JPTV Jr.: Now Your Two-Year-Old Can Watch Maisy at Midnight
In what counts as major news mostly to TV households with minor dependents, Nickelodeon's spinoff channels Noggin (commercial TV for toddlers in the daytime) and The N (tween and teen shows by night), which now share a channel, will become separate channels at the end of the year. (It's the TV equivalent of finally getting your own room away from your little brother.) The New York Times's article mainly focuses on The N, which, it says, will now be positioned as a bigger competitor to Disney and ABC Family. But it also noted that a 24-hour Noggin will compete with PBS's 24-hour preschool channel, PBS Kids Sprout.
Which reminds me of a question that's long nagged at me: Who out there is watching PBS Kids' Sprout in the middle of the night, anyway? All the scenarios I can spin out are depressing: small children needing to be entertained during hospital visits or family crises; parents nursing kids with stomach flu through sleepless nights; tiny little insomniacs with their own TVs way too early in life.
But I'm sure there's something I'm missing: maybe running programming through the night just means there's a better chance your DVR can pick up that elusive Backyardigans rerun. Or is there a hidden cult out there of rave kids partying all night to the sounds of toddlers' TV? That, at least, would explain Yo Gabba Gabba!
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1
Yep, I think you're right. The only time my sprogs and I have been watching television that time of night is due to sickness... but I have to say that the bliss of being able to turn the television on and sneak in a quick doze yourself knowing that at least the content is safe, has been a sanity-saver on more than one occasion.
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2
I DVR Sprout/Noggin in the middle of the night, so that we can watch it when we get home from school/work. I cannot say that we have been awake in the middle of the night to catch either of these channels!
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3
I TiVo the noggin stuff, although I really don't suffer from a need to free up Tivo to tape "passions" or oprah during the day.
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4
Yo Gabba Gabba! is mind-numbing. And at the same time, mesmerizing.
With that having been said, I'm thankful that Noggin will be on past 6pm EST. That's when I usually get home from work with my 2 yr. old. It will be nice to have him occupied while I fix dinner.
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5
@martha:
I usually hate MySpace pages that automatically load music, but enjoyed the Ben Folds Battle of Who Could Care Less on yours.
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6
As a parent with a child with asthma - there have been many times I've wished for Noggin all night. Most of what is on on other channels is inappropriate in every way - including commercials.
And what is up with Yo Gabba Gabba? I thought Oobi was wierd...
- poniewozik Loved the season. Mrs Tuned In wd have put u on the main list RT @boredtodeath Thank u for incl us in Time's Top 10. We'll take hon mention. - 5 hours ago
- poniewozik @carr2n Virgin is the best, LAX-JFK - 6 hours ago
- poniewozik Did NPR interview abt multiscreen multitasking. After, automatically reached for iPhone in pocket. Like don draper wd have for cigarettes. - 7 hours ago
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