Outrage as kids' shows vanish

Sesame Street is among the casualties of the Four rebranding. Photo / Gettyimages

MediaWorks has been labelled "mean" after the network replaced its kid-friendly morning lineup on Four with a whole new channel.

Channel Four was rebranded over the weekend to Bravo, a partnership with American network NBC that features US reality shows such as Dance Moms, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey and Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

But parents took to Facebook yesterday morning to complain about the changes - especially the disappearance of Four's morning kids' shows.

Among the shows to disappear are Sesame Street, Fireman Sam and Thomas the Tank Engine.

"Two sad and upset girls here, and two pissed off parents," wrote one viewer on Facebook. "Whilst we can't see Sesame Street any more, we certainly know that MediaWorks and TV3 are Muppets."

Another wrote: "Bravo will never play in this house! So upset for my little ones who only get TV in the morning while we all get ready for the day. Not everyone has the data to watch to on demand. Looks like it's back to DVDs for us."

"[We are] angry with this change," said a third. "All my daughter's favourite shows are cancelled and there's pretty much no kids' shows for toddlers any more, so disappointing."

A fourth wrote: "Absolutely unbelievable!!! What are the kids going to watch now? Shouldn't have to use On Demand for our kids to watch a wee bit of telly in the morning while having breakfast!"

In a follow-up Facebook post, Bravo said some of Four's children's shows were being replayed - but in different time slots. "Teddy [Sticky TV] and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be coming to TV3 weekday afternoons at 3.20pm in a new one-hour line-up. Throughout the year, we'll be rotating other kids' shows in place of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," it said.

"We'll also be playing Pukana at 6.30am on Saturdays on TV3, and will have Pukana, Sticky TV, and a number of other shows on 3Now - like The Wiggles, The Moe Show and Emma."

The network said it was "looking to move the children's programming over to TV3".