Qubo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The correct title of this article is qubo. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
qubo (kyoo-bo, called Smart Place for Kids until August 23, 2006 [1]) is the name of the children's programming endeavor involving three broadcast networks, a new digital television network, and numerous children's entertainment producers.
On May 8, 2006, ION Media Networks, NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment's Nelvana unit, Scholastic Books, and Classic Media and its Big Idea Productions unit announced plans to launch a new children's entertainment endeavor spread across all medium platforms, including video-on-demand on digital cable and an interactive webpage.
The primary goal for qubo will be to "champion literacy and values in the children's television category." [2] The endeavor will utilize ION's digital broadcast outlets, the educational, literary, and creative assets of Scholastic, and the combined content libraries and production facilities of Nelvana, Classic Media, Big Idea, and NBC Universal, which will also dedicate their weekend morning lineups to qubo. More than 1,000 half-hours of children's programming, including a new, original series from each of the partners per year, will air throughout the year. Details for the new series will be announced later.
Qubo debuted on NBC and Telemundo on Saturday, September 9, 2006. This was followed by NBC's qubo block repeating on i, which began on Friday, September 15. In addition, NBC's block carries Spanish subtitles on CC3.
A 24-hour digital television network, carried via the digital signals of i's affiliates, will debut in early 2007. This apparently will phase out the Pax/i channel, which vanished in late September 2006 and was replaced with a repeating, silent 30-second promo loop of the new qubo channel. [3] Programming details have yet to be announced.
All programming on qubo will meet Federal Communications Commission "E/I" requirements; they utilize the same E/I bug used for PBS's programs (although it is not affiliated with PBS in any way). None of the partners has publicly explained why the name "qubo" was chosen, or why its logo is a cube. But they did say that "Smart Place for Kids" was dropped because they wanted a name that would sound well in both English and Spanish.[citation needed]
On October 24, 2006 qubo officially announced its appointed Rick Rodriguez as President/GM and Kerry Hughes as Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales and Sponsorships.
[edit] Viewership
qubo had a very auspicious beginning in its ratings among its target demographic, children ages 2-11. In its first five weeks on the air, qubo reported a 20% increase in ratings, and a 25% increase in what it calls "impressions". Its three networks, NBC, Telemundo and the i network, have all reported healthy increases in viewership during the period from September 9, 2006 through October 14, 2006:
- NBC reported a 16% ratings increase in the Kids 2-11 demographic during the period and a 74% increase from the same period the previous year.
- Telemundo reported a 17% ratings increase from the previous year.
- The i network reported a 163% increase during the period and a 61% increase between the last two weeks of the period.
In contrast, the competing networks, ABC, CBS and FOX, reported a decrease in viewership by as much as 39% during the period, and decreases of 19% to 67% from the previous year .
(Source: ION Media press release [4])
[edit] Programs seen on qubo
- VeggieTales
- Dragon
- VeggieTales Presents: 3-2-1 Penguins! and Larry-Boy Stories
- Babar
- Jane and the Dragon
- Jacob Two-Two
All shows will be seen in this exact order on all three networks. The only series held over from a previous block is Jacob Two-Two, which was already on Telemundo (as Jacobo Dos-Dos) prior to the start of qubo.
Not all shows will be seen on all stations -- some would be delayed or pre-empted for local or syndicated programming, especially on NBC stations.
VeggieTales will not feature the religious content that appears on the videos before and after the main feature, since the block is designed to educate all viewers. This has drawn criticism for the block and NBC in particular from the Parents Television Council, as well as VeggieTales co-creator Phil Vischer, who claims that he was unaware of the intent to edit out religious content when the three programs were acquired for qubo. [5] However, religious content in the main cartoons stays in the show.
[edit] Links
- Official Press Release at ION's website
- Official Press Release at NBC-Universal
- Official qubo Website
- Official Announcement of qubo's President/GM and Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales and Sponsorships
- Interview with Rick Rodriguez about the future of qubo(11/06/06)
| edit | NBC Universal, Inc. (a subsidiary of General Electric) |
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Corporate Leadership: R. Brandon Burgess | Dean M. Goodman | Richard Garcia | Adam K. Weinstein | Tammy G. Hedge | Steven J. Friedman | Stephen P. Appel | Douglas C. Barker | David A. Glenn |
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Broadcast Television Networks: i |
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1These stations are operated by ION under a time brokerage agreement. |
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Annual Revenue: $276.6 million USD (2004) | Employees: 433 (2005) | Stock Symbol: AMEX: ION | Website: www.ionmedia.tv |
| Corus Entertainment |
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Television Assets: CHEX | CHEX-TV-2 | CKWS | CMT (Canada) | Documentary Channel | Discovery Kids (Canada) | Encore Avenue | Food Network (Canada) | Movie Central | SCREAM | Telelatino | TELETOON (English) | TÉLÉTOON (French) | Treehouse TV | W Network | YTV |
