CITV

CITV, originally standing for Children's ITV, was ITV's principal British children's television brand. It began on 29 December 1980 under the name Watch It!, a weekday afternoon programming block intended to bring greater consistency to the children's output carried by ITV's regional companies. On 3 January 1983, the service was relaunched as Children's ITV, introducing a more coordinated presentation model in which links between programmes were produced for the ITV network rather than being handled independently by each regional broadcaster. The service was primarily aimed at children between approximately six and twelve years old, while also carrying preschool programming and, at different times, material for older children and young teenagers. A distinctive feature of the early brand was its continuity presentation. Links were initially recorded in a small London studio and used presenters and characters associated with programmes supplied by different ITV companies. In 1987, the service moved to live presentation produced from Central Television's Birmingham facilities. Live links allowed presenters to respond to schedule changes, technical problems and programming developments in real time, and helped CITV compete with the BBC's increasingly recognisable children's presentation. The presentation format and production arrangements changed repeatedly during the 1980s and 1990s, including a period when Stonewall Productions supplied the links and later periods when Central resumed responsibility. During the 1990s the service moved away from the full Children's ITV name in everyday use. The CITV name became increasingly common from 1993 and was incorporated into the on-screen identity in 1996. The late 1990s brought a substantial refresh under controller Nigel Pickard, including live presentation by Stephen Mulhern and Danielle Nicholls, a greater emphasis on entertainment and promotion, and a stronger attempt to serve older pre-teen viewers alongside younger audiences. CITV also supported the development and promotion of ITV children's programmes, including the entertainment programme SMTV Live, while continuing to carry imported and acquired content. The service was affected by financial pressure and structural change within ITV. A significant budget reduction in 2001 prompted public criticism from controller Janie Grace, who argued that ITV's children's output was being underfunded. ITV subsequently pursued a more centralised approach to children's content and began developing a dedicated digital channel. The CITV channel launched on Freeview in 2006, broadcasting mainly repeated ITV material and acquired programmes from approximately 6am to 9pm. The original weekday afternoon network block was removed later in 2006, although CITV branding continued in weekend breakfast programming on the main ITV network and later on ITV2. Presentation operations moved from Birmingham to Granada Television in Manchester in 2004 and later to ITV's MediaCityUK facilities in Salford in 2013. Over time, the dedicated channel became increasingly dependent on library programming as children's viewing shifted toward dedicated competitors, on-demand services and streaming. ITV launched ITVX Kids on 22 July 2023 as a streaming destination for children's content. The CITV linear channel closed at 9pm on 1 September 2023, with viewers directed toward ITVX Kids. A branded children's block subsequently appeared on ITV2 during breakfast hours from 2 September 2023, using programming sourced from ITVX Kids. CITV therefore evolved from a network continuity strand into a channel brand and finally into a residual presentation identity associated with ITV's digital children's offering.

CITV developed from ITV's attempt to make children's programming more coherent across a regionally fragmented commercial television network. Before 1980, ITV companies had considerable freedom over scheduling and presentation, and the network's children's output could vary substantially between regions. Regulatory concern and internal pressure led to the creation of Watch It!, which began on 29 December 1980 as a weekday afternoon strand. The initiative was devised through ATV's promotions operation, but implementation remained largely local, with regional announcers and differing presentation practices. The Watch It! model was considered insufficiently coordinated. Following ITV franchise changes in the early 1980s, Central Television's children's controller Lewis Rudd supported a more unified approach. Central's promotions department developed Children's ITV, which launched on 3 January 1983. The new service used centrally produced links between programmes, initially recorded at Molinare in London. Presenters were often drawn from the programmes being promoted, and early presentation used themed sets such as a rocket ship. Later, the fictional Network Control setting provided a more consistent visual environment and made interviews and guest appearances possible. Pre-recorded links created technical and editorial limitations. Programmes came from different ITV companies and were played out through separate sources, so timing errors, premature programme rolls and missing items could occur. The system also made it difficult to acknowledge late schedule changes. In early June 1987, Children's ITV moved to live presentation from Central's Birmingham studios. Gary Terzza and Debbie Shore initially presented from a set styled as a transmission facility, followed in 1988 by Mark Granger in a smaller studio. Live production improved flexibility and allowed the service to respond to breakdowns and changing schedules. Stonewall Productions won the presentation contract in April 1989. The company, associated with Michael Jackson, used multiple locations around Central's Birmingham headquarters rather than a fixed studio and employed presenters including Clive Warren, Jeanne Downs and Jerry Foulkes, alongside the puppet Scally the Dog. Central regained the contract in April 1991 and initially returned to a compact studio format with Tommy Boyd. During the early 1990s ITV also reorganised its children's production structure. The Broadcasting Act 1990, the 1991 franchise process and the creation of the ITV Network Centre changed how programming was commissioned and managed. From February 1993, the service moved away from in-vision continuity. Steve Ryde supplied live out-of-vision links supported by animated characters, settings and promotional material. The afternoon schedule was extended earlier in September 1993, and viewers increasingly referred to the service as CITV. The shorter name became part of the formal visual identity in 1996, when a digital on-screen graphic was introduced. Presentation moved to Central's Gas Street Studios in 1997. A major relaunch followed on 26 May 1998 under Nigel Pickard, with Stephen Mulhern and Danielle Nicholls selected as presenters after extensive auditions. The revised service sought to attract older children through live entertainment while also refreshing preschool output. Central retained the presentation contract in 1999 under the Carlton branding. The period brought a durable computer-generated identity, produced with Aldis Animation, and a standalone website launched on 25 October 1999. CITV's studio operations also shared facilities with Central News. Pickard left ITV in June 2000 for BBC Children's, where he later became associated with the launches of CBBC and CBeebies. His departure occurred as ITV considered a dedicated digital CITV channel. The early 2000s brought financial and strategic pressure. A reported 17% budget cut in 2001 led controller Janie Grace to criticise ITV and complain to the Independent Television Commission about the effect on the breadth and quality of children's output. The original weekday afternoon network slot eventually ended in late 2006, as ITV reshaped its schedules and the dedicated digital channel became the principal linear expression of the brand. The channel launched on Freeview in 2006 and generally transmitted from 6am to 9pm, relying substantially on repeats of ITV children's programmes and acquired content. CITV's production and presentation base moved to Granada Television in Manchester in 2004 and to ITV's MediaCityUK studios in Salford in 2013. The brand continued through the dedicated channel, weekend programming on the ITV network and later a breakfast block on ITV2. The increasing importance of on-demand viewing changed the role of a scheduled children's channel. ITVX Kids launched on 22 July 2023, and the CITV channel closed on 1 September 2023. From 2 September, CITV-branded programming appeared on ITV2 during breakfast hours, while the underlying children's catalogue and newer destination were promoted through ITVX Kids.

• 2023

  CITV channel closes

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  ITV closes the linear CITV channel after launching ITVX Kids as its streaming children's destination.

• 2013

  Operations move to MediaCityUK

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  CITV operations relocate to ITV's MediaCityUK facilities in Salford.

• 2006

  Dedicated digital channel launches

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  CITV becomes a dedicated Freeview channel, transmitting children's programming for much of the day.

• 1999

  Standalone website launches

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  CITV expands its online presence with a dedicated website.

• 1998

  Major presentation relaunch

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  Nigel Pickard oversees a relaunch featuring Stephen Mulhern and Danielle Nicholls and a stronger live entertainment focus.

• 1996

  CITV name enters the on-screen identity

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  The shortened CITV name becomes part of the logo and on-screen branding.

• 1993

  Out-of-vision continuity introduced

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  The service adopts live out-of-vision continuity and extends its weekday afternoon schedule.

• 1987

  Live presentation begins

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  Central starts producing live Children's ITV links from Birmingham, replacing the earlier pre-recorded presentation model.

• 1983

  Children's ITV launches

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  The Watch It! identity is replaced by Children's ITV, with centrally produced network continuity links.

• 1980

  Watch It! begins

  [1]CITVen.wikipedia.org

  ITV introduces Watch It!, the predecessor to Children's ITV, as a weekday afternoon children's programming strand.

A broad British children's entertainment brand within the ITV portfolio, combining commissioned and acquired programming with branded continuity, promotion and later digital distribution.

• Television programming block · 1983

  Children's ITV

  The original branded ITV children's strand launched in 1983 as the successor to Watch It!. It connected programmes from different ITV companies through centrally produced continuity and promotional links. Over time it used pre-recorded, live in-vision and live out-of-vision presentation formats, and it carried a mixture of preschool, school-age and older children's programming.

• Free-to-air children's television channel · 2006

  CITV channel

  The dedicated digital channel launched in 2006, initially on Freeview, and generally operated from 6am to 9pm. Its schedule consisted largely of repeats from ITV's children's library and acquired programmes. It provided a linear home for the CITV brand after the original weekday afternoon network slot was removed.

• Television programming block · 2023

  CITV on ITV2

  After the dedicated channel closed, CITV branding was retained for a children's block shown during ITV2 breakfast hours. The block drew programmes and promotional material from the ITVX Kids offering and represented the final linear continuation of the brand after the 2023 channel closure.

• Streaming children's hub · 2023

  ITVX Kids

  ITVX Kids is ITV's streaming destination for children's content and was launched as the principal successor to the linear CITV service. It provides access to children's programmes through ITVX rather than relying exclusively on a scheduled channel.

• 2023

  Shift from linear channel to ITVX KidsStrategy

  Background

  Children's viewing and distribution were increasingly moving toward on-demand platforms, reducing the strategic role of a standalone scheduled channel.

  Action taken

  ITV launched ITVX Kids in July and closed the CITV channel on 1 September, directing viewers to the streaming hub.

  Aftermath

  CITV-branded programming moved to an ITV2 breakfast block from 2 September, while ITVX Kids became the principal children's destination.

  Source

• 2006

  Launch of the CITV digital channelProduct launch

  Background

  The original weekday afternoon network strand was being reduced as digital television expanded and ITV considered a dedicated home for children's programming.

  Action taken

  ITV launched CITV as a digital channel on Freeview, operating for much of the day with ITV library content and acquisitions.

  Aftermath

  The channel became the main linear expression of the CITV brand, while the network block continued in reduced forms.

  Source

• 2001

  Response to children's programming budget cutsStrategy

  Background

  A reported 17% reduction in CITV's budget during an advertising downturn raised concerns about the breadth and quality of ITV's children's service.

  Action taken

  Controller Janie Grace publicly criticised ITV's investment and complained to the Independent Television Commission.

  Aftermath

  The controversy occurred during a broader period of structural change and preceded the eventual expansion of CITV into a dedicated digital channel.

  Budget reduction. 17% reduction (2001)

  Source

1. 1CITVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2ITV CITV websiteitv.com