Comcast Targets Parents, Kids with VOD

Comcast Corp. is reaching out to parents and kids through two new on-demand services.

Parents can tap into three hours per month of informational programming on raising children through a new free-video-on-demand service dubbed “Alpha Mom TV,” Comcast officials said.

The service, which launched in May, provides 15- to 20-minute video segments focusing on a number of parenting stages, from taking care of infants to raising toddlers.

And later this month, the MSO will add a new animation-based, tween-targeted service to its kids’ VOD lineup.

As part of a partnership with Canadian-based Corus Entertainment Inc., Comcast On Demand will add 393 hours of programming under the Vortex On Demand moniker.

Content includes such fare as Jacob Two-Two, Tales from the Crypt Keeper, Pippi Longstocking, Dumb Bunnies, My Dad the Rock Star and Cadillacs & Dinosaurs.

Vortex On Demand joins Comcast-owned PBS Kids Sprout, as well as Pre-K Kids On Demand, as on-demand content targeting kids.

For more on Comcast’s new on-demand services, please see R. Thomas Umstead’s story on page 12 of Monday’s issue of Multichannel News.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.