CBeebies facts for kids
Logo used since 2023
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| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom and other services worldwide |
| Network | BBC One (until 2012) BBC Two (until 2013 and then later revived in 2022) BBC Alba (in Scottish Gaelic only) |
| Headquarters | MediaCityUK, Salford, England |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i/1080p HDTV (downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC BBC Studios (international network) |
| Sister channels | UK: BBC One BBC Two BBC Three BBC Four BBC News BBC Parliament CBBC BBC Scotland BBC Alba International: BBC News(international) BBC UKTV BBC Brit< BBC HD BBC Lifestyle BBC Earth BBC Entertainment BBC Kids BBC First |
| History | |
| Launched | 11 February 2002 |
| Replaced | CBBC Choice (demerged with CBBC – originally children's strand on BBC Choice) |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview (UK) | Channel 202 (SD) Channel 204 (HD) |
| Streaming media | |
| BBC iPlayer | Watch live (UK viewers with a TV Licence) |
CBeebies is a British TV channel from the BBC. It's made for children aged six and under. It's a free channel, meaning you don't have to pay to watch it. CBeebies also has a sister channel called CBBC, which is for older kids aged six to twelve. The channel broadcasts every day from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. After 7:00 PM, another BBC channel called BBC Four takes over.
Contents
The Story of CBeebies
CBeebies was first announced on November 20, 2001. It was created as a separate part of the existing CBBC children's TV block. The idea was to have a special channel just for younger kids.
How CBeebies Started
The CBeebies channel officially launched on February 11, 2002. It started at the same time as the CBBC channel. These channels were created from the BBC's main children's TV section. The very first shows shown on CBeebies were Teletubbies, Binka, Step Inside, and Bits and Bobs.
When it first launched, CBeebies shared its broadcast time with another BBC channel, BBC Knowledge. This lasted until March 1, 2002. Since March 2, 2002, CBeebies has shared its broadcast time with BBC Four. CBeebies finishes its shows at 7:00 PM, and then BBC Four starts.
CBeebies on Radio and in Magazines
In March 2007, CBeebies also got its own radio station. It was called CBeebies Radio and broadcast for three hours daily on BBC Radio 7. This radio station stopped broadcasting on BBC Radio 7 in April 2011. However, CBeebies Radio continued to be available online from 2013. You can now listen to it on BBC Sounds from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
A magazine called CBeebies Weekly was first published in 2006. It is now simply known as CBeebies Magazine.
CBeebies Around the World
Since March 2013, CBeebies has been available through the British Forces Broadcasting Service. This service provides TV and radio to British armed forces around the world. CBeebies is also available to watch in Ireland.
In September 2018, a special version of CBeebies started on BBC Alba. BBC Alba is a Scottish Gaelic language channel. This version, called CBeebies Alba, shows programmes in Scottish Gaelic. It has its own presenters and shows.
On March 15, 2023, CBeebies changed its look. This was its first big change since it started 21 years earlier. The new look included a new logo that matched the BBC's updated logo. The "Bugbie" characters, which are part of the channel's identity, also got a new look.
CBeebies Around the World
BBC Studios is the company that runs the international versions of CBeebies. Most of these international channels broadcast for 24 hours a day. This is different from the UK version, which only broadcasts for part of the day.
Where CBeebies Has Been Seen
The first international CBeebies channel launched in India in May 2007. However, this channel closed in November 2012. The Polish CBeebies channel started on December 2, 2007. Channels also launched in Latin America, East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Australia in late 2008.
In March 2011, an on-demand version of CBeebies launched in the United States. This means you could watch shows whenever you wanted. On May 13, 2011, CBeebies also became a block of programmes on the BBC Kids channel in Canada. This block stopped in December 2018.
In April 2015, BBC Worldwide made deals with broadcasters in South Korea and Japan. This allowed CBeebies blocks to be shown on channels in those countries. A channel for the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) launched in April 2016.
CBeebies Asia launched in Taiwan on March 10, 2017. It replaced BBC Entertainment. CBeebies Asia is also available in many other countries, including Hong Kong, South Korea, Myanmar, and Singapore. However, the CBeebies channel for Latin America stopped broadcasting on April 13, 2017.
A CBeebies channel launched in Turkey on April 5, 2018. In December 2019, the Australian version of CBeebies also launched in New Zealand. CBeebies launched in Vietnam in March 2020. In July 2020, CBeebies was relaunched in India.
On October 31, 2020, CBeebies channels were removed from all TV providers in the United States. In January 2022, BBC Kids launched as a free streaming channel in the United States. It showed some CBeebies and CBBC shows.
The Asian version of CBeebies launched as a preview channel on Astro in Malaysia in December 2022. It fully replaced another channel in February 2023.
In March 2024, a planned new look for the Polish CBeebies channel was cancelled. The Australian CBeebies channel stopped broadcasting on Foxtel on July 31, 2024. It also stopped being available on Fetch TV on October 31, 2024. This marked the end of CBeebies in Australia after almost 16 years.
Who Runs CBeebies?
In the UK, CBeebies is managed by the BBC Children's and Education department. This department is also in charge of CBBC. The overall leader for all BBC children's services is the Director of Children's and Education, Patricia Hildago Reina.
For international versions, CBeebies is owned by BBC Studios. They are responsible for running the CBeebies brand outside the UK.
How CBeebies Looks and Sounds
CBeebies uses presenters to link between shows. These presenters talk directly to the children watching. They do activities like arts and crafts, show birthday cards from viewers, and introduce the next programmes. The links are recorded, not live. They are now filmed at MediaCityUK in Salford, England.
Just like other BBC channels, CBeebies does not show advertisements. Sometimes, there are short trailers for new shows or special events.
Logos and Channel Look
CBeebies uses many different looks throughout the day. These are called "idents" and they appear during breaks between shows. Most of these idents feature the channel's mascots, called the Bugs or Bugbies. The Bugbies are yellow, blob-like characters with faces. They are similar to the characters used by CBBC between 2002 and 2005.
Before the late 2010s, most idents featured children saying the channel name. The idents often used moving, rounded shapes in different colours. Each block of programming has its own special ident. The Bedtime Hour, which is the last block of shows, has several different idents. In 2016, new idents were made for each block. From 2016 to 2023, idents also showed the CBeebies House changing to match the current season.
On March 15, 2023, CBeebies changed its look again. This time, the Bugs were redesigned to look like rounded squares, similar to the BBC logo. New idents and animated scenes were also introduced.
CBeebies Shows
CBeebies broadcasts many popular shows for young children. These include animated series, live-action programmes, and educational content.
CBeebies Presenters
Live presenters have been a part of CBeebies since it launched. They help fill the time between shows. They talk directly to children, lead activities, show birthday cards, and introduce programmes. Many presenters have also been characters in other children's shows.
Presenters Around the World
The international versions of CBeebies have different presenters for each region.
- The Australian channel has three presenters: Tara Colegrave, Robbie Harding, and Duncan Fellows.
- The Asian channel, seen in places like Thailand and Hong Kong, has Nisha Anil as its main presenter.
- The Polish channel had Aneta Piotrowska as its main presenter from 2008 until 2024.
- The South African channel uses former UK presenter Sid Sloane.
- The CBeebies Alba block on BBC Alba has Bard Cornark, Ben Cajee, and Carrie Macneil as presenters.
- The Turkish channel uses the UK presenters, but their voices are dubbed into Turkish.
Bedtime Stories
The last show of each day on CBeebies is called CBeebies Bedtime Stories. This is a special time when a guest storyteller reads a story. These storytellers are often famous actors, comedians, athletes, or singers. Some well-known people who have read stories include David Walliams, Tom Hardy, Ed Sheeran, and Steve Carell.
CBeebies HD Channel
CBeebies HD is a high-definition version of the channel. It launched on December 10, 2013. This channel broadcasts in much clearer picture quality. CBeebies HD shares its broadcast time with BBC Four HD. This is because they broadcast at different times of the day.
Other CBeebies Activities
CBeebies Website
The CBeebies website launched at the same time as the channel in 2002. It's a child-friendly website with lots of activities. You can find games, songs, and print-outs related to different CBeebies shows. The UK website also links to CBeebies iPlayer. This is a special version of the BBC iPlayer just for CBeebies shows. There's also a section called CBeebies Grown-ups, which gives advice for parents.
International CBeebies channels also have their own websites. These are run by BBC Studios. They might not have as many features as the UK website.
DVD and Album Releases
Over the years, many CBeebies shows have been released on VHS and DVD. These compilations feature episodes from popular CBeebies programmes. CBeebies has also released several music albums. These include 'CBeebies: The Official Album' (2002) and 'My CBeebies Album' (2006).
CBeebies Land Theme Park
CBeebies Land opened in May 2014 at the Alton Towers theme park. It's a special area designed for young children and their families. It has rides, attractions, and live shows based on popular CBeebies programmes. CBeebies Land offers many indoor and outdoor activities. It aims to create a fun and interactive world for kids to play and learn.
The park features popular characters like Mr Tumble in the Something Special Sensory Garden. Mr Bloom's Allotments is another popular area. There's also an In the Night Garden... area with characters like Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy. In Spring 2022, new attractions were added. These included Hey Duggee: The Big Adventure Badge and Andy's Adventures Dinosaur Dig.
Awards for CBeebies
The CBeebies channel and its shows have won many awards over the years. In 2002, CBeebies Interactive TV Services was nominated for an award. The channel was named Best Children's Channel at the Broadcast Digital Channel Awards in 2006.
CBeebies has also won Children's Channel of the Year at the BAFTA Children's awards many times. These wins include 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2019. The CBeebies UK website was nominated for Best Interactive Site in 2007. The Royal Television Society also gave CBeebies an award for Best Design and Innovation. They praised how the TV and online teams worked together to create fun experiences.
See also
In Spanish: CBeebies para niños
