CBC aims to double amount of kids programming on Gem streaming service

The CBC says it's redirecting some funding to invest in programming for a wider range of young audiences.

CBC/Radio-Canada president Catherine Tait made the announcement at the Kidscreen Summit in Miami on Tuesday.

She said the public broadcaster plans to double the amount of content for young audiences on the CBC Gem streaming service over the next year.

The goal is to match the amount of content already available on the CBC's French-language video-on-demand site ICI TOU.TV.

Tait said they want to reach young audiences beyond the preschool demographic with programming targeted to school-aged kids, tweens and teens.

There will be both acquired content and new original French and English-language programming from Canadian creators for CBC Kids and Radio-Canada Jeunesse.

New original programming includes the tween action-adventure series "Detention Adventure," which is the first original kids scripted series for CBC Gem and will premiere this spring.

"Let's Talk About Sex," the English-language version of "On parle de sexe," will be aimed at tweens with information on healthy sexuality. It will premiere as the first original factual series for kids on CBC Gem in 2020.

Acquisitions include the tween sci-fi action adventure "Endlings," and "Molly of Denali," an animated series about a 10-year-old Indigenous girl.

Tait said the content "celebrates inclusiveness, diversity, equality and social values."