Sprout is an independent American digital cable and satellite television
network that is owned by the NBCUniversal Cable subsidiary of
NBCUniversal. It replaced the PBS Kids channel on some cable and satellite
providers. The network, which also maintains a complimentary
video-on-demand service and website, features a mix of children's programs
acquired from the Public Broadcasting Service and original programming
exclusive to the network, which is aimed at preschoolers and their families. The
network's live programming and wraparound segments are produced at NBC
Studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.
As of February 2015, Sprout is available to approximately 58 million pay
television households in the United States.
History On October 20, 2004, PBS announced that
it had entered into a joint partnership with cable provider Comcast, and
production companies HIT Entertainment and Sesame Workshop to launch a
then-unnamed cable and satellite television channel aimed at preschool
children. On April 4, 2005, Comcast announced that the network's video on
demand service, which would be named PBS Kids Sprout, would launch that day, and
that the linear television network would launch later on September 1, 2005; the
launch date for the television service was later delayed three weeks to
September 26. When Sprout launched on September 26, it replaced the PBS Kids
channel on some providers – helping give it an initial reach of 16.5 million pay
television subscribers; the first program to be broadcast on the network
was Boobah, airing at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
Comcast acquired a 51% majority stake of the NBCUniversal Television Group in
January 2011. As a result, Comcast's interest in Sprout was turned over to
NBCUniversal. When Apax Partners sold HIT Entertainment to Mattel on October
24, 2011, HIT's ownership interest in Sprout was not included in the deal and
was retained by Apax Partners. On November 13, 2013, NBCUniversal acquired
Apax and PBS's shares in the network, giving the company full ownership of the
network, with its operations being merged into its NBCUniversal Cable
subsidiary. As a result, the "PBS Kids" branding was dropped from the network's
name, renaming it as Sprout. Programming
Sprout's schedule consists of three programs carried by PBS, acquired
programming, and originally produced programming. Unlike other children's
television networks, Sprout usually airs programs that only last one segment.
Sprout also airs programming blocks that fill most of the network's schedule,
except between 12:00 and 6:00 p.m. and 3:00 and 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
In July 2012, Sprout began to produce a Saturday morning cartoon/live-action
block for NBC aimed at preschoolers, NBC Kids, which replaced a similarly
formatted block – which itself was produced in conjunction with
NBCUniversal – called Qubo, which had been airing on NBC and Telemundo since
September 2006. As of October 2014, NBC Kids is the only Saturday morning
programming block to air cartoons. Since NBCUniversal took over management
of Sprout in 2011, following its acquisition by the network's original
managing partner Comcast, Sprout has evolved from its initial intent to serve
as a home for archived content produced by the partners and has invested more
heavily in original programming, in order to better compete with fellow
preschool-oriented cable networks, Nick Jr. and Disney Junior. Under
NBCUniversal, programs seen on the network such as The Chica Show have
gained increased visibility airing on NBC as part of the NBC Kids block.
Despite PBS' divestiture of the channel in 2013, Sprout continued to air several
PBS Kids programs until their contract with PBS expired on the channel's 10th
anniversary, September 26, 2015. The only remaining PBS Kids programs still
airing on Sprout are The Berenstain Bears, Caillou and Sesame Street.
= Programming blocks = The Sunny Side Up Show – The Sunny Side
Up Show is the network's late morning block, airing from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00
p.m. Eastern Time. The Good Night Show – The Good Night
Show is the network's evening and overnight block, airing daily from 6:00
p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Related services
= Sprout HD = Sprout HD is a high definition simulcast
feed of the Sprout channel that was first announced in May 2010 and began
broadcasting on September 1, 2010. All programs filmed in HD are presented in
16:9 widescreen, whereas programs that are not filmed in high definition are
presented in a 4:3 pillarboxed format. It is currently available on Comcast,
AT&T U-verse, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, and Time Warner
Cable. = Sprout On Demand =
Sprout On Demand is the channel's video-on-demand service which launched
on April 4, 2005 on Comcast, six months prior to launch of the linear Sprout
channel. The service offers 50 hours of programs a month, with 25% of the
programs updated every two weeks. References
External links Official website
Comcast, PBS Plan New Service Saluting Sprout's Launch: PBS Sprouts a
Kids Triumph Kids Sprout Takes Root as Leader in
Genre