Ofcom Outlines Shortage Of Homegrown Kids TV

Ofcom has released its comprehensive review of children’s television, showing that kids programmes made in Britain account for just 17% of the total output aimed at youngsters.

Despite this, the report, which is the most detailed assessment on the market the regulator has ever carried out, revealed that parents and their offspring strongly preferred programming made here.

However, fewer than half of parents think that public service broadcasting is delivering satisfactory standards, especially in reflecting a range of cultures and opinions.

The report criticised the rapidly declining contribution from commercial broadcasters to the children’s TV market, finding that investment in first-run programming by ITV1, GMTV and Five has halved in real terms since 1998.

The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network commission some UK programming, but not nearly enough, with their investment in new programmes accounting for just 10% of total UK investment.

Although parents value the BBC’s programming, the report raises questions about whether it is in the audience’s long-term interest for the BBC to strengthen its position as the largest commissioner of UK children’s programming overall.

ITV has dramatically scaled back its kids’ TV output in the past year (see Ofcom Gives Green Light To Less Kids TV For ITV1) in light of a clampdown on food advertising around children’s programming (see Which? Report Says Advertisers Still Pushing Junk Food On Children) and the increasing range of media available to children.

ITV said it no longer made commercial sense to schedule children’s shows in the afternoon, and has now cut the amount of children’s shows it broadcasts from around eight hours on average to about five hours per week.

“The market has been transformed by increased competition and audience fragmentation,” said Ed Richards, Ofcom’s chief executive.

Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk