virgin Media TiVo® homes

London, UK – 27th February, 2014 – Nickelodeon UK and Virgin Media have teamed up to bring the My Nick Jr. App to the UK. The commercial-free personal programming service will be available to Virgin Media TiVo customers on TV packages L and XL from today and will allow parents to programme a customised playlist for their preschool child.

“My Nick Jr. is a unique service in the UK delivering Nick Jr. programming to families in a format they can control,” said Tina McCann, Managing Director, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland. “The wealth of Nick Jr. programming available on the app ensures that there will always be something to delight and enlighten viewers while My Nick Jr.’s interface offers parents an innovative way to guide their preschooler’s viewing and to set the developmental themes that are important to them.”

My Nick Jr. features 650 Nick Jr. episodes including episodes of beloved Nick Jr. titles such as Dora the Explorer, Bubble Guppies, Tickety Toc and Dinosaur Train. Using the app, parents can create an individual My Nick Jr. profile for their child. Within this profile, parents may select specific topics that they wish to make prominent in their child’s My Nick Jr. playlist as well as the duration for which they wish their child to watch Nick Jr. programming. Once a child has finished watching an episode they are asked to rate the show using the ‘arrow up’ or ‘arrow down,’ via Virgin Media’s TiVo remote. The Nick Jr. app learns the preferences of the child and chooses episodes to play accordingly. Through the app, parents may elect to be sent emails summarising what their children have watched and which topics have been covered within the viewed episodes.

Scott Kewley, Director of digital entertainment, Virgin Media said, “We know our TiVo families are going to love the new My Nick Jr. app and we’re delighted to be the first TV platform to launch it in the UK. It’s a fantastic addition to our app line-up providing a unique TV experience where children learn while having fun watching some of their favourite shows.”

Themes covered in episodes within the My Nick Jr. library include problem solving, memory, reasoning, mathematics, respect, friendship, science & nature, creativity and foreign language. My Nick Jr. initially launched in France on CanalSat in 2013 and will roll out in the US on Verizon Communications Inc.'s FiOS TV service in the coming months. The service will launch across more international territories later in the year.

Where every day's an adventure, Nick Jr. is a top-performing commercial pre-school entertainment brand in cable and satellite homes. Launched in 1999 as the world's first channel dedicated to pre-school children, Nick Jr.’s programming includes beloved shows Dora the Explorer, Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom and Bubble Guppies. Online, clips, games, exclusive activities and downloads are all available at nickjr.co.uk Viewers also have the opportunity to catch up with the schedule through Nick Jr. +1. Nick Jr. is available on Sky 615, Virgin 715, through BT Vision and Talk Talk channel 318.

The Nickelodeon Network is a top-performing commercial kids TV network in the UK and Ireland with Nickelodeon channels available in over 14 million cable and satellite homes. Having launched in 1993 Nickelodeon UK comprises seven dedicated entertainment channels for kids aged 4-15 and their families, and is a joint venture between Viacom International Media Networks and BSkyB.

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Nickelodeon USA To Launch Brand-New Interactive Preschool Television Channel Called "My Nick Jr."

The The Wall Street Journal is reporting in the following article from their official website, wsj.com, the exciting Nickelodeon News that Viacom Media Networks, the parent company of the Nickelodeon brand, has unveiled plans to launch a brand new interactive preschool television channel in the USA called "My Nick Jr." that can be programmed according to parents' tastes and provide access to hundreds of episodes of popular Nickelodeon Preschool shows from Nickelodeon's archives such as "Dora the Explorer" in a novel TV-delivery approach that combines elements of streaming services Pandora and Netflix Inc.!

The new "My Nickelodeon Junior" interactive channel will be available in coming months to customers of Verizon Communications Inc.'s FiOS TV service, with Viacom planning to roll the network out to other U.S. pay-TV operators later, the companies say.

It will be adjacent in the TV menu to Nick's main "Nick Jr." preschool channel that is home to "Dora", "The Backyardigans", "Bubble Guppies", and other series targeted at a preschool audience.

TV viewers have two basic options nowadays: They can watch a channel with programming scheduled by a TV network, or sift through video on-demand services to find a show they like. The My Nick Jr. technology introduces a third way to deliver TV — giving each household a customized channel.

Parents will be able to personalize the content that airs on My Nick Jr. by indicating their relative preference for seven themes such as "word play", "super-sonic science", and "get creative".

Based on those preferences, My Nick Jr. will choose content to air from hundreds of episodes in the Nick Jr. library.

Children can rate shows by clicking on smile or frown icons, and the service will tweak the programming lineup accordingly. Parents can get reports on what their children watch and can program the channel to shut off after a set time period. The channel won't be ad-supported.

The new service highlights how media companies and pay-TV operators are trying to modernize TV viewing at a time when consumers want greater control over what they watch and services like Netflix and Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Instant Video are offering compelling alternatives to cable television.

Terry Denson, Verizon's vice president of content strategy and acquisition, said My Nick Jr. will help the company compete against these streaming-video services. He said other media companies and distributors could launch their own interactive channels.

For Viacom, streaming outlets are customers — it licenses shows to them. But the company also wants to ensure that the pay-TV ecosystem — which provides the bulk of its revenue and profit through carriage fees and advertising — is healthy and technologically advanced.

Viacom hopes the new channel will help it negotiate higher carriage fees and give characters in its shows greater exposure, helping its consumer products licensing business.

One risk for the media company is that the new channel could draw viewers away from existing Nickelodeon channels. In the U.S., the flagship Nickelodeon network has a preschool programming block that averaged 570,000 viewers among children 2 to 5 years old in 2013.

Like Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Junior and Comcast Corp.'s Sprout, the Nick Jr. channel caters to a preschool audience and shows repeats of episodes aired in Nick USA's preschool programming block. Viacom said it gained confidence before the U.S. launch by testing the service in France, where it thought the stakes of failure would be lower.

"You haven't seen that cannibalization effect" in France, said Bob Bakish, president and chief executive of Viacom International Media Networks. "Now it's starting to roll out around the world."

The interactive channel was a good fit for CanalSat, a unit of Vivendi SA, that was looking for ways to differentiate itself from the array of free over-the-air channels competing in France's TV market. It fit nicely with CanalSat's other efforts to personalize TV viewing, such as technology that recommends shows to viewers based on what they've previously viewed.

"The future of pay TV relies on personalization," said Claire Basini, marketing director of CanalSat. "We were convinced of the potential" of Viacom's service, she said.

Viacom could potentially extend the idea of a personalized channel to its other properties like MTV, executives said.

It is unclear how widely other companies will adopt the approach. One constraining factor: Many consumers still have set-top boxes hooked up to their TVs that can't support interactive services like My Nick Jr.

Verizon and AT&T have the most advanced TV set-top boxes since they are the latest entrants in the market. Eventually, Verizon will add support for mobile devices, so consumers can launch My Nick Jr. from a tablet or smartphone — a feature that is available on CanalSat.

From WSJ.com:

Viacom to Launch Customized Kids' TV Channel

My Nickelodeon Junior to Combine Elements of Streaming Services Pandora and Netflix

Viacom Inc. plans to launch a children's TV channel in the U.S. that can be programmed according to parents' tastes and provide access to hundreds of old episodes of shows like "Dora the Explorer," in a novel TV-delivery approach that combines elements of streaming services Pandora and Netflix Inc.

'Dora the Explorer' episodes will be available on My Nickelodeon Junior. Nickelodeon/Everett Collection

The new "My Nickelodeon Junior" interactive channel will be available in coming months to customers of Verizon Communications Inc.'s FiOS TV service, and Viacom plans to roll it out to other U.S. pay-TV operators later, the companies say.

It will be adjacent in the TV menu to the main "Nick Jr." channel that is home to "Dora," "The Backyardigans," "Bubble Guppies," and other fare targeted at a preschool audience.

TV viewers have two basic options nowadays: They can watch a channel with programming scheduled by a TV network, or sift through on-demand services to find a show they like. The My Nick Jr. technology introduces a third way to deliver TV—giving each household a customized channel.

Parents will be able to personalize the content that airs on My Nick Jr. by indicating their relative preference for seven themes such as "word play," "super-sonic science," and "get creative."

Based on those preferences, My Nick Jr. will choose content to air from hundreds of episodes in the Nick Jr. library.

Children can rate shows by clicking on smile or frown icons, and the service will tweak the programming lineup accordingly. Parents can get reports on what their children watch and can program the channel to shut off after a set period. There won't be ads.

The new service highlights how media companies and pay-TV operators are trying to modernize TV viewing at a time when consumers want greater control over what they watch and services like Netflix and Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Instant Video are offering compelling alternatives to cable television.

TV networks and pay-TV operators also are developing sophisticated mobile-TV apps and beefing up video on-demand offerings.

Netflix and Amazon have become particularly popular as an outlet for children's programming.

Terry Denson, Verizon's vice president of content strategy and acquisition, said My Nick Jr. will help the company compete against these streaming-video services. He said other media companies and distributors could launch their own interactive channels.

"It's a way you can quash the momentum of over-the-top players in the marketplace," said Mr. Denson, referring to Web-based video options such as Netflix. "There's no reason they should own that space—we should own that space."

For Viacom, streaming outlets are customers—it licenses shows to them. But the company also wants to ensure that the pay-TV ecosystem—which provides the bulk of its revenue and profit through carriage fees and advertising—is healthy and technologically advanced.

Viacom hopes the new channel will help it negotiate higher carriage fees and give characters in its shows greater exposure, helping its consumer products licensing business.

One risk for the media company is that the new channel could draw viewers away from existing Nickelodeon channels. In the U.S., the flagship Nickelodeon network has a preschool programming block that averaged 570,000 viewers among children 2 to 5 years old in 2013.

Like Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Junior and Comcast Corp.'s Sprout, the Nick Jr. channel caters to a preschool audience and shows repeats of episodes aired in that block. Viacom said it gained confidence before the U.S. launch by testing the service in France, where it thought the stakes of failure would be lower.

"You haven't seen that cannibalization effect" in France, said Bob Bakish, president and chief executive of Viacom International Media Networks. "Now it's starting to roll out around the world."

The interactive channel was a good fit for CanalSat, a unit of Vivendi SA, that was looking for ways to differentiate itself from the array of free over-the-air channels competing in France's TV market. It fit nicely with CanalSat's other efforts to personalize TV viewing, such as technology that recommends shows to viewers based on what they've previously viewed.

"The future of pay TV relies on personalization," said Claire Basini, marketing director of CanalSat. "We were convinced of the potential" of Viacom's service, she said.

Viacom could potentially extend the idea of a personalized channel to its other properties like MTV, executives said.

It is unclear how widely other companies will adopt the approach. One constraining factor: Many consumers still have set-top boxes hooked up to their TVs that can't support interactive services like My Nick Jr.

Verizon and AT&T have the most advanced TV set-top boxes since they are the latest entrants in the market. Eventually, Verizon will add support for mobile devices, so consumers can launch My Nick Jr. from a tablet or smartphone—a feature that is available on CanalSat.

Thanks to Twitter user ‏@Cameronskooner for alerting me to the news!

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