View source for CITV

{{short description|British free-to-air television channel for chlidren}}
{{For|other uses with meanings and also known as CITV}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = CITV
| logo = CITV logo 2013.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2013
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1983|01|03|df=yes}} (block, as Children's ITV)<br>{{start date and age|2006|03|11|df=yes}} (channel)
| picture_format = [[1080i]]/[[1080p]] [[HDTV]]<br />(downscaled to [[576i]] on all platforms excluding [[Sky Glass]])
| language = English
| owner = [[ITV plc]]
| parent = [[ITV Digital Channels]]
| country = United Kingdom<br>Isle of Man<br>Channel Islands
| sister_channels = {{hlist|[[ITV1]]|[[ITV2]]|[[ITV3]]|[[ITV4]]|[[ITVBe]]}}
| website = {{URL|itv.com}}
| terr_serv_1 = [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]]
| terr_chan_1 = Channel 203 (SD)
| online_serv_1 = [[ITVX]]
| online_chan_1 = [https://www.itv.com/watch?channel=citv Watch live] <small>(UK only)</small>
| online_serv_2 = [[TVPlayer]]
| online_chan_2 = [https://tvplayer.com/uk/watch/citv Watch live] <small>(UK only)</small>
| online_serv_3 = [[Sky Go]]
| online_chan_3 = [https://www.sky.com/watch/sky-go/ Watch live] <small>(UK and Ireland only)</small>
| online_serv_4 = [[Virgin TV|Virgin TV Go]]
| online_chan_4 = [https://virgintvgo.virginmedia.com/en/tv/watch-tv.html#searchChannel=CITV Watch live] <small>(UK only)</small>
}}

'''CITV''' (formerly known as '''Children's ITV''') is a British [[free-to-air]] children's television channel owned by [[ITV plc]]. It broadcasts content from CITV's archive and acquisitions daily from 6 am to 9 pm. It is also the title of a programming block on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV network]] at weekends.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Children's ITV launched on 3 January 1983 as a late afternoon programming block on the ITV network for children aged 6–12.<ref group='notes'>At this point, there was only one "ITV" channel in any given area - transmitter overlap and split weekday/weekend franchises aside - and "ITV" was solely a generic/collective name for the various regional commercial television stations.</ref> It replaced the earlier Watch It! branding and introduced networked in-vision continuity links between programmes. These links were originally pre-recorded from a small [[London]] studio up until 1987, when [[ITV Central|Central]] won the contract to produce live links from their Birmingham studios. In 2004, presentation of CITV was relocated to [[ITV Granada|Granada Television]] in Manchester, which saw the demise of in-vision continuity. Nine years later, the operations moved to ITV Granada's [[MediaCityUK]] studios in Salford.

In 2006, CITV launched as a digital channel on Freeview. The CITV channel averages around 100,000 viewers between 4 pm and 6 pm daily.{{Cn|date=March 2023}} The CITV programming block on the ITV network airs on weekend mornings from 6 am to 9:25 am as part of the [[ITV Breakfast]] time slot. CITV does not have a +1 [[simulcast]], unlike the rest of ITV's portfolio of channels. It does however have an HD simulcast which is only available on [[Sky]] online or on [[Sky Glass]].

On 22 July 2023, CITV launched a new children's hub on the [[ITVX]] streaming service, called ''ITVX Kids'', with plans that it would be an eventual replacement for the CITV channel.<ref name="RXTV"/> In late August, it announced that the CITV channel would cease broadcasting on 1 September.<ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/citv-childrens-tv-channel-will-close-in-september-following-launch-of-itvx-kids-12943766 CITV: Children's TV channel will close in September following launch of ITVX Kids | Ents & Arts News | Sky News]</ref>

== History ==
{{Further|Timeline of children's television on ITV}}

=== Watch It! and Children's ITV: Early years (1980–1989) ===
Before being known as Children's ITV, the timeslot for children's programmes on the ITV network was briefly branded as '''Watch It!''', which started on 29&nbsp;December 1980,<ref>{{cite news |title=[no title cited] |department=Television and Radio |newspaper=The Times |place=<!-- Presume London, UK, but could be Dublin, EI, etc. --> |date=29 December 1980}} {{full citation needed|date=September 2020|reason=Author, place (London, UK?) published, or full name ("The Times, London"), title, URL, access-date}}</ref> and was presented live by the duty continuity announcer in each ITV region.

The notion of networking children's continuity was first suggested within ITV as far back as the early 1970s, but with fierce regional identities prevalent – including scheduling, presentation, and programming – the idea stalled until the late 1970s, when the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority|IBA]] began to express concern that most ITV shows for children were not consistent or fully networked. On Thursdays, the ITV regions were able to broadcast whatever programmes they wished; many non-children's programmes appeared, such as ''[[Looney Tunes]]''. In December&nbsp;1980, ITV announced its first concerted effort at a more coherent approach to children's output, with the introduction of the new Watch It! block each weekday from 4:15&nbsp;pm to 5:15&nbsp;pm, after the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority|IBA]] continued to emphasize issues.<ref>{{cite news |title=ITV denies profligacy in programme deals |first=Kenneth |last=Gosling |newspaper=The Times |date=11 December 1980 |page=4}} {{full citation needed|date=September 2020|reason=access-date, place (London, UK?)}}</ref>

Watch It! was conceived by the promotions department at ATV, with the implementation of the branding differing from region to region, thus it was always transmitted locally and never provided on a network basis. ATV provided different animations each season, to freshen up what was available to each company. Most regions, including Southern/TVS and Granada, would use their own station announcers during Watch It! airtime.

Shortly after the start of new franchises in 1982, some ITV stations raised concerns that Watch It! had not gone far enough to address previous concerns.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Duck faces the cold shoulder from TV |first=Kenneth |last=Gosling |newspaper=The Times |date=21 January 1982 |page=12}}</ref> Central's Controller of Children's Programmes, Lewis Rudd, suggested a different approach to the presentation method. As a result, the Central Promotions Department came up with the initial concept for Children's ITV. The new look was devised, and links between programmes were pre-recorded using presenters drawn from the constituent programmes. The networking arrangements were similar to those already in place for the transmission of schools programmes – the links were played out from Central and the component programmes came from the supplying companies.<ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web |title=Watched It! - Children's ITV Presentation |website=freespace.virgin.net |first1=Greg |last1=Taylor |first2=Jamie |last2=Wilson |date=12 June 2000 |url=http://freespace.virgin.net/greg.taylor1/watched_it/citv.html |access-date=22 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010408191056/http://freespace.virgin.net/greg.taylor1/watched_it/citv.html |archive-date=8 April 2001}}</ref>

'''Children's ITV''' went to air on Monday 3 January 1983,<ref>{{cite web |title=CITV set for classic kids TV weekend |work=BBC News |date=19 December 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20780372 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> between 4 and 5:15 pm every weekday afternoon, the extra 15 minutes being filled by a repeat of one of the preschool programmes shown at [[lunchtime]] the same day. Initially featuring a different presenter each month (usually from children's television), the links were pre-recorded in advance in a small studio at a London facility called Molinare, using a single locked-off camera. The first set design was a rocket ship and was used for the first few months. The concept was eventually retired, and the set and style of presentation used began to reflect the presenter doing the presenting that month or the programme that they starred in (i.e. Pat Coombs as "The Dressmaker" from Yorkshire Television's ''[[Ragdolly Anna]]'' in a room of antiques in April&nbsp;1984).

By 1985, the links were still being recorded, but using a common, stylized set known as Network Control, which allowed the presenter to be joined by guests in the studio for interviews. The exterior of this fictitious location also featured in the animations and stings. Technical considerations often left the system flawed. With each programme coming from a different playout source (usually from that of the originating ITV company, i.e. if the first programme was ''[[Rainbow (TV series)|Rainbow]]'', which came from [[Thames Television|Thames TV]], the staff there would have to run the tape while the presenter was talking and wouldn't show Thames&nbsp;TV's skyline ident before the programme's titles) and each link being pre-recorded (played out by Central), things often went wrong on air: programmes would be rolled early and the links would be cut short. Programmes would also fail to appear and the presenter would be left on screen. Because each link was recorded for the slot available, the presenter would hold the final pose for a few moments so that the transmission controller at Central had something to leave on screen just in case. Pre-recording the links also meant that late schedule changes could not be easily referenced.

In September&nbsp;1985, the BBC revamped their own children's presentation with the introduction of Children's BBC. Using the BBC1 announcer booth at [[BBC Television Centre]], later dubbed "The Broom Cupboard", [[Phillip Schofield]] provided links between the programmes. This format of a small self-op continuity studio using one single presenter (and an occasional puppet) continued in largely the same format until 1993, but was broadcast live and allowed for a looser, more relaxed style of presentation than the rival Children's ITV service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebroomcupboard.co.uk/page2.html |title=An unofficial history of children's BBC presentation |website=Broom Cupboard |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>

Children's ITV went live in early June 1987.<ref>TV Times: 30 May - 5 June 1987 Issues:  P26 Gary and Debbie Welcomes you to Children's ITV</ref> Using the small presentation studio at their [[ITV Central#Studios|Broad Street studios]] – which had become available since in-vision continuity for the Central region was dropped – former Central announcers [[Gary Terzza]] and Debbie Shore presented live links from a set built to look like a transmitting station. Although the studio space was small, the designers' use of a plate glass mirror gave the effect of a much larger set. The new live format gave brought a great deal of flexibility; timings could be altered, schedule changes reflected, and breakdowns dealt with in a continuous manner. In 1988, the format was refreshed again with a new single presenter, Mark Granger,<ref>{{cite web |title=Children's ITV - 1988 |url=https://www.knightmare.com/series/series-2/citv-1988.html |website=Knightmare |date=2010-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101142022/https://www.knightmare.com/series/series-2/citv-1988.html |archive-date=1 January 2023 |url-status=live |last1=McDonald |first1=Keith |access-date=1 January 2023 }}</ref> replacing Terzza and Shore, in a smaller, more basic studio set which included in-vision monitors showing the VT clock of the next scheduled item.

=== The Stonewall Productions era (1989–1991) ===
On 3&nbsp;April 1989, the independent production company Stonewall Productions won the contract to produce the Children's ITV presentation''. Stonewall Productions'' was headed up by Michael Jackson, a Central staffer who used his expertise to prepare a suitable application.

Whereas Central had restricted links to the station's former in-vision presentation studio, Stonewall chose not to use a fixed set, but instead presented links from various areas of Central's headquarters at Broad Street in Birmingham, utilising a rotating team of presenters which included Clive Warren (now a DJ), Jeanne Downs (a singer), Jerry Foulkes (a producer who left Children's ITV on 22&nbsp;December 1989), and a large puppet dog called Scally (who started out with Mark during his last few months).<ref name="web.archive.org"/>

=== Central regains control (1991–2001) ===
[[File:CITV 90s logo.jpg|200px|thumbnail|right|CITV logo (26 May 1998 - 7 September 2003)]]
Central won back the contract to produce the continuity links from 9&nbsp;April 1991, choosing to revert links back to a small in-vision studio using only one regular presenter, [[Tommy Boyd]]. During the 1991–1993 era, greater importance was being placed throughout television on promotions (trailers) as a way of effectively detailing areas of the schedule to viewers who might not know about them. The 1993 invitation to tender for the provision of the Children's ITV service specified a minimum number of high quality trailers that the successful applicant must produce over the term of the contract. With a large promotions department - and a strong, highly credible reputation for presentation within the ITV network - the contract remained with Central.

On 15&nbsp;February 1993, in-vision presentation was dropped by the first Network Centre Controller of Children's & Daytime Programming Dawn Airey (a former Central Management trainee) with Steven Ryde providing live out-of-vision continuity links featuring a wide variety of animated characters. On 6&nbsp;September 1993, Children's ITV was extended to start at 3:30&nbsp;pm, where the ITV network centre decided to move the preschool children slot from 12:10&nbsp;pm, to be branded as Children's ITV in the afternoon slot. Around the same time, Children's ITV began to be informally referred to as CITV. However, the "Children's" was not removed from the logo until Monday 2&nbsp;September 1996, the same month a [[digital on-screen graphic]] (DOG) was introduced.

Presentation for the service was moved in 1997 when Central moved into new, smaller studios at [[Gas Street Studios]] in Birmingham, which continued until Friday 22&nbsp;May 1998. A new in-vision service was introduced on Tuesday 26 May 1998 by the new controller of Children's ITV output, Nigel Pickard. Steven Ryde became a producer with Stephen Mulhern and Danielle Nicholls becoming the new presentation team. A new logo was introduced, designed by Aaron Camm (with traces of predecessors), and henceforth, Children's ITV became '''CITV''', initially being broadcast from Studio&nbsp;B at Central's Gas Street Studios.

[[ITV Central|Central]] retained the contact to produce CITV for a further two years, seeing off two rival bids from other ITV companies.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carlton regains CITV job |website=Broadcast Now |date=18 June 1999 |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/carlton-regains-citv-job/1215790.article |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Shortly after launch, CITV started sharing studio space with the West Midlands edition of ''[[ITV News Central|Central News]]'' in September&nbsp;1999, allowing room for a large stylised set created by a company called Dorans Propmakers. The main studio for ''Central News West'' had previously been used for live music performances during CITV.

=== Cutbacks (2001–2009) ===
[[File:CITV logo 2003.svg|100px|thumb|left|CITV logo (8 September 2003 - 10 March 2006)]]
[[File:CITV logo.svg|thumbnail|right|First CITV channel logo (11 March 2006 - 1 November 2009)]]
In 2001, CITV's budget was cut by 17% due to the advertising recession, leading to CITV's controller Janie Grace publicly criticising [[Carlton Television|Carlton]] and [[ITV Granada|Granada Television]], then the main controlling forces in the network, for underinvestment in ITV's children's service.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Maggie |date=1 November 2001 |title=ITV kids' shows at risk |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/nov/01/broadcasting4 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Grace went even further and complained to the regulator [[Independent Television Commission|ITC]], claiming CITV was unlikely to fulfil its range of programming commitments in the following year. Grace also sought support from the ITC for the creation of a separate CITV Ltd company which would allow more children's output to be made in-house - a proposal which ultimately fell apart due to the need for a change in the law and support from the [[Office of Fair Trading]]. A new strand was introduced at 3:25&nbsp;pm every afternoon and was put in place under the name "CITV's Telly Tots". The in-house presentation was dropped between 3:25 and 4&nbsp;pm and replaced with a CGI animated town using a plane, car, and a post box as mascots. A child voiceover was used to introduce its preschool shows. Books and video tapes were introduced to tie-in with the new strand.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Maggie |date=12 November 2001 |title=Suffer the children |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/nov/12/mondaymediasection |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Further cuts took place again during 2002 which brought the total cutback to 25% of the overall budget (£30&nbsp;million less).<ref>{{cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=20 November 2001 |title=BBC chief calls for strong CITV |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/nov/20/ITV.bbc |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>

Despite the cutbacks, the [[Independent Television Commission|ITC]] noted that CITV had a "sustained an impressive schedule", gave "factual material a fresh look", and "continued to produce good dramas"<ref>{{cite web |title=ITC Note: Children's Television |website=Ofcom |url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/itc/itc_publications/itc_notes/view_note73.html |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Just after CITV celebrated its 20th birthday in January 2003, Janie Grace resigned from the post, just before Nigel Pickard was named as ITV's new Director of Programmes.<ref name="broadcastnow">{{cite web |title=Children's TV: CITV - Winning custody of the children |date=3 February 2003 |website=Broadcast Now |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/childrens-tv-citv-winning-custody-of-the-children/1109395.article |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Granada Kids boss replaces Grace |website=C21 Media |date=27 February 2003 |url=http://www.c21media.net/archives/12597 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Pickard pledged to produce 80&nbsp;more hours of children's programming in 2003, against a target of 520&nbsp;hours in 2002 and extend the range of programmes to include more factual and topical programmes, as well as more mixed entertainment and drama,<ref>{{cite web |title=ITV puts colour back into kids |website=Broadcast Now |date=29 January 2003 |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/itv-puts-colour-back-into-kids/1108923.article |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Once again, concerns about CITV and its structure where highlighted by Angus Fletcher, president of Jim Henson Television Europe, and Anne Wood, founder of [[Ragdoll Productions]], as it could only earn money from a then unreliable advertising market, unlike [[BBC Worldwide]], where the likes of ''[[Teletubbies]]'', ''[[Tweenies]]'', and ''[[Bob the Builder]]'' became key money earners for the corporation.<ref name="broadcastnow"/>

Steven Andrew took over as ITV's controller of children and youth, overseeing the merger of Carlton and Granada's children's departments. Andrew also began looking at the possibility of launching a separate CITV channel, which had previously been put on hold by budget cuts. On-screen, various changes to the continuity presenting team saw no less than eight additions and replacements in the space of four years. By 31&nbsp;August 2004, all in-vision continuity was replaced by a voice over, while the newly-formed [[ITV plc]] announced the closure of its presentation and transmission facilities in Birmingham, signalling the end of CITV continuity from [[ITV Central|Central]]. Presentation was fully relocated to Granada in Manchester by 1 November&nbsp;2004.

Further cuts took place in 2005<ref>{{cite web |title=Tough times for kids TV |website=Broadcast Now |date=24 February 2005 |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tough-times-for-kids-tv/1020266.article |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> due to the perceived rising costs of original production, the effects on advertising revenues following the ban by Ofcom on 'junk food' advertising within children's schedules from 2007,<ref>{{cite news |last=Sweney |first=Mark |date=17 November 2006 |title=Total ban for junk food ads around kids' shows |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/nov/17/health.food |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Harvey |first=Jessica |date=22 February 2007 |title=Ofcom to begin phasing out fast-food ads during kids programmes |publisher=Caterer and Hotelkeeper |website=caterersearch.com |url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/23/02/2007/311842/Ofcom-to-begin-phasing-out-fast-food-ads-during-kids.htm |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> and increasing competition from [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] and countless other digital children's channels for new programmes (especially imported cartoons, typically from the United States). In summer&nbsp;2006, ITV closed down its in-house children's production unit, as part of ITV's then on-going process of restructuring ITV Productions, and blaming the closure on the competitive production environment, though ITV denied any intention of ditching its children's programming from its network schedule.<ref>{{cite news |last=Holmwood |first=Leigh |date=20 June 2006 |title=ITV to end kids' TV production |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/jun/20/broadcasting.ITV1 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> On 13 November 2006, CITV's weekday afternoon strand on the main ITV network permanently came to an end, making the CITV channel, which had launched earlier that year, the main outlet for ITV's kids programming. 
In July&nbsp;2009, ITV announced it was the only channel to have an increased budget. Emma Tennant, the then controller of CITV, told the Showcomotion conference that "the commissioning budgets for all channels next year are going to be smaller, except CITV, which is growing – but it will not necessarily spend the additional money on original commissions". It was also made clear due to tight budgets it may just lead to more acquisitions rather than new programmes being commissioned.<ref>http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/citv-bucks-trend-to-grow-budget/5003131.article CITV bucks trend to grow budget
2 July 2009 | By Katherine Rushton</ref>

== CITV channel ==
===Original plans===
Plans for a standalone CITV channel were announced in 2001, but was axed when ITV lost 25% of its budget for CITV. When Steven Andrew become controller of children and youth at ITV plc, he stated that "No kids strategy is complete without us being able to play in the cable and satellite world. In fact, we can't not do this and ultimately survive as a kids player in the future".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/autumn-launch-for-citv-channel/1131522.article |title=Autumn launch for CiTV channel |publisher=Broadcast |date=12 December 2003 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>

In early 2004, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] finally confirmed it was planning to launch a children's channel, but as a joint venture. Charles Allen, chief executive of ITV plc, did not believe in ITV creating a new channel as it was already an "over-populated market", with talk being held with Nickelodeon and Disney.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/514495/ |title=New kids' channel planned by ITV |publisher=Media Week |date=10 February 2004 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>

On 11 April 2005, ITV announced they had entered into a partnership with Nickelodeon to launch a free-to-air network dubbed "INK"  (ITV Nickelodeon Kids). The venture would allow the two companies to share programmes across each other's networks.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Maggie |date=2005-04-11 |title=ITV to launch kids' channel with Nickelodeon |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/apr/11/broadcasting.ITV2 |access-date=2023-06-05 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 14 July 2005, it was announced that the venture would not go ahead and that ITV would instead go alone to launch a children's channel. Both parties failed to agree on the exact structure of the new venture and how it would be branded, with ITV saying "We just got to the point of thinking that it was more sustainable for us to do it ourselves. The deal fizzled out over a period of time". Nickelodeon described the decision to end the talks as a "mutual backing away".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/itv-kids-channel-set-for-autumn/1027071.article |title=ITV kids channel set for autumn |publisher=Broadcast |date=14 July 2005 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toynews-online.biz/news/394/New-kids-plan-for-ITV |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115034713/http://www.toynews-online.biz/news/394/New-kids-plan-for-ITV |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 January 2013 |title=New kids plan for ITV? |publisher=ToyNews |date=29 July 2005 |access-date=22 June 2013 }}</ref>  ITV officially announced their new channel in August, although no launch window was announced, it was announced that it would timeshare with [[ITV4]], which was due to launch on November 1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ITV to launch fta kids channel |url=https://www.c21media.net/news/itv-to-launch-fta-kids-channel/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=C21media |language=en-us}}</ref>

On 16 December 2005, it was announced that the [[ITV News Channel]], which by then had downgraded its hours due to the launch of ITV4, would close down at the end of January 2006 to make way for the launch of the CITV Channel in February.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Conlan |first=Tara |date=2005-12-14 |title=ITV News Channel axed |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/dec/14/tvnews.itv |access-date=2023-06-05 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> However, ITV decided to change their mind and a few days later, announced they had brought the closure forward to December 23rd,<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2005-12-19 |title=ITV News Channel to close before Christmas |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/dec/19/tvnews.television |access-date=2023-06-05 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> with the channel effectively ceasing operations that day. Until February, nothing played within the downtime of ITV4.

===Channel history===
The channel's launch was pushed back to 11 March in February 2006, as a result of problems "clearing the digital rights to children's programming" and "comprehensive" rebranding, it was again pushed back by another four weeks.<ref name="Kidding Sround Gets Serious">{{cite news |url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,1708203,00.html|title=Kidding Around Gets Serious|access-date=13 February 2006 | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Maggie | last=Brown | date=13 February 2006}}</ref>

Promos for the channel began on 20 February, including an online countdown clock, running to the channel's launch date. As had become standard for Freeview channel launches, the channel was allocated an EPG number well before transmission started. Initially, a static 'coming soon' graphic was shown, followed by a preview video loop running from late February 2006 until the launch.<ref name="CITV Channel to Launch">{{cite web|url=http://media247.co.uk/skydigital/newsarchive/2006/02/citv_to_launch.php|title=CITV Channel to Launch|access-date=28 February 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060301023815/http://media247.co.uk/skydigital/newsarchive/2006/02/citv_to_launch.php|archive-date=1 March 2006}}</ref>

The channel launched on 11 March 2006 at 9:25&nbsp;am, with a simulcast of ''[[Holly and Stephen's Saturday Showdown]]'' being the first program to air on the channel. It initially launched on [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] Channel 75, Homechoice (now known as TalkTalk TV), and [[Telewest]] Channel 734, and was added to [[Sky (United Kingdom)|Sky]] Channel 624 on 8 May 2006 and NTL Channel 76/602 on 6 June. Additionally, the channel simulcasts CITV Breakfast (previously known as GMTV2, which was originally broadcast on [[ITV2]], then [[ITV4]]) on weekdays between 6&nbsp;am and 9:25&nbsp;am. The channel broadcast daily from 6:00am-6:00pm, although throughout 2007, the channel ended broadcast at 12:30pm on weekends to make way for sports coverage on [[ITV4]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/19133467#Comment_19133467 | title=Part time channels - whats the point? | date=4 November 2007 }}</ref>

On 5 February 2008, ITV4 extended its broadcast hours to broadcast around the clock. As a consequence, the CITV Channel moved to the multiplex space on Freeview originally held by [[ABC1 (UK)|ABC1]] from English and Scottish transmitters and [[S4C]] from Welsh transmitters, which meant that viewers of the latter were unable to receive the channel on Freeview unless they could receive transmissions from England.

On 2 November 2009, the channel was relaunched with a new logo and branding to match [[ITV1]] as part of ITV plc's corporate look. The channel's preschool strand was given a dramatic overhaul, and renamed Mini CITV. Mini CITV is hosted by a group of spacemen-like beings called the Minis, who oversee presentation items on the channel. With the exception of weekends and holidays, Mini CITV took up the majority of output on the channel for a few years, though this was scaled back in 2012. On 9 January 2012, a change in the [[forward error correction]] mode on the multiplex allowed CITV to broadcast in Wales on Freeview.

On 21 December 2012, the channel aired its first live programme since 2006, a 45-minute CITV special of ''[[Text Santa]]'', ITV's Christmas charity appeal. A year later, a series of 10-minute programmes titled ''Help for Hattitude'' in aid of the above-mentioned appeal was produced for the channel - both programmes were produced in-house by [[ITV Studios]].

A new look was introduced on 14 January 2013 to coincide with ITV's corporate rebranding. The channel adopted a "yellowy-orange" logo with playful idents that "burp and fart, and do other things kids love".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a438502/itv1-to-become-itv-in-major-corporate-rebrand.html|title=ITV1 to become 'ITV' in major corporate rebrand|last=Laughlin|first=Andrew|publisher=Digital Spy|date=16 November 2012|access-date=17 December 2012}}</ref> On the weekend of Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 January 2013, CITV celebrated its thirty years of service with a marathon of archive programming, officially known as the ''Old Skool Weekend''.

On 22 February 2016, CITV extended its on-air hours, the channel now finishes at 21:00 rather than the earlier 18:00.

On 11 April 2021, CITV's weekend morning block ''[[Scrambled!]]'' aired for the final time, marking the end of in-vision continuity on both CITV and ITV. CITV would continue to air on ITV on weekend mornings.

On Monday 19 September 2022, due to the state funeral for Queen [[Elizabeth II]], normal programming was replaced by ITV London's feed<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-confirms-its-plans-coverage-state-funeral-her-majesty-queen | title=ITV confirms its plans for coverage of the state funeral for Her Majesty the Queen }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/itv-queenfuneralday | title=Itv Confirms Plans for the Queen's Funeral | date=19 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/uk-channels-suspend-broadcasts-following-queens-death | title=UK channels suspend broadcasts following Queen's death | date=8 September 2022 }}</ref>  This was in contrast to CBBC<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9s/2022/09/19 | title=CBeebies - Schedules, Monday 19 September 2022 }}</ref> and CBeebies channels.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9s/2022/09/19 | title=CBeebies - Schedules, Monday 19 September 2022 }}</ref>

In March 2023, ITV plc announced that it would close the CITV channel in the autumn, with a phased migration of ITV's children's programming moving to ITVX Kids set to launch on 22 July, on its streaming service [[ITVX]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ITV to shutter its linear kidsnet and move content to ITVX |url=https://kidscreen.com/2023/03/10/itv-to-shutter-its-linear-kidsnet-and-move-content-to-itvx/ |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=Kidscreen}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=ITV announces closure of CITV in favour of streaming-only children's content |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-03-10/itv-announces-closure-of-citv-in-favour-of-streaming-only-childrens-content |access-date=30 April 2023 |work=ITV |date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="RXTV">{{cite web |last1=Thornham |first1=Marc |title=ITVX Kids launch date announced |url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2023/itvx-kids-launch-date-announced/ |website=RXTV info |access-date=23 May 2023 |date=22 May 2023}}</ref>

== Programming ==
{{main article|List of programmes broadcast by CITV}}
Programming between 6 and 9:25&nbsp;am is controlled by [[ITV Breakfast]] (previously [[GMTV]]), who, having rebranded the vast majority of their GMTV children's output as CITV, now use the space to simulcast their programming at weekends on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network and '''CITV Breakfast''' on weekdays.<ref name="GMTV's Overall Strategy and Major Themes of the Year">{{cite web|url=http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=18900|title=GMTV's Overall Strategy and Major Themes of the Year|access-date=30 January 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923124406/http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=18900|archive-date=23 September 2006}}</ref> [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] takes over at 9:25&nbsp;am, controlling the rest of the day's programming. When it first launched, GMTV used to sell all the airtime for the channel, making it the first ITV plc-owned channel not to be sold by the in-house sales team. Airtime sales have now been taken back in-house by ITV.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.itvmedia.co.uk/itv-platforms/citv|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804083204/http://www.itvmedia.co.uk/itv-platforms/citv|url-status=dead|title=ITV Media -|archive-date=4 August 2012|access-date=30 July 2019}}</ref>

Some of the channel's most notable programming has been specially commissioned by CITV, such as ''[[Horrid Henry (TV series)|Horrid Henry]]'', ''[[Mr. Bean: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (TV series)|Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids]]'', ''[[Thunderbirds Are Go (TV series)|Thunderbirds Are Go]]'', ''[[Oddbods]]'', and ''[[Sooty (2011 TV series)|Sooty]]''. A number of other programmes are sourced from other broadcasters in the UK and around the world.

== Video games ==
In the mid 2000s, CITV developed [[Adobe Flash|flash]] games, including the "Harry the Hamster" series and trilogy, where a bridge is built out of plastic pipes for Harry to cross the room in the first game of the series. In "Harry the Hamster 2: The Quest for the Golden Wheel", he searches for eight pieces scattered around a network of plastic pipes and other pathways to build his [[hamster wheel]] while trying to avoid running out of energy. Each collected piece refills the energy. In the three-dimensional game "Harry the Hamster 3: Rolling Rodent", he rolls through a garden inside a plastic ball and needs to stomp his enemies, which include frogs, spiders, garden gnomes, and wild rabbits.

== Mini CITV ==
{{Infobox Programming Block
| name = Mini CITV
| logo_caption = Logo used from 2009 to 2013
| image = MiniCITV.png|
| channel = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], CITV
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2009|11|2|df=y}}
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2013|1|14|df=y}}
| country = United Kingdom
| format = Preschool Programming
| runtime = 8:45&nbsp;am – 3&nbsp;pm (weekdays)
6&nbsp;am – 7:25&nbsp;am (weekends and holidays)
| replaced by = ''[[LittleBe]]''
}}

'''Mini CITV''', which was launched on 2 November 2009, was the slot that housed CITV's preschool programming. It was aimed at preschool children. Between 2009 and 2012, Mini CITV was shown on weekdays in [[school]] term time between 8:45&nbsp;am to 3&nbsp;pm, and on weekends and school holidays between 6&nbsp;am to 7:25&nbsp;am. ITV broadcast Mini CITV on weekend mornings as well, there was also a block called The Fluffy Club between 2008 and 2010 on weekend mornings that housed preschool programmes and featured a [[puppet]] baby chick in between programmes. A series of little animated [[rabbit]]-like characters called the "Minis" were the mascots of the strand (similar to the bug mascots of its rival [[CBeebies]]).

On 7 January 2013, the Mini CITV name and the Mini mascots were dropped from on-screen use and a year later, on 7 January 2014, CITV removed all of its preschool programming from both its weekday and weekend schedules with the exception of ''[[Sooty (2011 TV series)|Sooty]]'', which continued to broadcast until 3 September 2018, after which it started broadcasting on [[ITVBe]]'s new preschool block, ''[[LittleBe]]''.

== Ratings ==
The CITV channel launched with a full-day average of 33,000 viewers and a 2.5% share of the child audience. This put it ahead of other channels [[Cartoon Network (UK)|Cartoon Network]] (20,000, a 1.5% share), [[Boomerang (British TV channel)|Boomerang]] (28,000 a 2.1% share), and [[Nickelodeon UK|Nickelodeon]] (26,000 a 2.0% share). The channel peaked at 4:30&nbsp;pm with ''[[Bratz (TV series)|Bratz]]'' gaining 51,000 viewers and a 3.6% share.<ref name="ITV Ratings at Six-Month Low">{{cite news |url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,1729992,00.html|title=ITV Ratings at Six-Month Low|access-date=13 March 2006 | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Dominic | last=Timms | date=13 March 2006}}</ref>

The channel took a 0.2% audience share in its first week compared to: [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] 0.6%, [[Cartoon Network (UK)|Cartoon Network]] 0.4%, [[Boomerang (UK & Ireland)|Boomerang]] 0.4%, and [[CBeebies]] 1.4%. Its overall ratings share for March 2006 was 0.1%; by April 2006 this had risen to 0.2%, 0.3% followed in May. In August 2006, the channel became the most popular commercial kids channel between 6&nbsp;am and 6&nbsp;pm.<ref name="CITV Channel Celebrates First Birthday">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a43891/citv-channel-celebrates-first-birthday.html|title=CITV Channel Celebrates First Birthday|website=[[Digital Spy]] |access-date=13 March 2007|date=13 March 2007}}</ref> On 6 January 2013, the CITV channel received its highest viewing figures to date: ''[[Danger Mouse (1981 TV series)|Danger Mouse]]'', which was shown as part of the "Old Skool Weekend" to celebrate CITV's 30th anniversary, attracted 578,000 viewers.<ref name="Old Skool weekend draws CITV's biggest ever audience">{{cite web |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/old-skool-weekend-draws-citvs-biggest-ever-audience-/5050375.article|title=Old Skool weekend draws CITV's biggest ever audience|website=Broadcast|access-date=23 May 2023|date=8 January 2013}}</ref>

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist|group=notes}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{itv.com|id=watch?channel=citv|title=CITV}}

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