KiZmom

KiZmom is a children's and family network in South Korea owned by CJ E&M.

From 2003 until 2022, the network space was the home to the domestic version of the American channel Nickelodeon. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks Korea, a joint venture of CJ E&M and Paramount Networks EMEAA.

History

Background of Nickelodeon

Programming on domestic broadcast networks

In South Korea, some of original series from Nickelodeon, like ''Rugrats'', '' Rocket Power'', ''The Wild Thornberrys'', ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and ''Dora the Explorer'', were shown on what is now EBS1 (operated by public-service broadcaster EBS). ''Jimmy Neutron'' was broadcast on MBC. A localisation of Nick Jr.'s ''Blue's Clues'' was shown on KBS2 (of public-sector broadcaster KBS). The Korean version of those series were produced by (or for) the broadcasters themselves, though not specifically branded as block programming under the Nickelodeon name.

Nickelodeon block on JEI TV

JEI TV (a specialty TV channel owned by JEI Corporation), after making a deal with Viacom, ran a Nickelodeon programming block for years. It started with TV programmes that were not shown on the generalist terrestrial channels. But later, they aired their own Korean dub of what were shown on EBS. Those alternative dubs were produced by Arirang TV Media (a subsidiary of Arirang TV).

SkyLife carries Nickelodeon Southeast Asia

DTH satellite television provider SkyLife carried the Southeast Asian version of Nickelodeon from 2003 to 2006. A negotiation between SkyLife and On-Media to extend carriage deal was failed, so SkyLife choose Nickelodeon Southeast Asia to replace Tooniverse (then owned by On-Media) on the platform. Test transmission began in January that year, before the formal launch in March. In 2005, as SkyLife and Sony Pictures Television International reached a deal to launch a South Korean version of Animax, it was announced that Nickelodeon Southeast Asia would be removed from the platform in 2006. SkyLife did not carry the new South Korean version of Nickelodeon until 2014.

Launch and afterwards

Test broadcasts of a dedicated South Korean version of Nickelodeon began on August 1, 2005, before the formal launch in late 2005. This was a result of a deal between On-Media (then owned by Orion Group) and MTV Networks Asia. The channel was initially branded as Nick, and was exclusively available on cable TV providers. A Nickelodeon-branded programming block was also launched on On-Media's Tooniverse around that time.

In November 2008, the channel became a subsidiary of C&M Communication, along with MTV, when On-Media sold a percentage of its shares in On Music Network (which later became MTV Networks Korea). But a Nickelodeon block on Tooniverse continued to go. The channel was officially renamed Nickelodeon in 2010, using the new logo that unveiled months ago in the USA.

In September 2011, SBS, a commercial broadcaster, became the official South Korean partner of Viacom (now re-merged with CBS Corporation to form ViacomCBS in 2019), acquiring shares in MTV Networks Korea from previous South Korean owners and renaming the joint venture SBS Viacom. With this, Nickelodeon became a part of SBS.

Rebranding as KiZmom

On 30 June 2022, the channel was rebranded as KiZmom, with Paramount content shifting over to CJ E&M's streaming service, TVING; SBS MTV also lost MTV content and became SBS M on the same day. Nickelodeon's animated content would return to sister network Tooniverse on 1 August.

See also

* Tooniverse
* Cartoon Network
* Disney Channel

External link

*

References

{{CJ Group

Korean-language television stations
Television channels and stations established in 2005
South Korea
2005 establishments in South Korea
Children's television channels in South Korea