Editing Children's television series (section)

===United States===
In the United States, there are three major [[commercial television|commercial]] [[cable network]]s dedicated to children's television. All three also operate secondary services with specialized scopes drawing upon their respective libraries, such as a focus on specific demographics, or a focus upon classic programming that fall within their scope and demographics; all three have also extensively [[media franchise|franchised]] their brands outside the United States.
* [[Nickelodeon]], the first children's television channel, launched in 1979 (though its history traces back to the 1977 launch of [[QUBE]]'s C-3 channel);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.viacom.com/ourbrands/medianetworks/mtvnetworks/Pages/nickelodeon.aspx |title=Viacom |website=www.viacom.com |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117134441/http://www.viacom.com/ourbrands/medianetworks/mtvnetworks/Pages/nickelodeon.aspx |archive-date=17 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> it consists largely of original series aimed at children, preteens and young teenagers, including [[animated series]], to live-action comedy and action series, as well as series aimed at preschoolers, and appeals to adult and adolescent audiences with a lineup of mainly live-action sitcom reruns and a limited amount of original programming on [[Nick at Nite]].
** Nickelodeon operates four digital cable and satellite channels separate from the main service: [[Nick Jr. Channel]], a channel devoted to preschool programming; [[Nicktoons (American TV channel)|Nicktoons]], which primarily (although not exclusively) runs animated programming; [[NickMusic]], a pop music video service branded as "[[MTV]] Hits" prior to 2016; and [[TeenNick]], a channel devoted to live-action programming and sometimes animated. This is in addition to a flexible number of free digital channels under the Nickelodeon brand on parent company [[Paramount Global]]'s over-the-top service [[Pluto TV]]. [[Subscription video on demand]] service [[Paramount+]] includes much of the Nickelodeon archives.
* [[Cartoon Network]], launched in 1992, is devoted primarily to animated programming. It primarily targets children 6–12, while its early morning [[Cartoonito (American programming block)|Cartoonito]] is aimed at preschoolers and kindergarteners aged 2–6, and its overnight daypart block [[Adult Swim]] targets older teenagers and young adults aged 15–34.
** Cartoon Network operates one digital cable channel: [[Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang]], a channel that specializes in programs centered around classic brands that parent company [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] owns (particularly [[Hanna-Barbera]], [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio|MGM]] and [[Warner Bros. Animation]]), along with some imported programs, reruns of Cartoon Network original programs, and [[burning off|burn-off]] properties. Warner Bros. Discovery also operates [[Discovery Family]] (along with its Spanish-language counterpart [[Discovery Familia]]), a joint venture with Hasbro that Warner Bros. acquired a majority stake in along with its merger with [[Discovery Channel]] and carries animated programming in daytime along with family-oriented factual programming (including Discovery library programs) at nighttime; [[HBO Family]], a channel in the company's [[premium cable]] suite [[HBO]] that includes a block of children's programs ([[HBO Kids|Play Off]]) in the morning and family-friendly films the rest of the day; [[MeTV Toons]], a joint venture with [[Weigel Broadcasting]] that operates on the [[digital subchannel]]s of Weigel-owned stations and other affiliates of its parent network [[MeTV]] and carries much of the same program library as Boomerang.
* [[Disney Channel]] launched in 1983 as a [[pay television|premium channel]]; it consists of original first-run television series, theatrically released and original made-for-cable movies, and select other third-party programming. Disney Channel – which formerly operated as a pay-TV service – originally marketed its programs towards families during the 1980s, and later at younger children by the 1990s. Then, they marketed its programs at tweens aged 8-14 between 1998 and 2004. After 2004, they marketed their programs at  [[preadolescent]] kids ages 9-12.
** Disney Channel operates two digital channels separate from the main service: [[Disney Jr.]], which launched in 2011 and primarily broadcasts animated series catered towards a preschool audience, and [[Disney XD]], which caters primarily to an older youth audience with an action-oriented focus. Disney does not have a traditional television outlet for its archival programming, which it has historically kept in a [[Disney Vault|proverbial vault]] with limited access; much of its programming is available through [[Disney+]], a subscription video on demand service. Disney also operates [[Freeform (TV channel)|Freeform]], a channel primarily carrying live-action programming catered towards a teenage/young adult audience. Although its [[Television networks preceding Freeform|previous incarnations]] under other owners had family-oriented formats and children's programming, they have since been phased out in favor of series such as [[teen drama]]s, some coming from Disney Channel.

Under current mandates, all [[terrestrial television|broadcast]] television stations in the United States must show a minimum of three hours per week of [[E/I|educational children's programming]], regardless of format. Until 2019, this rule also applied to [[digital subchannels]]; as a result, digital multicast networks whose formats should not fit children's programming, such as [[Live Well Network]] and [[TheCoolTV]], were required to carry educational programs to fit the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] mandates. (The rule for digital subchannels was repealed in July 2019;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/07/fcc-vote-to-ease-kid-vid-rules-draws-pushback-and-democrats-dissent-1202644411/|title=FCC's Vote To Ease "Kid Vid" Rules Draws Pushback And Democrats' Dissent|last=Hayes|first=Dade|date=July 10, 2019|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/fcc-gives-broadcasters-more-kidvid-flexibility|title=FCC Gives Broadcasters More KidVid Flexibility|last=Eggerton|first=John|date=July 10, 2019|website=Broadcasting & Cable|language=en-us|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref> in practice, most still carry educational programs anyway.) In 2017, there was a programming block that aired on syndication called [[KidsClick]]; it was notable as a concerted effort to program children's shows on television without regard to their educational content, one of the first such efforts since the E/I rule took effect. The transition to digital television has allowed for the debut of whole subchannels that air children's programming 24/7; examples include [[PBS Kids]] and [[BabyFirst]], along with multiple streaming providers.