Pop (UK and Ireland)

Pop, stylized in all caps as POP, is a British free-to-air children's television channel owned by Narrative Entertainment UK Limited targeting audiences aged 6 to 10. Launched on 29 May 2003 as ''Toons&Tunes'' by Chart Show Channels (CSC) Media Group, it later took on its current name and got sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment, who in turn sold it and its local channels to its current owner in 2021.

History

Pop was originally launched on 29 May 2003 by Chart Show Channels (CSC) Media Group as ''Toons&Tunes''. Toons&Tunes was then later rebranded as its current name, ''Pop'' (formerly stylised as ''pop'' and ''POP!''), on June 2003.

In the channel's early years, links were presented by Rorry, a lime green dragon with a Scottish accent, who was animated live. He was accompanied by Purrdy, a dragon/cat hybrid who also appeared in the original Tricky programme on ITV1, it was sometimes followed by a programme known as "The Cheeky Monkey Show" which features the live links of the animated coloured monkeys known as "The Cheeky Monkeys," that was later known by appearing on its sister channel Tiny Pop until its retirement at the end of June 2009.

Originally, the network focused on music videos with animated programming also part of the schedule, but with the numerous music video network options on British television at the time, this focus was quickly abandoned in 2004, when the animated content became much more prominent. Music videos continued to be carried on and off until 2010, before eventually being abandoned entirely.

In September 1, 2020, Pop rebranded its on-air identity, with the premiere of '' Bakugan: Armored Alliance''. And on the same day, starting with '' Pokémon Journeys: The Series'', the network became the new British home of the ''Pokémon'' anime, moving from its previous broadcasters, ITV1 and CITV.

On November 9, 2022, Narrative Entertainment announced the launch of a new FAST channel, Pop Kids, to stream on Samsung TV Plus, the new FAST network airs shows from Pop and Tiny Pop.

Sky channel moves

On 24 May 2007, Pop moved from 619 to 616 on Sky.

On 19 May 2008, Pop +1 ceased broadcast on 627 on Sky.

On 14 July 2014, Pop +1 relaunched from 629 on Sky.

On 1 October 2015, Pop +1 moved from 629 to 626 on Sky.

As part of Sky's major EPG reshuffle on 1 May 2018, Pop +1 moved from channel 626 to 625.

On 11 January 2021, Pop moved from 616 to 614 on Sky.

On 11 January 2021, Pop +1 moved from 625 to 619 on Sky.

Programming

The channel sources its programming from multiple independent studios.

Current programming

Original programming

* ''Swipe It! with Joe Tasker''

Acquired programming

* ''44 Cats''
* ''Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks''
* ''Annedroids''
* ''Bakugan
** '' Bakugan: Battle Planet''
** '' Bakugan: Armored Alliance''
** '' Bakugan: Geogan Rising''
** '' Bakugan: Evolutions''
* ''Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures''
* '' Barbie: It Takes Two''
* ''Big Top Academy''
* '' Care Bears: Unlock the Magic'' (also on Tiny Pop)
* '' Cupcake & Dino: General Services''
* ''Dragon Ball Super''
* ''Grizzy & the Lemmings''
* ''Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts''
* ''Kung Fu Sock''/''Kung Fu Wa!''
* ''Lego City Adventures''
* '' Lego Friends: Girls on a Mission''
* '' Mega Man: Fully Charged''
* '' Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir''
* '' Nate Is Late''
* ''Pokémon
** '' Pokémon the Series: XY''
** '' Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest''
** '' Pokémon the Series: XYZ''
** '' Pokémon Journeys: The Series''
** '' Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series''
** '' Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series''
* ''Power Rangers''
** ''Power Rangers Dino Super Charge''
** ''Power Rangers Beast Morphers''
** ''Power Rangers Dino Fury''
* ''Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty''
* ''Sadie Sparks''
* ''Skylanders Academy''
* '' Squish''
* ''Space Chickens in Space''
* ''The Inbestigators''
* ''The Strange Chores''
* '' Toca Life Stories''
* ''Talking Tom and Friends''
* ''Total DramaRama''
* '' Transformers: Cyberverse''
* '' Trolls: The Beat Goes On!'' (also on Tiny Pop)

Pop Player exclusive programming

* '' Big Top Academy: School's Out Edition''
* ''Total Drama Island''

Pop Kids Programming (only on Samsung TV Plus)

* ''Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe''
* ''Care Bears: Unlock the Magic''
* ''Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck''
* ''Dragon Ball Super''
* ''Kung Fu Sock''
* ''Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir''
* ''Pokémon''
* ''Simon''
* ''Squish''

Films and Specials

* ''Barbie'' (since 2018)
* '' Master Moley By Royal Invitation''''
* '' Miraculous World: New York, United Heroez''
* '' Miraculous World: Shanghai, The Legend of Ladydragon''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice'' (also on CBBC and BBC iPlayer)
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!'' (also on CBBC and BBC iPlayer)
* '' Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew''
* ''Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us'' (also on CBBC and BBC iPlayer)

Acquired programming

* ''Moley'' (January 2023)
* ''Polly Pocket'' (returns in TBA 2023)
* ''She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'' (TBA 2023)

Former programming

* ''3 Amigonauts''
* ''The Adventures of Chuck and Friends''
* ''Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog''
* ''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
* ''Alan the Last Dinosaur''
* ''The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers''
* ''Angry Birds Toons''
* ''Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller''
* ''Archie's Weird Mysteries''
* ''Artzooka!''
* ''The Babaloos''
* ''Babar''
* ''Backyard Science''
* ''Battle B-Daman''
* ''The Berenstain Bears''
* ''Bindi the Jungle Girl''
* ''Blazing Dragons''
* '' Bump in the Night''
* ''Buzz Bumble''
* ''Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs''
* ''The Care Bears Family''
* '' Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot''
* ''Clang Invasion''
* ''Clay Kids''
* ''Clifford the Big Red Dog''
* ''Counterfeit Cat''
* ''Corduroy''
* ''Cosmic Quantum Ray''
* ''Cubix''
* ''Cyberchase''
* '' Dennis the Menace''
* ''Digimon Data Squad''
* ''Dinotrux''
* ''Dr. Dimensionpants''
* ''The Eggs''
* ''Ella the Elephant''
* ''Eliot Kid''
* ''Elliot Moose''
* ''Erky Perky''
* ''Fairy Tale Police Department''
* ''Fantomcat''
* ''Finding Stuff Out''
* ''Flatmania''
* '' Funnymals''
* ''Freaktown''
* ''Gasp!''
* ''Gawayn''
* ''The Gees''
* ''George and Martha''
* ''Girlstuff/Boystuff''
* ''Grojband''
* '' Grossology''
* '' H₂O: Just Add Water''
* '' Hanazuki: Full of Treasures''
* ''Hareport''
* ''Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs''
* ''I.N.K. Invisible Network of Kids''
* ''Iggy Arbuckle''
* ''Insectibles''
* ''Inspector Gadget''
* ''Jamie's Got Tentacles''
* ''Kaleido Star''
* ''Kampung Boy''
* ''Kid Detectives''
* ''Kikoriki''
* '' Kirby: Right Back at Ya!''
* ''King''
* ''King Arthur's Disasters''
* ''The Legend of White Fang''
* ''Larva''
* ''LEGO Nexo Knights''
* ''Little Wizard Tao''
* ''Littlest Pet Shop''
* '' Loggerheads''
* ''Lola & Virginia''
* ''Madeline''
* '' Magi-Nation''
* ''The Magic School Bus''
* ''Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse''
* ''Milly, Molly''
* ''Meet the Magoons''
* ''Mischief City''
* '' The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show''
* ''Mona the Vampire''
* '' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic''
* '' The New Adventures of Lassie''
* ''The New Adventures of Nanoboy''
* ''Noah's Island''
* ''Numb Chucks''
* ''Numberjacks''
* ''Oggy and the Cockroaches''
* ''Oh No! It's an Alien Invasion''
* '' Old Tom''
* ''Oscar's Oasis''
* '' Out of the Box''
* ''Pandalian''
* '' Pat & Stan''
* ''Patrol 03''
* ''Pearlie''
* ''Peg + Cat''
* ''Pigeon Boy''
* '' PINY: Institute of New York''
* ''Pippi Longstocking''
* ''Pirate Express''
* '' Pokémon the Series: Black & White''
* '' Pokémon: Black & White: Adventures in Unova''
* '' Pokémon: Black & White: Adventures in Unova and Beyond''
* '' Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies''
* '' Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon'' (now on CBBC)
* '' Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures'' (now on CBBC and )
* '' Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends''
* ''Power Players''
* ''Power Rangers Megaforce''
* ''Power Rangers Ninja Steel''
* ''Power Rangers Super Megaforce''
* ''The Raggy Dolls''
* ''Redwall''
* ''Rekkit Rabbit''
* '' Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood''
* ''Robinson Sucroe''
* ''Rocky and the Dodos''
* ''Ruby Gloom''
* ''Rupert''
* '' Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch''
* '' Sally Bollywood: Super Detective''
* ''SamSam''
* ''Scaredy Squirrel''
* ''Seven Little Monsters''
* ''Sherlock Yack''
* ''Slugterra''
* ''The Smurfs''
* ''The Snorks''
* ''Sonic Boom''
* ''Sonic the Hedgehog''
* ''Sonic Underground''
* ''Sparkle Friends''
* ''Stickin' Around''
* ''Spirit Riding Free''
* ''Super Duper Sumos''
* ''Super Mario World''
* '' Talking Tom Heroes''
* ''Timothy Goes to School''
* ''The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show''
* ''Totally Spies!'' (reruns)
* ''Tracey McBean''
* ''Tractor Tom''
* ''The Trap Door''
* '' The Transformers''
* '' Transformers: Rescue Bots''
* '' Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia''
* ''Tube Mice''
* ''Twipsy''
* ''Vic the Viking''
* '' Voltron: Legendary Defender''
* ''The Wacky World of Tex Avery''
* ''What About Mimi?''
* ''Wild But True''
* ''Wild Kratts''
* ''Winx Club''
* '' The Wizard of Oz''
* ''What-A-Mess (DiC Version)''
* ''YooHoo & Friends''
* ''Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal''
* ''Zak Storm''
* ''Zatch Bell!''
* ''Zeke's Pad''
* '' Zorro: Generation Z''

Films and Specials

* ''Matilda''
* ''Monster High''
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom'' (now on CBBC, Pop Max, and BBC iPlayer)
* '' Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened'' (now on CBBC, Pop Max, and BBC iPlayer)

Availability

Freeview

On 20 March 2014, Pop was launched on Freeview. Prior to April 2016, Pop was only available in areas where there is a local TV channel. On 1 April 2016, Pop moved to a wider coverage nationwide freeview mix, becoming available to over 90% of the country. The capacity vacated by Pop on the local multiplex was used to transmit Kix from 7 April 2016. Pop +1 moved to LCN channel 128, to release 127 for use by Kix, but was otherwise unaffected, continuing to broadcast locally to Manchester only.

On-demand

Pop programming in addition to content from sister channels Pop Max and Tiny Pop are available to stream on demand from the free TV service and mobile app Pop Player and since May 2022, available on Freeview Channel 208.

Related services

Pop +1

A time shift feed called Pop +1 was available until 2008, when it was replaced by Kix!; in turn, that network's +1 feed was discontinued on 14 July 2014 with Pop +1's return.

Pop Kids

A FAST channel launched on Samsung TV Plus in November 2022. It shows a list of programs from across Pop and Tiny Pop.
.

International versions

On 4 May 2017, Sony Pictures Television Networks launched an Italian version of Pop as their first Italian free-to-air offering, with a similar line-up of programming to the UK channel. The network closed alongside its sister channel Cine Sony on 11 July 2019, after Mediaset purchased both network slots from Sony. Pop's old slot would be used for Boing Plus.

The Pakistani version of Pop is operated by Edutainment (Pty.) Ltd. under the license from Sony Pictures Television.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pop (Tv Channel)
CSC Media Group
Children's television networks
Children's television channels in the United Kingdom
English-language television stations in the United Kingdom
Television channels and stations established in 2003
Television channels in the United Kingdom
Sony Pictures Television
2003 establishments in the United Kingdom