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Wednesday, May 8, 2019

What To Expect From The New Youth Channel Coming Soon On DStv? [Updated 10/05/2019]

MultiChoice has been quite lately with channel additions either they don't have the time or there's nothing exciting to boast about. They recently launched the overdue news channel Newzroom Afrika and now their next target is PBS Kids. 

For sometime I've been following the latest developments of this youth channel with less input from MultiChoice. PBS Kids was first added through their Catch-Up service on DStv Now as an experimental channel last year to see if the content would blend with its viewers. 

Thanks to MultiChoice Kenya we finally know that it will be a new channel addition to DStv. As some may already know PBS Kids exists as a programming block on PBS and a video channel in the United States. 

From what I've heard in other markets those who get the standalone channel through cable recieve the outdated version while those who stream the channel and possibly get it as a programming block get the latest content. All these shows are costly so whenever PBS commissions a new youth oriented show they either cancel the show or put it on an indefinite hiatus with Cartoon Network only falling through the hiatus and lack of cancellation. 

For those living in Africa you'll discover that PBS Kids' latest shows like Ready Jet Go, Wild Kratts and Daniel Tigers Neighbourhood are available through MultiChoice's Showmax cancels any possibilities of the PBS Kids video app. MultiChoice is currently working on some tests for the channel in the i-plate section so we could expect an official announcement in the next 2 weeks. My assumption is the channel will launch on the 3rd of June if not later on channel 318 when the contents expires at the end of May. 

At the moment, PBS Kids' schedule on the i-plate consists of double bills with 7/8 shows currently seen on DStv Now air new episodes 7 days a week like Zee World. It could change when it launches only time will tell, here's what to expect from this new youth channel:

ARTHUR (1996-)
The show is set in the fictional American city of Elwood City, and revolves around the lives of 8-year-old Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark, his friends and family, and their daily interactions with each other.

MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBOURHOOD (1968-2001)
Fred Rogers explores various topics for young viewers through presentations and music, both in his world and in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

PEEP AND THE BIG WIDE WORLD (2004-2011)
Viewers follow Peep, Chirp, and Quack as they investigate and explore the world around them.

PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC (2018–)
Pinkalicious imagines creative possibilities
everywhere she looks. Aimed at kids 3-5,
Pinkalicious & Peterrific encourages
viewers to engage in the creative arts and
self-expression, including music, dance,
theater and visual arts. Get creative with
Pinkalicious, Peter and all their friends in
Pinkville!

POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER (2004-2012)
Young rabbit Buster Baxter is a familiar face from the hit children's series "Arthur." Now he has his own show, traveling across America, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico with his dad.

TIME WARP TRIO (2005–2006)
For his tenth birthday, Joe receives a
mysterious blue book from his magician
uncle and namesake, "Joe the Magnificent,"
known only as "The Book". Using a number
of often unpredictable and/or unintentional
voice and print cues, The Book frequently
transports Joe and his friends, Fred and
Sam, to a variety of places in history, like
Ancient Egypt, the Old West and to the year
2105, where they meet their own great-
granddaughters, Jodie, Samantha and
Freddi. The only way they are able to return
present-day Brooklyn, New York is to find
The Book again within whatever time period
they are in. Later in the series, Joe's evil
uncle, Mad Jack, makes several attempts to
capture the children and The Book with his
crafty tricks, whether stranding them in
Antarctica (where The Book doesn't work)
or trying to make their new home in China
(during the Tang Dynasty).

WORDWORLD (2007-2011)
Come along for an adventurous romp into a colorful, vibrant world of words with Duck and his lovable, legible WordFriends — animals whose bodies are made up of the letters that spell the word they are.

UNKNOWN:
According to insiders, PBS Kids lost the rights to this show. That could explain Pinkalicious' double bills and Ruff's absence from the i-plate unless they're plans in place to launch it later. Just like NickToons did with Totally Spies! and SpongeBob Squarepants with Disney Junior being Elena of Avalor.
FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN (2006-2010)
Blending live-action and animation, FETCH revolves around an animated dog named Ruff Ruffman, who develops, produces, and hosts his own reality TV show. Ruff runs the show from his state-of-the-art headquarters, otherwise known as his dog house, and issues wild and wacky real-world challenges to a group of 10-14 year old kid contestants.

FORMAT OF THE SCHEDULE (RECAP)
Please take note of the following:
1.If you see two different times separated by a / that means its a double run or bill. This format is applied to 99% of the schedule on a daily basis.
2.The 1% doesn't have a double bill and usually occurs at midnight (12am) or morning (6am) depending on the times in days.
3.The times are the only things that change on this channel drastically especially at midnight and morning e.g. Arthur does at 18:33 on Monday, 19:00 on Tuesday and 18:52 on Wednesday. The format and order remain the same (excluding 11pm-12am and 5am-6am).
4.When the channel does launch the schedule could be different from the i-plate perspective but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon.
5.Even though 99% of the schedule is double runs, it will change overtime. Some shows will fall off  the schedule to make way for new shows while others share a timeslot meaning less double runs.

Daily Schedule
Friday 10 May
06:01  Wordworld
06:28/06:50  Peep And The Big Wide World
07:12/07:37  Pinkalicious And Peterrific
08:02/08:26  Arthur
08:53/09:19  Postcards From Buster
09:46/10:09  Time Warp Trio
10:32/11:01  Mister Rogers Neighbourhood
11:29/11:56  Wordworld
12:23/12:45  Peep And The Big Wide World
13:07/13:32  Pinkalicious And Peterrific
13:57/14:22  Arthur
14:48/15:15  Postcards From Buster
15:41/16:05  Time Warp Trio
16:28/16:56  Mister Rogers Neighbourhood
17:24/17:52  Wordworld
18:19/18:40  Peep And The Big Wide World
19:02/19:27  Pinkalicious And Peterrific
19:52/20:17  Arthur
20:43/21:10  Postcards From Buster
21:37/22:00  Time Warp Trio
22:23/22:52  Mister Rogers Neighbourhood
23:20/23:47  Wordworld
Saturday 11 May
00:14/00:36  Peep And The Big Wide World
00:58/01:23  Pinkalicious And Peterrific
01:48/02:15  Arthur
02:41/03:09  Postcards From Buster
03:37/04:00  Time Warp Trio
04:23/04:51  Mister Rogers Neighbourhood
05:20/05:47  Wordworld

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