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Pop Girl

Pop Girl was a children's in the targeted at girls aged 7 to 12, which broadcast from 6 August 2007 until its closure on 1 October 2015. Owned by until its acquisition by in 2014, the channel featured a mix of , live-action programs, and videos designed to appeal to its young female audience. It was available on pay-TV platforms including (channel 626) and digital service (channel 604). Programming emphasized empowering and entertaining content, such as in-house produced shows like the dance tutorial series , which taught moves from popular music videos by artists including and Cheryl Cole, and the weekly magazine-style program . The channel ceased broadcasting at 6:00 am on 1 2015, with its slot taken over by a of its sister network Kix. During its eight-year run, Pop Girl contributed to the niche of gender-targeted kids' in the UK, filling a for content that combined , , and pop for preteen girls.

History

Launch

Pop Girl launched on 6 2007 as a channel targeted at girls aged 7 to 12 in the . The channel was initially owned and operated by , which had previously operated under the name Chart Show Channels. It positioned itself as a dedicated platform offering empowering content designed to inspire and engage young female viewers through a mix of options. From its debut, Pop Girl broadcast daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., sharing space on with the channel AnimeCentral during overnight hours. Early programming introduced a blend of cartoons, live-action series, and s to hook its audience, emphasizing themes of fun, friendship, and self-expression. As a sister channel to the broader Pop network under , Pop Girl benefited from shared promotional efforts that cross-promoted content across the family's youth-oriented lineup, including tie-ins with Pop's programming to attract young viewers. Initial marketing highlighted the channel's "girly" aesthetic and exclusive features like fashion tips and celebrity spotlights to build buzz among its target demographic.

Operational changes

Following its launch, Pop Girl extended its broadcast hours from an initial daily schedule of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. in later years, aligning with the timings of sister channels such as to facilitate shared transmission capacity and broader availability. In August 2008, the overnight timeshare with ended following the latter's closure. A notable strategic shift occurred in 2014 when CSC Media Group, Pop Girl's original owner, was acquired by Sony Pictures Television, integrating the channel into a larger portfolio of international kids' networks.

Ownership and broadcast

Ownership

Pop Girl was launched on August 6, 2007, by , a media company formerly known as Chart Show Channels, which specialized in music and entertainment television networks. As the initial owner, positioned Pop Girl as a dedicated children's targeting young female audiences, integrating it into its growing portfolio of ad-supported, services. In June 2014, (SPT) acquired for an undisclosed sum, gaining full ownership of its 16 channels, including Pop Girl. This transaction, approved by regulators later that year, transferred control of Pop Girl to SPT, which operated it as part of its expanded portfolio focused on , children's, and entertainment programming. Under SPT, Pop Girl continued its model, relying on without subscription fees to sustain operations. Within the broader Pop network family, Pop Girl served as a sister channel to Pop and , both also originally developed by and later managed under SPT. This affiliation allowed for shared resources and cross-promotion among the channels, which collectively targeted family and youth demographics through diverse content genres.

Availability and technical specifications

Pop Girl was distributed as a digital channel, accessible via the platform on channel 626 and on channel 604. The channel transmitted exclusively in standard definition (SDTV) at a resolution of , adhering to the PAL-based video standard used for digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasts in the . It supported both 16:9 and 4:3 full-screen aspect ratios to accommodate a mix of contemporary programming and legacy content originally produced in the older format. No high-definition () variant was offered during its operational period, reflecting the channel's focus on cost-effective delivery for its young target demographic. Geographically, Pop Girl was available only within the , with no international feeds or expansions, as its distribution relied on domestic satellite services and . Complementing its broadcast availability, the channel maintained an official at popgirl.tv, which provided interactive features such as video clips, quizzes, games, and additional on-demand content to engage its audience beyond linear TV viewing.

Content and programming

Programming overview

Pop Girl's programming featured a core format consisting of a mix of animated series, live-action dramas, and pop music videos, all targeted at girls aged 7 to 12. The channel prioritized pre-teen oriented stories that avoided mature content, focusing instead on relatable narratives suitable for its young female audience. The daily schedule was structured to cater to school-aged viewers, featuring a mix of animated series and live-action programs throughout the day, with pop music videos often in evening slots. This arrangement allowed for a balanced progression of entertainment throughout the broadcast day, which ran from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Examples of programming included animated series such as Winx Club and My Little Pony, live-action shows like The Saddle Club and Life with Derek, and pop videos from artists popular with preteens. Over the years, the content mix evolved amid changing viewer preferences in children's . A notable subset was the Little Miss Pop Girl block, introduced in as a dedicated morning for even younger girls.

Little Miss Pop Girl block

The Little Miss Pop Girl block was a dedicated morning programming on the Pop Girl channel, launched in to serve as a sub- for its younger audience. Aimed at girls under 7 years old, it provided content tailored to preschoolers within the channel's broader focus on female viewers. This initiative allowed Pop Girl to expand its appeal beyond its primary demographic of older girls aged 7 to 12. Airing weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the block featured softer, preschool-friendly animations and interactive activities designed to engage toddlers with gentle, educational themes such as , , and basic . Examples included shows like and , which emphasized imaginative play and simple narratives suitable for . The block's purpose was to differentiate Pop Girl's schedule by offering age-appropriate morning content that contrasted with the channel's daytime and evening lineup geared toward school-aged girls, thereby broadening viewership during non-school hours. It operated without weekend or airings to align with typical routines. Little Miss Pop Girl ran continuously until the channel's overall closure in 2015, ceasing broadcasts alongside Pop Girl at 6 a.m. on October 1 of that year.

Related services

Pop Girl +1

Pop Girl +1 was a service launched in June 2008 as a companion to the main Pop Girl channel, providing viewers with a one-hour delayed broadcast of the primary schedule. This setup allowed audiences to access the same content at a later time, mirroring the main channel's programming exactly but shifted by 60 minutes to cater to different viewing times. The channel operated with identical technical specifications and availability to Pop Girl, broadcasting on Sky (channel 629) and Freesat, ensuring seamless access for subscribers of those platforms. Its primary purpose was to accommodate varied viewer schedules, offering flexibility for those unable to watch live broadcasts due to school, family, or other commitments, which helped broaden the overall accessibility of girls' targeted programming. By extending viewing windows, Pop Girl +1 contributed to increased audience reach for the network, as timeshift services generally enhance program exposure and viewing opportunities without requiring additional original content production. However, the service ended earlier than the main channel, closing on 22 July 2013 to make way for the launch of Kix Power, a spin-off focused on action-oriented content.

Integration with sister channels

Pop Girl was closely integrated with its sister channels in the CSC Media Group's children's portfolio, including Pop, , and Kix, under a shared that supported coordinated broadcasting operations across the network. Content sharing occurred between Pop Girl and Pop, with select shows migrating to the latter to optimize the group's programming lineup. Cross-promotions were bolstered by unified advertising strategies, as Sky Media took over sales for Pop, , Kix, and Pop Girl in a three-year deal starting January 2012, enabling bundled marketing within the CSC and MTVNI-owned portfolio. The channels utilized shared digital resources, enhancing the overall user experience in the group's children's TV ecosystem. This interconnected approach allowed Pop Girl to contribute to a broader landscape of free-to-air content for young girls, complementing the age- and gender-specific offerings of its siblings.

Closure

Announcement and reasons

Pop Girl ceased broadcasting at 6:00 AM on 1 October 2015, a decision made by its owner, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), which had acquired the channel's parent company, CSC Media Group, in August 2014 for approximately £107 million. This closure was part of SPE's broader strategy to streamline its UK channel portfolio, including the shutdown of other niche channels like Bliss on 27 November 2015, amid efforts to achieve cost efficiencies in a competitive media landscape. The acquisition had added 16 channels to SPE's UK portfolio, focusing on kids, music, and movies, but subsequent rationalizations targeted underperforming assets. The announcement of the closure was delivered through an on-air farewell promotional video aired on the channel itself, which expressed gratitude to viewers and marked the end of nearly eight years of operation. A companion promo directed audiences to the popgirl.tv website for additional content, though the site continued briefly post-closure before redirecting to sister channel . These messages highlighted the channel's legacy in providing targeted programming for girls aged 7-12, without specifying future plans beyond the immediate sign-off. Contributing factors included significant market shifts in children's television, where linear viewership among children had been declining, with a 15% drop in viewing hours for ages 4-15 from to 2015, driven by the growing popularity of streaming platforms and on-demand . Niche channels like Pop Girl, which catered specifically to girls with animated series, live-action shows, and music videos, faced particular challenges as audience fragmentation reduced ad revenues and viability for specialized broadcasters. SPE's focus on cost efficiencies under its new ownership further prioritized consolidation, leading to the channel's slot on (channel 626) and (channel 604) being repurposed for Kix +1, a service for the companion boys' channel Kix. The final broadcast featured regular programming overnight, concluding with a ident before transitioning directly to teleshopping at the time, signaling without a dedicated sign-off ceremony beyond the pre-recorded promo.

Post-closure impact

Following the of Pop Girl on 1 October 2015, several of its popular programs, including live-action series and animated content targeted at , were relocated to the sister Pop to maintain availability for audiences. The popgirl.tv website remained operational for a limited time after the broadcast cessation, continuing to provide on-demand video clips, interactive quizzes, games, and archival programming elements. Over time, the site was decommissioned and redirected to the main Pop website, pop.tv, integrating remaining Pop Girl-related content into the broader Pop ecosystem. Historical elements of the , including pages and schedules from its operational period, are accessible via the Archive's , preserving digital traces for research and nostalgia.

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