WHAT CHILDREN WATCH AN ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN S PROGRAMMING PROVISION BETWEEN , AND CHILDREN S VIEWS

Transcription

1 WHAT CHILDREN WATCH AN ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN S PROGRAMMING PROVISION BETWEEN , AND CHILDREN S VIEWS Kam Atwal, Andrea Millwood-Hargrave and Jane Sancho with Leila Agyeman and Nicki Karet June 2003

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3 WHAT CHILDREN WATCH AN ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN S PROGRAMMING PROVISION BETWEEN , AND CHILDREN S VIEWS Kam Atwal, Andrea Millwood-Hargrave and Jane Sancho with Leila Agyeman and Nicki Karet Broadcasting Standards Commission Independent Television Commission June 2003

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5 Contents Executive summary 1 Introduction 5 Section I: 1 Quantitative Analysis of Children s Programming Provision: Changing Landscape 9 3 Time Measures 11 4 Daypart Analysis 15 5 Diversity in Programme Provision 23 6 Genre Analysis 25 7 Genre Analysis by Channel 35 8 Children s Viewing Habits 55 9 New Media Changes since the 1997 Study 65 Section II: Background The Role of Television When, Where and How are Children Watching? Children s Understanding of Television Terrestrial versus Multichannel Conclusions 99 Appendix I: Methodology 101 Appendix II: Sample 102 Appendix III: Broadcasting Standards Commission 103 Appendix IV: Independent Television Commission 104

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7 Executive Summary 1. Households with children living in them contain a wider range of in-home entertainment than childfree households and are more likely to be early adopters of such equipment. 2. Children in multichannel homes watch significantly more television per day than their terrestrial only counterparts (an average of 35 minutes more per day at 2 hours and 27 minutes). However, the amount of time they spend specifically viewing children s programmes is comparable with those living in analogue terrestrial-only homes [Source: BARB]. 3. There has been a dramatic rise in the amount of children s programming on analogue terrestrial and other television services over the past five years. 4. The increase has come about principally from the launch of the new analogue terrestrial service Five (formerly operating as Channel 5), as well as the introduction of dedicated satellite and cable-delivered channels. (The detailed analyses do not include the free-toair dedicated children s channels, CBBC and CBeebies, launched after the analysis period in February 2002, increasing provision still further.) 5. Children are able now to tune in to children s programmes on the dedicated channels at any time of day. The replay channels which offer rolling schedules, available in multichannel homes, mean that children in these homes need not worry about missing their favourite programmes, as they will be repeated. 6. Despite this growth in provision, the range being offered to children, as a proportion of the time devoted to children s programming, is variable on different services. In this context, analogue terrestrial channels offer the most diverse line-up with regard to the balance of different types of programming e.g. factual, drama, light entertainment, animation and pre-school, broadcast on a single channel. 7. This being said, the mainstay of the analogue terrestrial channels is animation, as it is for the dedicated children s channels. The analyses do not distinguish between types of animation and, not surprisingly, this is the genre which most children are watching within children s programming. In multichannel homes, more than half the time spent viewing children s programmes is devoted to this genre. 8. The result of this dramatic increase in animation is a move away, by children in multichannel homes in particular, from the drama and factual genres in children s programming. 9. The provision of drama on the analogue terrestrial channels is more stable than some of the other genres, with little significant change across the period sampled. On the dedicated channels, however, there was a steep decline in drama in What Children Watch 1

8 10. Factual programming is almost absent from the dedicated channels and is the genre most obviously in decline on the analogue channels. The classification system used by the industry means that some schools programming is classified as factual, which boosts the minutage ascribed to this genre. The picture would be even worse, therefore, if schools programming were removed from the analysis. 11. Light entertainment programming takes a significant proportion of the share of children s programming on many channels, and had grown significantly across the sample period on some of the dedicated channels. 12. Pre-school programme provision was significant within the basket of dedicated channels as they split to form new services, focused on particular age groups. Provision of this genre had increased also on the analogue terrestrial channels. 13. Much of the increase in children s programme provision on the analogue terrestrial channels is centred on the breakfast slot, while after-school provision remains constant. 14. Children are spending significant amounts of their viewing time per day watching genres other than those targeted at children. These other genres are not analysed in this report, which concentrates on children s programming provision. 15. Interviews with children underscore many of these findings. Television is of significant importance in their lives. It is pervasive - most homes have more than one television set, and many of the children interviewed have a set in their bedrooms. 16. With 59% penetration of multichannel television in homes with children, many of the children in the sample who live in analogue terrestrial-only homes have been exposed to the other channels and services as well and therefore have some knowledge of them. 17. Television is a prime source of entertainment, if not a preferred activity. The children interviewed watch at all times; very often the television is on, even if not actively attended to. 18. Children under the age of eight are confused about what is a programme and what is a channel, especially those in multichannel homes who are switching between so many more channels and programmes. 19. Those in analogue terrestrial-only homes have more awareness of the times their favourite programmes are on and what channel they are on, simply because they follow a linear programme schedule and there is a limited choice of channels. Those with access to the dedicated channels have many more channels to choose from. They tend to know which channels their favourite programmes are on, but otherwise have less awareness of which channel they are watching and flick around more often. They use the electronic programme guide to navigate their way around and create their own schedules. 2 What Children Watch

9 20. Children in multichannel homes are more demanding of their television schedules, expecting a large number of different programmes, constantly changing. The research does not suggest that multichannel children are calling for greater diversity in the type of content they watch, but this may be a reflection of the fact that they are accustomed to the range of material they are offered. 21. The issue of programme origination was raised with children, but was not found to be of significant interest, although many of the children spoke of their enjoyment of programmes produced in the United States. (The quantitative, BARB-based analysis does not distinguish country of origin.) 22. Parents, especially parents in analogue terrestrial-only homes, are particularly keen that UK-originated programming should be available for their children to watch. They feel it is more authentic and culturally relevant and some felt that it had more of an educational value. 23. The level of parental knowledge about the material being watched is mixed. While parents voice concerns, many admit that they police the viewing of their secondary school-age children less than their younger children. 24. Parents expressed concern about certain aspects of taste and decency when talking about children s programming. When talking about programming in general, and not programming targeted specifically at children, the use of swearing and offensive language was particularly disliked. 25. Parents felt it was important to retain children s programme provision on the analogue terrestrial channels, despite the alternative sources available on cable and satellite channels. They considered it essential that terrestrial broadcasters catered for the child audience. 26. Analogue terrestrial parents, in particular, felt that the terrestrial channels offered a better range of children s genres which included quality British made programmes. Additionally, parents who had not chosen to subscribe to satellite or cable channels said they would resent being forced to pay for additional services in order for their children to have something to watch. 27. However, there was an acceptance that multichannel television opportunities were part of the television environment and that it was incumbent on broadcasters to continue to create programming that captured the attention and fed the demands of the child audience. What Children Watch 3

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11 Introduction Programming for children on television continues to increase. This report updates the survey last undertaken five years ago, which covered the period from This study, which considers the five years since then, from , shows that the amount of children s programming available (as defined by the industry measurement system, BARB) has tripled. Some of this has come about because of the launch - during that period - of an analogue, free to air, terrestrial television channel (Five) and some of the change has been due to the introduction of new satellite or cable delivered channels. In 2002, two further dedicated channels were introduced, CBBC and CBeebies, available as free-to-air digital services. The detailed quantitative analysis only presents limited data on these channels, however, as they were launched after the sample period. Within the five years under consideration (to 2001), the television landscape has also changed. Digital services, satellite, cable and terrestrial, have been introduced and DVDs are taking the pre-recorded content market by storm. As has been found over many years, it is within homes with children that the newest forms of in-home entertainment are most quickly adopted. The sheer volume of targeted children s programming available means that there is a wide range of programme types available. However, the data also show, as did the report which ran from , that the proportions of diverse content are restricted. While a significant proportion of the material is animation-based, the terrestrial analogue television channels still provide a more diverse programme line-up, with regard to the balance of programme types, than the dedicated services available to multichannel homes. This, in turn, affects the type of material children in multichannel homes are watching in comparison with children in analogue terrestrial-only homes. The data also show that children in multichannel homes watch approximately 35 more minutes of television per day than those in homes without access to additional broadcast channels. The previous report, by Professor Messenger Davies, had included a series of interviews with professionals and those interested in children s programming provision. At that time, the research had shown the genre to be under pressure, especially as channels competed for audiences in what were often seen to be lucrative (within commercial television channels) time slots. Certain programme categories were felt to be at risk and there was general pessimism, especially among the traditional broadcasting community, about the continuation of children s programming. Those interviewed who came from the emerging satellite and cable industries were far less pessimistic. This study will examine, through the analysis of programme provision, whether the pessimism or optimism was justified. However, it also takes on board one of Professor Messenger Davies s key calls, which was for children s opinions to be heard. The study included interviews and discussions with children aged 6 to 12, asking them about their viewing habits and the importance of children s programming in their lives, while also seeking parents views about children s programme provision. 1 Messenger Davies, M, and Corbett, B., The Provision of Children s Television in Britain: ; Broadcasting Standards Commission, What Children Watch 5

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13 Section 1 1 Quantitative analysis of children s programming provision: The quantitative component of this research is based on statistics from the BARB industry panel. The analysis builds on the findings of the 1997 report The Provision of Children s Television in Britain: published by the Broadcasting Standards Commission and is split into four elements: Analysis of programming provision by daypart - looking at trends in children s output across the terrestrial channels throughout the day. The breakdown of provision by programme genre - this section looks at the total time, in hours, devoted to each genre by channel, investigating any changes in total provision as well as the role of each of the channels in providing relevant programming. Genre analysis by channel - analysis of the proportion of children s broadcasting hours dedicated to each genre by channel between , illustrating the mix of programming across the terrestrial and dedicated children s channels. Analysis of children s viewing habits, in general, and to children s programming in particular Methodological issues The objective of this study is to highlight the current trends and the changes seen in the provision of children s television in the five years from, and including, 1996 (the period of time since the previous report) to The analysis is based on genre classifications defined by BARB for children s programmes. The advantage of using universally recognised industry data such as BARB is that it facilitates any future comparisons of trends. The genre categories used are: children s drama children s factual children s animation children s light entertainment children s pre-school There are some drawbacks, however, to using the BARB genre classifications for children s programming. For example, some shows targeted at young viewers, either within dedicated slots or on children s cable and satellite channels, are not classified as such. For example, the US-originated comedy show Boy Meets World has been classified as light entertainment - sitcom US rather than children s light entertainment. By including light entertainment - sitcom US in the analysis, the figures would be distorted by the inclusion of those programmes within the genre which are not specifically targeted at children. This means that a number of programmes targeted at and of appeal to younger viewers may be excluded from this study. What Children Watch 7

14 Since the Messenger Davies study which looked at the five years leading up to 1996, easier access to computerised data has meant that a broader analysis of trends in the provision of children s programming can be conducted. Whereas that study was based on an analysis of four sample weeks (first week of February, May, August and November) for each year between , this analysis is based on data for the whole year from 1996 to Like the 1997 study, time is the measure used to look at children s programming provision on each channel, and within each of the five genres considered. As the data for the current study are driven entirely by the BARB analyses, data showing origination of programming are not available. In the 1997 study, as only a sample of programmes was taken for each year, each programme was analysed individually for country of origin. The similarities and differences between the two studies have been summarised below: Data source Period of analysis The Provision of Children s Television in Britain: BARB 4 sample weeks (first week of February, May, August and November) for each year between What Children Watch, 2003 BARB Whole year data Measure Time Time Access to extra information on source and origin of programmes and details of first or repeat showing Genre classifications BARB classifications: Children s Drama Children s Factual - excludes Schools programming Children s Animation Children s Light Entertainment Children s Pre-school BARB classifications: Children s Drama Children s Factual - including Schools programming Children s Animation Children s Light Entertainment Children s Pre-school Channel coverage BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 (including BBC1, BBC2, GMTV, ITV1, TVAM/GMTV),Channel 4 Channel 4, Five The Cartoon Network Boomerang The Disney Channel The Cartoon Network Nickelodeon The Disney Channel, Playhouse Sky One Disney, Toon Disney The Children s Channel Fox Kids Nickelodeon, Nick Jr The Children s Channel 8 What Children Watch Trouble

15 2 Changing landscape In-home entertainment provision The television viewing landscape has changed dramatically over recent years - a significant part of this has been as a result of the way in which younger viewers are consuming media. As the results of the report published by the ITC and BSC, The Public s View 2002 highlight, there are striking differences in the ownership of home entertainment between people in homes with and without children. 2 Home entertainment in households With Children Without Children % % Video recorder Teletext Multichannel NICAM stereo television Video games Personal computer Video camera Computer with internet Widescreen television Computer with television/video Source: The Public s View Base: All respondents Those homes with children tend to have a wider range of new technologies in the home. Two-thirds (59%) of people with children have access to multichannel television, while only 46% without children have it. Similarly, 49% of households with children have Internet access in the home, compared with 39% of those without children. The presence of such a wide range of home entertainment equipment in the home is undoubtedly changing the way in which young viewers spend their leisure-time and, therefore, the ways in which they watch television. Equipment in eldest child's bedroom Age of Children Total % % % % Television Radio Games console Video cassette recorder Computer Satellite/cable Computer with internet Source: The Public s View Base: All respondents with children 2 Television: The Public s View 2002; Independent Television Commission and Broadcasting Standards Commission, What Children Watch 9

16 The Public s View also looks at the equipment in the eldest child s bedroom. The majority of children (57%) have a television set in their bedrooms, rising to 79% of those aged Some of the most surprising figures are those for young children, aged four to nine, of whom 58% had a television, 49% a radio, 27% a games console and 31% a VCR. 10 What Children Watch

17 3 Children s programme provision: time measures Terrestrial television Total hours of children s programming on terrestrial networks Hours 5,000 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Hours 3,494 3,986 4,566 4,449 4,524 4,657 GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday The overall provision of children s television across the terrestrial networks has changed significantly between , with total output increasing by 33% from 3,494 hours to 4,657 hours as a result of the launch of Channel 5 (now Five) and an increase in time devoted to children on BBC2. Between , skewed by its provision of dedicated schools programming in the early morning (included, in this analysis, within the children s factual genre), Channel 4 was the main provider of children s programmes. Over this time, BBC2 s role became increasingly significant, overtaking Channel 4 in BBC1 has steadily increased the number of hours devoted to children since 1997, making it the second largest supplier of children s programming, while ITV1 s provision has fluctuated over the years between a low of 386 hours in 1998 and a high of 448 in As a result of growing output during breakfast time, GMTV has been facing increasing competition over the years. What Children Watch 11

18 Dedicated channels The impact of non-terrestrial channels on children s viewing has been investigated in detail in this report by examining trends across the following channels (dates indicate month from which BARB data became available): Boomerang (May 2000) Cartoon Network (November 1996) Disney Channel (October 1995) Playhouse Disney (September 2000) Toon Disney (September 2000) Fox Kids (October 1996) Nickelodeon (September 1993) Nick Jr (September 1999) TCC (January 1993-April 1998) Trouble (September 1998) Total hours of children s programming on dedicated channels Hours 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10, Hours 10,236 17,093 15,833 16,334 25,985 32,531 Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday 12 What Children Watch

19 It is important to note that since this study is principally interested in the diversity of programming available to children, in the multichannel homes analysis we concentrate on the main channels such as Nickelodeon and Fox Kids and exclude the replay channels. Overall provision has tripled from 10,236 hours in 1996 to 32,531 hours in Between 1996 and 1997, following the launch of The Cartoon Network, output increased by 67% to 17,093 hours. With the closure of TCC in 1998 and the launch of Trouble a few months later, total hours of children s programming remained fairly constant between saw the launch of a number of new channels including Boomerang and the Disney spin-off channels, Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney, resulting in a 59% rise in dedicated children s entertainment. This trend followed through to 2001, the first full year of transmission for many of the new channels. Since then, two further dedicated channels have been launched as free to air services, CBBC and CBeebies. These became operational in 2002, after the sample period and so only limited analyses of their performance are included here. What Children Watch 13

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21 4 Children s programme provision: daypart analysis Tracking the amount of time dedicated to children s programming across the five main networks provides an overview of the changes that have occurred between In order to understand these trends in more detail data have been split into the following time slots: Breakfast ( ) Morning ( ) Early afternoon ( ) After-school ( ) Although some children s programming is scheduled after 1730, in line with the 1997 study this time slot has been excluded, although the total figure includes all programming throughout the day. Terrestrial television Hours of children s programming by daypart: total terrestrial Hours 5,000 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Hours 3,494 3,986 4,566 4,449 4,524 4, Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday What Children Watch 15

22 As noted, the total hours dedicated to children s programming across the five terrestrial channels have increased from 3,494 in 1996 to 4,657 in 2001, an increase of 33%. As well as increased provision on BBC channels, this trend is associated with the launch of Five in The most significant change has been the rise in breakfast-time programming, making it by far the most important daypart for children s entertainment. There has been an increase of 121% in provision at this time over the five-year period being considered. There has been a commensurate fall during the slot, accelerated by Channel 4 and Five cutting provision during this time segment. Overall provision during the and slots has remained consistent over the past six years (with BBC1 and ITV1 continuing to be the main providers at this time of day). It should be noted that the children s programming slot in the afternoon on BBC1 is longer than that on ITV1, although the difference has varied. BBC1 Hours of children s programming by daypart: BBC1 Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday 16 What Children Watch

23 Since 1996, the total amount of children s programming on BBC1 has increased by 7% from 832 hours to 889 hours in 2001, following a dip in This overall figure hides a much larger increase (64%) in programming during the breakfast slot from 206 hours in 1996 to 338 hours in The after-school slot remains the most dominant for BBC1- time devoted to children during this part of the day rose by 22% from 344 hours in 1996 to 420 hours the following year, remaining fairly consistent between (416 hours). However, over this time, output during the morning and early afternoon dayparts declined. Provision during the slot fell from 178 hours in 1996 to 64 hours in a decrease of 64%. Output during fell by 26% from 92 hours in 1996 to 68 hours in BBC2 Hours of children s programming by daypart: BBC2 Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours ,042 1,059 1,183 1, Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday BBC2 s provision of children s programming has increased steadily each year from 923 hours in 1996 to 1,292 hours in 2001, and it is now the largest single provider of children s programming amongst the terrestrial channels. Similar to trends observed on BBC1, there has been significant growth in time devoted to children during the breakfast slot, with the extension of the weekday slot from to in Overall, between , children s programming provision during the slot has risen from 727 hours to 1,156 hours, an increase of 59%. What Children Watch 17

24 ITV1 Hours of children s programming by daypart: ITV1 Hours Hours Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday There was a high of 460 hours of children s programming on ITV1 in 1996, which declined marginally to 430 hours in Provision during the morning slot ( ) more than halved from 105 hours in 1996 to 42 hours in Over the same period, output during the early afternoon slot ( ) increased as the start of the after-school slot moved from 1530 to 1525 in 1999 and then 1520 in 2000, allowing for more programming targeted at the very young. 18 What Children Watch

25 GMTV 3 Hours of children s programming by daypart: GMTV Hours Hours Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday As with BBC1 and BBC2, children s programming during the GMTV slot at breakfast time increased by 38% from 280 hours in 1996 to 386 hours in 2000, although the rise has been less dramatic than that seen on the BBC channel and has now fallen back slightly to 366 hours in GMTV was not considered separately from ITV11 in the 1997 study. What Children Watch 19

26 Channel 4 Hours of children s programming by daypart: Channel 4 Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours 1,000 1,008 1,141 1, Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday With the disappearance of programming in the afternoon, the total amount of time devoted to children on Channel 4 has declined from a peak of 1,141 hours in 1998 to 835 hours in Back in 1996, the slot was the predominant daypart for children s programmes on Channel 4, providing a long list of factual programming as part of the schools programme output (4 Learning). However, since 1997 and the increase in time dedicated to children s programming between 0600 and 0929 which is associated with the scheduling of programmes such as Sesame Street, this daypart has become the mainstay of children s entertainment on Channel What Children Watch

27 Five (formerly Channel 5) Hours of children s programming by daypart: Five Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Since its first full year of transmission, Five s provision of children s programming has declined from a high of 850 hours in 1998 to 682 hours in 2000, picking up again in 2001 (845 hours). Much of the fall between was as a result of a decline in dedicated children s programming from , whereas provision during breakfast time has been on an upward trend, peaking at 728 hours in Accounting for a small proportion of total hours, programming during the slot amounted to 29 hours in 1999, rising to 37 hours in 2001, as a result of the introduction of children s programming on weekend afternoons. What Children Watch 21

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29 5 Diversity in programme provision An analysis of trends in children s programme provision across the entire television environment shows that the main increase in targeted children s material is driven by animation. Drama, on the other hand, has decreased to the level it was at the start of the sample period while the other genres have remained stable. Total hours devoted to children s programming: Hours 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, Hours 13,729 21,059 20,350 20,751 30,502 37,183 Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Sum of children s output on terrestrial networks and dedicated children s channels Closer analysis of the range of children s programming available on the main networks and the dedicated channels in 2001 as a proportion of total time devoted to this audience, further illustrates the difference in choice made available to those in terrestrial households and those in multichannel homes. Diversity in children s programming: 2001 Terrestrial networks Dedicated channels % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday What Children Watch 23

30 Although animation programming dominates in both cases, 4 the main networks provide greater diversity of programme types in the more restricted amount of broadcast time. Drama accounts for 13% of the output on the terrestrial channels and 9% on the dedicated channels. 18% of the output from the terrestrial channels consists of factual material compared with only 1% of the total output on the dedicated channels; however it must be borne in mind that the factual genre within BARB includes schools programming. Light entertainment programming represents 15% of the total time provided for children s programmes on terrestrial television, while accounting for 7% of the dedicated line-up. The very young are also well catered for on the terrestrial channels with a quarter of the output devoted to pre-school programming compared with 6% across the dedicated channels. As mentioned, some schools programming on BBC2 and Channel 4 is classified by BARB under the children s factual category - some will be classified under one of the various documentaries sub-genres. The data available are not able to offer a finer analysis, but the figures below indicate the amount (in hours) of schools programming output on Channel 4 and BBC2 since Channel 4 Schools Programming Hours/Annum Source: ITC BBC2 Schools Programming Genre Hours/Annum Schools (Network) Schools (Network) Schools (Network) Schools (Network) Education for children Education for children 678 Source: BBC Annual Reports 4 The analysis is not able to distinguish within genres by looking at, for example, types of animation. 24 What Children Watch

31 6 Genre analysis Analysis of the breakdown of provision by genre provides insight into the diversity of children s programming. This section looks at the total time, in hours, devoted to each genre by channel, illustrating whether there have been significant changes in total provision, as well as the role of each of the channels in providing relevant programming. Terrestrial television Children s drama Hours devoted to children s drama on terrestrial channels Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Total drama provision across the main networks peaked at 620 hours in 1999, falling to 586 hours in Since its launch, Five has played a key role in providing this type of programming and, along with BBC1, contributed significantly to this peak. BBC2 has also increased output, whereas ITV1 s provision has remained consistent at an average of 109 hours per year. What Children Watch 25

32 Children s factual (including schools programmes) Hours devoted to children s factual on terrestrial channels Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Factual programming, as captured within BARB analyses, includes schools programming, available primarily on Channel 4 and BBC2. Due to this fact, the total hours devoted to factual material (including schools programming on Channel 4) increased steadily from 839 hours in 1998 to 956 hours in BBC2 is the second largest provider of factual programming, a genre which includes a mixture of schools and other factual programming. BBC2 dedicated 306 hours of its 2001 schedule to the genre. ITV1 s provision in this genre, while low, has stabilised 5. 5 Since 2002, the ITC has agreed annual minimum requirements with ITV1 for originated material, including children s factual (52 hours per annum). 26 What Children Watch

33 Children s animation Hours devoted to children s animation on terrestrial channels Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours 1, ,108 1,201 1,280 1,381 GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Back in 1996, the provision of animation was more equally distributed between the channels than any other genre, but since then there have been significant changes in supply. Following sharp falls in output from BBC1 and Channel 4, the total number of hours of animation fell from 1,252 (1996) to 985 hours in Between , BBC1 s animation output continued to decline from 251 to 210 hours, picking up again in 2001 to 252 hours. Over the same period, ITV1 s supply has remained fairly consistent. As BBC2 has strengthened its position as the key terrestrial provider of children s television, so has its role as the supplier of animation expanded, with output increasing from 253 hours in 1997 to 437 hours in Although it was the move away from animation on BBC1 that led to the fall in provision across the terrestrial networks in 1997, the total hours devoted to this genre on BBC channels (1 and 2) increased marginally from 682 hours in 1996 to 689 hours in Animated output on GMTV increased from 91 hours in 1997 to a high of 170 in a rise of 87%, falling back in 2001 to 127 hours (a decrease of 25%). What Children Watch 27

34 Children s light entertainment Hours devoted to children s light entertainment on terrestrial channels Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Time devoted to children s light entertainment peaked at 748 hours in BBC1 s provision steadily increased between from 130 hours to 233 hours over the same period BBC2 s role weakened. GMTV has consistently been a principal provider of this programming, with 196 hours dedicated to the genre in ITV1 s supply has remained stable over time with between hours of light entertainment output. During its first two years Five showed on average 190 hours per year of comedy programmes, games shows etc. targeted at children, but since then has cut output to 89 hours (2001). 28 What Children Watch

35 Pre-school Hours devoted to children s pre-school on terrestrial channels Hours 1,400 1,200 1, Hours ,253 1,084 1,043 1,158 GMTV Five C4 ITV1 BBC2 BBC1 Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday As a result of increased supply from BBC2, Channel 4 and Five, the total hours of preschool programming on terrestrial channels more than doubled from 535 hours in 1996 to 1,253 hours in This peak was followed by a dip between , and increased supply on BBC2 and Five again led to a rise in pre-school programming in What Children Watch 29

36 Dedicated channels The 1997 BSC study did not include analysis of the output by genre across the numerous non-terrestrial channels dedicated to children s programming. The growth in the impact of these channels on viewing habits has meant this should now be a key component of our study. Children s Drama Total hours of children s drama on children s channels Hours 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Hours 2,133 1,928 2,872 3,911 4,329 3,061 Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Between , the total provision of drama programming on non-terrestrial channels doubled, from 2,133 to 4,329 hours as a result of increased supply from established channels such as Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel and Fox Kids, as well as Trouble, launched in However, in 2001, drama output was slashed, falling to 3,061 hours (a decrease of 29%) as each of the dominant players moved away from this genre. 30 What Children Watch

37 Children s factual Total hours of children s factual on children s channels Hours Hours Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday The Children s Channel played a major role in the provision of factual programming on non-terrestrial channels, broadcasting 273 hours in however, the majority of this was accounted for by only one programme, Art Attack. Although there has been an upward trend in the time devoted to factual programming, total output across the children s channels in 2001 amounted to 398 hours. The Disney Channel is now the most significant, supplying three-quarters of the output. What Children Watch 31

38 Children s animation Total hours of children s animation on children s channels Hours 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, Hours 6,339 13,013 11,324 10,326 18,258 24,679 Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Over the past six years, the amount of animation shown across the dedicated channels has quadrupled from 6,339 hours to 24,679 hours, with all channels except Trouble screening these programmes. The first significant jump in the provision of animation was seen in 1997 in this analysis and was associated with the launch of Cartoon Network (supplying 4,508 hours of animation in 1997) and Fox Kids. Between , time devoted to animation declined steadily from 13,013 hours to 10,326 hours as a result of the closure of TCC and a marginal decline in supply on Nickelodeon. In , the next notable leap in hours of animation on the dedicated channels was associated with increased supply from the Cartoon Network and the launch of Boomerang, Nick Jr, Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney, channels targeted specifically at the very young. 32 What Children Watch

39 Children s light entertainment Total hours of children s light entertainment on children s channels Hours 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Hours 1,101 1, ,246 1,810 2,307 Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday There has been a strong upward trend in light entertainment programming across non-terrestrial channels, with output growing almost three-fold from 845 hours (1998) to 2,307 hours in With only a handful of channels supplying this type of programming, growth has predominantly been as a result of increased emphasis on Trouble and Nickelodeon, as well as the launch of Toon Disney. What Children Watch 33

40 Pre-school Total hours of children s pre-school on children s channels Hours 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, ,250 2,086 Boomerang TCC Playhouse Disney Toon Disney Fox Kids Disney Channel Cartoon Network Nick Jr Nickelodeon Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Between 1997 and 1999, there were only two key channels, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, catering for the needs of very young viewers. However, the launch of channels devoted specifically to these viewers resulted in total output increasing from 585 hours in 1999 to 2,086 hours in Nickelodeon s pre-school programming was transferred to Nick Jr, now the most significant channel across this genre, and the Disney Channel also reduced its provision when Playhouse Disney was launched in What Children Watch

41 7 Genre analysis by channel This section investigates the range of programming supplied by each channel. The total time dedicated to children has been divided into the five genre classifications as defined by BARB (children s drama, factual, animation, light entertainment and pre-school) to illustrate the mix of programming across each of the terrestrial channels and a range of non-terrestrial channels. The figures in the following charts are based on the proportion of the total children s broadcasting hours dedicated to each genre across each channel between Terrestrial television Children s programming by genre: total terrestrial , , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Although BBC1 dedicated a greater proportion of its schedule to drama, overall drama provision has remained fairly static at around 14% of the schedule. Factual programming fell from 23% in 1996 to 18% in much of which was driven by the decline on BBC2, although it continues to be the main provider of such programming along with Channel 4 (schools programming). As a result of BBC1 and Channel 4 s move away from animation, the overall proportion of children s programming represented by this genre fell from 36% in 1996 to 25% in 1997, but picked up slightly as a result of Five s launch in In 2001, BBC1 provided marginally less than the average with 28% of its schedule made up of cartoons, whereas BBC2 (34%), GMTV (35%), ITV1 (49%) and Five (32%) all devoted more than a third of total children s time to the genre. BBC1 and GMTV are the key terrestrial channels providing children s light entertainment. The proportion of children s programmes on the main networks represented by game shows, comedy shows etc fluctuated between 13%-18%. What Children Watch 35

42 Pre-school offerings increased from 15% in 1996 to a peak of 28% of the total provision in In 2001, a quarter of the time devoted to children across the five main networks consisted of programmes targeted at the very young - both Channel 4 and Five are particularly strong in this area. Considerable gaps have appeared in the range of programmes offered by ITV1 and BBC1. BBC1 has widened the diversity of its programming, with more pre-school and light entertainment as emphasis has moved away from animation on the channel, although - with BBC2 - the total hours devoted to this genre have, in fact, increased slightly. ITV1 has continued to rely heavily on animation. BBC1 Children s programming by genre: BBC1 Hours % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday As noted in the 1997 report, drama on BBC1 continued to fluctuate, with a low of 14% (1996) and a high of 24% (1999). Similarly, the proportion of children s television devoted to factual programming, such as Blue Peter, Newsround and The Really Wild Show, varied between 14%-18%. The 1997 study highlighted a steady upward trend in animation as a share of the children s schedule between However, the more recent data suggest this trend has reversed, with animation accounting for 28% of the schedule in 2001, compared with half (49%) of the schedule in As a result of the decline in animated programmes, provision of light entertainment increased from 16% of the 1996 schedule to 26% in 2001 with the introduction of shows such as Keenan and Kel and Steps to the Stars. The downward trend in pre-school programming seen between also reversed with 14% of BBC1 s children s schedule in 2001 dedicated to this genre, including programmes such as Teletubbies, Tweenies and Bill and Ben. 36 What Children Watch

43 BBC2 Children s programming by genre: BBC2 Hours , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Drama programmes represented 15% of BBC2 s schedule in This share fell to a low of 7% in 1999, picking up again in with the launch of programmes such as Maid Marion and Her Merry Men as well as re-runs of Byker Grove on Sunday mornings. With programmes such as Record Breakers, The Really Wild Show and Take Two, factual was the dominant genre in 1996, but has since been in decline, representing a quarter of the 2001 schedule, despite the fact that schools programming forms part of the total output. Over this period, animation replaced factual as the dominant feature of BBC2 s children s line-up, accounting for a third of total provision. Pre-school programming increased from 14% in 1996 to 20% in 1997 when the Teletubbies phenomenon began, and since then, has varied between 20%-23% of the total children s broadcasting hours on BBC2. What Children Watch 37

44 GMTV 6 Children s programming by genre: GMTV Hours % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Three key genres, animation, light entertainment and pre-school dominate GMTV s schedule. There is no licensing requirement on GMTV to provide any drama output. In 1997, there was a decline in the proportion of total time devoted to animation, falling from 38% of the schedule in 1996 to 28% in During this period, pre-school programming increased, accounting for 15% of output. However, in 1998, emphasis moved away from light entertainment, back to animation and increasingly towards pre-school. The split in provision remained stable between in 2001, there was a return to a similar divide in output as seen in GMTV was not considered separately in the 1997 study. 38 What Children Watch

45 ITV1 Children s programming by genre: ITV1 Hours % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday The overall picture on ITV1 has changed little over the past six years. Animation continues to be by far the most prevalent genre of programming, representing half of the schedule in As a result of the increase in animated programming, pre-school material has been in decline since The proportion of ITV1 s schedule dedicated to drama has fluctuated between 20%-26%. In comparison with the BBC channels, factual programming continues to play a relatively small role, with only 7% of the schedule devoted to a handful of programmes such as Art Attack, How II and Brilliant Creatures in The share of total time devoted to children s light entertainment has varied between 10-13%. What Children Watch 39

46 Channel 4 Children s programming by genre: Channel 4 Hours , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Programming within the factual genre, much of which is accounted for by schools programming, and the pre-school genre such as Sesame Street and The Hoobs dominate Channel 4 s schedule for children. In 1996, animation accounted for 27% of the total schedule. Over the years, however, as emphasis has moved towards early morning pre-school programming, this genre has been in decline, representing only 9% of provision in It is important to note here that some of Channel 4 s most popular shows targeted at young viewers during dedicated slots such as T4 are not classified as children s shows. Examples of this include: Boy Meets World: light entertainment - sitcom US Malibu: drama serials non-uk Sister, Sister: light entertainment - sitcom US 40 What Children Watch

47 Five Children s programming by genre: Five Hours % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Five s mix of children s programming has varied significantly since its launch in Light entertainment has been on the decline since 1997, accounting for only 11% of total time in 2002, compared with a third of the schedule in its launch year. Figures suggest this genre has been cannibalised by animation as the proportion of the schedule dedicated to such programming has moved steadily upwards from 10% to 32% in Pre-school programming has consistently represented a large proportion of Five s children s provision, ranging from 30% in 2000 to a high of 44% in What Children Watch 41

48 Dedicated children s channels Before analysing the mix of programming available on the dedicated children s channels, it is useful to study the profile of each. The chart below looks at the age and gender profile of these services and illustrates the way in which each channel serves notably different audiences. Boomerang, Nick Jr, the Cartoon Network, Fox Kids, CBeebies and Playhouse Disney are all biased towards the younger four to nine year old viewers, whereas Trouble is more specifically targeted at young teenagers. Audiences of the most established channels, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, are more evenly balanced both by age and gender. Channel profile, multichannel homes, 2002 Nick Jr CBeebies Playhouse Disney Boomerang Cartoon Network Fox Kids CBBC Toon Disney Disney Channel Nickelodeon Trouble % Boys 4-9 Boys Girls 4-9 Girls Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Base: Children in multichannel homes. 42 What Children Watch

49 Dedicated channels Children s programming by genre: dedicated channels Hours , , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday The chart above represents the split by genre of the combined provision across the dedicated children s channels. It highlights once again the overwhelming dominance of animation, which represents 76% of total time in 2001, compared with 30% on terrestrial channels. Although the proportion of time devoted to drama peaked at a high of 24% in 1999, driven in the main by Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel and Fox Kids, this genre represented only 9% of the line-up in 2001 (versus 13% on terrestrial channels). As a proportion of children s programming available, factual programming is virtually non-existent. In comparison, this genre represents 18% of programming across the terrestrial networks, albeit they are transmitting for a shorter period of time. What Children Watch 43

50 TCC Children s programming by genre: TCC Hours , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday In 1996, more than a third of the TCC schedule was represented by animation (38%), with a similar proportion of the time devoted to drama programming (36%). However from 1997, until the close of the channel in April 1998, emphasis shifted to cartoons, accounting for more than three-quarters of the channel s output. Factual programming increased as a proportion of the schedule from 3% in 1996 to 10% in 1997 but, as with light entertainment and pre-school material, the supply of this genre diminished in What Children Watch

51 Trouble Children s programming by genre: Trouble Hours , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Trouble was launched in 1998, and viewing data are available on the BARB panel from September Targeted at the teenage market, data illustrates the channel s reliance on drama and light entertainment programming. In its first full year of transmission, 63% of the schedule was represented by drama programmes such as USA High, Sweet Valley High and California Dreams. Over the years there has been a downward trend in provision of these programmes, substituted by light entertainment programmes including Saved by the Bell and Planet Pop. What Children Watch 45

52 Nickelodeon Children s programming by genre: Nickelodeon Hours , , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Nickelodeon continues to depend heavily on animation, which represents more than half of its total output. The share of its schedule devoted to cartoons declined from 67% in 1996 to 50% in 2000, picking up again in 2001 (58%). During this downward trend between , animation was substituted by drama programmes such as Two of a Kind, Animorphs and Driven Crazy, which increased as a proportion of the schedule from 17% to 37%. However, in 2001, the increase in animation combined with the growth in children s light entertainment led to a fall in drama provision. Factual programming fails to represent a significant amount of the channel s output, with the provision in pre-school programming also disappearing over the years. 46 What Children Watch

53 Nick Jr Children s programming by genre: Nick Jr Hours , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Nickelodeon s diminishing provision of pre-school programming since 1999 was compensated for by the launch of Nick Jr, targeted specifically at the younger end of the children s audience. The channel was launched in 1999, and data are available on the BARB panel from September Again, there is heavy reliance on animation, representing more than 60% of the schedule. The remainder is represented by drama (11%) and pre-school programming such as Mr Men and Little Miss, Sesame Street and PB Bear and Friends. What Children Watch 47

54 Cartoon Network Children s programming by genre: Cartoon Network Hours , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Predictably, there is little variation in the programming on the Cartoon Network, with the schedule consisting almost entirely of animation. However, once again, the drawbacks to the use of BARB data are highlighted with many of the animation programmes classified as light entertainment-animation cartoons including Dino and Cavemouse, Flintstones and Ed, Edd and Eddy. This results in some of the programmes shown on the channel being excluded from the analysis. 48 What Children Watch

55 The Disney Channel Children s programming by genre: Disney Channel Hours , , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday In comparison to other non-terrestrial services, the Disney Channel appears to provide a more diverse schedule. Although animated programmes continue to dominate, its share of the channel s total provision dropped from 67% in 1996 to 53% in 2001 as a result of the move towards children s drama (including LA7, Miami 7 and Sweet Valley High) which represented a quarter of the 2001 line-up. Factual programming has steadily become a more significant part of the schedule, represented by programmes such as How Things Work, Art Attack and Bug Juice. What Children Watch 49

56 Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney Children s programming by genre: Toon Disney Hours , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Children s programming by genre: Playhouse Disney Hours , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday The steady decline away from animation and pre-school on the Disney Channel may be associated with the launch of Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney in Although animation programmes represent the majority of the schedule on both channels, 15% of the output on Toon Disney is light entertainment, and a quarter of the total transmission time on Playhouse Disney is dedicated to pre-school. This may help to explain the difference in the age profile of the two spin-off channels. 50 What Children Watch

57 Fox Kids Children s programming by genre: Fox Kids Hours , , , , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Fox Kids was launched in data for the channel are available from October of that year. Its bias towards a relatively young audience (aged four to nine years) may be explained by the fact that more than 80% of its programming provision in 2001 consisted of cartoons. Between , there was a steady move away from animation in favour of children s drama (representing 37% of the schedule in 1999), including Fantastic Four and Grimm s Fairy Tales, but since then emphasis has once again returned to animated programming. There is little provision of factual, light entertainment or pre-school programming. What Children Watch 51

58 Boomerang Children s programming by genre: Boomerang Hours , , % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Viewing figures for Boomerang are available from May The range in programming on this channel is similar to that seen on the Cartoon Network. In 2001, cartoons represented 99% of the schedule - the remaining 1% was accounted for by some light entertainment programming. 52 What Children Watch

59 CBeebies and CBBC Children s programming by genre: BBC channels, February-December 2002 Hours CBeebies 3,344 CBBC 2, % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Miscellaneous Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday Although the report does not look in detail at programming provision in 2002, the impact CBBC and CBeebies have made since launch (page 60, Audience Share by Channel) suggests some reference needs to be made to the range of programming provided by the two new BBC channels. The chart above looks at the proportion of children s programming output dedicated to each genre on the two channels based on 11 months of data since launch in February As the profile of the two channels suggests (page 42) target audiences are notably different. With pre-school programming representing more than 50% of its output, CBeebies caters for younger children - 90% of its audience is aged between four and nine years. Cartoons account for 15% of the schedule, and both drama and light entertainment programming represent 10% of output. In comparison, CBBC targets a wider range of viewers and this is reflected in the range of programming provided. Although the channel does not offer any pre-school programming (supplied in the main by CBeebies), 37% of its output in 2002 was represented by factual programming, including Newsround and Xchange during the morning segment. Animation (27% of output) and drama (13%) provision is concentrated during the afternoon slot. What Children Watch 53

60 54 What Children Watch

61 8 Children s viewing habits Children s total viewing According to BARB figures, the average individual in the United Kingdom in 2002 watched 3 hours 34 minutes of television each day. Viewing among children aged 4-15 is considerably lower, at an average of 2 hours 23 minutes per day. There are, however, significant differences in the viewing habits of those in multichannel homes compared with those receiving the five terrestrial channels. Children in multichannel homes watch on average 35 minutes more per day (2 hours 27 minutes) than those in analogue terrestrial homes watching only 1 hour 52 minutes per day. Figures on children s viewing suggest a similar amount of time (approximately 30 minutes) is spent watching children s programming. Therefore the difference in total viewing between analogue terrestrial and multichannel children must be accounted for by other genres such as drama, films and music. Non-terrestrial channels account for over a third of children s viewing, compared with only 22% of viewing by the average individual. Both ITV1 and BBC1 combined represent 41% of viewing, compared with 50% of viewing by individuals. BBC2, as the most dominant provider of children s material across the five main networks, maintains its audience share among viewers aged 4-15 years (11%). The popularity of BBC2 is further demonstrated in terrestrial homes where the channel makes up 16% of viewing by individuals and 22% of children s viewing. More significantly, over half of all viewing by children in multichannel homes is of channels other than the main networks, compared with 42% of viewing by individuals in these homes. BBC2 s share falls to 6% in multichannel homes, as children turn to the niche children s channels. ITV1 and BBC1 account for 32% of children s viewing. Within multichannel homes, viewing by children of the main networks has decreased by 20% from an average of 1 hour 25 minutes/day in 1997 to 1 hour 8 minutes/day in Viewing by this audience of children s programmes on the terrestrial channels has decreased by a greater amount: from 12 minutes per day in 1997 to 8 minutes in a fall of 33%. Audience share by channel: individuals vs children, 2002 All individuals All children Terrestrial individuals Terrestrial children Multichannel individuals Multichannel children BBC1 BBC2 ITV1 C4 Five Others % Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday What Children Watch 55

62 The chart above shows how total children s viewing is divided between channels across TV household type in comparison with the average individual. Average TVR by quarter hour, children All children Terrestrial children Multichannel children 20 Average TVR Quarter hour Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday (2002) The graph above illustrates children s viewing patterns throughout the day. The first peak of the day occurs during the breakfast time slot and peters out after The second peak starts at 1530 as audiences return home from school, representing the start of the evening s viewing which reaches a pinnacle between when 26% of children are watching (2.4 million children). Children are watching, in significant numbers, programmes that fall outside the children s programming genre. After this time, there is a steady decline in audiences although even after the Watershed a significant proportion of this group continues to watch television. The data suggest 18.79% of all children are watching between , rising to 19.5% of those in multichannel homes. Viewing during this segment is also higher among older children with 23.8% of years old watching compared with 13.5% of four to nine year olds. 56 What Children Watch

63 As the table below shows, the top television programmes, across the entire children s audience in 2002, were. Top programmes (all children) 2002 Programme Genre Channel 000s Viewers EastEnders Drama: soap operas UK BBC1 2,371 Pop Idol Live Final Entertainment: family shows ITV1 2,218 Only Fools and Horses Entertainment: situation comedy UK BBC1 2,087 A Bug's Life Films: cinema US BBC1 1,942 The Mummy Films: cinema US BBC1 1,919 World Cup 2002: Argentina vs England Sport: football BBC1 1,910 Coronation Street Drama: soaps UK ITV1 1,804 World Cup 2002: England vs Denmark Sport: football BBC1 1,738 World Cup 2002: England vs Nigeria Sport: football BBC1 1,733 World Cup 2002: England vs Sweden Sport: football BBC1 1,696 Source: BARB (Highest occurrence only) What Children Watch 57

64 Viewing to children s programmes Diversity in children s viewing, 2002 Terrestrial children Multichannel children % Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Miscellaneous Viewing to children s programming, 2002 Average Minutes of Viewing Per Day Terrestrial Children Multichannel Children Total Drama Factual Animation Light entertainment Pre-school Miscellaneous Source: BARB Monday-Sunday Terrestrial Children: BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, Five Multichannel Children: BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, GMTV, Channel 4, Five, Boomerang, Cartoon Network Total, Disney Channel Total, Playhouse Disney, Toon Disney, Fox Kids Total, Nickelodeon Total, Nick Jr Trouble, CBBC, CBeebies The above graph and table illustrate the differences (by proportion of viewing time and in terms of actual minutes per day, respectively) in the viewing of children s programmes between children in terrestrial households and those in multichannel homes. The graph shows how viewing in 2002 was split across the children s genres. In multichannel homes, we look at total viewing of Nickelodeon, Fox Kids, Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel, taking into account viewing of the replay channels. Although children in multichannel homes have a wide range of children s channels available, the amount of time spent watching programmes classified within the children s genres stands at around 30 minutes per day - similar to the amount spent by children in terrestrial homes. 58 What Children Watch

65 Although children in multichannel homes have many more programmes to watch, the split in viewing by genre suggests that the domination of animation across dedicated channels influences their viewing choices. Animated programmes make up 39% of viewing by children with access to analogue terrestrial channels only - in comparison, more than half of all viewing of children s programmes in multichannel homes was of animation (54%). Thus, while multichannel children have access to more programming, they are watching a less diverse range of children s programmes than those living in terrestrial homes. In particular, faced with a wider choice of other programming, only 5% of the total viewing time in multichannel homes was spent watching factual material. What Children Watch 59

66 Audience share by channel: multichannel children Boomerang Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Total CBBC CBeebies Disney Channel Disney Channel Total Toon Disney Playhouse Disney Fox Kids Fox Kids Total Nick Jr Nickelodeon Nickelodeon Total Trouble Source: BARB, Monday-Sunday % 60 What Children Watch

67 With the influx of new channels over the years, the dedicated children s channels have seen dramatic movements in audience share. The more established channels, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, have all suffered from declining audience share. At the same time, new players such as Boomerang, the spin-off Disney Channels, Trouble and, more recently, the new BBC channels, CBBC and CBeebies, have made a notable impact on the long-running channels. Audience share by quarter hour, 2002 Weekday viewing by children in multichannel homes BBC1 BBC2 ITV1 C4 Five Other Share, % Source: BARB, Monday-Friday Channel performance throughout the day highlights some interesting trends in the viewing habits of multichannel children. Viewing of non-terrestrial channels is highest during the daytime segment between , when viewing of terrestrial channels is at its lowest. In the early morning ( ) the terrestrial channels, in particular BBC2, perform relatively well, although it is clear that, as viewing of the non-terrestrial channels increases, these channels lose audiences. The fall in viewing of non-terrestrial channels and the increase in viewing of BBC1 and ITV1 between demonstrates the continuing importance of the main networks in multichannel homes - this is also illustrated by the list of top-rating children s programmes in these homes. Viewing of non-terrestrial channels dips during the evening as viewing of BBC1 and ITV1 increases, although audiences switch back to these channels after What Children Watch 61

68 Top children's programmes, 2002 Programme Genre Channel Viewers, proportion Viewers, 000s of children(%) All children Newsround Factual BBC ,007 Smart on the road Factual BBC All About Me Light Entertainment BBC Christmas at Club Blue Peter Light Entertainment BBC CBBC at the Fame Academy Light Entertainment BBC Blue Peter Factual BBC Grange Hill Drama BBC Film: Snow White Animation CH Viva S Club Drama BBC Mona the Vampire Animation BBC Multichannel children All About Me Light Entertainment BBC Newsround Factual BBC Bob the Builder Animation BBC Stig of the Dump Drama BBC Fingertips Factual ITV Smart on the Road Factual BBC Blue Peter Factual BBC The Ghost Hunter Drama BBC The Cramp Twins Animation BBC The Story of Tracy Beaker Drama BBC Source: BARB (highest occurrence only) 62 What Children Watch

69 9 New media Since the previous study conducted by the Broadcasting Standards Commission in 1997, Internet penetration has risen from 5% to 43% (The Public s View 2002). Figures show penetration is skewed towards households with children - 49% of these households have access via a computer in the home. This, along with the technical development of games consoles and the growth of mobile phone penetration, has meant that today s children are faced with more diverse media choices, both as a source of entertainment and of communication. These extra choices will undoubtedly lead to the fragmentation of children s leisure time as they spend time away from the television, using their PCs, mobile phones or games consoles. Netvalue measures the usage of the Internet at home and is based on a panel of 7000 households. In June 2002, the average child connected to the internet 10 times, spending 28 minutes online during each session. Frequency of usage is marginally lower than among adults, who connect 17 times per month, but the average session for children is two minutes longer. Usage is highest on weekends, between and after school, between , whereas adult usage is heaviest between 1800-midnight. Figures suggest 52% of 7-16 year olds own a mobile phone, rising to 82% of year olds (Source: NOP). As well as contributing significantly to the millions of SMS messages sent via mobile phones each day, children are heavy users of the Internet as a means of communication. They are more likely than the average Internet user to participate in instant messaging (38% of online children versus an average of 28% of the Internet population) and visit chat rooms (8% of online children versus an average of 5% of the Internet population), as shown below. Online activities: children vs all individuals Leisure/games Leisure/entertainment Media/television Instant messaging Chat Children 4-5 All individuals Source: Netvalue, June % What Children Watch 63

70 The chart highlights sectors that children have a strong affinity with compared with the average Internet user. Surfers aged 4-15 are more likely to visit sites categorised under the games (ea.com, gamesdomain.com, gamefaqs.com), entertainment (neopets.com, warnerbros.com, disney.com), instant messaging, and television (BBC, Channel 4, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon etc) sectors. 64 What Children Watch

71 10 Changes since the 1997 study The analysis conducted in 1997 had been an update of a project, with similar objectives, conducted for the Broadcasting Standards Commission by Professor Blumler in That study had considered the provision and range of children s programming on the terrestrial channels between 1981 and There were significant methodological differences between the two studies, but broad trends and changes could be found. This analysis, of children s programme provision in the five years to 2001, updates Professor Messenger Davies s study, which had tracked changes from 1992 to Again, there are methodological differences. While Professor Messenger Davies had used BARB-based analysis tools, she also conducted desk research looking at issues such as origination of production. The analysis presented here is taken entirely from the BARB, industry-based measurement system. Despite these differences, an overview of trends in children s programme provision can be taken, both in terms of time and variety of material. Data presented here offer a further analysis of the changes since 1991: 1. Growth in children s programme provision: measured by time The time devoted to children s programming between 1991 and 1996 had risen considerably, due to more programming offered on BBC2, Channel 4 and, in particular, the introduction of the satellite and cable-delivered channels, devoted to children s programming. The current analysis found a further increase. The introduction of Channel 5 (now Five) and an increase in children s programming provision on BBC2 have contributed to this change. In addition, a number of new channels have been introduced for those in multichannel homes. These are either new services or channels which target particular age groups, having split from host channels (e.g. from the Disney Channel stable have come two new channels, Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney) Change in children s programme provision: daypart analysis The 1997 study had noted that the increase in children s programming provision occurred primarily during the morning slot and weekends. This analysis of the years from 1996 showed that the increase on analogue terrestrial channels continued to be in the provision of children s programming in the early morning or breakfast slot ( ). There was little change in the late morning ( ) or after school ( ) slots. Provision in the early afternoon slot ( ) had fallen over this period. 7 Blumler, J. G., The Future of Children s Television in Britain: An Enquiry for the Broadcasting Standards Council, It needs to be borne in mind that two further BBC children s channels were launched in What Children Watch 65

72 3. Diversity in children s programme provision Professor Messenger Davies s study had shown that animation had become the dominant form of children s programming on all channels, regardless of whether they were terrestrial or satellite or cable-delivered. While recognising that the general increase in this genre was driven by provision on the dedicated satellite and cable channels, the study was also able to show significant increases on the BBC and commercial terrestrial channels. The analysis of genres since Professor Messenger Davies s study shows that animation is still the main genre within children s output across all channels. However, the analyses do not differentiate between the styles of animation, which are varied, nor is any information available on country of origin. Three-quarters of the output on the dedicated channels falls within this category. BBC2 also increased its output of animated programming, as did Five and GMTV, the breakfast time commercial Channel 3 service. The 1997 study had shown that, despite the increased concentration on animation in all the schedules, the provision of drama on the BBC channels had remained stable, while Channel 4 had increased its provision. The analysis had also shown an arrest in the decline of time devoted to the drama genre on ITV1. The analysis of output since then confirms that drama provision has continued to increase, albeit slowly, with Five making a significant contribution to this genre, especially around This peak in provision on the channel appears to have fallen back in the past two years (to 2001). BBC1 also made a significant contribution to this genre, but the level of output has decreased since 1999, with BBC2 taking an increasing share. Provision on ITV1 has remained constant. While there had been growth in this genre across the period sampled on the dedicated satellite- and cable-delivered channels, a sharp decline was noted in 2001, and the output will have to be tracked to see what is happening. BBC1 was noted to be the main home of factual programming in the 1997 study, with provision on BBC2 overtaking it in the last year considered (1996). While Channel 4 was noted to be increasing its minutage across the sample period to 1996, the genre was considered to be declining across all the schedules. 66 What Children Watch

73 In this analysis to 2001, the dedicated channels offered virtually no factual programming, while Channel 4 s dominance continued. This is due primarily to the fact that schools programming, a significant proportion of Channel 4 s output, is classified by BARB as factual. BBC2 is another key provider of factual programming (including schools programming) while the other commercial analogue terrestrial services continue to show a decline in provision in this area. Light entertainment programming on ITV1 was high in the 1997 study and represented a far greater share of its schedule than BBC1. By 1996, this genre on BBC2 was beginning to match the levels on BBC1. Comparative data, to 2001, showed there was some provision of light entertainment on the dedicated children s channels, based around a few channels. Output had grown almost threefold across the period monitored. BBC1 led BBC2 in this area within the sample period. ITV1's output remained stable while there was some decline noted in Five s provision in this area. This genre was the main constituent of children s programming for GMTV. Both Professor Blumler and Professor Messenger Davies referred to the importance of the provision of pre-school programmes as a separate indicator of a broadcasting organisation s commitment to children as a unique and different audience. There was, however, a decline noted in this category on both Channel 4 and BBC1, as the latter shifted programmes to BBC2. The analysis of the years from 1996 to 2001 suggested fluctuating provision of programming aimed at the pre-school audience on analogue terrestrial television, with a dip in provision corrected by Much of the increase in provision in the last year surveyed came from Five. On the dedicated channels, the increased targeting of age groups meant that pre-school provision increased dramatically, with both Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel creating formats designed exclusively for this audience. What Children Watch 67

74 68 What Children Watch

75 Section 2 The opinions of children and parents about children s programming provision Background The study carried out previously by Professor Messenger Davies included interviews with professionals, but not children themselves. This latest study, as well as providing an update of the actual amount and range of children s programming available, includes qualitative research with both children and some parents to find out their respective expectations of children s programming and whether these are being met. Qualitative research is useful for telling us something about the story behind the viewing figures. It does not provide statistics, but offers an insight into the views and opinions held by audiences. It helps to answer questions such as: what do children think about what they watch? How do they select the programmes they see, and how has multichannel television changed their viewing habits? What are parents concerns with current output, and are these different from children s concerns? Are children happy with the range and diversity of programming aimed specifically at them? How are children using the electronic programme guide (EPG), and what effect has it had on their viewing habits? Focus groups and trio depth interviews were carried out with a range of children aged 6-12 years, along with some family observations and discussion groups with parents. 9 This research provides an understanding of the importance of children s television to children, both on terrestrial and digital channels. Objectives The key objective for this part of the project was to understand both children s and parents responses to current children s programming in the United Kingdom, in the context of the growth of multichannel access and digital television and its associated interactive services. More specifically, the research aimed to look at: the differences between multichannel and terrestrial-only homes, both in terms of their demands, and perceptions of what they get, from the children s genre; the impact of scheduling and of the electronic programme guide (EPG) on viewing; audience responses to traditional quality measures; attitudes towards merchandise-based programming; opinions about the origination of programmes. 9 See Appendices 1 and 2 for details of methodology and sample. What Children Watch 69

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77 11 The role of television The work of Professor Livingstone and Moira Bovill (2001) 10 found that the importance of television to young people and children is very clear. It is the most pervasive medium in European homes and the one children spend most time with by far. Out of a list of 16 media, both boys and girls in the majority of the 12 European countries surveyed named television as the medium they would miss most. This finding was particularly true for British children, emphasising the United Kindom s strong screen entertainment culture. UK children have one of the highest levels of personal ownership of television sets in Europe. Uniquely, they are as likely to have a television set in their bedroom as they are to have a shelf of books. Livingstone and Bovill set out to look at the role of the media and how they shape, as well as are shaped by, children s and young people s identity and culture, and their relations with family, peers, school and community. The framework for their study was initially conceived as a follow-up to Himmelweit et al s 1958 postwar study, Television and the Child. 11 Despite the dramatic technological changes over the decades since this original study, in many respects children s lives are as they were 20 or even 40 years ago. Children grow up, watch television, ride their bikes, argue with their parents, study hard, or become disaffected with school, just as they always did... Then, just as we find today, children prefer to play outside with their friends than use the media, mainly watching television to relieve boredom. This new, much smaller scale qualitative research shows a high degree of continuity with previous studies. The findings reinforce the continued importance of television viewing within the context of children s busy lives, but also show that, regardless of the increased access to new media, additional television channels etc, children continue to enjoy doing many of the things that they have always enjoyed doing. The research took place over the summer months when most children said that their favourite thing to do was to play outside with their friends. Parents encourage their children to be outside if the weather is good, although there are concerns for their children s personal safety. There are well-documented differences in media use between the genders. In this study, the boys were found to enjoy computer games and games consoles - PlayStation 2 was still a firm favourite. The girls were more likely to read on occasions, although this was not a popular activity for the majority, and to listen to music. In general, however, television is very much the main leisure activity in the home. Most of the children in the study could not imagine life without television. They were asked what they would do if their television was taken away: I wouldn t be able to live without my TV. (Girl, aged 9, Manchester) I would be really disappointed if I didn t have TV anymore. (Boy, aged 8, London) 10 Livingstone, S. and Bovill, M., Children and Their Changing Media Environment A European Comparative Study, Himmelweit, H. T., Oppenheim, A. N. and Vince, P., Television And The Child, What Children Watch 71

78 Life without TV... no way! (Girl, aged 8, Birmingham) I would be really angry if I didn t have TV to watch. What would I do? (Girl, aged 11, London) The light bulb effect Just like a light bulb, the television is always on. It tends to be put on first thing in the morning when the household wakes up, and it is often still on last thing at night. One father said: I switch it off when I go to bed at night - I m usually the last one awake - and the kids turn it on in the morning. (Father, London) The television is almost like a member of the family in its own right. And it is continually evolving, especially in multichannel homes where there are new channels and programmes on offer all the time. In these homes, children find it almost impossible to turn it off because there is always something to watch. BARB data show that children in multichannel homes are watching 35 minutes more per day (four hours a week) than children in terrestrial homes. In many households, the television stays on even when no one is in. Parents in these households see it as a burglar deterrent. It also stays on while mothers are getting on with their household chores. They like to have some background noise in the house, so they just leave it on even if they are not watching it. Equipment in the home Virtually every home these days contains more than one television set, and the number of sets per household in the United Kingdom is increasing. Nowadays, particularly in homes with children, there is practically a television set in every room in the house. Some families who took part in this research were found to have as many as six or seven televisions in the home. The bathroom seems to be the only room that does not contain a television, although one family admitted that they did have a small portable that on occasions found its way into the bathroom. Television sets were usually located in: the living room parents bedroom the kitchen all the children s bedrooms TV room/play room It is not uncommon for all the televisions in the house to be on at the same time. 72 What Children Watch

79 Access to multichannel television Normally only one of the television sets in the home has multichannel access on it, however, and this is usually the main set. In some homes, there is the ability to watch these additional channels one other set, but this television is still controlled via the main set. This main set is the one family members fight for control of, with the exception of mothers who rarely becomes involved in debates over viewing. As long as they have access to soap operas on the main set, most mothers are happy. TVs in bedrooms Many children aged nine and over have a television in their bedroom. It is usually a handme-down or they have been given it as a birthday or Christmas present. Most children are now being bought a combined television/video. Parents have an issue about televisions in bedrooms if they have younger children (under nines), or are first-time mothers. They often feel uncomfortable admitting that their child has a television in his/her bedroom. They feel they have to justify it in some way and will say that it helps their child to get to sleep or that it is just there for the PlayStation, or that there is no aerial because it is only used for watching videos. The VCR The video recorder still plays an important role in children s lives. All children have a video collection and regularly watch videos, especially younger children. Mothers of younger children like the control this offers - they appreciate the reassurance of knowing exactly what their children are watching. Watching films on video is an activity which many families enjoy together. Perhaps this contributes to the fact that many children are watching films targeted at a much older age group. Most of the children who took part in this research had seen films with certificate ratings of 12 and 15. Parents are less concerned about their children watching these kinds of films if they are around to check up or to watch with them. What Children Watch 73

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81 12 When, where and how are children watching? When and where? To a large extent, children are watching when they want. Most children are watching television: in the morning before school as soon as they get home from school some during dinner while doing their homework weekend mornings weekend evenings Although some parents do try to control the amount of television their children watch, in reality there seems to be very little policing. Mornings before school Since 1996, there has been a significant growth (over 120%) in the provision of children s programming on the terrestrial channels during the breakfast slot ( ), particularly on the BBC channels, Five and Channel 4. In line with this, and coupled with the availability of children s programmes on the dedicated channels, most children are watching television in the morning before school. Parents and children give a number of different reasons for this morning fix. Some children say that having background noise helps wake them up. Parents say it helps kto eep them occupied until they themselves get up. Children watch television while having their breakfast and just before they leave for school. It fills in time if they are waiting for friends to collect them en route. Some say their parents offer them the chance to watch television as a reward for getting ready for school. There are some households where television is not allowed in the morning as it gets in the way, but these families are very much in the minority. Afternoons after school Viewing patterns show that the second peak for the child audience occurs at 1530 (Page 56 of this report). Putting the television on is almost like a reflex action. Children arrive home from school, and often the first thing they do is to put the television on. They immediately want to know what is on. Children, especially those from terrestrial-only homes, know that the afternoon is when the good programmes are scheduled. What Children Watch 75

82 (Boy, aged 12, Birmingham) (Girl, aged 9, Manchester) Afternoon television is seen by both children and parents as time to relax after a hard day at school. It is children s chill out time - a chance to escape from the real world. The mother endorses this time and hands over responsibility to her children. She trusts what is on during weekday afternoons, and especially on the analogue terrestrial channels, knowing the programming is targeted at children. She allows them to take control of their viewing while she is busy elsewhere. 76 What Children Watch

83 Over dinner/tea It is taken for granted in most homes that the television is left on when children do their homework. Children themselves often say it helps them to concentrate. They are used to having background noise; it is something they have always done and is a comfort to them. You might not necessarily be really watching and listening, but it s always on in the background. (Boy, aged 12, Birmingham) Children have learnt to screen in and out; to attend to the television and then to filter it out if they are doing something else, e.g. homework. It is almost as if they have developed the ability to multi-task. Some parents insist that the television goes off, but the vast majority feel that, as long as their children finish their homework, the television can stay on. Most of the children who took part in the research were amazed that turning the television off might be a consideration. They could not conceive why it would be thought necessary. Weekend mornings Weekend mornings were thought by most respondents to provide the best children s television. Children felt there was always something on for them to watch at this time, whether they had terrestrial or multichannel television. Terrestrial-only viewers considered that they were particularly well catered for. I love it when I wake up on a Saturday, and you just know there is going to be good telly. (Terrestrial, boy, aged 12, Manchester) Evenings In the lounge Children have less control over viewing in the evenings. Evenings tend to be more family viewing time where the household is often watching more adult programming. Parents take more control if there is a specific programme on that they want to watch. As another report, Striking a Balance 12 found, parents are keen to protect their own leisure space. After the Watershed there is some regulation of children s viewing. The more potentially inappropriate adult programmes are often banned outright, or parents decide to watch with their children. For example, Bad Girls and Big Brother were cited as programmes that parents watched with their children. Watching these kinds of programmes, from the children s point of view, is often a good way to negotiate going to bed later, every child s primary goal. Parents admitted that they often gave in to pestering. They re always like, Please, please, please, I have to watch it. (Father, London) 12 Edited by Hanley, P., Striking a Balance: the control of children s media consumption, British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting Standards Commission and Independent Television Commission, What Children Watch 77

84 In the bedroom Many children watch television in bed before going to sleep. They say it helps them to fall asleep. Children have ultimate control over what they watch in the evening in their bedroom, but currently it is only the terrestrial channels they are viewing. You can watch anything you want in your room, but there s not many channels. (Girl, aged 8, Manchester) Some mothers of younger children control their viewing by having the bedroom television linked to a VCR rather than to an aerial. They may watch part of a video before going to sleep. I always put on a video just before they go to bed - one of their favourites. It helps them to unwind and relax before sleeping. (Mother, Manchester) Children tend to flick during evening viewing in their bedrooms and stay up beyond their official bedtime. This is something parents are aware of, but nevertheless tolerate. How do children watch? Children sit very close to the television set. The best seat is the one nearest the television. It is the chair or space that siblings argue over. It is likely to be the easiest place to flick from. It is easier for multichannel children to read the electronic programme guide (EPG) if they are sitting close to the television. You just get the best view when you sit near. (Girl, aged 10, London) Sitting close means less disturbance from other family members. Children described the sense of control they have when they are in close proximity to the television set where no one can get in their way. 78 What Children Watch

85 (Boy, aged 10, Edinburgh) Who do children like to watch with? Given the choice, all the children in the research said that they would prefer to watch on their own. The reasons that they gave were to do with control. When alone, they gain control of the remote control and choose what to watch and when to flick. If they are on their own they can choose where to sit as well. Children mentioned the fact that watching with others can be annoying because their parents always talk through programmes, younger siblings are a nuisance, and older siblings take away control of the remote. (Girl, aged 9, Manchester) What Children Watch 79

86 They did mention some programmes that they preferred to watch with others, such as football with their father, films and game shows such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? with the whole family, and soap operas with their mother. (Girl, aged 9, Manchester) Control of the remote For all the children, having control of the remote control is the ultimate aim. They acknowledge that whomever has it in their hands has control, so the controller rarely puts it down. If s/he does, someone else will take it and assume control. Others in the room usually make requests to the controller. These back seat controllers are typically peers who may or may not be listened to. Ownership will be passed on when the controller leaves the room. Older siblings tend to be in charge, so younger children often have to watch what their older brothers and sisters want to watch. Younger children gain control when the older members of the family do not want to watch any more or are not that bothered about what is on. Parental regulation Pre-Watershed, children are given free range to watch pretty much what they want. Parents assume that programming before 2100 is suitable for their children to watch alone. Post 2100 parents differ in terms of what they consider suitable for their children to watch. Some parents are stricter than others, but most seem to give in quite easily to their children s pestering. Many parents feel it is just not worth the argument, especially with children aged 10 years and older. Ten appears to be the age when parents start to become more relaxed about monitoring their children s viewing. This ties in with the findings from Striking a Balance, which found that, around this age (the top class in junior school), there is a drive towards separation from parental influences. All the parents were aware that their children may watch unsuitable programmes when not in their care, e.g. at friends houses, grandparents homes, in their bedrooms. 80 What Children Watch

87 Fathers know more than mothers do? Mothers think they know what their children watch, but the reality is that most rarely watch television with their children. They are usually too busy elsewhere, clearing up and making dinner etc. I d like to think I know what they watch, but I never remember the [programme] names or anything. (Mother, Birmingham) Fathers, on the other hand, say they do not have a clue about their children s viewing, but in practice were found to spend more time watching television with their children than they said they did or realised they did. It appears to be almost subconscious viewing. One father, for example, was unaware that he was singing along, word perfect, to the tune of the Power Puff Girls! It is likely that mothers find it hard to sit down and watch television with their children because they are always conscious of the chores that have to be done. Summary To summarise, the role of television in children s lives is a bit like a noisy light bulb. It is on all the time, and everywhere in the home. Children prefer, ideally, to watch it on their own. They feel they would be lost without television and spend most of their time trying to gain control of it. What Children Watch 81

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89 13 Children s understanding of television Programmes and channels Children are confused as to what is a programme and what is a channel, particularly those under the age of eight years. Multichannel viewing has largely created this confusion because today s children are switching, between so many more channels and programmes. They get the words mixed up and call programmes channels and vice versa. BBC is a programme with lots of programmes on it. (Girl, aged 8, Manchester) Children are unaware that they are mixing up programmes and channels, and believe that they know exactly what they are talking about. They do not feel confused and do not regard it as a problem. Genres Younger children under the age of eight years have some understanding of different programmes and segment them on a very basic level - programmes for me, programmes for adults and programmes for everybody. The main bulk of viewing of children this age is of the children s programming genre only. By about nine years of age, however, children start to understand and become more aware of the different genres and their repertoire of genres increases. They talk about preferring to watch music programmes versus cartoons, or real-life programmes, nature programmes etc. Channel loyalty In general, there is less channel loyalty than there once was. Children are programme seekers, rather than channel seekers. They tend to search out their favourite programmes. Multichannel children are aided by the EPG to search for programmes rather than to look for specific channels. Although they do still have favourite channels, the distinction between channels is blurred when there are so many to choose from. Multichannel children are not always aware of what is on when. Terrestrial-only children, with a limited number of channels to choose from, and in the absence of an EPG to help organize their viewing, are more aware of the channel they are watching at a given time. This does not necessarily result in greater channel loyalty, however, as terrestrial children do not feel a particularly strong affinity with any of the five channels on offer. That said, they are aware of CITV and CBBC as branding, and the younger children in the research spontaneously referred to CBeebies, so they do have a sense that parts of the terrestrial networks are dedicated to programming especially for children, and this is appreciated. Terrestrial parents feel that this demonstrates that broadcasters care about their child audience. They considered it would be unacceptable for any of the What Children Watch 83

90 terrestrial channels to stop showing children s programming or to limit the provision. They thought it would demonstrate a lack of interest on the part of terrestrial broadcasters in serving a part of their viewing audience. Additionally, these parents had so far resisted paying for more channels and strongly objected to being forced down the route of having to pay for dedicated channels as a result of a diminished children s service on free-to-air channels. If children s television was taken away, then it would be videos, I suppose. It certainly wouldn t make me necessarily be lulled into purchasing digital TV. (Mother, Edinburgh) When talking of the removal of children s television from one of the terrestrial channels: 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. (Mother, Edinburgh) Not everybody has access [to digital] and not everybody can afford digital, so the BBC has a duty to give everybody across the range the opportunity to watch programmes they enjoy. Possibly ITV1 don t have that duty, but then it can fund programmes from advertising, so it should cater for everyone, too. (Mother, Edinburgh) Favourite programmes Children have lots of favourite programmes, and these change all the time. For terrestrial viewers, in particular, their favourites are dependent on the schedules and what is currently being broadcast. Children easily forget if a programme has not been on for a few weeks. Multichannel schedules are far more predictable, as they show most of the same programmes each day/week. But in reality there is little difference between the favourites of multichannel and terrestrial, however, only children. They tend to like the same programmes. The key difference is that children in multichannel homes get to see their favourite programmes more often. 84 What Children Watch

91 Some favourite programmes Young girls Power Puff Girls Recess Sabrina Tom and Jerry EastEnders Older girls (9+) Saved by the Bell The Simpsons EastEnders Friends Recess Casualty and Holby City Sabrina Young boys Bay Blades Dragon Ball Z The Simpsons Wrestling (some) Dexter s Laboratory Robot Wars Older boys (9+) Lads Army The Simpsons Football Malcolm in the Middle Buffy Scrap Heap Challenge Robot Wars What Children Watch 85

92 (Girl, aged 9, Manchester) The Simpsons The Simpsons is a show for the whole family. Everyone enjoys it, even mothers. It is the kind of programme that children like watching over and over again. It has something in it for everyone. It was spontaneously mentioned as a favourite in every children s group. It is easy watching and a programme that makes everyone laugh. You ve Been Framed Children love this programme. It is funny, easy to watch and they hugely enjoy seeing adults making fools of themselves. This is a really popular programme with all age groups. Sabrina Sabrina is still very popular, especially with girls who relate strongly to the main character. They see her as a girl like me but a bit different. It has make-believe and fantasy for younger children, but also real-life teenage issues for the older girls. Children also think it looks good, in terms of its production values. They have a sense that it is high quality. Again, they like to watch it repeatedly. The kind of programme you can watch over and over again. (Girl, aged 8, London) 86 What Children Watch

93 I think for children like mine, Sabrina is less harmful than Grange Hill. Grange Hill is very real, whereas Sabrina is a bit of a fantasy really. (Mother, Edinburgh) Blue Peter Blue Peter remains popular with terrestrial viewers, but multichannel children are less enthusiastic about it. Some of the children said that they tuned in to the parts of the programme they liked, but often did not watch the whole programme. They thought it was quite mixed, with good and bad bits. Multichannel viewers have less patience when watching and switch over more quickly. They are less likely to return because of the choice of other programmes available. Art Attack Art Attack is still very popular. It is one of the programmes that all children enjoy watching and talking about. It is clever and intriguing. You always want to be able to do what he does. (Boy, aged 10, Edinburgh) They know their parents approve of them watching this programme and they recognise themselves that it has an educational value, but it is also fun. Newsround Newsround is not a programme that most children say they actively choose to watch, although viewing figures show that it was the top children s programme in Many are perhaps watching it because of its scheduling, i.e. immediately before Neighbours on BBC1. But children say they are interested in news stories that are especially relevant to them, e.g. if they involve children or are of great significance, such as the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers and the war in Iraq. Some multichannel children are watching adult news channels i.e. Sky News and BBC News 24. Soap Operas Ownership of the soap operas resides with mother. Most children watch them because their mothers do. Girls and mothers refer to watching soap operas together as bonding time. Viewing soap operas allows children a window into the adult world. They feel more grown up watching programmes that deal with real-life issues and relationships. Striking a Balance comments on the fact that parents feel that their children are maturing earlier; although they highlight the difficulty in judging whether their physical and social maturity is matched by their emotional maturity, and that there is a need to educate children about the real world. The media, and soap operas in particular, are thought by parents to have a role in this. 13 Even young children of six and seven years of age are watching soap operas with their mothers. There are mothers who have concerns about some of the issues in the soap operas 13 Millwood Hargrave, A. with Gatfield, L., Soap Box or Soft Soap? Broadcasting Standards Commission, What Children Watch 87

94 but these tend to be the ones who do not watch them. Those who do are largely happy to continue to allow their children to watch with them. Sport Sport is fathers domain. Fathers usually control the sport watching, and boys love watching with them. Football is a favourite. It creates a sense of togetherness when the whole family watches events such as the World Cup. Other sporting events, which have united the family, include the Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon etc. Music channels Multichannel children, especially older children, are watching music channels a lot. They find them easy to turn to - they are always there and there is always something to watch. These channels offer good in between viewing, even the young ones aged five or six will tune in for short periods. They learn the moves and the words, and it allows them into the world of music, a world that terrestrial viewers rarely get to see on a regular basis. Nature programmes Nature and wildlife programmes are very popular with both girls and boys and these are often watched as a family. Children know that their parents like them to watch these programmes, but they do enjoy them. They re good because you actually learn something. (Girl, aged 11, London) Nature programmes are more popular with terrestrial viewers, especially when shown on a Sunday night. Boys tend to enjoy the more violent series such as Ultimate Killers and Walking with Beasts, and episodes about sharks or crocodiles. Girls prefer programmes about cuter animals such as dolphins, elephants or baby animals. Cartoons Cartoons are what children love to watch. They see them as television they own - television that is really for them. They watch cartoons every day, especially the boys. They are fun and easy to watch. No brainer TV. (Boy, aged 12, Birmingham) 88 What Children Watch

95 (Girl, aged 11, London) In general, all children like to watch a variety of programmes. Watching anything for too long can become boring. As one child said, You can even tire of watching The Simpsons. They value diversity in programming, something which is underpinned by the viewing figures which show that children s top programmes (see p57 of the report) include a range of genres: factual (including news), light entertainment, animation and drama. This is the same across both terrestrial and multichannel households. What Children Watch 89

96 Gender differences in programme content Girls have a clear interest in human relationships, particularly friendships and romance as they grow older. The girls in this research tended to favour real-life issue programmes. The cartoons they preferred often had an element of real life, e.g. Recess and Rugrats. The girls liked soap operas and dramas such as Casualty and Holby City. The boys tended to be more into sports, action, adventure, fantasy and noise. They cited among their favourite programmes action manga cartoons such as BeyBlades and Dragon Ball Z, and loud and interactive game shows such as Scrapheap Challenge and Robot Wars. And many were avid watchers of football. Boys interests in action and adventure have been found also to influence their choice of electronic games, reading material and video rentals, as well as affecting their musical tastes. 14 (Boy, aged 10, Edinburgh) 14 Lemish, D. Liebes, T. and Seidman, V., Gendered Media Meanings and Uses. In: Children and their Changing Media Environment, edited by Livingstone S. and Bovill M., What Children Watch

97 14 Terrestrial versus multichannel Overview Terrestrial and multichannel television are two different worlds. Multichannel children always have something to watch whatever the time of day, so they tend to watch television more than terrestrial-only children do. Viewing figures show that multichannel children are watching 35 minutes more per day. It is harder for those in multichannel homes to actively turn the television off when they know that there are always programmes on for them to see. But increased choice does not necessarily mean greater diversity. The earlier part of this report shows that the balance of children s programming on individual dedicated channels is more limited, when considered as a proportion of broadcast time, than on the individual terrestrial channels. Even when the hours of transmission are taken into account, the balance of programming on the main dedicated channels is weighted towards light entertainment in the form of animation. Notably, although multichannel children have more programmes available specifically for them, they are not watching any more children s programming than are terrestrial children (30 minutes per day). The rest of the time, therefore, they are watching genres outside children s television. Terrestrial children do not have the same luxury of always having children s programmes to turn to, so often when they turn on the television they cannot find anything to watch. As a result, they are more selective about their viewing and only watch at certain times. If there is nothing on that they want to see, they will turn the television off. Terrestrial children It is fair to say that terrestrial children are a dying breed. Most are part-time multichannel viewers anyway. They may watch at their father s house if their parents are separated or divorced, at grandparents or at friends homes. Given the choice, most would like to have multichannel television at home. But they accept not having it because there is a sense that they will get it in the end - it is only a matter of time. Terrestrial children tend to switch on the television set and flick. Sometimes they know what is going to be on and have made an appointment to view. More often than not they switch on and hope they will find something to watch. They have a feel for when their programmes are on, but otherwise they will flick around until they find something. If nothing is on, they will turn the television off. Terrestrial children know exactly when the children s programmes are on, although not necessarily the schedules themselves. For example, they know that the best times for them are immediately after school and on Saturday mornings. If they can read, some will use a television guide magazine, although most find the guides quite complicated. Some prefer to use a newspaper and a few said that they turned to teletext. What Children Watch 91

98 Sunday night is the one time when many terrestrial children wish they had multichannel television. It is only terrestrial children who get the Sunday Night Blues. Not only do they have homework to complete and school the next day, but also there is nothing to watch on television. Terrestrial children know that those with multichannel television do not have the same problem. For those with cable and satellite channels, Sunday night is just the same as every other night. There s hardly ever anything to watch on a Sunday, only sometimes they have a good nature programme on. (Boy, aged 12, Birmingham). Multichannel children All those with multichannel television said that life before Sky was really boring. They were enthusiastic about having access to lots of channels. Before Sky or cable, they said that they often found it difficult to find something to watch; there was less choice and not enough programmes for children. They said that they frequently ended up watching programmes that they did not really like. They referred to terrestrial television as plain TV. When asked about terrestrial or plain TV, multichannel children said that it was not really for them. They watched it sometimes, but it was not a first choice to view. They mentioned that they sometimes watched programmes with the rest of the family on the five terrestrial channels, but otherwise did not choose to visit these channels very often. Younger children who had always had multichannel television did not really know about plain TV. BBC1 to them was just a channel with a number like all the rest. Some referred to the BBC channels as Channel One and Channel Two. Multichannel television has changed the lives of mothers who have younger children, especially those with pre-schoolers. It offers a day-long schedule that the children can turn to whenever they want, which allows mothers to get on with their chores. It is almost like a substitute nanny. Multichannel children are becoming more sophisticated at a younger age. They watch more and they see more, therefore, they want more and expect more. Although they put up with more repeats, they are also constantly looking for the new and different, and they often find it. They have more to explore and are open to a much wider repertoire of programmes and channels. For many, having five channels is an unimaginable thought. What would you watch? 92 What Children Watch

99 The EPG has brought viewing to life and made it more interactive. Multichannel viewers have a number of different ways to decide what to watch. The length of time children have had multichannel television affects how they use the EPG. Long-term users tend to know the numbers of their favourite channels and flick through them in what seems an organised way, starting with the number of their favourite channel and working their way through. They are actively looking for programmes, but have an awareness of which channels their favourites are on. Those who have not had multichannel television for long start with the programme guide lists, either looking at All Channels, or looking in the Kids section. This research uncovered evidence that children do plan their viewing in advance using the EPG. Children who have little or no control of the remote control in their family are using the EPG to gain some control. They utilize the EPG s programme planners at the beginning of the day to plan their viewing. The programme they want to watch flashes up a reminder on screen five minutes before it is about to start. Other family members will often then relinquish control and allow them to watch their favourite programme. The decision on what to watch is quick. Children flick through or read through, making decisions very quickly. Frequently the channels further on in the electronic guide do not even get a look-in as children have already made their decision before they get there. Those channels which may be missing out, currently include CBBC, CBeebies, some of the Disney channels and Discovery Kids. Children tend to have some idea of what they want to watch, and as soon as they see it they press select. Typically, they do not go back to the TV guide page again. Once they have made an initial choice, they then flick through, looking at what is on elsewhere while they watch what they have selected, or alternatively they use numbers they know. The replay channels There is no longer any need for children to rush back from something to see a programme or even to video programmes. The popular children s channels all have replay channels that show the same programmes an hour later than the normal channel. Children are aware of this and will catch up on any programme they have missed. If they do not, they know that it will be on again in the next few days. There is less urgency to watch their favourite programmes because they are always available. What Children Watch 93

100 Interactive television Interactive television is by no means being used to its full potential, although most with multichannel television are aware that interactive services are available to them. Children rarely use it and have little to say about it at the moment. Some parents said they used it for news and had used it during the Big Brother 2002 series, which was on when fieldwork was being conducted. Very few mothers use it for shopping. They do not trust it and feel it lacks choice - it is easier currently, for example, to order clothes from a mail order catalogue, so there is low incentive to shop interactively. Children consider the games are reasonable, but nowhere near as good as their games consoles. They think the graphics are slow and not that brilliant. is currently not as easy to use via the television as it is on the home computer, so most do not bother. The majority have an awareness that technology moves on very quickly, however, and that it is improving all the time, so they believe the future lies with interactivity, but currently it is far too slow and difficult to use and does not do enough to warrant their involvement. Quality issues Children and parents have different views when it comes to what makes a good programme. Children tend to be looking for a bit of escapism, a good storyline and humour. Parents prefer children to be watching programmes that have some sort of moral or educational value, and they especially dislike slang. A quality programme For Children Looks good Bright and colourful Good storyline Humour Escapism For Parents Ideally has a moral Educational value Good storyline Good production values No slang (especially mothers of younger children) The one thing that parents will not tolerate is swearing. They find it offensive and unnecessary. It is not what they want to be seen allowing their children to watch. It works against what they are trying to teach their children about good manners and behaviour. But, parents will tolerate it under certain circumstances, e.g. when it is used in a real-life situation. Parents and children, especially boys, cited Lads Army as an example of a programme that they were allowed to watch which contained a high level of bad language. Parents reasoning was that this was not swearing for swearing s sake. They did not consider programmes such as South Park to be in the same category and objected to the language used in the cartoon, which they felt was designed to appeal to children, even though children are not the target audience. 94 What Children Watch

101 About programming generally: I can t bear it when they swear all the time and my kids are watching with me. It makes them think it s okay to swear, and it s just not helpful. (Mother, Birmingham) Merchandising The issue of merchandising was raised with parents. There was not a great deal of antagonism towards merchandise-based programming. The popularity of merchanised products is at its peak among children under the age of four. Mothers get a great deal of vicarious pleasure from giving their youngsters presents, they know their children will love. To children this age it is the real thing. By seven years, however, the desire to have lots of favourite television programme products lessens considerably. At this age, it is more the occasional T-shirt or pencil case that is being bought, often as a gift rather than something the seven year old has specifically asked for. As children grow older, they tend to look for products that are endorsed or sponsored by their favourite personalities, e.g. sportsmen or women, or pop stars. Repeats Children tolerate repeats well. They use them to get a quick fix. If they have seen something many times before, they might dip in and out. Repeats used to be more of an issue, but now many see there are some benefits. Most children will not watch the same episode twice in a day, but other than that they are happy to watch the episode over and over again. It does not appear to be a contentious issue, but rather something they have grown used to and accept. For those who have always had multichannel television, it is what they have always known. I d rather watch a repeat of something I like than a new episode of something I don t. (Girl, aged 9, London) That is not to say, however, that, if new and different programmes were to dry up, children would not eventually become bored with the limited choice of programming available. What Children Watch 95

102 Programme origination American children s programming dominates the dedicated channels and, in many cases, is an increasing part of the terrestrial broadcasters children s schedules. In 1996, American productions made up a quarter of the output of children s programming on ITV1 (Source: ITC). This has risen to 30% in 2002, although the level has been relatively stable over the past four years. Five has seen a marked increase year-on-year from 16% of total output in 2001 to 35% in Channel 4 shows a significant reduction in its purchase of American content (down from 84% of total children s output in 1997 to 43% in 2001 to 27% in 2002). Children s views Most children, especially those under the age of years, know little about the origin of the programmes that they watch. It is not something that concerns them. Children in London often assume a programme is from the United States and children outside London, e.g. Scotland, often believe that everything comes from London. It is not until around 11 or 12 years that they start to understand and have an opinion about foreign material and then they can be quite judgmental, e.g. It s American rubbish. Parents views The majority of the parents interviewed were quite happy with the type of children s programmes on offer, but more so on the terrestrial channels. Some were critical of the domination of animation on most of the dedicated children s channels. They were aware of the American influence across children s programming generally, but were pragmatic about the fact that their children enjoy many of the American shows such as Sabrina, Hey Arnold, and Keenan & Kel. They felt that these kinds of programmes enable children to escape into a fantasy world away from the reality of school and homework. They offer a bit of light relief and are often funny and make children laugh. I just like good programmes, I don t care where they come from. (Mother, Manchester) Mothers of younger children (under eight) and especially terrestrial-only mothers had more issues. Some were concerned about children picking up American accents, but the main worry was that these programmes were not homemade and therefore were considered to be less culturally relevant. Some mothers also felt they were less educational. There are certain American ones which do actually really annoy me... teaching kids to pronounce things in a certain way, and the language isn t right for British kids. (Mother, Edinburgh) Cheap, rubbish. Bought-in TV. (Mother, Manchester) 96 What Children Watch

103 I find Friends quite shallow. It s in snippets. It s a bit like reading The Sun - a little bit here and a bit there. The British ones tend to follow more of a story, more of a theme - a bit more in depth. (Mother, Manchester) Look at the Teletubbies. That s a UK creation and that swept the world. (Mother, Edinburgh) Given the choice, however, it is the American shows that many children seem to prefer watching. Children think that they look better and perceive them to have higher production values. They make them laugh, and they find the humour more sophisticated. They allow for escapism, and for some children they were seen to be aspirationa,l with clever, funny characters living in worlds which children found attractive. American programmes were perceived to be for my age group and above which gives children a sense that they are not being spoken down to. Programming appeal has been found to be linked to perceptions by children of its positioning as older or younger than themselves (Messenger Davies et al). 15 While there are different types of UK-based children s dramas, few seem to incorporate all of the values of the US-based dramas. Often slapstick humour is used, and, while many children love it, it can feel young. Programmes such as My Parents Are Aliens are enjoyed, but tend to be seen as being for younger children. Book-based dramas such as The Worst Witch and The Queen s Nose are very popular with the under 10s but, whilst older children still watch them, given the choice they would prefer more grown up programming. US shows appear to have a far broader appeal. They are more multi-leveled so there is something in them for everyone. British programmes such as Grange Hill and Byker Grove are well liked and remembered by terrestrial children, but they are almost forgotten by multichannel children. The latter always have the choice to watch something else. These kinds of UK children s soap dramas are often seen as depressing, and, although they are more relevant to British children s lives, they do not fit well with the home from school mood and the need of children for a bit of escapism. Children want to chill out and relax when they get home from school and not have to think about anything too heavy. Given the choice, most would opt to watch a funny US programme. 15 Messenger Davies, M., O Malley, K. and Corbett, B., Channels to the Future. Children s views about broadcasting provision. In: What Price Creativity? edited by Ralph, S., Langham Brown, J. and Lees, T., What Children Watch 97

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105 15 Conclusions New media abound, but television retains its importance as the primary source of leisure entertainment for children. Nevertheless, it has to continue to compete. The leisure industry is expanding at a rapid rate as new technologies flood the market. Many of the early adopters of these technologies are households with children. The competition for children s leisure time has never been greater. Television has had to evolve to keep pace. The landscape of children s television, in particular, has changed dramatically. Currently, there are 10 main dedicated children s channels broadcasting children s programming 24 hours a day. The provision of children s programming overall has tripled in the past five years. Not only do children have access to their own programmes whenever they want, but also the development of dedicated replay channels, which repeat schedules every hour, means that they never have to worry about missing their favourite programmes. Perhaps it is not surprising that it is harder for multichannel children than it is for terrestrial children to turn the television off. Terrestrial children have far less flexibility about when they can view and less choice about what to watch. Television may be a disappointment to them at times, but they do value what they have and look forward to the times of day when there are programmes on for them. They are much more able than are multichannel children to turn the television off when their programmes have ended and to find alternative forms of entertainment. Most of children s everyday viewing occurs within the children s genre, but they also regularly dip into: music soap operas real-life dramas sport some nature programmes Multichannel television has created a sense of ownership among the child audience. Children now feel that they own a part of television. And having additional dedicated channels has raised their expectations and demands. Children want and expect a good choice of programmes across a number of channels. They expect to see new programmes on offer all or most of the time, and they eagerly embrace these new offerings. Dedicated channels have changed the way children view. This audience no longer has to worry about missing their favourite programmes because they know they will be on again. Neither do they have to confine their viewing to certain times of the day because whatever the time of day there will be programmes on for them to watch. The electronic programme guide has given children more control over their viewing, and they are adept at using it. What Children Watch 99

106 Although terrestrial viewers are less sophisticated, most have regular access to cable or satellite channels and therefore have many of these expectations as well. They know it is only a matter of time until they get digital television themselves. Terrestrial parents, however, would seem to have more conservative views. They do not see a need for any more television. They consider there is already too much content that is not of good quality. It may be quite a difficult task to shift these terrestrial die hards views. In essence, whether multichannel or terrestrial, children are looking for good programmes. They have little channel loyalty, especially in the multichannel world where there are so many options to choose from. Children are a critical audience and they want high quality programmes that entertain, contain humour, provide interesting information and above all, do not speak down to them. While multichannel children are watching more television than terrestrial children are, it is significant that it is not more children s programmes they are tuning in to but other kinds of programming. Analogue terrestrial broadcasters offer a better balance of programming across the hours they broadcast and more original British productions, which are valued by parents and enjoyed by children. The challenge facing terrestrial broadcasters is to continue to compete within an increasingly competitive market place. The BBC has taken the step of creating its own dedicated channels, CBBC and CBeebies, available in multichannel homes. It remains to be seen whether other terrestrial broadcasters will see an economic need to follow suit. As far as the future is concerned, viewers expectations are: access to digital channels will be available on every set in the home, interactive television will be used on a regular basis, internet access via the television will be available to all households, there will be televisions in every room and possibly even in the car. Everyone realises that the future is changing. Children are an audience eagerly embracing the digital age and families will be the early adopters of the latest technology. There are still a group of parents, however, who remain to be convinced that more choice means better quality. 100 What Children Watch

107 Appendix 1: Methodology Rosenblatt Research was commissioned by the ITC and the BSC to carry out qualitative research involving children s groups, mini groups (trios), and family observations with a range of children aged between six and 12 years. In addition, a number of parent groups was held. A variety of different techniques were used in order to facilitate understanding of children s views in relation to children s programming. The fieldwork was carried out by Nicki Karet and Abby Jones. Children s photo journals All the children who took part in the research were asked to keep a journal/diary for a week, prior to coming to their group/trio. They were asked to describe what television programmes they liked watching, and why, and to say who they liked watching them with. They were asked also to give an account of what they liked doing when they were not watching television, e.g., leisure activities, seeing friends. Each child was given a disposable camera and asked to take pictures to illustrate their interests and the things/people that were important to them. The aim of the journals was to determine how television fits in to children s lives. They contain fascinating insights into children s lives and thoughts. Illustrations from these diaries are used in this report. Family observations Nicki Karet from Rosenblatt Research returned to a number of families and spent several hours with them during the evening watching television and observing how the family interacted. These sessions provided detailed information about how different families negotiate viewing and resolve conflict over viewing. Parent groups Groups were commissioned with parents of children aged between four and 12 years. This was to enable a comparison to be drawn between children s views, opinions and concerns and parental issues. By including some parents of children that took part in the research, it was possible to cross check responses and iron out any discrepancies. What Children Watch 101

108 Appendix 2: Sample Sample structure: phase I - children Trio/Group Gender Age Type of TV Location Date 1 (trio) Boys 6-7 (yr 2) Digital Manchester 25 June 02 2 (trio) Boys 7-8 (yr 3) Terrestrial London 27 June 02 3 (trio) Girls 7-8 (yr 3) Digital Birmingham 26 June 02 4 Girls 8-9 (yr 4) Digital Manchester 25 June 02 5 Girls (yr 5) Digital London 27 June 02 6 Boys (yr 6) Terrestrial Birmingham 26 June 02 Sample structure: phase I - parents Group Gender Social Class Children s Age Work Status Type of TV Location and Date 1 Mothers C1C2 5 8 Working Terrestrial Manchester part/full-time 25 June 2 Mothers C2D 7 12 Working Terrestrial Birmingham full-time 26 June 3 Fathers BC Working Digital London full-time 27 June Sample structure: phase 2 - children Trio/Group Gender Age Type of TV Location Date 7(trio) Girls 6-7 (yr 2) Terrestrial Edinburgh 18 July 02 8 Boys 9-10 (yr 5) Digital Edinburgh 18 July 02 Sample structure: phase 2 - parents Group Gender Social Class Children s Age Work Status Type of TV Location and Date 4 Mothers BC1 2-6 Not working Digital Edinburgh 18 July Two family groups (reconvened from Stage 1) FAMILY ONE (1600 to 1800) Mothers (Father was at work) Five children - 11 year old girl with four older brothers aged 19, 16 (twins) and 13 FAMILY TWO (1900 to 2100) Mother and Father Two girls aged 10 and six 102 What Children Watch

109 Appendix 3: Broadcasting Standards Commission The Broadcasting Standards Commission is the statutory body for both standards and fairness in broadcasting. It is the only organisation within the regulatory framework of UK broadcasting to cover all television and radio. This includes the BBC and commercial broadcasters, as well as text, cable, satellite and digital services. As an independent organisation, the Broadcasting Standards Commission considers the portrayal of violence, sexual conduct and matters of taste and decency. It also provides redress for people who believe they have been unfairly treated or subjected to unwarranted infringement of privacy. The Commission has three main tasks set out in the 1996 Broadcasting Act: Produce codes of practice relating to standards and fairness; Consider and adjudicate on complaints; Monitor, research and report on standards and fairness in broadcasting. This report is published as part of a programme into attitudes towards issues and fairness in broadcasting. This research, which was carried out by independent experts, is not a statement of Commission policy. Its role is to offer guidance and practical information to Commissioners and broadcasters in their work Broadcasting Standards Commission. All rights reserved. What Children Watch 103

110 Appendix 4: The Independent Television Commission The Independent Television Commission licenses and regulates all television services broadcast in or from the United Kingdom, other than services funded by the BBC licence fee and S4C in Wales. It operates in the interest of viewers by: setting standards for programme content, advertising, sponsorship and technical quality; monitoring broadcasters output to ensure that it meets those standards and applying a range of penalties if it does not; ensuring that ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 fulfil their statutory public service obligations; planning frequency allocation and coverage for digital terrestrial services; ensuring that viewers can receive television services on fair and competitive terms; and investigating complaints and regularly publishing its findings. 104 What Children Watch

111 105

112 Broadcasting Standards Commission 7 The Sanctuary London SW1P 3JS Tel Fax [email protected] Independent Television Commission 33 Foley Street London W1W 7TL Tel Fax Minicom [email protected] ISBN