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For the Hong Kong children's program, see Kids Click.

KidsClick
NetworkThis TV (2017–18)
TBD (2018–19)
Syndication (2017–19)
LaunchedJuly 1, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-07-01)
ClosedMarch 31, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-03-31)
Country of originUnited States
OwnerSinclair Broadcast Group
Key people
  • Daniel Barnathan
  • (Vice President, Family and Children's Programming and Sales)
  • Jonathan Dern
  • (Executive Producer)[1]
FormatWeekday/weekend morning cartoon block
Running time3 hours
Original language(s)English

KidsClick was a daily children's programming block distributed by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which premiered on July 1, 2017. The block, which primarily consisted of long-form animated series as well as some short-form content, was carried in the U.S. on terrestrial television network TBD, and on Sinclair-owned/operated television stations in several markets.[2] At launch, the block was available in 75 million households.[1] The block marked the return of traditional weekday cartoons and Saturday morning cartoons to terrestrial television,[3] as well as the first children's programming block on U.S. free-to-air television not to comply with Children's Television Act regulations since the Saban Brands-produced Vortexx was discontinued on September 27, 2014.

The This TV iteration of the block accompanied an existing, unbranded lineup of educational programming on weekend mornings, which had aired on the network since November 1, 2013, after the discontinuation of Cookie Jar Toons (which coincided with original co-owner Weigel Broadcasting transferring its 50% interest in the network to Tribune Broadcasting, as well as the Cookie Jar Group's absorption into DHX Media [now WildBrain]); it also marked the first time that This TV had carried children's programming on Monday through Saturday mornings since Tribune (whom Sinclair later attempted and failed to acquire)[4][5] assumed partial ownership of the network. On July 1, 2018, This TV discontinued carriage of KidsClick, which was transferred to Sinclair's TBD channel, which had been carrying the block on a transitional basis since May 7 of that year.[6]

On March 29, 2019, shortly after closing sister site Circa News, KidsClick's Facebook page announced the block's discontinuation on March 31, 2019.[7][8]

History

On May 2, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would launch a multiplatform children's programming block on linear television and online platforms. The company partnered with MGM Domestic Television Distribution to develop and distribute KidsClick, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Toon Goggles, which it planned to air nationally on This TV and select network affiliates (particularly those aligned with The CW, and the MyNetworkTV programming service, as well as some Fox-affiliated stations that do not carry local morning newscasts in the block's designated timeslots) and independent stations owned and/or operated by Sinclair on July 1, 2017. Its content encompasses short- and long-form material and is distributed online, through internet browsers and mobile apps in video-on-demand and live streaming formats.[2][9][10][11] The network's distribution and website utilized Imagine Communications' cloud technology from Sinclair's Las Vegas studios for their market triopoly.[12]

Sinclair returned to the children's television market with KidsClick several years after the demise of The Program Exchange (a barter syndicator of programming which ended up as the last company providing non-educational children's content to television stations before its 2016 dissolution), an industry estimated to be worth $1 billion, which is currently largely split in advertising revenue between Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.[2][13] Speaking to the return of children's programming on American commercial broadcast television, Steven M. Marks, COO and EVP of Sinclair Television Group, said in an earnings report on May 3, 2017: "That's a $1 billion-plus spot business that we don't get a dime from. So again, it's an illustration of going back into the marketplace and fishing in ponds that we haven't fished in. So that's $1 billion that is pretty much split between [two] cable networks: Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network. Disney is a subscription network. 18 years ago, we were the kings of reaching kids every day. There's no reason in the world why we can't be successful in that space."[14]

On Friday, March 29, 2019, KidsClick announced on Facebook that the block would air for the last time on March 31. Sinclair also discontinued sister property Circa News three days prior to the announcement.[8] Sinclair would later claim that the block was discontinued "for business reasons", but that its use of cloud technology was a successful testing ground to use the technology for its digital broadcast networks.[15]

KidsClick ended quietly on March 31, 2019, with an airing of Oggy and the Cockroaches; all advertising made no mention of its demise, and the promotional spot at the end of the show mentioned it would return Saturday morning. For the vast majority of stations carrying it, temporary or permanent paid programming, religious programming, other syndicated content, or alternate E/I-complaint shows overlaid the former timeslot until more permanent programming was scheduled in the fall; this would turn out to be the national news service from Sinclair, The National Desk, for many Sinclair stations. Paid programming and some Internet-originated content series replaced it on TBD. Several days later, the block's website was taken down, with the domain redirected to the main Sinclair corporate page.

A final postscript to the service came down three years later, when nineteen stations, along with Sinclair itself and Nexstar Media Group, were proposed to be fined $3.4 million for a violation of children's ad guidelines, involving advertising for Mattel's Hot Wheels airing during episodes of Team Hot Wheels without being screened out, which under said guidelines, made the entire half-hour a program-length commercial.[16]

Scheduling

The block was preferred to air every Monday-Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m., and Saturday and Sundays from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. local time,[2] though scheduling variances existed in certain markets due to network programming obligations (such as One Magnificent Morning airing from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m., which delayed or preempted the KidsClick Saturday Morning lineup on CW-affiliated stations that carried both blocks), existing contracts for other syndicated programming or with paid or religious programming providers, or a preference to air news and sports programming in those slots.[17] It aired in a downscaled letterbox format via This TV, as that network had yet to upgrade to an HD master feed; it otherwise aired in HD or at least in widescreen on most of its affiliates and via the TBD network later on.

Because the programs featured on KidsClick did not meet educational content guidelines defined in the Children's Television Act by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), This TV continued to air a block of live-action travel and wildlife series from Steve Rotfeld Productions immediately after the weekend broadcasts of the KidsClick lineup to fulfill the mandate (accordingly, the network's E/I block switched from a singular, three-hour block aired only on Sunday mornings to two separate 90-minute-long blocks that will air on Saturdays and Sundays).[18][19] Sinclair-operated independent stations that aired KidsClick also continue to provide E/I-compliant programs acquired from the syndication market through individual distributors, from Fox's Xploration Station block managed by Rotfeld, or via the Litton Entertainment-distributed Go Time block to meet the quotas.

Programming

Former programming

Original programming

Some of the following programming made their debut or some previous programming that premiered on other networks aired new episodes on KidsClick.

Title Premiere date End date Original network Moved to Source(s)
Scary Larry July 1, 2017 December 10, 2017 Originally aired
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir July 3, 2017 March 29, 2019 Nickelodeon Disney Channel
Rocket Monkeys
Super 4 August 24, 2018 Netflix Primo TV
Netflix
Team Hot Wheels September 16, 2017 January 20, 2019 Cartoon Network
Netflix 		[20]
Zak Storm September 30, 2017 January 7, 2018 Originally aired Discovery Family [20]
Mecard June 16, 2018 January 20, 2019 [21][22]
The Legendaries July 8, 2018 Primo TV [21]
Lego Friends: Girls on a Mission December 10, 2018 January 22, 2019 Kabillion [23]

Acquired programming

Title Premiere date End date Original network Moved to Source(s)
RoboCop: Alpha Commando July 1, 2017 September 10, 2017 Syndication
Sonic X October 6, 2017 4Kids TV (Fox)
The CW4Kids (The CW) 		Kabillion [24]
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures March 31, 2019 Disney XD Discovery Family
Primo TV 		[25]
Pink Panther and Pals March 31, 2019 Cartoon Network [26]
Max Steel July 3, 2017 June 15, 2018 Disney XD
Netflix
Angry Birds March 31, 2019 Toons.TV
Netflix 		Netflix
Winx Club October 9, 2017 March 2, 2018 4Kids TV (Fox)
The CW4Kids (The CW) 		Nickelodeon [20]
Dinosaur King February 5, 2018 August 24, 2018 Primo TV [27]
Oggy and the Cockroaches June 18, 2018 March 31, 2019 Fox Kids (Fox)
Nickelodeon 		[28]
Oddbods August 27, 2018 September 21, 2018 Disney XD
Transformers: Energon November 3, 2018 Cartoon Network [29]
The Jungle Book March 29, 2019 Disney XD [30]
Barbie Dreamtopia September 24, 2018 Starz [31]
Monster High: Adventures of the Ghoul Squad Monster High YouTube channel
Transformers: Cybertron September 30, 2018 March 31, 2019 Cartoon Network
Kids' WB! (The CW)

Special programming

Title Initial broadcast date Source(s)
A Monsterous Holiday October 27, 2018 [32][33]
Under Wraps October 28, 2018 [32]
Dear Dracula October 29, 2018
A Monster Christmas November 22, 2018 [29]
Frozen in Time
The Naughty List November 23, 2018

Scrapped programming

Title Planned premiere date Original network Source(s)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero July 1, 2017 Syndication [24]
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Fox Kids (Fox)
ABC Kids (ABC) 		[24]
Transformers: Prime Discovery Family
Transformers: Robots in Disguise Cartoon Network [24]

Affiliate list

See also: List of TBD affiliates

The following is a list of stations that carried KidsClick in syndication as of its March 31, 2019, discontinuation, which included the possibility that a TBD affiliate on a station owned by Sinclair or another owner would air the programming block in the same market near or at the same time:

City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation Owner
Albany–Schenectady–Troy, New York WCWN 45.1 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Baltimore-Annapolis, Maryland WUTB 24.1 MyNetworkTV Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Birmingham–Tuscaloosa–Anniston, Alabama WABM[34] 68.1 Sinclair Broadcast Group
Bristol-Johnson City-Kingsport, Tennessee/
Bristol, Virginia		 WEMT 39.1 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Buffalo, New York WNYO[35] 49.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Cape Girardeau, Missouri/Paducah, Kentucky WDKA
Cedar Rapids-Dubuque, Iowa KFXA 28.1 Fox Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd.
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Charleston, South Carolina WCIV[36] 36.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Champaign-Danville-Springfield-Urbana, Illinois WBUI 23.1 The CW GOCOM Media, LLC
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Chattanooga, Tennessee WFLI[37] 53.1 MPS Media, LLC
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Chico-Redding, California KZVU-LD
KRVU-LD		 21.1
22.1		 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Cincinnati, Ohio WKRC-DT2 12.2 The CW
Columbus, Ohio WWHO 53.1 Manham Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Corpus Christi, Texas KTOV-LP (analog)
KSCC-DT3 (digital)		 21 (analog)
38.3 (digital)		 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Des Moines, Iowa KDSM[38] 17.1 Fox
El Paso, Texas/Las Cruces, New Mexico KDBC-DT2 4.2 MyNetworkTV
Eureka, California KECA-LD2 29.2
Flint-Saginaw, Michigan WSMH 66.1 Fox
Florence–Myrtle Beach, South Carolina WWMB[39] 21.1 The CW Howard Stirk Holdings
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Fresno–Visalia, California KFRE[40] 59.1 Sinclair Broadcast Group
Gainesville-Ocala, Florida WGFL-DT2 28.2 MyNetworkTV New Age Media, LLC
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Grand Rapids, Michigan WWMT-DT2 3.2 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Green Bay–Fox Cities, Wisconsin WCWF[41] 14.1
Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem, North Carolina WMYV 48.1 MyNetworkTV
Greenville-Jacksonville-New Bern, North Carolina WYDO 14.1 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina/
Asheville, North Carolina		 WMYA 40.1 MyNetworkTV
Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Pennsylvania WHP-DT3 21.3 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Las Vegas, Nevada KVCW-DT2 33.2 MyNetworkTV
Lexington-Frankfort, Kentucky WDKY 56.1 Fox
Lincoln-Superior-Grand Island, Nebraska KFXL 51.1
Madison, Wisconsin WMSN 47.1
Milwaukee, Wisconsin WVTV 18.1 The CW
Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota WUCW[17] 23.1
Mobile, Alabama-Pensacola, Florida WFGX[42] 35.1 MyNetworkTV
Nashville, Tennessee WNAB 58.1 The CW Tennessee Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News-Virginia Beach, Virginia WTVZ 33.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KOCB 34.1 The CW
Omaha, Nebraska KXVO 15.1 Mitts Telecasting Company
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania WPNT 22.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Portland-Auburn-Augusta, Maine WPFO[43] 23.1 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Raleigh–Durham–Fayetteville, North Carolina WRDC 28.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia WRLH-DT2 35.2
Rochester, New York WHAM-DT2[44] 13.2 The CW Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Salt Lake City, Utah KMYU 12.1 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
San Antonio, Texas KMYS[45] 35.1 The CW Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Savannah, Georgia WTGS 28.1 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania WQMY 53.1 MyNetworkTV New Age Media, LLC
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Sioux City, Iowa KPTH[46] 44.1 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
South Bend, Indiana WSBT-DT2 22.2
Syracuse, New York WSTQ-LP (analog)
WSTM-DT2 (digital)		 14 (analog)
3.2 (digital)		 The CW
Tallahassee, Florida WTWC-DT2 40.2 Fox
Wheeling, West Virginia/Steubenville, Ohio WTOV-DT2 9.2
Wichita, Kansas KMTW[47] 36.1 MyNetworkTV Mercury Broadcasting Company, Inc.
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)

References

  1. ^ a b "Sinclair Names Dan Barnathan VP Family and Children's Programming and Sales; Jonathan Dern Executive Producer" (Press release). Sinclair Broadcast Group. PR Newswire. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017 – via WDRB-TV.
  2. ^ a b c d Diana Marszalek (May 3, 2017). "Sinclair Wants Back in on Kids' TV". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Jacobson, Adam (May 2, 2017). "'KidsClick' Multi-Platform Programming Block Set For Sinclair". Radio+Television Business Report. Streamline Publishing. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  4. ^ Stephen Battaglio (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus debt". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  5. ^ Cynthia Littleton (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  6. ^ @KidsClickTV (July 5, 2018). "We were sad too, but the good news is we are still on TV on TBD. You can check their market list to see where we are in your area: https://tbd.com/watch-on-tv . You can always watch on our app or site as well: https://kidsclick.com" (Tweet). Retrieved July 19, 2018 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "Kidsclick". www.facebook.com. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Hazard Owen, Laura (March 27, 2019). "Circa, Sinclair's millennial-focused news site (and the final remains of some interesting mobile ideas), is shutting down". Nieman Lab. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  9. ^ Jacobson, Adam (May 2, 2017). "'KidsClick' Multi-Platform Programming Block Set For Sinclair". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "KidsClick launches video-on-demand options, Zak Storm contest". ToonBarn. November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  11. ^ "KidsClick launches online live streaming option". ToonBarn. December 26, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Imagine and SBG Deliver 'KidsClick' Content". InBroadcast. January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  13. ^ Mirabella, Lorraine (May 3, 2017). "Sinclair Broacast Group anticipates more acquisitions [sic]". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  14. ^ "Edited Transcript of SBGI earnings conference call or presentation 3-May-17 1:30pm GMT". Thomson Reuters. Yahoo! Finance. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  15. ^ Miller, Mark (September 17, 2020). "Broadcasters Play To Cloud's Strengths For Playout". TV News Check. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  16. ^ Johnson, Ted (September 21, 2022). "FCC Proposes $3.4 Million In Fines To Stations For Violating Children's Ad Limits With Hot Wheels Commercials". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Kids Click coming to The CW Twin Cities on July 1st". WUCW. Sinclair Broadcast Group. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  18. ^ "This TV Schedule - Program listings and guide". This TV. Tribune Broadcasting/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  19. ^ "This TV Schedule - Program listings and guide". This TV. Tribune Broadcasting/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  20. ^ a b c "KidsClick's fall lineup includes Hot Wheels, Winx Club, Zak Storm". ToonBarn. September 1, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "KidsClick picks up Mecard, The Legendaries". ToonBarn. June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  22. ^ "KidsClick brings Halloween-themed programming for October". ToonBarn. October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  23. ^ "LEGO Friends takes a visit to KidsClick". ToonBarn. December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  24. ^ a b c d "Kidsclick Homepage". Bird and Bowtie. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  25. ^ "Morning Cartoons are back! Join us Saturday morning at 7:00 AM". KidsClick. June 29, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  26. ^ "Pink Shirt Day and Pink Panther Extends to Weekdays". Facebook. February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  27. ^ "Dinosaur King Returns to U.S. TV on February 5". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  28. ^ "Oggy and the Cockroaches invades KidsClick in June". ToonBarn. May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  29. ^ a b "KidsClick celebrates the holidays with new specials". ToonBarn. November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  30. ^ "KidsClick adds new shows, sees distribution revamp". ToonBarn. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  31. ^ "KidsClick adds Barbie, Monster High, Sunday-specific programming". ToonBarn. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  32. ^ a b "KidsClick brings Halloween-themed programming for October". ToonBarn. October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  33. ^ "Our Halloween lineup starts tomorrow! That means our normal schedule will be changing to get all our KidsCLICK fans in the spooky zone. Some of the halloween specials you can only watch on tv or the live stream (on our site, app, apple tv, roku and android tv)... so make sure you toon in every morning to catch it!!! - @talkwithtaydyn". Sinclair Broadcast Group. Facebook. October 25, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  34. ^ "A look back at popular kids cartoons as KidsClick TV launches July 1". WBMA-LD. Sinclair Broadcast Group. June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  35. ^ "Morning Cartoons are back starting July 1 on our sister station MYTV Buffalo CH49.!". WUTV. Sinclair Broadcast Group. June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017 – via Facebook.
  36. ^ KIDS CLICK WCIV transfer. YouTube. June 21, 2017.
  37. ^ WTVC PacMan. YouTube. June 19, 2017.
  38. ^ "Starting on Saturday, July 1st, Kids Click will be bringing you early morning cartoons just like it used to be. Take a look at the schedule, and don't forget to add the show times to your calendar!". KDSM. June 28, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  39. ^ WPDE Kids Click Previews. YouTube. June 21, 2017.
  40. ^ "Kids Click coming to CW59 July 1st". KMPH-TV. Sinclair Broadcast Group. June 7, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  41. ^ Jeffrey Bartel (June 20, 2017). "KidsClick to launch July 1st on CW 14". WCWF. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  42. ^ Kids Click 30. YouTube. June 14, 2017.
  43. ^ WGME Kids Click. YouTube. June 15, 2017.
  44. ^ WHAM Kids Click 1. YouTube. June 16, 2017.
  45. ^ WOAI KIDS CLICK. YouTube. June 15, 2017.
  46. ^ KMEG PACMAN. YouTube. June 19, 2017.
  47. ^ "KidsClick is your new home for morning cartoons 7 days a week. It's a 360° viewing experience with classic & cool new shows on all screens". KMTW. July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
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