The Stage

Homegrown children’s dramas in worrying decline - Ofcom

Published Wednesday 3 October 2007 at 13:05 by Matthew Hemley

Media regulator Ofcom has raised concern over the decreasing number of home-grown television dramas being made for children, claiming that future provision is looking “increasingly uncertain”.

In a review of the children’s television market published today, Ofcom said investment in first-run original programming by the commercial public service broadcasters, including ITV, Channel 4 and Five, has halved in real terms since 1998.

It said: “The future provision of new UK-originated programming for children, particularly drama and factual, looks increasingly uncertain other than the BBC’s output. “

The regulator added that parents have indicated that they want more drama and factual programming for older children and young teenagers.

According to the review, the proportion of children’s drama shown has declined from 17% of total UK output in 1998 to just 12% in 2006.

While the total volume of children’s programming broadcast across all channels reached 113,000 hours in 2006, just 17% of programmes broadcast were from the UK, and programmes made in the UK and broadcast for the first time on a UK channel only accounted for around 1% of total hours.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: “This comprehensive study highlights the decline in home-grown commercial children’s TV production and the revolution in young people’s media consumption. The market has been transformed by increased competition and audience fragmentation. Parents are understandably concerned, and we now need a national debate on what measures, if any, can or should be taken.”

Ofcom is inviting responses to issues raised in the review, which is available online at www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/kidstv.

The closing date for responses is December 20 2007.