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ABC KIDS Celebrates The Luna New Year With Preschool Programs in Mandarin

Four of ABC KIDS most popular preschool programs will be available in Mandarin as part of a 12-month trial on ABC iview and ABC KIDS iview.

ABC is excited to announce that four of their most popular preschool programs will be available in Mandarin as part of a 12-month trial on ABC iview and ABC KIDS iview to celebrate the Year of the Rooster.

Starting Saturday January 28, Mandarin speaking families and families with an interest in developing Mandarin as a second language, will be able to enjoy watching Mandarin language versions of the Australian/Chinese co-production hoopla doopla! plus ABC KIDS favourites Peppa Pig, The Octonauts and Peter Rabbit.

Almost a quarter of Australians speak a language other than English at home, with Mandarin the most popular. Mandarin is also now firmly established as an important part of the language curriculum in Australian schools. In Adelaide, there’s even a bilingual Chinese/English school in the Western suburbs, Plympton International College, who are offering R-12 some curriculum taught in Mandarin. (For a list of Primary Schools offering Chinese language classes for students click here.)

Seven Mandarin episodes of each title will be available at launch, with new episodes added daily throughout February. In addition, three Mandarin episodes of hoopla doopla! will be available on broadcast as part of our TV Education service for schools, with supporting education resources online.

The English versions of each episode will be offered simultaneously with the Mandarin program on ABC iview and ABC KIDS iview. The Mandarin episodes will have a 中文 (‘Chinese language’) icon on each episode image for easy recognition.

Rebecca Heap, ABC Head of Programming and Digital said: “We are thrilled to be able to extend our trusted ABC KIDS service to new audiences and to offer our existing families a whole new way to engage with their favourite programs. ABC KIDS aims to provide Australian families with trusted programming that reflects the world around them. Mandarin is one of the most popular and fastest growing languages and we can’t wait to see how Australian preschoolers engage with our trial on ABC iview and ABC KIDS iview.”*

Based on audience feedback, and subject to program availability, ABC KIDS hopes to trial preschool titles in additional languages throughout 2017.

* Census 2011, http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/CO-60, and Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012/2013

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