BBC allocates ?25.5 million for its children's services

BBC allocates ?25.5 million for its children's services

MUMBAI: Following a review of its kids‘ output by the BBC Trust, the BBC has decided to allocate an additional ?25.5 million to its children‘s services for the next three years.

The additional ?25.5 million investment will be used for bigger-budget shows like The Sarah Jane Adventures, Horrible Histories and My Almost Famous Family. This new fund will also go towards other new, original shows for children, in particular drama and comedy.

The initiatives that were announced include a focus on audio content for the internet.

The BBC is also increasing the budget of its children‘s website by ?1 million in order to increase its weekly reach to 900,000 visitors by April 2010.

On the scheduling front, Newsround and Blue Peter will remain on BBC One in their current timings for the next two years. In the interim, development will start on potential daytime programme alternatives which could play in the 5.30 pm slot on weekdays.