BBC Studios partners Youku to screen kid-friendly shows in China

Other BBC Studios' children's programmes which will be available on Youku later are Yakka Dee, My World Kitchen and My Pet and Me. The programmes will be available to stream and download both on the Youku online platform and mobile app, and will be subtitled and dubbed in Chinese.

The collaboration is part of Youku's focus on sports and dramas in drive to become China’s top online video platform. The Drum earlier spoke with Yang Weidong the president of Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group, president of Youku and chief executive of AliMusic about how the strategy is to use original programming and popular content to engage users and attract new audiences.

Henrietta Hurford-Jones, director of children’s content, BBC Studios, said: “We are very pleased that through Youku, pre-schoolers in China will have greater access to premium CBeebies content such as Yakka Dee and Bluey. We are exceptionally excited for the Chinese-dubbed version of Bluey, and we are confident that the warmth and authenticity of Bluey’s family will resonate with Chinese families.”

Aaron Liao, general manager of Youku Kids, added: “BBC Studios has a track record of producing quality children’s content that is not only entertaining, but also educational and heart-warming. We are proud to expand our children’s content library with the latest programmes from BBC Studios, and look forward to deepening our partnership in the future.”

BBC News recently unveiled 'Japan 2020' a digital hub on its primary website ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to bolster its APAC presence.