BabyFirstTV Launches Canada’s Leading 24/7 Channel Dedicated to Babies and Toddlers
New Channel Offers an Interactive Co-Viewing Experience for Parents and Children
Vancouver. BC, July 25, 2007 - BabyFirstTV is pleased to announce its award-winning premium channel dedicated to providing positive content for babies, toddlers and their parents is now available for the first time in Canada via ExpressVu Digital TV from Bell and PersonalTV from Rogers. BabyFirstTV (www.BabyFirstTV.com) is created by leading experts in child development and education, and provides interactive opportunities for parents and baby to bond, learn and explore together. In celebration of BabyFirstTV’s Canadian roll-out, Bell and Rogers will offer subscribers free access to the programming for a limited time this summer.
With today’s announcement, BabyFirstTV is now available in 26 countries around the world and to more than 69 million homes. The content focuses on areas of development ranging from language and math, to sensory skills and creative play.
“BabyFirstTV offers evolving and interactive educational content for infants, toddlers and their parents morning and evening for less than the cost of a single baby DVD”, said Sharon Rechter, executive vice president, Business Development and Marketing and one of BabyFirstTV’s founders. “Our mission is to provide parents with the best content for their babies in the most convenient manner and means, and to give all babies a positive head start in life.”
According to research conducted by the Washington University and Seattle Children’s Hospital, 90 per cent of children under the age of two watch on-screen media every day and 40 per cent under three months*.
In November, 2006, BabyFirstTV was a recipient of an iParenting Media Award for one of the “Greatest Products of the Year for 2006″. Earlier this year, Creative Child Magazine recognized the BabyFirstTV in its Media of the Year category.
BabyFirstTV’s content is supervised and supported by a worldwide Advisory Board that provides academic supervision to ensure programming quality. Dr. Saul Greenberg and Dr. Hartley Garfield, pediatricians at Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto are members of the Board that includes leading child psychologists and development experts.
“BabyFirstTV transforms traditional television into an interactive and educational tool that provides parents with another way to introduce their babies and toddlers to enriching experiences such as a language and music exploration,” said Dr. Saul Greenberg, pediatrician at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and BabyFirstTV Advisory Board member. “The key to BabyFirstTV is the collaboration with leading child development and education leaders, which not only enhances the actual programming, but also ensures that the content is appropriate to all levels of a baby’s development.”
Consistent with guidelines recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society, BabyFirstTV features both on-air and off-air guidance for parents to assist them with managing healthy viewing habits. Furthermore, the BabyFirstTV Advisory Board provides their “stamp of approval” on all BabyFirstTV programs and ensures that they offer a safe, positive learning environment with no commercials, no violence and no over-sensory stimulants.
BabyFirstTV Programming Features
BabyFirstTV offers the following programming elements to provide an enjoyable experience for both parents and their children:
- Original and Award-winning Content: BabyFirstTV features more than 80% original content customized for infants and toddlers from six months to three years old.
The programming includes more than 80 different shows such as Rainbow Horse,Harry the Bunny and Can Sign. The channel also offers popular and award-winning baby DVD brands, including Brainy Baby, First Impressions, So Smart and Baby Songs. - Interactive Parents™ Subtitles: The channel offers subtitles for parents to guide them on words and movements to use with baby during the programs making the experience as interactive and engaging as reading a book.
- BabyFirstTV Parents™ Guide: Parents can download a guide from BabyFirstTV.com to access tips and guidance for their children’s television viewing.
- Colour-coded On-Screen Logo: BabyFirstTV helps inform parents about the educational value of each segment with its unique colour-coded system. The BabyFirstTV flower logo changes colours according to the specific program content. For example, blue for Numbers Parade, red for Language Playground, etc.
- Multi-layer Content: With BabyFirstTV, each show offers elements that can appeal to younger babies and older toddlers simultaneously, so children at various levels and age groups can focus on something different within the same program.
- Flexible Programming: BabyFirstTV features programming to offer parents access to content when and where they want it. The channel also offers daytime programs to engage babies, while evening content helps soothe babies as they prepare for sleep.
- Best Value for Money: BabyFirstTV gives parents an incredible value with access to hundreds of hours of new and different programming for less than the price of a single baby-branded DVD.
BabyFirstTV is available nationwide to Bell ExpressVu subscribers on Channel 562 and via Rogers Cable on Channel 233. To learn more about the summer preview, please contact Bell ExpressVu or Rogers Cable.
About BabyFirstTV
BabyFirstTV is the first channel in the U.S. dedicated to providing rich, innovative inspiring content designed to enhance baby’s development in a delightful and engaging way. Supported by leading child development experts, the network is specifically tailored to meet the needs of babies in a safe and inspiring commercial-free learning environment. Featuring 80 percent original content, BabyFirstTV offers parents a positive way to bond with baby and help foster learning and development. For more information, go to www.BabyFirstTV.com.
*Study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute. May 2007.
