Sprout was a preschool channel NBCUniversal acquired from PBS, Sesame Workshop and HiT Entertainment from the period of 2011-2013. Under the new ownership, the channel increased investment toward original programming.
The channel went to experiment with its offering by sourcing more half hours for older preschool audiences with shows like Noddy: Toyland Detective, Floogals, Kipper, LazyTown, The Wiggles, Poppy Cat, Nina's World and Justin Time.
In 2017, it was announced that Sprout would become serve as programming block to Universal Kids a new channel that wanted to aim toward older children with shows like Bajillionaires, Hank Zipzer, Polly Pocket and The Deep.
Universal Kids is not known by a lot of consumers internationally same with Sprout but for several years now the international feed has been known as DreamWorks Channel within the brand there's a preschool block known as DreamWorks Junior.
Unlike Sprout, DreamWorks Jr. doesn't offer much educational content as it follows the likes of Disney Junior and Nick Jr. that gear toward character driven shows or anything remotely similar but tone down to main brands Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
No matter what opinion Sprout fans have over DreamWorks Junior, these type of content get viewers glued not that the offering on Sprout was bad but the world evolves and you still find alternatives like CBeebies and PBS Kids that do have a following.
Some of the content seen on this new version of Sprout includes Noddy: Toyland Detective, VeggieTales In The House, Doug Unplugs, Go Dog Go, Madagascar: A Little Wild and Dragons: Rescue Riders and you even get nostalgic content like Little Charley Bear and Olivia.
Although Universal Kids was said to have destroyed Sprout. DreamWorks Junior actually saved the brand from complete annihilation. I know the content ain't branded as Sprout but think about for a second.
Not a lot of households had access to Sprout and same outcome had fallen onto Universal Kids. If NBCUniversal had kept Sprout would it have survived the linear business especially now that more consumers are binging their favourite shows through their cellular gadgets.
