BBC Kids to Launch on Fetch in Australia

BBC Kids and Nick Music are joining the Australian platform Fetch TV, as replacements for Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

BBC Kids is aimed at 6- to 10-year-olds, offering comedy, drama, entertainment, natural history and documentaries. The programming roster includes the dance drama The Next Step, football drama Jamie Johnson, Horrible Histories, Deadly 60 on a Mission and the teen spy drama MI High.

Tim Christlieb, director of branded services for BBC Studios ANZ, said: “We are delighted to launch this new virtual playlist channel on Fetch that fits perfectly with our preschool channel CBeebies, offering a destination for older kids to enjoy a diverse range of programming all with the hallmark of BBC quality.”

The ViacomCBS-owned Nick Music is a dedicated 24-hour music channel for kids, with music from Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Sia, Taylor Swift and more.

Beverley McGarvey, chief content officer and executive VP for ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand, said: “We know Aussie kids love music, so we wanted to create a safe place for them to be able to watch their favorite artists and listen to chart-topping hits from around the world, curated just for them. Nick Music is a channel kids will love, and parents can trust.”

The new channels will be added to the $6 Kids Pack from April 24, as replacements for Cartoon Network and Boomerang, which exit the platform on April 23.

Sam Hall, chief content and commercial officer at Fetch TV, said: “Fetch TV is excited to be the Australian launch partner for BBC Kids and to further extend our partnership with BBC Studios demonstrating our commitment to offering quality British content.

“Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. are the two top-rating kids’ channels on Fetch. We are delighted to add another great offering from Nickelodeon, and are confident that Nick Music will fill a void in the market.”

Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch TV said: “As a master aggregator, Fetch continues to expand and enhance our content offerings to ensure that we cater to all audiences and viewing preferences. We recognize that free-to-air channels and BVOD apps, subscription channels, SVOD services, and transactional on-demand content are all critical to a complete content offering, and our focus remains on delivering on our consumer promise of ‘All your Entertainment, easy.’”