Editing Ready Set Learn! (section)

==History==
{{quote box|width=22em<!-- Matching up with infobox -->|
"Kids don't just sit and watch, they play along and learn at home."
|Tagline from TLC's pre-launch pitch video for the block<ref name=courant>{{cite news|url=https://proquest.com/docview/255299118|title=Television as teacher?|date=1992-12-09|accessdate=2024-09-15|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|page=B.8|url-access=registration|via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>}}
The [[TLC (TV network)|TLC]] network's foray into preschool television,<ref name=usa-today-199212>{{cite news|url=https://proquest.com/docview/306598780 |last=Donlon|first=Brian|title=Ready, Set, Learn! takes off|date=1992-12-28|accessdate=2024-09-12|work=[[USA Today]]|page=03D|url-access=registration|via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> ''Ready Set Learn!'' was first mentioned as early as August 1992.<ref name=sentinel-92>{{cite news |title=Learning Channel Plans Ad-Free Kids' Shows |url=https://proquest.com/docview/278164348 |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |agency=[[New York Daily News]] |date=1992-08-23 |page=F2 |url-access=registration|via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> Of the first five shows announced for the block, three of them (''[[Bookmice]]'', ''[[Kitty Cats]]'', and ''The Magic Box'') would have their U.S. premieres there;<ref name=broadcasting-92>{{cite magazine |last1=Brown |first1=Rich |title=Ready, Set...Another New Cable Network |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]] |date=1992-08-24 |page=24 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1992/BC-1992-08-24.pdf#page=24 |access-date=2024-09-15 |issn=1068-6827 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131023849/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1992/BC-1992-08-24.pdf#page=24 |url-status=live }}</ref> the other two were rerun packages<ref name=broadcasting-92/> of ''[[Join In!]]'' (previously on the religious [[VISN]] network)<ref>{{cite news |title=Cox Cable Addition of VISN Expands Religious Programs |url=https://oklahoman.com/story/news/1991/01/20/cox-cable-addition-of-visn-expands-religious-programs/62539467007/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=1991-01-20}}</ref> and ''[[Zoobilee Zoo]]'' (a previously syndicated production of [[DIC Entertainment]] and [[Hallmark Cards|Hallmark]]).<ref name=la-times-86>{{cite news |last1=Margulies |first1=Lee |title='Zoo'--Will It Pass Syndication Test? |url=https://proquest.com/docview/292521744 |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1986-12-31 |page=16 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]] |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915051419/https://www.proquest.com/docview/292521744 |url-status=live }}</ref> Greg Moyer, [[Discovery, Inc.|Discovery Communications]]' senior vice-president of programming, expressed hope that a full-fledged channel would spin off from it<ref name=usa-today-199209/> within one or two years of launch.<ref name=broadcasting-92/>

According to TLC employee John Ford,<ref name=slpd>{{cite news |last1=Elber |first1=Lynn |title=No-Ads Programming for Kids on Cable |url=https://proquest.com/docview/303699224 |access-date=2024-09-12 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=1993-01-01 |page=09G |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> the block was inspired by ''Ready to Learn: A Mandate for the Nation'',<ref name=broadcasting-92/> a 1990 [[Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching|Carnegie Foundation]] report<ref name=broadcasting-92/> which stated that 35% of U.S. children began their education unprepared.<ref name=slpd/> Assisted by director of programming Mike Quattrone (who had previously undertaken similar endeavors at [[PBS]]),<ref name=slpd/> Ford selected the shows on the strengths of their educational value along with their visual vibrancy.<ref name=usa-today-199212/> Finding it "extremely well-produced", he also bet on ''Kitty Cats'' as the block's breakout series.<ref name=usa-today-199212/>

''Ready Set Learn!'' debuted on December 28, 1992,<ref name=usa-today-199209>{{cite news |last1=Donlon |first1=Brian |title=On cable, more education joins the 'toons and goods |url=https://proquest.com/docview/306575423 |access-date=2024-09-12 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=1992-09-10 |page=03D |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> with ''[[Iris, The Happy Professor]]'' rounding out the six-show lineup.<ref name=wpost-92>{{cite news |last1=Zad |first1=Martie |title=Ready, Set, Learn! Rory Steers Learning Channel's 30-Hour Pre-School Show |url=https://proquest.com/docview/307605124 |access-date=2024-09-12 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=1992-12-27 |page=Y04 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> A competitor to the [[PBS Kids|PBS lineup]],<ref name=sentinel-92/> its three-hour schedule aired twice on weekdays, first at 6:00 a.m. and again at 9:00 a.m. (in the Eastern Time Zone)—a slot that Ford viewed as "a safe haven".<ref name=usa-today-199212/> TLC chose to air it commercial-free because doing otherwise would detract from its purpose.<ref name=slpd/> As such, Discovery used the format as a [[loss leader]] for expansion of the network's carriage, which stood at 18 million homes at the time.<ref name=usa-today-199212/> According to the [[Associated Press]], TLC invested $10 million in the block's initial development (excluding tentative fees from [[underwriting]], a supplement that never came to fruition<ref name=broadcasting-93>{{cite magazine |last1=Brown |first1=Rich |title=Underwriters Not Ready for 'Ready' |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]] |date=1993-01-04 |page=39 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1993/BC-1993-01-04.pdf#page=41 |access-date=2024-09-18 |issn=1068-6827 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>);<ref name=slpd/> original programming was also planned.<ref name=sentinel-92/>

In its early years, ''Ready Set Learn!'' was hosted by children's entertainer Rory Zuckerman (billed simply as "Rory").<ref name=sentinel-92/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sweetman |first1=Keri |title=Rory hopes for full house at NAC |url=https://proquest.com/docview/240091264 |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |date=1997-05-06 |page=B.10 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> A resident of [[Bethesda, Maryland]] (where TLC's parent company Discovery was based), Rory set out to teach children language skills through her music, as well as to "welcome the children into the world of The Learning Channel and also the parents, care-givers and other viewers" as hostess.<ref name=wpost-92/> The block would become the home of her own shows, ''Rory and Me'' and ''Rory's Place'', which were seen by one million combined viewers per month in 1996.<ref name=ppg>{{cite news |title=Children Feel Right at Home in 'Rory's Place' (TV Host Rory Zuckerman) |url=https://proquest.com/docview/391766768 |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=1996-05-15 |page=B-3 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>

Interstitial material on the block was branded under the "Short Stuff" banner, and rounded out each half-hour. Around 1994, music videos began appearing during this feature, starting with clips from [[Joanie Bartels]] (an artist signed to Discovery's former in-house record label). By 1996, TLC played 10–12 videos per day on ''Ready''—showcasing children's artists as varied as [[Fred Penner]], [[Parachute Express]], [[Joe Scruggs]], and [[Sharon, Lois & Bram]]—to the point where they would all but replace the older "Short Stuff" segments from 1992.<ref name=billboard>{{cite magazine |last1=McCormick |first1=Moira |department=Child's Play |title=TLC Rounds Up Music Vids |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1996-02-03 |page=67 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_w4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Ready+Set+Learn%22&pg=PA67 |access-date=2024-09-15 |issn=0006-2510 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> The latter group would later headline the mainline ''Ready'' program ''[[Skinnamarink TV]]''.<ref name=bjt>{{cite news |last1=Sklar |first1=Jill Davidson |title=Rory, Set, Learn! Chevy Chase's Rory Zuckerman is the star of her own educational shows for children. |url=https://proquest.com/docview/222832461 |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=[[Baltimore Jewish Times]] |date=1997-10-17 |volume=237 |issue=7 |page=91 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> Around 1992, the [[Discovery Channel]] began plans for a counterpart weekend block to ''Ready''.<ref name="broadcasting-93" /> After a four-year delay,<ref name="broadcasting-93" /><ref name="b&c-96-09">{{cite magazine |last1=Brown |first1=Rich |title=Discovery launches kids block |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=1996-09-02 |volume=126 |issue=37 |page=49 |url=https://proquest.com/docview/225352486 |access-date=2024-09-14 |issn=1068-6827 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]] |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914222336/https://www.proquest.com/docview/225352486 |url-status=live }}</ref> it was launched on Sundays in early 1997 alongside the companion [[Discovery Family#As Discovery Kids (1996–2010)|U.S.]] and [[Discovery Kids (Latin American TV channel)|Latin American]] Discovery Kids formats.<ref name="b&c-96-09" />

By mid-2002, the TLC block had come under the purview of the Discovery Kids team; a revamped lineup that tentatively included ''[[Animal Jam (TV series)|Animal Jam]]'', ''[[The Save-Ums!]]'', and ''[[Ni Ni's Treehouse]]'' was slated to take effect early the following year.<ref name=htt>{{cite journal |title=Discovery Kids teaming up with NBC for Saturday programming |journal=Home Textiles Today |date=May–June 2002 |page=26 |url=https://proquest.com/docview/223055590 |access-date=2024-09-14 |publisher=[[Cahners]]/[[Reed Elsevier]] |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> The resulting relaunch on February 24, 2003 introduced [[The Paz Show|Paz the Penguin]] as the new host of the interstitial segments; the 9:00 a.m. repeat moved to Discovery Kids.<ref name=la-times-2003>{{cite news|url=https://proquest.com/docview/421775326|last=Heffley|first=Lynne|title=Television & Radio — Television Reviews: Making a play for the young set; TLC and Discovery Kids Network launch a new block of lively shows for preschoolers|date=2003-02-24|accessdate=2024-09-14|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=E.16|url-access=registration|via=[[ProQuest]]|archive-date=September 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912060835/https://www.proquest.com/docview/421775326|url-status=live}}</ref> Paz, created by Irish author Mary Murphy, was seen in both puppet and animated forms;<ref name=la-times-2003/> Discovery's Marjorie Kaplan saw him as "the avatar for his audience, the optimistic, persistent learner we want each of our viewers to be", and with his introduction, "hop[ed] for a 'less hyper, more unified programming environment.'"<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |last1=MacNeille |first1=Suzanne |title=Listening to the Little Penguin That Could |url=https://proquest.com/docview/92691390 |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2003-03-23 |page=N55 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> ''[[The Magic School Bus (TV series)|The Magic School Bus]]'', a 1990s PBS staple,<ref name=sentinel-94>{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Sally Williams |title='Magic School Bus' Travels to TV with Kid-Friendly Science Lessons |url=https://proquest.com/docview/278452359 |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=1994-06-24 |page=E6 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> bookended the revised three-hour stretch.<ref name=nyt/> During ''Ready''{{'s}} last few years, new programs on the block premiered on Discovery Kids a week ahead of TLC.<ref name=wpost-2005>{{cite news |last1=Gilles |first1=Judith S. |title=For Kids: New Shows for Fall |url=https://proquest.com/docview/409853514/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=2005-09-04 |page=Y07 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref><ref name=wpost-2006>{{cite news |last1=Gilles |first1=Judith S. |title=For Kids: Plenty to Renew Their Interest |url=https://proquest.com/docview/410046731/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=2006-09-24 |page=Y.16 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref><ref name=animation-2007>{{cite news|url=https://animationmagazine.net/tv/discovery-unearths-wilbur/|title=Discovery Unearths Wilbur|first=Ryan|last=Ball|date=April 5, 2007|accessdate=2024-09-15|work=[[Animation Magazine]]}}</ref>

The final TLC airing of ''Ready Set Learn!'' occurred on September 26, 2008, with ''[[Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks]]'' and ''The Magic School Bus'' in its closing hour.<ref>{{cite news |title=Diversions {{!}} Television: Friday Morning |url=https://newspapers.com/article/courier-post-friday-morning-tv-listings/155287805/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=[[Courier-Post]] |date=2008-09-26 |location=[[Camden, New Jersey]] |page=30SC |url-access=limited |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=October 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004031349/https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-friday-morning-tv-listings/155287805/ |url-status=live }}</ref> From that point on, reruns of TLC's remaining programs for older audiences occupied its timeslot.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV Listings: Weekend Daytime: September 29, 2008 – October 3, 2008 |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-post-star-weekday-daytime-listings/155291133/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=[[The Post-Star]] |date=2008-09-28 |location=[[Glens Falls, New York]] |page=B4 |url-access=limited |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=October 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004031441/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-star-weekday-daytime-listings/155291133/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By then, the Discovery Kids version was airing from 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.;<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Atkin |first1=Hillary |title=Selling Across Platforms |magazine=[[TelevisionWeek]] |date=2008-04-07 |volume=27 |issue=10 |page=18 |url=https://proquest.com/docview/203832151 |access-date=2024-09-15 |issn=1544-0516 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> it evolved into ''HubBub'' after the network's October 10, 2010 rebranding as The Hub.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Reynolds |first1=Mike |title=The Hub Gets Ready to Roll into Kids' Market |magazine=[[Multichannel News]] |date=2010-10-04 |volume=31 |issue=37 |page=29 |url=https://proquest.com/docview/756690358 |access-date=2024-09-14 |issn=0276-8593 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]] |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914222336/https://www.proquest.com/docview/756690358 |url-status=live }}</ref> As part of a cross-channel preview campaign leading up to The Hub's debut, TLC briefly returned to family-oriented entertainment with an airing of the [[Hasbro]] game show ''[[Family Game Night (game show)|Family Game Night]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Szalai |first1=Georg |title=Behind the Hubbub |url=https://proquest.com/docview/759605757 |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=2010-10-07 |volume=416 |pages=4, 15 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]] |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915075224/https://www.proquest.com/docview/759605757 |url-status=live }}</ref>