Universal Kids channel to shut down for all viewers in days
Universal Kids channel to shut down for all viewers in days
The channel’s disappearance will also mean that any titles recorded from it will also be removed.
Each legacy media company is trying to determine the best path forward for their cable channels. NBCUniversal is no different; in November, the company announced plans to spin off nearly all of its cable networks to a separate entity, so it could focus its efforts on building out its streaming service Peacock further. One NBCU cable network won’t make it that far, however; Universal Kids is simply shutting down for good, and will disappear from the airwaves of major live TV streaming services in the coming days.
Key Details:
- Universal Kids will shut down on March 5.
- Any DVR recordings sourced from the channel will be deleted as well.
- The move will affect customers of DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.
The Universal Kids channel will be removed from live TV streamers and cable plans as of Wednesday, March 5. In the end, the channel simply faced too much competition from streaming platforms like YouTube, as well as Prime Video and other on-demand streamers that have made adding more kids’ content a priority.
Viewers who have Universal Kids content recorded via DVR will soon have to say goodbye to those recordings. An email sent to YouTube TV customers informed them that as of March 5, those recordings would be pulled from their library. Presumably, that holds true for other live TV services as well.
YouTube TV customers aren’t the only ones who will be affected by the change. Universal Kids is available on select DIRECTV STREAM plans, as well as Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. Audiences who formerly watched Universal Kids content via these streaming services and don’t want to lose access to the channel’s content should consider a subscription to Peacock, starting at $8 per month.
“NBCUniversal remains committed to family entertainment, including award-winning brands Illumination and Dreamworks Animation, as well as kids-focused programming on Peacock,” an NBCUniversal spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline.
The company’s decision to spin off all cable networks except Bravo is a reflection of the hard facts of the TV and streaming worlds today. With cord-cutting continuing to eat away at the viewership of nearly all cable channels, each company has to determine its next steps carefully. The wrong move could put them on footing so unstable that they won’t survive the continued evolution of the industry for the long haul.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.