SB-04: KidsCo 1.0 | Step 2: Go Digital

Originally Posted by Jeff Harris

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As mentioned before, the United States and the entire world are undergoing a major shift in the way we look at television. The digital transition has begun, and new opportunities are being made. Digital television will cause broadcasters to create subchannels to go along with their main channels. Subchannels like dot2, Retro Television Network, MeTV, LATV, and FUNimation Channel are already on the air as others are currently in the planning stages.

When more consumers realize these subchannels, availiable free over the air, are availiable at no additional cost, cable television subscribers could actually decline. The cable market isn't dead, but it's going to have to evolve or else.

On that note, KidsCo could easily be a full-fledged 24-hour digital subchannel in the United States.

Why?

For starters, cable operators are particular about what goes on their channel lineups, and they're not keen on adding new channels so easily. There are still cable systems without Nicktoons Network, The N, PBS Sprout, Toon Disney, and Boomerang. KidsCo knew that initially when they originally decided against launching in the United States. But what they failed to realize is that digital television is going to provide so many opportunities in the years ahead creating new channels and newer ways of looking at television that you've never considered, let alone thought about.

Also, if KidsCo is launched as a 24-hour digital subchannel, you'll already have a head-up on the competition. KidsCo would go where Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network can't, broadcast television. It would be a broadcast network not unlike qubo or PBS Kids, but it'd be the only one not exclusively an educational channel. There will be educational programming, but it shouldn't and won't dominate the entire lineup. Because digital television is a mandate, KidsCo would have the potential to be in every household in the country, unlike Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and even Disney Channel.

One roadblock in the road to digital television is carriage. NBC-owned affiliates would definitely have access to KidsCo since they actually own a piece of the endeavor and don't have to share with ION, unlike qubo, which is largely ION's brainchild. Non-network-owned affiliates of NBC would also have a first look at carrying KidsCo, and I would imagine most would carry it. However, KidsCo should also make the channel availiable to any digital network, particularly independently-owned channels and those affiliates of The CW and MyNetworkTV without readily-availiable access to children's programming. It's a roadblock, but it's a minor one. If KidsCo were availiable in at least half of the top 50 markets in the US, then they would really be in a unique position of being the only non-educational commercial children's entertainment network availiable over the air.

But how would it look, at least on the surface? I think it'd look similar to northern viewers and yet something unique to Americans as well. See what I mean.