26th March 2008
Ofcom’s James Thickett responded to our last newsletter to let us know that Ofcom no plans to launch their final statement on the Children’s Review on the 10th April ‘08, not the 8th as previously planned.
This announcement will outline the various response to the consultation Ofcom launched last year into the interim findings of it s Review of Children’s Television, SKTV submitted our comprehensive plan for the future of children’s public service content in the UK to that consultation process.
Ofcom’s announcement on the 10th will also contain the first findings of the general Public Service Review, so the children’s conclusions will feed into that Review and form a significant part of the thinking for it as the issues for kids’ content are seen to be the “canary in the coalmine” for the rest of PSB in the UK. There are strong fears that commercial broadcasters will abandon public service content once the imperative of the “gifted spectrum” to carry analogue TV is removed with digital switchover. Ofcom have to find solutions to the problem of potentially disappearing local news, arts, religious, specialist factual and current affairs programming as well as the kids’ content which is already in retreat.
The PSB Review will report in the Autumn and the Government will then consider the implications and recommendation in early 2009. So it’s along haul yet for the kids’ industry – and our children can certainly look forward to less choice and fewer UK produced programmes over the next few years until Government decisions are implemented – provided they are the right decisions. Which is why the campaign inevitably must continue.
