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PBS KIDS GO! Debuts Full-Screen Online Video Player

Beginning today, the PBS KIDS GO! Web site is giving early elementary school-aged kids across the country more to explore with the launch of an advertising-free, streaming video player offering hundreds of video clips and dozens of full-length episodes.

Available on both Macs and PCs, the PBS KIDS GO! video player is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and is also available via Web sites of participating local PBS member stations.

At launch, the PBS KIDS GO! video player showcases content from 14 different PBS KIDS GO! broadcast properties primarily serving children ages 6 to 8, an audience with limited age-appropriate media choices. Properties include ANIMALIA, ARTHUR, CYBERCHASE, DESIGN SQUAD, DRAGONFLYTV, FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN, KIDS WORLD SPORTS, KRATTS' CREATURES, MARTHA SPEAKS, MAYA & MIGUEL, POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER, WISHBONE, WORDGIRL and ZOOM.

"This is just the beginning," said Jason Seiken, PBS senior VP of Interactive, explaining that the player launch represents the first phase of a comprehensive, three-year video expansion focused on education at PBS KIDS GO! "Our future plans for the player include new community features, as well as interactive videos, to allow kids to play educational games while they watch videos."

Sara DeWitt, senior director of PBS KIDS, said, "Kids have a passion for these programs, so we're thrilled to provide them with 24/7 access to both new shows and PBS long-time favorites. This exciting new player offers age-appropriate content that both educates and entertains a young audience that is often underserved by our commercial competitors, especially online."

"CPB is pleased to support this important, innovative effort which uses new technology to expand the access and reach of the quality educational programming public broadcasting is known for, to this very important age group," said Michael Fragale, VP of Education for CPB.

A rotating, consistently-updated set of featured clips changes each week. The clips focus on new shows and episodes, as well as on a variety of seasonal and thematic clip channels based on kids' interests including, for example, "Robots", "Friends" and "Gross."

Kids can also find sneak peeks of new shows, full-screen video, closed captioning, and Spanish audio tracks on selected clips and episodes, as well as give favorite shows a recommendation trophy and share videos with friends.

PBS KIDS GO! is an educational multimedia destination specifically designed for early elementary school kids which debuted online and as an afternoon program block on PBS member stations in October 2004. PBS KIDS worked closely with early elementary school kids and industry experts to create this destination for an audience with limited choices for media content that is both fun and educational. With engaging, smart age-appropriate content and a fun, quirky setting, PBS KIDS GO! empowers kids to discover themselves, define the diverse world around them, explore new relationships and embrace a love of learning.

The companion Web destination at pbskidsgo.org gives this audience a chance to learn more about the world around them, share their own thoughts and ideas and challenge themselves with engaging games. Pbskidsgo.org hosts sites from all PBS KIDS GO! series alongside unique destinations like "EekoWorld" -- an environment where kids create their own creatures and monitor them in the wild; "It's My Life" -- a forum for kids to delve into the daily issues of school, family, and friends; and "News Flash Five" -- a news site to encourage this age group to learn about current events, and bring them a fresh way of receiving -- and reporting -- news online.

The PBS KIDS GO! Web site is also home to several PBS primetime companion sites, such as History Detectives For Kids, Jazz, And American Experience's Wayback.

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