RTÉ boosts children's programming

RTÉ HAS unveiled a new children’s television schedule with two new strands of programming.

RTÉjr for children aged six and younger will broadcast from 8.30am to 3.30pm on RTÉ2 and will be followed by TRTÉ (T for tweenie/teenager) which will cater for children aged seven to 15. There will also be a weekend programme strand.

RTÉ has also recruited several new presenters from a public competition involving 700 candidates.

Hubble, its new standard-bearer programme for children, will still be presented by Emma O'Driscoll, who will have a different sidekick.

Gone is Socky, the sock monster, to be replaced by Ógie, who comes from outer space.

RTÉ’s commissioning editor of young people’s programming Sheila de Courcy said Ógie could have the same impact as Bosco had in previous generations.

“People say ‘why don’t you bring back Bosco’,” she said. “Wanting to bring back Bosco is reflective of your age. Each generation of children needs its icons.”

Ms de Courcy said the new schedule was in response to the huge amount of international competition with more than 250 channels available to Irish children.

The revamp has been done within existing budgets and there will be complementary digital radio stations RTÉjr Radio and TRTÉ Radio and an online presence.

“While children are connected to a global reality,” Ms de Courcy added, “they still get their excitement from seeing themselves or their peers on television. They won’t get that from any other channel.”

RTÉjr will show a new animated series called Punky, about a girl with Down Syndrome, and Garth and Bev, the animated show which has made it to BBC's CBeebies, returns for a second series.

Happy Valleyis an animated pre-school series based on traditional and contemporary nursery rhymes and songs while a programme called Grubz Up!will encourage children to grow and eat fresh food.

The TRTÉ strand for older children will feature a new programme called The Rumour Roomwhich will replace The Den. It will be presented by new faces Katie Van Buren and Jarlath Regan.