Star Kids Network

Star Kids Network was a former worldwide TV network owned by HBO. It was the first kids channel to be launched by HBO, and the last network to broadcast exclusively in digital format. The channel's target audience was children ages 2–11 during its morning and afternoon blocks, and 3-12 during its nighttime block.
Star Kids Network ended its run on October 23, 2012 after 7 years, and was replaced on November 12 by Jam.
==History==
Star Kids Network was launched on September 23, 2007 at 7:00 a.m. EST, with Peppa Pig as its first program. The channel premiered its first movie Thomas & Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery, at 2:34 a.m. that day.
Star Kids Network also produced its own original programming, such as Time to Play, Sunny Sky, and Fun Corner.
Star Kids Network also featured original blocks, such as SKN Summertime, SKN Playhouse (both removed in 2008), and Star Kids Corner (removed in 2009).
In place of commercials, Star Kids Network aired interstitial segments, which were produced at HBO Studios, with the help of CCI Entertainment.
The studio segments in the "Fun Fun House", often included live-action kids shows acquired from PBS Kids, such as Sesame Street. Programs were usually grouped together in the blocks Wild Days, FunMart, Tales of Best Friends (all removed in 2009), and Candy Land (removed in 2010).
From January 14, 2010, Star Kids Network's programming was fully automated, putting only nine shows on a permanent time slot (Caillou, Super Why!, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Boohbah, Teletubbies, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Handy Manny, Bear in The Big Blue House, and Fimbles). On May 2010, Fimbles was removed the network's schedule, leaving only a mere eight shows on the channel by its final year (as well as two years exclusively for Dish Network, due to unknown bandwidth problems).
===Shutdown===
On September 14, 2012, HBO announced that Star Kids Network would be shut down on October 23, 2012 and replaced on November 12 by a 24-hour channel Jam.
On October 23, 2012, Star Kids Network was officially shut down after an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. On November 12, it aired a teaser to plan its relaunch, but it was cut off halfway through and was replaced by Jam, which has three blocks: morning, afternoon, and nighttime, making it a 24-hour channel.
Meanwhile, Dish Network kept an automated loop of the network on the air for fifteen months, due to either unknown concerns or satellite bandwidth problems with either the Lockheed Martin A2100 or Space Systems Loral SSL 1300 bus-based satellites with either Ku or Ka band payloads onboard experiencing problems. On December 15, 2013, Dish announced it would discontinue Star Kids Network and replace it with the with the Pacific feed of Jetix Network after the following day. Star Kids Network will no longer air as of December 2013.
Category:Defunct
Category:TV Channels
Category:Children's television networks in the United States