PBS Kids Go!
 | |
| Network | PBS PBS Kids |
|---|---|
| Launched | October 11, 2004 |
| Closed | October 7, 2013 |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Owner | PBS |
| Key people | Natasha Wing, Latoya Ravenau |
| Headquarters | Los Gatos, California |
| Format | Afternoon programming block |
| Running time | 2-3 hours |
| Original language(s) | English |
PBS Kids Go! is a former television brand that was used by PBS for programs aimed at older children up to the eighth grade, in contrast to the kindergarten and preschool-level PBS Kids. It was primarily broadcast on PBS stations during the afternoon hours on weekdays. It debuted on October 11, 2004, and was discontinued on October 7, 2013.
History[edit]
The PBS Kids Go! programming block was launched on October 11, 2004 upon the premiere of brand new programs Maya and Miguel and Postcards from Buster, with the purpose of making older children watch and appreciate PBS Kids educational programming, as it was found that only preschoolers and kindergarteners were watching PBS Kids. With the discontinuation of the original PBS Kids Channel (a revived version has been launched as of January 16, 2017) in favor of PBS Kids Sprout in 2005, PBS Kids Go! continued its run on PBS.[1]
In April 2006, PBS announced that, in October 2006, a 24-hour digital multicast network called PBS Kids Go! Channel would be launched with additional content. Slated were several programming blocks, an evening Go! family block targeted at both children and their families, a Spanish language-programming block, "PBS Kids Vayan!" and a school block. KidsWorld Sports, HIT Entertainment’s Wishbone reruns and Kratts’ Creatures were planned as exclusive programs for the network. These exclusive shows plus those from the PBS block would total seven hours of original programming. At this time, PBS planned on adding one or two new series per year. The network was to be fee-based, allowing those stations that subscript to place the network's exclusive programs on their analog channel if they order. A branded interactive club was also part of the plan, with stations working it into their existing club or starting a new club and branding it how they would like to.[1]
With only one third of PBS stations affiliating with the network and half needed on July 6, 2006, the network was withdrawn. PBS left open the possibility to re-offer the network. Stations found that the sliding scale licensing fees were too high for what little exclusive programming they received, especially after spending additional funds for the PBS HD feed.[2]
On August 7, 2013, PBS announced that the PBS Kids Go! brand would be discontinued, with the Go! programming rebranded into a new universal branding design across all of PBS's children's programming. The redesign was introduced two months later on October 7, 2013 with the launch of Peg + Cat and Joseph + Vivianne. PBS considered the nine year long effort to age up its overall audience with the Go! effort to be successful, negating the need to continue it further.[3] After the shutdown, all shows that premiered before the launch of the PBS Kids Go! block returned back to the main PBS Kids block after nearly a decade, and all shows that premiered during the PBS Kids Go! block were permanently moved to the main PBS Kids block, both airing with PBS Kids branding, with the exception of Maya & Miguel, and nearly all references to PBS Kids Go! were removed.
Programming[edit]
- 1 Premiered before the launch of PBS Kids Go!
Former programming[edit]
Original programming[edit]
| Title | Premiere date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur1 | October 11, 2004 | October 7, 2013 |
| Imagine | ||
| The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss | ||
| Cyberchase1 | ||
| DragonflyTV1 | May 30, 2010 | |
| Postcards from Buster | February 24, 2012 | |
| Maya & Miguel | October 7, 2013 | |
| WigglesWorld | ||
| Tabitha Tapson | September 15, 2005 | |
| Little Star | October 24, 2005 | |
| Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman | May 29, 2006 | |
| Design Squad | February 21, 2007 | March 30, 2011 |
| The Furchester Hotel | March 8, 2007 | October 7, 2013[4] |
| Wishbone1 | June 2, 2007 | |
| WordGirl | September 3, 2007 | |
| Animalia | January 5, 2008 | September 6, 2009 |
| The Electric Company | January 23, 2009 | October 7, 2013 |
| SciGirls | February 11, 2010 | |
| Wild Kratts | January 3, 2011 |
Web series[edit]
| Title | Premiere date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| KidsWorld Sports | October 27, 2006 | May 4, 2007 |
| Space Race | March 22, 2011 | October 7, 2013 |
| Oh Noah! | April 11, 2011 |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Egner, Jeremy (April 3, 2006). "World and Go! streams flow into PBS plans". Current. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2016. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Everhart, Karen (July 17, 2006). "PBS Kids Go! channel: plan is no-go for now". Current. Current Publishing Committee. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "PBS Kids Go! goes bye-bye as colorful branding revamp rolls out to stations". Current.org. 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
- ↑ "What's on: IdahoPTV Kids and Family (Idaho Public Television)".
