Is Childrens TV in the UK dead?
Childrens television, once an integral part of early evening and Saturday mornings, is now very difficult to find on maninstream TV. There is of course the temptation to go down the 'It was better in my day' route, Every generation remembers it's own, the problem now is todays children seem to have virtually nothing at all.
This report in the Times suggests the two remaining flagship chidlrens TV shows, Blue Peter and Newsround, have seen plummeting viewing figures after the BBC decided to move the timeslot for these shows forwards to accomodate the ritual of seeing Anne Robinson mauling contestant on the 'Weakest Link.' Nothing worng with that in itself of course, but if it means the Blue Peter ship, and the wrekage of TV for young people sinks with it, It would be a sad thing indeed.
The BBC of course are an easy target with the decision that has been made, Fear that there will no new generation of cartoons, entertainment shows ect that todays chidlren can remember as there own is alive and well. But whatever can be said of the BBC, at least they still make, however token, an effort. Unlike ITV who just gave up completely. The channel that gave us Button Moon, The Sooty Show, T-Bag, Childrens Ward and Rainbow to name a few, now have absolutely nothing in the mainstream schedule. The old 4-5.15 slot has been taken over by gameshows like Golden Balls. They have decided to try and compete with Channel 4's gameshow slot where Countdown and Deal Or No deal rule the roost, rather than have the imagination to serve it's younger audience coming home from school.
It appears all the younger viewers have left is digital cartoon channels. The BBC have a CBBC channel and a CBEEBIES channel for the very young, it appears this in their view justifies the reduced schedule on mainstream BBC1. These channels generally have repeats of what has already been on BBC 1 earlier in the day anyway, or repeats of aged shows. There is also it may surprise some, a CITV channel digitally as well, although it's content is a combination of cartoons made years ago with no direct link to CITV, or the odd show which adults can remind themselves of days gone by, not the sort of output children would want to watch today anyway.
So there are some places to go for a child today, but nothing new is there for them. Nothing that will stick in the memory, nothing to call their own. Many say childhood is dying anyway, broadcasters appear to be feeding that view with their lack of imagination. It seems Blue Peter and Newsround may be all that is left, and even those brand names are not enough to keep a flicker of hope alive. There will be no new Crackerjack, or watch with mother, or magpie, or Art attack, or Rolf's Cartoon Club, or even the Tewwnies from more recent years. There will be no more stars like Roy Castle, or The recently departed Tony Hart to come through the world of chilrens TV presenting. No more anchors like Phillips Schofield, or Andy Peters to come through the ranks. No more shows like SMTV live, or Byker Grove or Grange Hill, that set up the careers of the likes of Ant and Dec and many of todays soap stars. If it is not re thought, childrens TV will soon be dead without trace, and be under no illusions that we will ALL be worse for it.
