ABC3 wins over Aussie kids
Feb. 05, '10

By Katherine Field

9 News

The ABC's new children's channel is winning over Australian kids and smashing its pay TV rivals.

The digital offering called ABC3 has become the most watched channel among children aged five to 12, from 6am to 6pm, since launching in December, according to OzTam ratings figures.

The channel has a 13.1 per cent share of viewers in that age group.

The ABC's primary station, ABC1, is second with a 10.7 per cent share, followed by the Nine Network with 8.3 per cent.

Pay TV channels The Disney Channel (6.9 per cent) and Nickelodeon are attracting a much smaller audience (5.3 per cent).

Among the most popular shows are the action show Prank Patrol, a cartoon about a teenager who loves music called CJ the DJ, and sports and urban culture program Rush TV.

ABC3 was years in the making and finally got the green light when the federal government dedicated $67 million over three years in last year's federal budget.

ABC TV director Kim Dalton said the results were a vote of confidence in the government's decision to fund the channel.

"We always said that there was a need for a commercial-free dedicated children's channel which had broad and diverse programs but with a focus on Australian characters and Australian stories," Mr Dalton said in a statement.

"We were funded by the government to deliver ABC3 to do just this, and Australia's children have voted with their eyeballs."