CBeebies to Produce New Educational Interstitials

LONDON: CBeebies has struck a two-year partnership agreement with the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, which operates Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo in regional New South Wales, to produce a series of educational interstitials: ZooBeebies.

The 20×90-second stories about animals will be presented by a real zoo keeper, Gabe, for broadcast on the channel. CBeebies will also work with the Zoos to create an interactive play structure to encourage children to learn through play at Taronga Zoo and it will implement themed branding at the children’s playground at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. ZooBeebies’ first interstitials are currently on-air supporting Animal Funtime, a programming event that includes a new segment, Five at 5, showcasing the best animal content at 5 p.m. every weeknight.

Said Amanda McGregor, BBC Worldwide Channels’ director of marketing: “Every year, NSW’s two great Zoos are enjoyed by more than 100,000 children under the age of four. Partnering with Taronga offers CBeebies a unique opportunity to practically illustrate to parents and carers how we promote learning through play. Both organizations share an ethos which seeks to encourage a lifelong love of learning. ZooBeebies is a marvelous on-air and on-ground celebration of animals and conservation.” 

A Zoo spokesman said: “The Zoos are raising awareness of the urgent needs of wildlife among all parts of the community and provided comprehensive curriculum-based conservation education to students. It’s never too early to get children interested in wildlife.”