VIZIO Expands 24/7 Streaming Channels Dedicated To Kids Of All Ages

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VIZIO, Inc., the #1 American-based TV brand¹ and #1 sound bar brand in America² today announced the launch of a number of kids and family linear TV channels free for SmartCast users as lockdowns continue across the U.S. The 24-hour TV channels bring kid-friendly entertainment to millions of viewers across America.

VIZIO has seen a spike in engagement for kids and family content as families continue to stay home. Apps with content for kids and family have historically seen around 35 percent more engagement than the average app on SmartCast.

Beginning today, SmartCast users can find a carousel of content with 24/7 content options from a variety of programs for kids of all ages including:

• Ameba: a children's video streaming service full of engaging kids TV shows, family movies and kids music videos designed to spark children's curiosity and empower them to explore.
• Brat TV: a fan-favorite for Gen Z audiences, Brat TV features teen stars like Dixie D'Amelio and Annie LeBlanc in live-action original series.
• Giggle Mug: collections of videos that kids and the entire family can enjoy featuring fan favorite TV shows like Tara Duncan, Robot Trains, YooHoo & Friends, Besty's Kindergarten Adventures, Miniforce and more.
• HappyKids Junior: a destination dedicated to educating and entertaining Preschoolers with popular shows such as Cat in the Hat, Thomas & Friends, Care Bears, Super Simple Songs, Blippi and Mofy.
• HappyKids.tv: programming that educates and entertains kids 6+ with popular and safe shows, music and movies including Sonic, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Bakugan, Winx Club and many more.
• Kid Gamer TV from Studio71: witness the world's most exciting gamers create engaging experiences in the fantastical universes of Minecraft and Roblox.
• Kidoodle.TV®: a Safe Streaming™ platform with content hand-picked by parents including popular shows like PAW Patrol, LEGO City, Abdallah Smash, Talking Tom, True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Little Baby Bum, Pocoyo, Oddbods and more.
• The Official LEGO® Channel: a channel dedicated to inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow where kids can watch their favorite Minifigure® characters.
• SQAD: eSports, sports and gaming content targets teens, tweens and video game lovers of all ages. SQAD brings together the best from gaming culture, and straight up weird shows.
• Tankee Gaming: channel where kids and families can enjoy gaming content featuring Minecraft, Roblox, Nintendo hits and more by their favorite gamers.
• Toon Goggles: Toon Goggles has all your favorite kids shows for free including fan favorites such as Angry Birds, Talking Tom, Om Nom, Gummy Bears, Sonic, Yu-Gi-Oh! and many more!
• WowNow Kids: the home of original animated adventures, educational series, and sing-alongs. WowNow delivers popular, Dove-approved movies and TV for families and children of all ages.

VIZIO is committed to delivering content that SmartCast users of all ages can enjoy. Upcoming free updates to SmartCast will add recommendations based on frequently streamed content, and family-friendly content reviews from Common Sense Media.

"Today VIZIO is making thousands of hours of free childrens' programming available to our SmartCast users, as people increasingly make streaming part of their daily routines," said Katherine Pond, VP of Business Development for VIZIO. "With the uncertainty of the upcoming school year, parents will be looking for alternate ways to entertain and educate their children from inside the home. VIZIO is pleased to make these programs available to ensure high quality content for children and peace of mind for parents."

The new channels can be found under the "Free Channels" section from the SmartCast Home^TM screen and will complement VIZIO's WatchFree^TM service. In total, SmartCast viewers have access to over 200+ free linear TV channels of news, TV shows, movies and sports.

"We're excited to officially launch our Giggle Mug kids channel on VIZIO SmartCast. The growing platform has a wonderful lineup of kids channels available and we're proud to be included," Jesse Janson, EVP of Acquisitions & Business Development for Janson Media.

"We are excited for the HappyKids launch as part of VIZIO SmartCast's kid programming, which is so timely. We will be bringing our expansive library of premium shows, movies and educational content to millions of VIZIO SmartCast families all delivered in a kids-safe environment," said Vikrant Mathur, Co-Founder of Future Today.

"Studio71 is thrilled to be launching our premium offering into this exciting ecosystem, starting with Kid Gamer TV. As one of the largest global distributors of premium digital content, SmartCast is a natural fit for us in the connected TV space," said Nick Jacklin, SVP of Business Development for Studio71. "VIZIO has developed a great product, tailor-made to give customers an easy way to experience amazing content."

"Kidoodle.TV's inclusion on VIZIO SmartCast is a great way to support millions of families with our Safe Streaming™ service and we couldn't be happier to work with a world-class platform," Neil Gruniniger, President and Chief Product Officer.

"We are honored to have the Tankee Gaming channel available to VIZIO SmartCast, giving millions of kids a wealth of safe and entertaining gaming content while providing parents with peace of mind," Gerald Youngblood, Tankee CEO.

"We are incredibly excited for the launch of the WowNow Kids channel on VIZIO Smartcast. Children and their parents can now enjoy the hundreds of movies and television shows from our extensive library of animated content for free. VIZIO is delivering an unbelievable value to Smartcast users," Ryan Swenar, Director of Sales and Business Development for Wow Now Entertainment.

In addition to free content, VIZIO provides convenient access to on-screen apps like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, YouTubeTV, Peacock TV and others. It also includes support for Apple AirPlay 2 & Chromecast built-in, allowing viewers to stream, control, and share content from their phone, tablet, or laptop directly to the big screen. VIZIO SmartCast is continuously enhancing the platform with new features and content, so users have endless entertainment options, all while staying healthy and safe in their homes.

About VIZIO
VIZIO, the #1 American-based TV brand³ and #1 Sound Bar Brand⁴ in America, delivers innovative entertainment solutions and value for millions of connected consumers. Formed in 2002 and quickly established as a daring leader, VIZIO has built a portfolio of industry-leading products that provide brilliant, awe-inspiring experiences while incorporating seamlessly with the smart home. The company designs a collection of televisions, sound bars, and the SmartCast smart TV platform with the consumer's desires in mind, and has been rated America's Fastest Growing TV Brand with Quantum Dot⁵ and America's Fastest Growing Sound Bar Brand with Dolby Atmos⁶. VIZIO product leadership is consistently highlighted by industry reviews and awards, and most recently received 30 Best of CES 2020 accolades.

©2020 VIZIO, Inc. VIZIO, the V Logo, VIZIO SmartCast and other terms and phrases are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the brick & knob configuration are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2020 The LEGO Group

¹ Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, LCD TV, Based on units, Jan. 6, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019 combined.
² Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, Based on Units, Dec. 24, 2017 – Feb. 15, 2020 Combined
³ Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, LCD TV, Based on units, Jan. 6, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019 combined.
⁴ Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, Based on Units, Dec. 24, 2017 – Feb. 15, 2020 Combined.
⁵ Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, LCD TV, Quantum dots included, Based on units, Jan. 6, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019 vs. Dec. 31, 2017 – Nov. 24, 2018 combined.
⁶ Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, Sound Bars, Dolby Atmos, Jan. 6, 2019 – Sep. 28, 2019 vs Dec. 31, 2017 – Sep. 22, 2018 Combined.

SOURCE VIZIO

Related Links

https://www.vizio.com