Ofcom Begins Review Of Children’s Programming

Ofcom will today start a review of the future of children’s programming in the UK as part of its overall programme investigating the future of public service broadcasting (PSB) in the digital age.

The project will look at the state of children’s media in the UK, examine the role of television within this, explore prospects for future delivery of a wide range of high quality and original content for children and propose potential policy options.

Ofcom will report on the extent to which the broadcasters with a public service remit, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, have fulfilled the obligations of PSB.

Once the regulator has gathered data it intends to publish a research report setting out the results of its research this summer.

Following this, it will publish a policy document setting out possible policy options if they are appropriate or a discussion document seeking public views.

After the discussion document has been published, Ofcom intends to produce a final statement setting out the findings from responses received and updating any potential policy options.

As part of Ofcom’s overall work on the future of PSB in the digital age, it is also carrying out a financial review of Channel 4 (see Ofcom Appoints Advisers For Review Of Channel 4 Finances).

As well as this, the regulator has published a discussion document on a new public service publisher (PSP), which would act as a commissioner of new media content focused on meeting public purposes (see Ofcom Publishes PSP Discussion Document).

In November, Ofcom banned junk food advertisements in children’s programming, and it was estimated at the time that this could cost £39 million in television advertising revenue (see Ofcom Bans Junk Food Ads In Children’s Programming).

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