Arlington, Virginia – 12 July, 2021 – PBS Distribution has collaborated with Foxtel to launch a PBS KIDS’ channel, opening worlds of possibilities to young viewers with high-quality educational content parents can trust.
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids in the United States, offers children ages 2-8 the opportunity to learn lessons that last a lifetime.
The PBS KIDS channel from Foxtel includes the Australian premieres of Donkey Hodie, a whimsical social-emotional puppet series produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures that encourages preschoolers to aim high, embrace challenges and work hard to achieve their goals, and Elinor Wonders Why – a STEM-based animated series about a curious rabbit and her pals living in Animal Town, created by physicist and educator, Daniel Whiteson, and cartoonist and robotics engineer, Jorge Cham, to help encourage preschoolers’ curiosity as they learn about science. The channel will also air award-winning PBS KIDS programs such as Arthur – a four-time recipient of the Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program and Peabody Award-winner, Molly of Denali.
“ELINOR WONDERS WHY helps give parents the confidence to say, ‘I don’t know the answer. Let’s explore it together,’” said Whiteson. “Asking questions and investigating the answer are at the core of scientific discovery, and we designed the series to model and encourage children, parents and educators to do just that together.”
“Much like my own daughter, Elinor, who inspired the series’ main character, kids everywhere love to wonder about things around them and find out the answers,” said Cham. “Our hope is that the show will help foster the natural curiosity of young children and make them want to explore and learn, just like Elinor and her friends do in these stories.”
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with PBS Distribution to bring PBS KIDS’ award-winning content to our customers. FOXTEL is committed to providing viewers the very best in family entertainment, and the addition of PBS KIDS and its high quality, educational programming parents can trust, bolsters our strong suite of kids channels,” said Amanda Laing, Chief Commercial and Content Officer, Foxtel Group.
Andrea Downing, President of PBS Distribution, comments, “We are excited to offer this new audience the opportunities that PBS KIDS content offers. Foxtel is inviting parents and children to experience this trusted content that helps children learn and grow.”
PBS KIDS on Foxtel will also feature episodes from Hero Elementary, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, Dinosaur Train, and Emmy® Award-winning series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Peg + Cat. The channel launched in Australia on July 1.
About PBS Distribution
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The company operates six streaming channels —PBS MASTERPIECE (US, CAN), PBS KIDS (US), PBS LIVING (US), PBS DOCUMENTARIES (US), and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions.
PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.
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About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. As the number one educational media brand for kids, PBS KIDS helps children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Through television, digital media, and community-based programs, PBS KIDS wants children to see themselves uniquely reflected and celebrated in lovable, diverse characters who serve as positive role models, and to explore their feelings and discover new adventures along the way. Families can watch PBS KIDS anytime on the free PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and the PBS KIDS Video app, available on mobile and connected-TV devices, no subscription required. PBS KIDS’ large collection of mobile apps and pbskids.org provide accessible content, including digital games and streaming video to spark kids’ curiosity. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn and grow – including their teachers, parents, and community – providing resources to support children’s learning, anytime and anywhere. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.