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Original poster

Saving Children's TV

29 replies

altv · 22/04/2007 15:29

Hi there - I am not a Mum but a concerned writer for tv who has noticed that quality programming for children is in danger of drying up. This is not beinmg alarmist but a fact in that the rich contribution that UK children?s television makes to popular culture needs to be valued and protected. ITV has already chosen to stop commissioning new children?s content and the BBC acknowledge that since the licensing review children?s production will be seriously affected. The cost of making quality tv with high production values is rising especially in the new High Definition format. The Ofcom junk food ad ban, while laudable, also affects the level of money available for new shows and the ability of companies like ITV to commission new work. While there is material in the short-term, the supply of new programmes may run out in about 18 months to 2 years - the time needed to develop a quality show. So the way is wide open for cheap, unregulated imports. We need to protect children?s tv and develop a new funding structure to provide a competitive UK marketplace. We do not want to end up with inferior shows made just to sell toys. If you want to help please go to petitions.pm.gov.uk/savechildrenstv and add your voice... Hope I'm allowed this plea but it's from the heart.

OP posts:
LIZS · 22/04/2007 15:39

hmm I wonder if your energies mightn't be better spent on trying to keep children's programming on the mainstream channels - ITV have now dropped their afternoon programming from ITV1 in anticipation of digital conversion, when they set up CITV, for example.

Original poster
altv · 22/04/2007 16:47

That's true Lizs but sadly with ITV no longer commissioning new programmes all that will be on CITV are programmes already bought in... Certainly we want children's progs on ITV1 but I gather that ITV has no funding or real desire for this. So the amount of airtime devoted to new stuff is will be minimal I suspect - due to the drop in money coming in from ads.

OP posts:
Original poster
altv · 25/04/2007 12:11

Not getting much interest on this site which is disappointing. Seems that if ER or Holby were threatened by cuts then the petition would be full of signatures.

I am trying to help save children's tv. Sounds dramatic but please be open to this.

All the programmes that you enjoy on terrestrial tv are in jeopardy if UK companies can't make them any more because of funding cuts, no ITV money etc. Please go to

petitions.pm.gov.uk/savechildrenstv

and add your name to the petition. Otherwise you will endure a diet of imported animations and cheap presenter led programmes... and imaginative, creative shows will be a rarity onscreen....

OP posts:
southeastastra · 26/04/2007 08:24

altv i have tried too some months back, people here aren't bothered unfortunately.

they see that getting rid of the junk ads more important than the death of children't itv

imo anyway

southeastastra · 26/04/2007 08:30

petition

hatrick · 26/04/2007 08:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MarsLady · 26/04/2007 08:44

fret not altv.... I'll sign. I have twins! lol

Actually, I do think it's important that they continue to make quality children's tv. So... I'm off to pop my name down.

rebelmum1 · 26/04/2007 09:00

Agree content is poor. We are downsizing TV and about to pull the plug. I just don't think it's healthy for adults or children, it is all rubbish these days. Have better things to do to be honest. It stops you thinking for yourself.

Original poster
altv · 27/04/2007 18:39

Thanks for signing - it'll build slow but sure. I often think that kids tv shows are a bit in your face with over eager presenters who shout a lot. But there are still good progs out there- rhubarb, balamory, blips... As a kid I was more likely to be found falling off walls and out of trees than staring at a 14 inch black and white flickery screen in my bedroom.

OP posts:
ruddynorah · 27/04/2007 18:44

what are you wanting the government to do exactly though? say you get 1 million signatures on your petition...then what are you wanting to happen?

Original poster
altv · 27/04/2007 22:28

Can't give a simple answer but I feel issues affecting the quality of our children?s lives cannot be left to commercial forces alone. Since ad revenue has historically been an essential component of the children?s media economy then new ways of funding quality children?s media need to be found. Discussion with policy makers in Govt including prog makers, tv producers & parent organisations should be set up. Tax breaks as found in the film industry might help give production companies a chance to make entertaining progs that educate and inform too. Subsidy as found in the Transport sectors would be useful, since the intellectual, creative and cultural diet we feed our children is as important as the food we feed them... better get off my soapbox...

OP posts:
southeastastra · 27/04/2007 22:33

altv i can sympathise, i've lived in a tv town for years, but feel that most on this site don't care or realise that that shows they watched when younger weren't all produced by the precious bbc. in fact, most mn weren't allowed to watch itv at all.

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 22:38

british children's independent tv has been allowed to die, slowly

ragdoll productions, muppets, even the annoying ripley and scuff? it's a sad state

bbc sucks

Chandra · 27/04/2007 22:38

Erm... I'm going to sign. After living in five different countries I have to say that it would a shame if companies were forced to adopt inexpensive imports. I have been fascinated at the amount of nice children TV programs in UK, I say this as a person who grew up under the influence of Hannah Barbera and a string of japanese soap operas presented as children cartoons.

Freckle · 27/04/2007 22:48

Perhaps the dire quality of children's tv will encourage children to get off their backsides and do something more constructive than stare at a screen.

Does no one see a correlation between the prevelance of tv and childhood obesity? OK games consoles have a part to play too, but tv starts the rot. And yes, I have a tv and my children do watch it.

Perhaps we should be campaigning for the abolition of all tv programmes (and adverts) aimed at under 18s.

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 22:55

no no freckle. imo children's tv has only got worse BECAUSE of cheap US imports. KEEP CHILDREN'S TV BRITISH i really feel passionate about this and am APPALLED by mn indifference to it

Freckle · 27/04/2007 23:00

Well, my children seem to be happy to watch back-to-back repeats of Tracy Beaker and My Parents are Aliens, etc. Not a US import in sight.

I'm not concerned about the quality of children's tv. More that there shouldn't be any programmes directed at younger minds as the owners of those minds should be doing more constructive things. Practise what ye preach, Freckle. I know.

lljkk · 27/04/2007 23:09

But Aric Sigmann says our kids shouldn't watch hardly any TV anyway.
So should I get het up about altv's crusade or Sigman's crusade? Especially when DS would only want to spend his precious 30 min/day screen time playing computer games, anyway.

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 23:10

well whether you like it or not the majority of the uk population don't watch bbc and children watch other channels.

god don't you remember rosie and jim?

these production companies won't be able to make independent shows anymore.

jeez the middle class tv attitude on here really pees me

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 23:11

aric was on tv alot in the 80s

Freckle · 27/04/2007 23:12

Sorry. But what is the "middle class tv attitude"?

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 23:14

not being allowed to watch ITV

Freckle · 27/04/2007 23:17

Well, I wasn't differentiating between channels. Given my children's viewing habits, I'd like to ban them all.

southeastastra · 27/04/2007 23:22

well that's an extreme view

Chandra · 27/04/2007 23:54

"Perhaps the dire quality of children's tv will encourage children to get off their backsides and do something more constructive than stare at a screen."

I wish, we were all addicted to the japanese manga which were more or less as follows:

1st Episode. 2 baby girls are found in the snow by a toddler boy, once with name other one not even with a single note.

2nd. Boy and girls raised at orphanage but now boy is going to be adopted by someone that hits him

3rd. girls have grown up and now they are MISERABLY sad to be separated when someone offers to adopt one of them

4th. Nice girl reject adoption offer to stay with the other. Other girl decides to accept the adoption offer from same couple her friend rejected to stay with her.

5th. Nice girl infinitely sad as other girl's new mum forbids her to keep in contact.

.... And so on for a full year of my life... melodramatic over sentimentalist rubish for a child? YES. Did it make us go out and play?.... Play???, what play??? every single kid in the street was stuck to the TV set while the series were broadcasted.

forget about the face, I was joyfuly jumping all around the house when a friend of mine from abroad brought me the whole series as a gift when he came to visit 28 years after the broadcast!

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