BBC Studios partners with South Africa’s Vodacom on BBC Kids

UK producer and content provider, BBC Studios, has extended its partnership with Switch Media to enable customers of South African mobile telco, Vodacom, access to content hub BBC Kids.

Hey Duggee (Source: BBC Studios)

BBC Kids is an ad-free video destination delivering educational and entertainment programming tailored for children aged 0-12. In South Africa it can be downloaded via the Apple App or Google Play stores, and is accessible to Vodacom customers via a subscription model.

Vodacom postpaid customers will have access by paying for the service through add-to bill and prepaid customers through airtime. Vodacom customers can access BBC Kids content through the Streamy platform which is now also available on VodaPay.

BBC Kids made its debut in South Africa via Switch Media in September 2022. According to BBC Studios, it has gained over 1.5 million subscribers since launch.

Among the title aimed at younger demographic (ages 0-6) include Hey Duggee, JoJo and Gran Gran, Sarah and Duck, Dog Loves Books,  Andy’s Safari Adventures,

Meanwhile, content for the older cohort (ages 7-12) include Junior Bake-off, Mi High, The Sarah Adventures, Jamie Johnson, Fierce Earth and Super Human Challenge.

Pierre Cloete, commercial director at BBC Studios in Africa, said: “I’m thrilled to witness the rapid growth of BBC Kids in South Africa, allowing us to extend our award-winning kids’ content to an even wider audience. We take immense pride in our kids’ proposition, which is not only celebrated by the industry and parents but also cherished by the children themselves. It’s not just about the accolades; it’s about the trust parents place in us as a safe and enjoyable space for their children fun and development time”.

Mark Johns, CEO, Switch Media added “Switch Media are delighted to add Vodacom to the BBC Kids family bringing safe, ad free, education and entertainment to even more families across South Africa. Built using our award-winning MediaHQ solution, the BBC Kids app features nearly 300 hours of content, a clean, easy to navigate interface and program recommendations.”