NBCUniversal’s kids network, Universal Kids, is closing on March 6. Word of this first emerged on Thursday when Spectrum informed their customers that they would be dropping the channel on that date. Later that day, Margaretvlle Telephone Company announced that they would be dropping the channel that same day due to the closure. Today, NCBUniversal confirmed to various news outlets that the channel would be closing that day. This comes as NBCU is planning to spin off most of their cable networks into a new company.

Universal Kids first launched in 2005 as PBS Kids Sprout, a preschool network which was a joint venture between PBS, HIT Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, and future NBCU parent company Comcast. Over time, the other partners sold their stake in the channel until 2013, when Comcast had become sole owner. At this point, PBS Kids had been dropped from the name and the network had become known simply as Sprout. This was also when Sprout started investing in original programming after having relied on foreign acquisitions and reruns of PBS Kids shows.

Sprout continued as a preschool channel for a few more years and during this time had a Saturday morning block on NBC known as NBC Kids. But in 2017, NBCUniversal rebranded it as a general kids network known as Universal Kids. It produced original programming outside the preschool demographic along with more foreign acquisitions and shows produced by DreamWorks for Netflix.

The change proved to not work out. The channel, which was already a low rated network as Sprout, quickly saw a drop in ratings after becoming Universal Kids. In 2019, the network decided to stop development of new shows, instead relying on DreamWorks, acquisitions, and its remaining original programming. By 2023, the channel had mostly reverted to being a preschool network, with shows for older kids only airing between midnight and 6 A.M. Though the channel is closing, NBCUniversal says they remain committed to family entertainment through Illumination, DreamWorks, and Peacock.

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