Sky Kids launches weekly news show

The UK kidcaster is bowing FYI with a focus on politics and funny stories from the internet, plus partnering with BBC Children’s to air 12 new films about hope.
November 1, 2018

UK broadcaster Sky Kids is launching FYI, a weekly news show produced by Fresh Start Media on November 10.

Presented by kids for kids ages seven to 12, the 15-minute series aims to answer some of the audience’s biggest questions about news, current affairs and politics. It also includes a bit of fun, with insight on entertainment, sports, TV and computer games.

A main component of the show is Junior Prime Minister’s Questions; every two weeks, kids will be able to ask the UK Prime Minister and other politicians questions about what’s going on in the world. Other segments include: Top Stories, which recaps the stand-out news of the week; Kids Comment, where children dive deeper into an issue; I Don’t Get It, which takes a closer look at an ongoing complex issue; Our World reports from kids overseas; and LOL/OMG videos featuring the biggest and funniest online story of the week.

FYI is a Sky original and will air on Sky News every Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as  on all Sky Kids on-demand platforms, including streamer NOW TV Kids Pack. Episodes will also be available to kids in school through the First News website.

The show’s launch will happen in the wake of a recent report from UK media regulator Ofcom that has called on public service broadcasters ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 to include more factual programming for children in their lineups. It has found that those channels aired only three hours of factual programming in 2017 (down from 102 hours in 2006).

In other Sky news, the broadcaster has joined forces with BBC Children’s in support of Hope Works—a collection of 12 short films about hope and inspiration for kids ages five to 12 that will air simultaneously on those networks and a dedicated YouTube channel on November 20 (World Children’s Day). One of the films, Children United, is also produced by Sky and Fresh Start Media.

Hope Works is collaborating with UNICEF on its mission to produce 12 films aimed at children ages five to 12.

Other partners include UNICEF, ABC Children’s (Australia), CBC Kids (Canada), Disney EMEA, Hop! Media Group (Israel), KiKa (Germany), Turner Broadcasting (international) and VRT Ketnet (Belgium). The YouTube channel is being managed by WildBrain.

Hope Works projects range in style from preschool animation to documentary. Here’s the roster:

  • What Shall We Do With the Angry Monster?  (Ragdoll Productions for Disney EMEA)
  • Give a Hand (Hop! Media Group)
  • The Nock and The Treeples  (DreamWorks Animation)
  • Spread Kindness Around the World (Sesame Workshop)
  • Balloon Girl  (Big Bad Boo)
  • Move Mountain  (The Brothers McLeod & Corrinne Averiss)
  • Rise (Sixteen South and KiKa)
  • Children United (Sky/Fresh Start Media and UNICEF)
  • Little Lights (CBC Kids)
  • A Whale’s Tale (Cartoon Network)
  • The Cupcake Choir (ABC Children’s)
  • Listening to the Silence (TV Escola)
About The Author
Alexandra Whyte is Kidscreen's News & Social Media Editor. Contact her at awhyte@brunico.com

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