On September 6, 1999, PBS launched the 24-hour PBS Kids television network. PBS would also increase its children's programming budget by 25% and commit to two new series: Caillou and Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series. On June 9, PBS revealed a wide rebranding of its children's programs and services, known as PBS Kids, at its annual meeting in San Francisco. PBS announced on January 18, 1999, that it would launch the PBS Kids Channel, meant to be the centerpiece of a larger initiative, in September. Starting on October 7, 1996, PBS packaged their programs for school-aged children into the block The Game, airing on 31 stations by the end of the year. By September 1996, 95 PBS stations reaching three quarters of the United States were carrying the PTV service. A 'Ready To Learn' grant unveiled on January 8, 1996, supported the development of Dragon Tales and Between the Lions, which premiered in 19, respectively, as well as their online activities and outreach efforts. Īpple Computer provided a $1.5 million grant to PTV and became its first national underwriter on June 26, 1995, as part of their 'Bring Learning Home' corporate initiative.

Older children were targeted with live-action and music video interstitials.

In addition to scheduled educational programming, PTV also incorporated interstitial content with the P-Pals in their fictional world 'PTV Park' for younger children. On July 11, 1994, PBS repackaged their existing children's educational programming as a new block called 'PTV', airing on 11 member stations at launch. The framework for PBS Kids was established as part of PBS' 'Ready to Learn' initiative, a project intended to facilitate access of early childhood educational programming to underprivileged children. In August 1993, PBS introduced new branding for their children's programs featuring 'The P-Pals', animated characters shaped like PBS logos who encouraged skills such as gathering information, self-esteem, cooperation and achieving goals in specially developed interstitials.

PBS had historically aired programs for children such as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, and Reading Rainbow prior to 1993, these programs aired under general PBS branding.

Supermarket mania pbs kids