Children's programming has played a part in Telemundo's programming since its initial roots in television. This article outlines the history of children's television programming on Telemundo including the various blocks and notable programs that have aired throughout the television network's history.
History For much of its history, the bulk of NetSpan/Telemundo's children's programming has been derived of mainly live-action and animated programming from American and international producers, including Spanish-language dubs of programs produced in other languages, and Spanish-language programming acquired from other countries.
Telemuñequitos (1992–1998) On June 1, 1992, the network's first foray into children's programming, Telemuñequitos, was in partnership with Turner Broadcasting System, and featured Spanish-language dubs of theatrical animated shorts (including Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies and Popeye the Sailor), and Hanna-Barbera series until 1994. The network converted its children's programming every weekday mornings until 2000.
Telemundo Infantil (1995–1998) In September 1995, Telemundo launched a branding for its children's programs, Telemundo Infantil ("Telemundo Kids"), which was developed via input from viewers on what they wanted to be featured in a children's show. The block initially contained existing series Telemuñequitos, Kolitas, Nubeluz and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
Nickelodeon en Telemundo (1998–2001)
On November 9, 1998, Telemundo introduced Nickelodeon en Telemundo, featuring Spanish dubs of Nickelodeon programming such as Rugrats, Doug, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Hey Arnold!, Rocko's Modern Life, Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer. The block ran on weekday mornings until September 5, 2000, when it was relegated to weekend mornings in order to accommodate a time slot for Hoy En El Mundo (with Jose Diaz-Balart).
Telemundo Kids (2001–2006)
Nickelodeon en Telemundo was discontinued after September 30, 2001, ahead of the expiry of Telemundo's program supply deal with the network. It was replaced by Telemundo Kids on October 6, 2001, featuring a mix of acquired programming from both Sony Pictures Television (such as Men in Black: The Series, Dragon Tales, Jackie Chan Adventures and Max Steel) and various other providers. Nickelodeon programming (including Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Dora the Explorer, and new addition All Grown Up!) returned Telemundo on October 2, 2004, with various Canadian shows (including Wimzie's House from CBC, and both Monster by Mistake and Jacob Two-Two from YTV) also joining.
Following Telemundo's sale to NBC in 2001 and the split of CBS and Viacom, Telemundo Kids was discontinued on September 3, 2006. Jacob Two-Two transitioned the following week to the block's successor Qubo, while Dora the Explorer (joined by its spin-off Go, Diego, Go!) migrated to rival network Univision upon the launch of the Planeta U block on April 5, 2008.
Qubo on NBC/Telemundo (2006–2012)
On September 9, 2006, Telemundo debuted Qubo, a new weekend morning block of educational programming formed as a joint venture between NBCUniversal, Ion Media Networks, Corus Entertainment, Scholastic, and Classic Media subsidiary Big Idea Entertainment. The block carried Spanish-language dubs of programming acquired or produced for Qubo's English-language blocks on both NBC and Ion Television. While the other two networks aired the full three-hour block within a single timeslot, Telemundo divided the programming across two 90-minute blocks airing on both Saturdays and Sundays.
The reasoning why the name "qubo" was chosen for the endeavor, or why its logo is a cube, has not been publicly explained by any of the partners, although general manager Rick Rodriguez stated in an interview with Multichannel News that the name was intended to be something that sounded fun, and be a brand that could easily be uniformally used in English and Spanish.
A companion 24-hour digital multicast network, Qubo Channel, launched on the DT2 subchannel of Ion Media Networks’ terrestrial stations on January 8, 2007. While primarily broadcast in English like the companion Qubo blocks on both NBC and Ion, the standalone Qubo network included a Spanish audio track available for most programming via the second audio program (SAP) feed, utilizing the same Spanish dubs used for the block on Telemundo. Certain programs compatible with SAP also provided Spanish subtitles via the CC3 closed captioning channel, functioning in the opposite manner of Telemundo's strategy in using CC3 to present English subtitles during its weekday prime time lineup.
MiTelemundo (NBC Kids) (2012–2017)
After NBCUniversal dropped out of the Qubo joint venture following its acquisition by Comcast, on March 28, 2012, it was announced that Telemundo would replace its Qubo block with MiTelemundo; programmed by Sprout, it consisted of Spanish dubbed versions of programs seen on its sister broadcast network's Saturday morning block, NBC Kids.
MiTelemundo debuted alongside NBC Kids on July 7, 2012, one week after the Qubo block ended its run on NBC on June 30, followed by Telemundo on July 1. This left Ion Television (and later Ion Plus) as the only network to retain a Qubo-branded children's block, until Qubo Channel ceased operations on February 28, 2021, as the E.W. Scripps Company is now the owner of Ion Media, which they acquired on January 7, 2021.
MiTelemundo (Litton Entertainment) (2018–present)
With NBC Kids being replaced with Litton Entertainment's The More You Know block on NBC by September 25, 2016, MiTelemundo initially retained its existing programming until January 6, 2018, when MiTelemundo moved exclusively to Saturday mornings and became programmed by Litton. The relaunched MiTelemundo carries Spanish dubs of programming from The More You Know.
Named after NBC's series of public service campaigns, the three-hour Saturday morning block is programmed by Litton Entertainment, and features live-action programming aimed at teens, all of which is dubbed in Spanish. Despite the change of programming, it did not change the name of the block, which remains as MiTelemundo.
Programming
Schedule issues Due to regulations defined by the Children's Television Act that require stations to carry E/I compliant programming for three hours each week at any time between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. local time, some Telemundo stations may defer certain programs aired within its Saturday morning block to Sunday daytime or earlier Saturday morning slots, or (in the case of affiliates in the Western United States) Saturday afternoons as makegoods to comply with the CTA regulations.
List of notable programs Telemuñequitos +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)Looney TunesJune 1, 1992May 17, 1998Popeye the SailorMerrie MelodiesThe BiskittsJune 8, 1992January 10, 1994Goober and the Ghost ChasersJune 9, 1992January 13, 1994Inch High, Private EyeJune 10, 1992January 12, 1994Buford and the Galloping GhostJune 12, 1992January 14, 1994
Telemundo Infantil +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)Mazinger ZAugust 22, 1987March 12, 1989Galactic Gale BaxingarMarch 18, 1989Future Boy ConanOctober 26, 1987November 27, 1987Kolitas October 4, 1990May 9, 1999NubeluzJune 6, 1992September 14, 1996Captain Scarlet and the MysteronsSeptember 27, 1992August 24, 1997Los SupercampeonesJanuary 17, 1994December 2, 1994ArcandinaAugust 25, 1997January 17, 1998Lift OffJanuary 12, 1998September 29, 2001Garfield and FriendsMay 28, 2000Jumanji November 9, 1998September 22, 2000
Nickelodeon en Telemundo +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)RugratsNovember 9, 1998 January 9, 2005 ("Telemundo Kids")September 30, 2001 September 3, 2006 ("Telemundo Kids")DougNovember 1, 1999September 22, 2000Rocko's Modern LifeNovember 9, 1998Aaahh!!! Real MonstersBlue's CluesSeptember 30, 2001Hey Arnold!November 10, 1998 October 3, 2004 ("Telemundo Kids")September 30, 2001 January 2, 2005 ("Telemundo Kids")Dora the ExplorerAugust 21, 2000 October 2, 2004 ("Telemundo Kids")September 30, 2001 September 3, 2006 ("Telemundo Kids")
Telemundo Kids +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)Dragon Ball ZJuly 5, 1999August 24, 2003Ni Ni's TreehouseOctober 6, 2001April 26, 2003Agua VivaLas Tres MellizasDecember 28, 2003BizbirijeApril 26, 2003NicoMay 15, 2004Toonimals!April 27, 2003Men in Black: The SeriesOctober 7, 2001Juana la IguanaApril 3, 2004Dragon TalesSeptember 26, 2004Jackie Chan AdventuresMax SteelOctober 27, 2002Wimzie's HouseOctober 2, 2004September 3, 2006Monster by MistakeSeptember 10, 2005All Grown Up!October 3, 2004January 2, 2005Jacob Two-TwoJanuary 9, 2005September 2, 2006
Qubo en Telemundo +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)Dragon September 9, 2006June 29, 20083-2-1 Penguins!September 13, 2009Larryboy: The Cartoon AdventuresSeptember 29, 2007VeggieTalesSeptember 13, 2009BabarSeptember 10, 2006June 30, 2012Jane and the DragonJacob Two-TwoOctober 2009My Friend RabbitOctober 20072009Postman PatJune 2008Turbo DogsOctober 4, 2008December 2011The Zula Patrol20082009, 2012Willa's Wild LifeSeptember 20, 2009July 1, 2012ShelldonOctober 17, 2009July 1, 2012The Magic School BusOctober 9, 2010December 2011PearlieOctober 10, 2010July 1, 2012
MiTelemundo (NBC Kids) +Title Premiere dateEnd dateSource(s)LazyTownJuly 7, 2012September 24, 2016Jay Jay the Jet PlaneDecember 8, 2013RaggsSeptember 24, 2016Noodle and DoodleJuly 8, 2012December 31, 2017The Chica Show2013Nina's World2015Maya the Bee2017
MiTelemundo (Litton Entertainment) +Title Premiere dateSource(s)El viajero con Josh Garcia (The Voyager with Josh Garcia) 2018–presentSalvando animales (Wilderness Vet with Dr. Oakley)Aventuras con Dylan Dreyer (Journey with Dylan Dreyer)Vivir al natural, Danny Seo (Naturally, Danny Seo)Una mano amiga (Give)El campeon en ti (The Champion Within with Lauren Thompson)Taller del Consumidor (Consumer 101) 2019–presentExploración Planeta Tierra (Earth Odyssey with Dylan Dreyer)2020–presentHistoria Familiar (A New Leaf) Descubriendo Mis Raíces (Roots Less Traveled) Pequeños En La Naturaleza (Wild Child)2021–presentUn Equipo: El Poder Del Deporte (One Team: The Power of Sports)2022–present
See also
Children's Programming on NBC
References