Sky, WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS partner for child literacy campaign

Sky has announced a partnership with WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS Networks UK that aims to improve the literacy of school children with the addition of subtitles on more than 500 TV episodes.

The partnership between the three media giants comes as a part of the UK’s Turn On The Subtitles campaign to increase the chances of kids becoming good at reading. The campaign argues that when exposed to 30 minutes a week of subtitled film songs, 70% of children become good readers versus just 34% with schooling alone.

Sky cited eye-tracking behavioural research which showed that 94% of children engage with subtitles while watching their favourite shows which can improve spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, with the child often unaware they are learning.

The ‘always-on’ subtitled collection includes shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, The Amazing World of Gumball, Be Cool, Scooby-Doo and Moominvalley.

Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content at Sky, said: “We’re delighted to partner with WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS to support the Turn on the Subtitles campaign and help improve the literacy skills of thousands of children in the UK and Ireland through something as simple as turning on the subtitles to their favourite shows”

Vanessa Brookman, Head of Kids, WarnerMedia EMEA, said: “We are so pleased to be a part of this important initiative from Sky.”

Louise Bucknole, VP Programming Kids, ViacomCBS Networks UK & Ireland, added: “Turn on the Subtitles is a great way to help improve children’s reading and writing skills in the UK & Ireland. We’re thrilled to support this great initiative with Sky and to add subtitles to our much-loved shows from the Nickelodeon catalogue.”