Category : New
Media; CÂ鶹Éç
Date : 17.05.2004
Printable version
Â鶹Éç launches
CÂ鶹Éç Search, a new family-friendly way to find children's content on
bbc.co.uk
Â鶹Éç launches new children's mobile service to access Newsround stories
via mobile devices
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CÂ鶹Éç Search, a new UK-focused, family-friendly search
tool which gives children the opportunity to search on content from
the CÂ鶹Éç website and a selection of pre-approved sites on bbc.co.uk
and external sites, suitable for children, launches today.
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Until now, many search facilities aimed at children
have been American-based but CÂ鶹Éç Search aims to filter content which
is relevant for a UK children's audience.
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It will enable children to search through a selection
of UK child-specific content easily and safely, whether they are researching
a science project, searching for latest news headlines or simply want
to find out more about their favourite TV programmes.
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They will also be able to browse a selection of the
most popular sites for specific areas of interest such as music, TV
programmes and animals.
As well as having the opportunity to search through CÂ鶹Éç content and
other relevant sites on bbc.co.uk, children will also be offered a selection
of links to external sites suitable for children.
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The recommended external sites have been pre-approved
by the Â鶹Éç as offering safe and suitable content for children between
the ages of six and 12 years.
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The tool is easy to use and available on every CÂ鶹Éç
web page.
In the UK 48% (4.5m) children between the ages of seven and 12 now access
the internet at least once a month, and two thirds of the total number
of children in the same age group have internet access available at
home.
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CÂ鶹Éç Search offers parents the reassurance that their
children are using the internet in as safe a way a possible.
Roy Edmonds, Editor, CÂ鶹Éç interactive says: "CÂ鶹Éç content is hugely
popular, with an average of 1.8m visitors logging onto the CÂ鶹Éç site
each month to view favourites including Tracy Beaker, Newsround, and
Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow, and with the rise and rise of the internet,
children are becoming more demanding web-users.
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"We are constantly looking at ways in which CÂ鶹Éç
can offer children a better web experience.
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"We felt it was important to offer children a specific
search tool so that they can locate the content that they will be interested
in more quickly.
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"We also know that 55% of all children in the CÂ鶹Éç
age group [7-12 years] use the internet to search for content for homework
projects so we have improved the ways in which this content can also
be accessed through the CÂ鶹Éç Search."
The new CÂ鶹Éç Search is part of a wider initiative to offer children
more ways to access more child-specific information from bbc.co.uk.
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CÂ鶹Éç has also launched a new mobile service that offers
children the opportunity to read the latest news headlines from Newsround,
wherever they are, via a mobile device with internet access such as
mobile phones and PDAs.
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The new mobile service is a UK first, and is an extension
of the hugely successful raft of existing Newsround content.
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Ashley Highfield, Director New Media and Technology,
said: "We know that the number of children being exposed to using
the internet is growing all the time.
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"With 4.5m children between the age of seven and
12 accessing the internet at least once a month, as a means of information
and entertainment, we have a responsibility, as a content provider and
as a public service broadcaster, to offer a family-friendly environment,
offering children's content.
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"It is important that children learn to use the
internet efficiently and responsibly and there is content available.
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"Our research reflects that children are becoming
increasingly technologically aware, with the rise in internet use and
mobile, and we are simply reacting to the demands of that audience,
offering approved, relevant content across easily accessible platforms."
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Notes to Editors
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For more details please visit
