Save Kids’ TV lobbies the Parliament Select Commitee on Culture, Media and Sport
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Culture Media and Sport has been deliberating on the state of public service broadcasting in the UK and, thanks to lobbying by Save Kids’ TV and our partner organisations, they have included as part of their terms of reference the crisis in commercial children’s television in the UK. Save Kids’ TV submitted the following document as evidence to the committee. It sums up the current issues and offers some thoughts on solutions…
“As media changes, we need to ensure that children don’t get short-changed. Even though 80% of homes with children now have multi-channel television, we feel strongly that whatever happens long-term, until the completion of digital switchover, provision should be maintained at 2005 levels on free-to-air television. The BBC alone is not enough. If necessary this should be achieved through changes in the regulatory position of the free-to-air broadcasters. Ofcom itself has noted that when adult programmes replace children’s programmes, the broadcaster responsible demonstrates a lack of interest in serving this audience: ”I think it’s saying that the kids aren’t good enough so we’re putting the boring cricket match on instead of programmes for the kids.”
