RTÉjr is an
Irish free-to-air
Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscri ...
children's television channel operated by
state-owned broadcaster RTÉ
(; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...
. The channel mainly targets a demographic of 2- to 7-year-olds, but some cartoons for older children also air. The channel is part of
RTÉ KIDS.
The channel broadcasts 12 hours of programming each day between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.
It is supported by radio station
RTÉjr Radio and additional services available on-demand, on mobile and online.
The channel operates alongside its sister strand
TRTÉ on
RTÉ2.
History
RTÉjr was initially a programming block on public service broadcaster
RTÉ2, launching on 20 September 2010, replacing ''
Den Tots''.
On 3 May 2011,
RTÉjr (which was only a programming block at that time) broadcast ''
Punky'', the world's first animated series which focuses on the life and adventures of a girl with
Down syndrome.
The show is broadcast daily at 10:25 and 13:45. It was designed by award-winning Irish animation company Monster Animation and Design.
RTÉ planned on launching a television channel dedicated to RTÉjr; it launched on 27 May 2011, at 11:00 (IST). The channel does not carry advertising, in line with the broadcaster's policy not to target advertising towards those under 6 years of age.
By April 2013, the channel began a stand-alone schedule; however, plans to replace the RTÉjr block on
RTÉ2 have yet to come to light. The channel broadcasts as a stand-alone channel with its own schedule and new programming.
On 15 April 2013, the channel hosted 14 newly commissioned programmes, including the bilingual show ''Spraoi'', the dance show ''Move It!'' and RTÉjr Workshop.
Availability
The channel is available to 98% of television viewers in Ireland through
Saorview. The channel became available on
Virgin Media Ireland on channel 600 on 15 March 2012
and on
Sky Ireland on channel 624 (635 in NI) on 15 April 2013. The channel's programming can be viewed internationally through its on-demand service, mobile services and website.
Cable
*
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...
: Channel 600
IPTV
*
eir TV : Channel 612
*
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Public Limited Company () is a British Multinational company, multinational telecommunications company. Its registered office and global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It predominantly operates Service (economic ...
: Channel 600
Satellite
*
Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...
: Channel 624 (Northern Ireland)
*
Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...
: Channel 617
*
Saorsat : Channel 7
Online
*
RTÉ Player Watch live
Terrestrial
*
Saorview : Channel 17
Programming
The channel has a wide range of live-action and animated programming, usually dubbed in either Irish or English, these are mainly Irish-produced programs (such as ''
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese'' and ''
Puffin Rock''), however, there are some acquired programming (mainly sourced from the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
).
Its flagship programme is hosted by former
Six member
Emma O'Driscoll, Muireann NiChiobhain, Clara Murray and their puppet friends Séamus the dog and Bláithín the flower fairy.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rtejr
Children's television networks
Commercial-free television networks
JR
Television channels and stations established in 2013
Television in Ireland