BabyFirst (stylized in all lowercase since 2019) is an American pay television channel producing and distributing content for babies from 0–3 years[1] and their parents through television, the internet, and mobile applications. The channel is owned by First Media US, Fremantle, Mediacorp and RTL.[2] The content is intended to develop an infant's skills, such as color recognition, counting and vocabulary.
Country | United States, Singapore |
---|---|
Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV |
Ownership | |
Owner | First Media: |
History | |
Launched | May 11, 2006 |
Links | |
Website | www |
Availability | |
Streaming media | |
Service(s) | DirecTV Stream, Frndly TV, MeWatch |
The network is based in Los Angeles, California and is available in over 120 million homes in 33 countries and in 13 languages.[3][4]
BabyFirst was announced in 2004[5] by Guy Oranim and Sharon Rechter.[6][7][8] The network was launched on May 11, 2006, on DirecTV and made available through EchoStar's Dish Network in June 2006.[9][10] It is based in Los Angeles and was initially funded by Regency Enterprises, Kardan and Bellco Capital.[11][12] The channel was controversial as the first 24-hour channel for children six months to three years in age,[12][13] but it was popular among parents[14][15][16] and grew quickly.[9]
In the 2000s, the Federal Trade Commission responded to a complaint by the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood alleging that BabyFirst's advertising that it helped babies develop skills was misleading. The FTC did not impose any sanctions.[9][17]
By 2008, it was broadcasting in ten territories in the Asia Pacific, such as China and Korea.[18] In October 2008, SingTel started distributing the channel to the Singapore audience.[19] It was also being broadcast in Africa and Latin America.[9] In May 2008, it signed a distribution agreement with Time Warner Cable.[9][20][21] In 2009, HBO Asia became the exclusive distributor in Asia.[22]
In 2011, the network obtained agreements to distribute the channel in the United Kingdom through the BSkyB satellite network as well as in Mexico through Sky Mexico and Cablevision.[23] A French version was introduced with CanalSat in 2011.[5] In late 2011, it had arranged broadcasting agreements throughout Europe,[24] the Middle East,[23][24] and Canada.[25]
A bilingual Latin and English channel, BabyFirst Americas, was launched with Comcast in 2012.[26][27] A premium YouTube channel was introduced in June 2013.[6]
In 2013, former ABC Network President Steven McPherson[6] and Rich Frank, the former chairman of Disney Channel[28] became investors and board members as the company worked to develop new content and improve advertising revenues.[28] In May 2014, BabyFirst and AT&T U-verse released a co-developed second-screen app for mobile devices for children to interact with the television programming through tablets or smartphones.[29]
The television channel provides 24-hour programming for babies.[30] About 90 percent of the 90 shows it produces are original content created at its studios.[12][31] Acquired programs include Mio Mao, Squeak!, Teletubbies, Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!, The Very Small Creatures and Word Party. The format of the network limits each of the network's presentations to three to five minutes of length that are either live-action or animated.[13][31]
The New York Times described the content as "decidedly unhurried," making extensive use of bright colors and upbeat music.[13] Programming development is said to be guided by child psychology experts and is designed to encourage a child's skills development, such as counting, vocabulary and color recognition.[6][12][24][32] The channel logo in the corner changes colors to indicate the skills a segment is intended to develop. Late-night programming is intended to lull viewers to sleep.[13]
There are also 41 BabyFirst apps for mobile devices.[31] An app available to AT&T U-verse viewers allows children to draw on a mobile device and have the drawing appear on the television screen.[29]
Some experts argue that exposing children to television at such an early age is taking technology too far or that parents are using the channel as a digital babysitter. Parents, in turn, refute that argument, claiming that experts have lost touch with the realities of raising a child.[33] The firm suggests the programming is intended to be watched by parents and their children together in an interactive way.[34]