The BBC is rejigging some of its kids brands as part of a strategy to streamline content delivery and achieve more growth. 

Its Children’s & Education division has now designated CBeebies as the all-encompassing brand for both preschool entertainment and educational content. This change will move the management of learning resources such as Tiny Happy People (for parents of kids up to age four) under the same team that oversees TV commissioning, strengthening the CBeebies brand as a preschool leader.       

Meanwhile, the team behind kids news format Newsround will move from Children’s & Education to BBC News in order to take advantage of opportunities for production enhancement and audience growth. The series will continue to air on CBBC and online.

Early plans are also in the works to modernize the Bitesize educational resource platform for kids ages four to 16—putting a US$7.5-million top-up investment it received earlier this year to use. 

These changes come in the wake of BBC Children’s laying off 11 staffers this month, although it announced plans in the same breath to add 11 positions for Bitesize content production and animation commissioning. 

In related news, BBC Studios has inked a deal with Singapore’s Mediacorp for 150 hours of kids content. The broadcaster’s okto block on Channel 5 and mewatch streamer will roll out dino-themed live-actioner Andy’s Global Adventures and preschool toons Hey Duggee and Go Jetters (seasons two and three of both) starting on October 1. The deal also includes the first three seasons of Jo Jo & Gran Gran, the first two seasons of Sarah & Duck, Yakka Dee, Supertato season one and Nelly and Nora.