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With digital TV and Freeview offering more channels especially for children there should now be more options of viewing for children. There are now 25 children's TV channels available that offer 113,000 hours of programmes each yeah. This would initially be seen as a positive, as there are more options for children to watch. This is not the case though as 61% of these programmes and a high percentage of the other programmes are imports from America. The number of home-grown programmes is a very small percentage and media regulators Ofcom and parents have shown their concern towards children's TV in Britain. Only 1 % of children's programmes is made in Briton and is being showed for the first time. Also from all the British made programmes made only 17% of these were aimed at children. This has occurred as many of the terrestrial channels have cut their investments into making children's programmes. These concerns expressed by parents and regulators are made because not only are British made programmes for children's the most popular they also hold a cultural learning element. It is important for children to learn about their own culture. If there were more drama and factual children's TV available it will help them learn about their own society, different cultures as well as different viewpoints and opinions. A recent study taken by asking parents about children's TV, states that parents value the role children's TV plays in society. Less than 50% of the parents believe that children's TV is reaching public service satisfaction and they would like to see more home grown drama and factual programmes for their children to enjoy and learn from. In order for these desires by parents and regulators to be met, more investment has to be made by British TV companies. At the moment it seems cheaper and more accessible to fill these extra children's channels with imported programmes such as cartoons.
Staff editor, Digital TV Section, October 2007 |
