CITV Channel

CITV Channel
Launched	March 11, 2006
Owned by	ITV plc
Audience share	0.3% (November 2007, [1])
Website	www.itv.com/citv
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview	Channel 75 (also simulcast on ITV and GMTV)
Satellite
Sky Digital	Channel 621
Cable
Virgin Media	Channel 734
Tiscali TV	Channel 307
Internet Television
itv.com	Any Page (weekend mornings only, via ITV1)

The CITV Channel is a British children's TV station from ITV plc (whose airtime was sold by the Channel 3 breakfast licensee GMTV until the end of 2007). The channel is aimed at children under 9 years old, showing content from the current CITV library, as well as commissions and acquisitions.^[1] The CITV Channel broadcasts weekdays between 6am and 6pm & weekends between 6am and 12.30pm, with space on Freeview being used by ITV4 for the other hours of the day. The channel launched on 11 March 2006 at 9.25am (with Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown) on Freeview, Homechoice (now known as Tiscali TV) and Telewest^†. It also launched on Sky Digital on 8 May 2006 on EPG 624, and NTL^† on the 6th June on EPG 602/76. The Freeview distribution of the channel timeshares the bandwidth allocated for ITV4 as it runs in the time the channel does not show programming. Additionally, the channel is simulcast on GMTV2 on weekdays between 6am and 9.25am, and repeated on a one-hour timeshift on ITV2+1, branded CITV+1 between 7am and 10.25am, replacing the former GMTV Kids strand. ^†NTL and Telewest are now both known as Virgin Media.

Leading up to launch

The original launch date of the channel was set for 11 February, but this was pushed back by four weeks as a result of problems "clearing the digital rights to children's programming" and "comprehensive" re-branding^[2]. Coincidentally, 11 February was the same date as the launch of the rival CBBC Channel in 2002. Promos for the channel began on 20 February, including an online countdown clock, running to the channel's launch date. As has become standard for Freeview Channel launches, the channel was allocated an EPG number well before transmission started. Initially, a static 'coming soon' graphic was shown, followed by a preview video loop running from late February 2006 until the launch. ^[3]

Logo Change

It was apparent ever since the first advertisements appeared that the CITV logo had been redesigned to match ITV's new corporate image, even using the same font as the logos for the rest of ITV plc's channels. The logo centres around the large 'C' and is coloured with two distinct palettes depending upon the nature of the programming - there is a cream/beige look for younger children's/preschool programming and red and navy blue 'comic book' scheme for older/schoolchildren's output.

Slogans

Slogans used during the build-up to the launch of the new channel, and in on-screen continuity since, have included 'It's massive!', 'It's gonna be monster!', and for the preschool strand 'As big as their imagination' - all phrases suggesting the sheer scale of the new channel.

Ratings

The CITV Channel launched with a full day average of 33,000 viewers and a 2.5% share of the child audience. This put it ahead of its major commercial rivals Cartoon Network (20,000, a 1.5% share), Boomerang (28,000 a 2.1% share) and Nickelodeon (26,000 a 2.0% share). The channel peaked at 4.30pm with Bratz gaining 51,000 viewers and a 3.6% share.^[4] The channel took a 0.2% audience share in its first week compared to: CBBC 0.6, Cartoon Network 0.4, Boomerang 0.4% and CBeebies 1.4%. It's overall ratings share for March 2006 was 0.1%, by April 2006 this had risen to 0.2%, 0.3% followed in May. In August 2006, the channel became the most popular commercial kids channel between 0600 and 1800.^[5]

Programming

Programming between 6.00 and 9.25am is controlled by GMTV, who, having rebranded the vast majority of their GMTV1 and 2 children's output as CITV, now use the space to simulcast their Wakey! Wakey!, Toonattik and Action Stations! strands from GMTV1 at weekends and GMTV2 on weekdays. ^[6] ITV takes over at 9.25, controlling the rest of the day's programming. GMTV sell all sales airtime for the channel. ITV's output for the new channel includes many well-established shows from the long-running afternoon slot on ITV for example My Parents Are Aliens, Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids, Jungle Run, Art Attack, and many more, as well as several new programmes exclusively on the CITV Channel like Bratz, Louie, Paz, Animal Spies!, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Most have these shows have now been broadcast on CITV on the ITV Network. On weekdays, the channel broadcasts mainly preschool programming in the day (except during the school holidays), and programmes for schoolchildren in the late afternoon and early evening to cater for the available audience. The CITV Channel aired the last 3 weeks of Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown exclusively on Saturday mornings before the show ended on Saturday 1st July 2006. The channel had previously simulcast the show with ITV before spin-off show Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown: Extra aired at 11:30am exclusive to the channel. The show would be replaced by the all-animation block Toon Base As the channel is simulcast on the ITV Network, some programmes on the channel are sourced from different networks: Avatar: The Legend of Aang, SpongeBob SquarePants (and others) are produced by and airs on Nickelodeon. GMTV's morning output on the channel is largely produced by Disney. The link to all the programmes shown can be found at the external links section. The CITV Channel had brought some programmes back that had not been on CITV for a few years including ZZZap!, Rupert Bear, Harry and the Wrinklies, Sir Gadabout: The Worst Knight in the Land & Big Meg Little Meg. Sir Gadabout was recently shown on the channel part of its 'Easter Surprise!'.

Special Blocks

Toon Base

Toon Base is a weekday morning block featuring only animated programming, which replaced Holly and Stephen's Saturday Showdown. Some animations shown are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Horrid Henry, Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids and Bratz.

Get Stuck In!

Get Stuck In! is an hour timeslot on Saturday and Sunday mornings on the CITV Channel. Programmes include Art Attack, Finger Tips, The Little Bang and Art Attack Mini Makes. Get Stuck In! was also shown on Friday afternoon on CITV on the ITV Network. Previous shows broadcast in the timeslot are Prove It!, How 2 and Skillz.

Marathon Weekends

Marathon weekends is when the CITV Channel show 2 hours of one particular show. Previous blocks include: Bratz, Horrid Henry and Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids. Marathon weekends are broadcast weekends between 9.25am and 11.25am.

Horrid Henry's Power Hour

An hour of Horrid Henry, weekdays between 3.00 and 4.00.

What a Summer

CITV has an entertainment news strand that airs everyday on the channel, called What a Summer. It replaced the previous entertainment news feature, What a Week. What a Summer covers new movies, songs, and videogames, with brief clips and sometimes behind-the-scenes interviews. Occasionally they mention CITV programmes too.

Web Launch

The CITV website had a graphic counting down to the launch of the CITV Channel including the Freeview EPG number.
This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It will be deleted after seven days from the date of nomination.

CITV counted down to the launch of the new service on their website, complete with a caption showing the Freeview number (75) underneath it. Since the launch the website has been revamped to tie in with CITV's new logo and colour scheme. The "Flea Mail" feature encourages viewers participation on the website and on air. The four Fleas are: Marcus Wingspan, Travel Bug, Flea Man, and Big Bow.

1st Birthday

On 11 March2007, there was a normal lineup on the channel. But there was reference to it being the CITV Channel's Birthday including a video saying Happy 1st Birthday which children singing Happy Birthday and Horrid Henry saying "Mmmmm. Yummy" then the cake gets eaten up. And when the CITV Channel went to the break they would show a quick clip of some red balloons with some of them with the number one & some with the CITV logo.

See also

• CITV
• GMTV
• Toonattik

References

External links

• CITV at itv.com