Home-grown British children's television is on the wane. You'd be forgiven for thinking everything was quite rosy --- as you channel-hop around CBBC, CITV, CBeebies, Nickelodeon, Boomerang, etc, etc – but it's true. Most of what you're seeing is repeats or foreign imports.
The BBC have slashed their children's TV budget by 10%, ITV and Channel 4 have stopped funding kid's TV altogether, and Five have decided to stop making shows for the over-5s...
And, when eternally-youthful former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin gets involved, you know every Child Of The 80s is sitting up and taking notice – me included.
Benjamin has joined Pact, a trade association representing independent production companies, and has formally issued a "SOS" about the drop in UK kid's TV, saying:
"British kids’ TV has always been an inherent part of our culture. For generations the programmes aimed at kids have been celebrated not only for their strong content and challenging views but the endless choice."
"Kids’ TV has for many provided a rites of passage. However, the continued reduction in funding that has taken place in the last few years has resulted in a fall in the number of new programmes made. Without immediate action this spells the end of British kids’ TV as we know it, leaving future generations nothing other than a series of re-runs and imports."
I mean, while there are some great foreign children's shows out there, do we really want kids growing up on a diet of Pokemôn instead of Postman Pat? Spongebob Squarepants over Sooty?
I have fond memories of watching CBBCs Broom Cupboard era (3:30 – 5:35pm, just before Neighbours) throughout the 80s and 90s. And while late-afternoon CBBC is still around, it's regularly beaten in the ratings by tea-time chat shows like Paul O'Grady.
While we're at it, whatever happened to Saturday morning kid's telly? They were a staple of TV for generations of kids and hung-over adults. So many memories: Noel Edmonds' garish jumpers on Swap Shop, Chris Tarrant sloshing buckets of water around on TISWAS, goofy Mike Reid on Saturday Superstore, Gordon the Gopher being attacked by a puppy on Going Live!, Andi Peters crying on Live & Kicking, and Ant & Dec creating a minor renaissance with SM:TV. Bring them back!
I can't believe things are so bad they're pulling out the Benjamin big gun. Have the TV bosses gone mad? The Teletubbies were a massive worldwide money-spinner for the Beeb! Kids animation has always been easier to sell abroad, too -- because other territories can re-dub episodes where required. Neil Morrissey's Bob The Builder is voiced by Whose Line Is It Anyway?'s Greg Proops in the US, incidentally!
The recent success of Shaun The Sheep is further testament that kids (and adults) are still entertained by 100% British programming.
The whizz-bang of foreign imports have their place (many of my childhood favourites were American), but kids need to see some reflection of their own culture on TV. Not to mention memories of classic British voices like Bernard Cribbins (Jackanory), Ray Brooks (Mr Benn), Brian Cant (Camberwick Green), David Jason (The Wind In The Willows), Oliver Postgate (Ivor The Engine) and Ringo Starr (Thomas The Tank Engine)
So, come on – sign this petition and let's try and get some new initiatives going! If you type "Children's TV" into Google, it's the British classics that dominate everything -- so we can't let this institution dwindle and die. We're world leaders at entertaining kids when we put our minds to it!
Let the executives knows the Great British Public are eagerly awaiting the next Dangermouse, Grange Hill, or fantasies like the spooky Century Falls or the ambitious Chronicles Of Narnia...
The BBC have slashed their children's TV budget by 10%, ITV and Channel 4 have stopped funding kid's TV altogether, and Five have decided to stop making shows for the over-5s...
And, when eternally-youthful former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin gets involved, you know every Child Of The 80s is sitting up and taking notice – me included.
Benjamin has joined Pact, a trade association representing independent production companies, and has formally issued a "SOS" about the drop in UK kid's TV, saying:
"British kids’ TV has always been an inherent part of our culture. For generations the programmes aimed at kids have been celebrated not only for their strong content and challenging views but the endless choice."
"Kids’ TV has for many provided a rites of passage. However, the continued reduction in funding that has taken place in the last few years has resulted in a fall in the number of new programmes made. Without immediate action this spells the end of British kids’ TV as we know it, leaving future generations nothing other than a series of re-runs and imports."
I mean, while there are some great foreign children's shows out there, do we really want kids growing up on a diet of Pokemôn instead of Postman Pat? Spongebob Squarepants over Sooty?
I have fond memories of watching CBBCs Broom Cupboard era (3:30 – 5:35pm, just before Neighbours) throughout the 80s and 90s. And while late-afternoon CBBC is still around, it's regularly beaten in the ratings by tea-time chat shows like Paul O'Grady.
While we're at it, whatever happened to Saturday morning kid's telly? They were a staple of TV for generations of kids and hung-over adults. So many memories: Noel Edmonds' garish jumpers on Swap Shop, Chris Tarrant sloshing buckets of water around on TISWAS, goofy Mike Reid on Saturday Superstore, Gordon the Gopher being attacked by a puppy on Going Live!, Andi Peters crying on Live & Kicking, and Ant & Dec creating a minor renaissance with SM:TV. Bring them back!
I can't believe things are so bad they're pulling out the Benjamin big gun. Have the TV bosses gone mad? The Teletubbies were a massive worldwide money-spinner for the Beeb! Kids animation has always been easier to sell abroad, too -- because other territories can re-dub episodes where required. Neil Morrissey's Bob The Builder is voiced by Whose Line Is It Anyway?'s Greg Proops in the US, incidentally!
The recent success of Shaun The Sheep is further testament that kids (and adults) are still entertained by 100% British programming.
The whizz-bang of foreign imports have their place (many of my childhood favourites were American), but kids need to see some reflection of their own culture on TV. Not to mention memories of classic British voices like Bernard Cribbins (Jackanory), Ray Brooks (Mr Benn), Brian Cant (Camberwick Green), David Jason (The Wind In The Willows), Oliver Postgate (Ivor The Engine) and Ringo Starr (Thomas The Tank Engine)
So, come on – sign this petition and let's try and get some new initiatives going! If you type "Children's TV" into Google, it's the British classics that dominate everything -- so we can't let this institution dwindle and die. We're world leaders at entertaining kids when we put our minds to it!
Let the executives knows the Great British Public are eagerly awaiting the next Dangermouse, Grange Hill, or fantasies like the spooky Century Falls or the ambitious Chronicles Of Narnia...
