Beta Fridays

Beta Fridays (originally YTV Family Fridays) is a Canadian programming block focused on shows from Beta Cartoon and anime as well. The block premiered on YTV Family on January 4, 2019. In Canada, Beta Cartoon shows are first aired on Beta Fridays before airing on Beta Cartoon proper.

The block is produced by Beta Cartoon Canada, while being programmed by Firebasket Broadcasting Canada. It's target audience is ages 10 through 17.

When YTV Family was rebranded to YTV 2, reducing YTV Family proper to a 6-hour block (and eventually having YTV Family absorbed into YTV 2 entirely), YTV Family Fridays was rebranded as Beta Fridays. In 2024, the block would relaunch as "Aura Fridays" (albeit with its programming remaining as-is) as a result of YTV 2 being relaunched as the second iteration of Aura Canada around the same time. Despite YTV 2 launching a French-language channel under the Aura branding as well, Beta Fridays/Aura Fridays would continue to be exclusive to the English-language feed, mostly because of Beta Cartoon's programming airing on Beta's own French-language channel.

Season One (January 2019 - June 2019)
Season one was recorded on a set with post production. Axiom and Venga co-produced the block. Firebasket Broadcasting Canada programmed the block on the side.

Season Two (June 2019 - September 2019)
Season two was recorded on a larger set in Montreal, after the budget was increased. Venga and Axiom dropped out of producing the block, due to Beta Cartoon Canada picking up production rights to the block. Animation to live action was now produced by Acesky Animation of Canada and Flora Animation Southeast Asia. Firebasket Broadcasting Canada will still be the programmer for the block.

Changes

 * The demographic has changed to males from the ages of 9 to 17. This later changed to 10 to 17 starting in June 2019.
 * The shows have a darker tone and more mature themes, as well as higher age rating (max of 14).

Format
The format of the new show will be a mix of the classic YTV Family Fridays format and the 2003-2007 format of Cartoon Network Fridays.

A set of bumpers are filmed on a Friday afternoon at Axiom Studios in Nova Scotia from 2p-4p Eastern Standard Time. The files are transferred to Venga Entertainment of which they animate characters in it for the night's broadcast.

Due to the larger set and timeframe, production was moved to Firebasket Studios Canada Lot A in Montreal in Season 2. For the first time, it was filmed with a live audience who also interacted with the hosts and characters. Filming took place on Saturday afternoons the week prior from 3p to 5:45p.