Arlington, VA – May 12, 2011 – PBS KIDS announced today that their PBS KIDS Video for iPad App is now available on the App Store, giving families free, streaming access to more than 1,000 videos from top PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! series. Kids will have fun learning reading, science and other subjects with beloved characters from THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT, DINOSAUR TRAIN, SUPER WHY, SID THE SCIENCE KID, SESAME STREET, WILD KRATTS and more.
"We've been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response to our video apps for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, which feature hundreds of hours of our prime-time content. They already have more than a million active users and we have seen that they also seem to be increasing television tune-in," said Jason Seiken, Senior Vice President, Interactive, Product Development and Innovation, PBS. "We expect our new PBS KIDS Video for iPad App to be just as popular with kids."
“Like all of our content, the PBS KIDS Video for iPad App is specifically designed with kids in mind, with features that are easy for young children to navigate and with content that supports curricular goals,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “Our content helps kids build skills to prepare them for success in school and in life, and we know that parents are seeking apps for their children that are both fun and educational.”
The PBS KIDS Video for iPad App is available for free from the App Store on iPad or at http://to.pbs.org/pbskidsvideoipad.
The PBS KIDS Video for iPad App features helpful tools for parents such as: • Access to local PBS station TV schedules • Additional information about TV series, including intended age and learning goals • The ability to download related educational apps and TV episodes directly from the App Store and iTunes • Marking series as “favorites” • Sharing videos via email, Facebook and Twitter
Demand for high-quality, educational apps continues to rise. In a recent survey* conducted by PBS, more than 70 percent of parents reported allowing their children to use their iPad, and stated that they had, on average, eight apps on the device specifically for their kids. More than 40 percent of children of the parents surveyed play on the iPad at least once a day. The apps they play are not only for entertainment; 90 percent of parents say that “educational value” is the most important criteria when choosing an app for their kids.
The PBS KIDS Video for iPad App continues PBS’ leadership in transmedia educational content and follows the 2010 launch of the popular PBS for iPad, which features more than 300 videos for grown-ups.
PBSKIDS.org is the #1 kids entertainment site for free videos streamed, based on unique viewers and on the number of videos viewed, according to comScore Video Metrix (March 2011). Kids spent an average of 51.2 minutes watching free, educational videos on the site in March, which is 16 minutes longer than the monthly average for kids’ sites, with 115 million free video streams for the month.
More information about PBS KIDS mobile apps is available on PBSKIDS.org/mobile.
Images of the PBS KIDS Video for iPad App are available on PBS PressRoom.
*Source: ORC’s online CARAVAN, April 21-22, 25-26, and 28-29, 2011.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. Each quarter, more than 27 million children watch PBS KIDS on TV, and PBSKIDS.org, the number one kids’ entertainment site for free video streaming, attracts more than 9.5 million unique visitors per month (Nielsen, NTI Q42010; comScore Video Metrix; Google Analytics). For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
Media Contacts:
Maria Vera, PBS; 703.739.3225; mvera@pbs.org
aitlin Melnick, 360 Public Relations; 617.585.5775; cmelnick@360publicrelations.com
