Czech Television will start broadcasting two thematic channels on 31 August 2013: a channel for children and a channel about culture. Both channels will share one broadcasting circuit. The programme of the children’s channel CT:D will be broadcast between 6 am and 8 pm, while the cultural channel CT Art will be available from 8 pm. Cultural programmes will thus be given a regular place in the main broadcasting time for the first time in the history of Czech Television. The concept of launching a children’s channel was first introduced in Petr Dvořák’s candidature for the position of General Director.

The General Director of Czech Television Petr Dvořák explains: “Czech Television fulfils one of its principle functions as a public service broadcaster by launching a children’s and a cultural channel, which cannot be and probably will not be provided in this form in the future by commercial broadcasters. The unique position of Czech Television lies in the fact that we are responsible for the quality of contents, variability of genres and coherence of the programme. Expanding the offer of our programmes to particular spectator groups and increasing the spectators’ comfort shows that we are a modern public service television.” He adds: “Our goal is to have two independently broadcasting thematic channels in the future.”

CT:D is a multi-genre channel for children from 4 to 12 years. It is characterised by a programme with safe contents, which is convenient for this age category and is structured into stable programme units. At regular times, it will offer entertainment and education programmes, children’s films and fairy tales, journalism, foreign documentary films, news for children, sport and animated films. The programme will be divided into ten regular programme units daily. CT:D will broadcast daily from 6 am to 8 pm. It will start broadcasting on Saturday 31 August 2013.

The Executive Director of CT:D Petr Koliha clarifies: “The children’s channel of Czech Television will offer attractive and meaningful programmes, including those related to education. The aim of the children’s channel is not only to entertain but also to educate, thus offering children as well as their parents an alternative to the existing commercial channels for children and youth.”

Program CT:D distinguishes between the younger and older age groups. Programmes for children of pre-school and younger school age will find their programmes especially in the morning and afternoon.  As for the existing programmes, they will be able to watch e.g. “Kouzelná školka” or “Studio kamarád” at weekends and the new programmes will include infotainment programmes, foreign documentary films about animals or animated films. Children above the age of 8 years may look forward to new episodes of “Planeta Yó” and brand new lifestyle and music programmes, acted sitcoms and infotainment programmes. Education and journalistic programmes will be complemented by news for children produced by the reporting staff of Czech Television, which will be broadcast twice a day.

The name of the children’s programme of Czech Television was chosen with the help of children of all age categories in a survey. Czech Television will use the icon and logo :D in subtitles, names of programmes and sections and trailers. Pavla Hromková, director of the Creativity and Design Department of Czech Television, says regarding the choice and graphic design of the name and logo: “A smiley symbol is simple and all-encompassing. It breathes positive energy and is comprehensible even to the youngest children. It is simply identifiable while it perfectly fits into our world of modern technology, where icons, pictograms and graphics play a major role, and in which our children are at home.”

Culture for first time coherently and at prime time

The cultural channel CT Art will broadcast daily from 8 pm until 1:30 am on the same broadcasting circuit as the children’s channel.  The channel will offer regular programme units dedicated to particular areas of culture and art. For the first time in its history, Czech television will provide a coherent news programme with live reports from various events and the largest space yet for discussion of prominent personalities of the world of art and culture in a critically oriented talk-show broadcast every working day.

The General Director of Czech Television Petr Dvořák comments: “Broadcasting cultural programmes is one of the basic functions of a public service medium. Culture will be given a coherent and regular space in the main broadcasting time by establishing a channel of its own for the first time in the history of our television.” The concept of CT art is to broadcast cultural programmes in thematic blocks, work with context, offer a wide range of forms and footage and try to represent all areas and fields of study of cultural life. The channel will broadcast the existing programmes as well as newly made and acquired programmes.

Newly named Executive Director of CT Art Tomáš Motl adds: “An independent channel about culture offers greater comfort to spectators who will be able to regularly watch programmes that interest them. It offers new creative space from the point of view of production. Particular programmes will be offered in context, so that they will continue and complement the set theme. We will also provide space for themes and initiatives, which are rather marginal today.   With its programme and activities supporting culture, the channel will be an asset to the cultural life in our country.”

The programme scheme concept plans regular programme units, which will help the spectators to orientate themselves in the entire programme contents. Broadcasting will start daily with coherent news about culture with live reports from different cultural events. The news will be complemented by a regular journalistic and discussion talk show focused on chosen cultural topics. The news will be followed by thematic programme blocks varying every day.

The main broadcasting time on Monday will be dedicated to theatre in the programme unit called “Z první řady,” Tuesday will be devoted to Czech music and programmes about fine arts in the programme unit “Galerie Kavky” and the Wednesday programme will offer space for the existing cultural magazines “Artmix, 333” and “Terra Musica” complemented by a new magazine about novelties, trends and interesting facts from world television stations called “Canale Grande”. Thursday will be the day of Czech documentary films and literature and Friday will be dedicated to a film magazine and the new guide to the culture of the Czech Republic, Europe and the entire world called “Kulturní bedekr”. Saturday evening will offer the composed programme called “Je nám ctí” devoted to great personalities and important themes and events in the world of culture. Broadcasting will be ended by a contact programme including music and discussion called “Tečka sobotní noci.” The programme on Sunday will be in the name of world art film with original sound and classical music.

Tomáš Motl says: “The novelty that we are all looking forward to very much is the programme unit on Monday evening, in which Slovak production and examples of contemporary students’ work will alternate.” The programme scheme of the culture channel CT art is developed by a small group of experts of Czech Television, who discuss their intentions with representatives of the expert public and the Ministry of Culture.

Source: Czech Television Press Release