Ofcom blocks ITV children's cuts

mkpdavies · 26-09-2006, 01:36 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5379374.stm

Quote:

ITV's moves to reduce the amount of its daytime children's programmes on ITV1 have been turned down by Ofcom.
An Ofcom spokesman said the regulator had "declined a proposal from ITV plc for a significant change in the volume of children's programmes on ITV1".

The channel had reportedly hoped to replace its weekday CITV hour with more adult-oriented output.

What the?

Why are ITV being forced to put nay kids programmes on at all? I thought we wanted kids to stop watching so much T.V. Isn't there a load of it available on Sky, Freeview etc anyway? Why does ITV have to have a quota of kids programmes anyway?

Independent UKIP · 26-09-2006, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5379374.stm

Quote:

ITV's moves to reduce the amount of its daytime children's programmes on ITV1 have been turned down by Ofcom.
An Ofcom spokesman said the regulator had "declined a proposal from ITV plc for a significant change in the volume of children's programmes on ITV1".

The channel had reportedly hoped to replace its weekday CITV hour with more adult-oriented output.

What the?

Why are ITV being forced to put nay kids programmes on at all? I thought we wanted kids to stop watching so much T.V. Isn't there a load of it available on Sky, Freeview etc anyway? Why does ITV have to have a quota of kids programmes anyway?

Because they have a public broadcasting obligation as part of the licence that permits them to broadcast to each region as ITV. They have already cut Kids TV down by quite a lot. The prime concern is about the nature of advertising directed to kids not the broadcasting of child oriented programming itself.

Have you ever watched 'My Parents are Aliens'? That brilliant ITV kids show has a universal appeal and could and should be recomissioned as an early evening ITV sitcom. Instead ITV are wanting to cease supporting their kids TV unit thus almost certainly leading to its closure. The adult stars of that show were quoted in the last issue of Broadcast magazine expressing their concerns and I agreed with them

mkpdavies · 26-09-2006, 02:52 AM

I don't see why they have any requirement to broadcast kids stuff anymore. Maybe when there was only a few channels, but now I don't see why they should have to.

harryaldridge · 26-09-2006, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I don't see why they have any requirement to broadcast kids stuff anymore. Maybe when there was only a few channels, but now I don't see why they should have to.

I agree. This sounds very strange.

In Ofcom's defence, in my experience they are a golden example of a good regulator.

ITV has threatened to give up its analogue license which, with its public service obligations, costs it £400m / year on the grounds that digital is widely available and carries no such obligations. They might just do it now!

C_steam · 26-09-2006, 07:47 PM

makes no practical difference.

The idea WAS that quality of kids TV stayed high (i.e interesting and not full of american or japanese cartoons) due to healthy competition between the beeb and ITV.

Now, you have poor quality kids satellite channels, and the maths don't ad up in advertising revenue income for the ITV to make good quality kids programmes.

Likely outcome is that ITV (which ceased commisioning new childrens TV last december - IIRC)will still show kids tv because of the OFCOM ruling but will put on the cheapest rubbish they can find.

This removes competition from the beeb, who can then relax and also start to screen more rubbish.

Net result is educational and interesting and non-violent, non-fantasy childrens TV will be gone within 5 years, or less.

Which also proves that OFCOM is pointless.

presterjohn · 26-09-2006, 09:23 PM

:shock:

Lazyguy · 07-11-2006, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I don't see why they have any requirement to broadcast kids stuff anymore. Maybe when there was only a few channels, but now I don't see why they should have to.

Especialy now that the powers-that-be are switching off the analogue signal, so people have to either get digital or have no T.V. at all.

26-09-2006, 02:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,059 Party: Libertarian Party	I don't see why they have any requirement to broadcast kids stuff anymore. Maybe when there was only a few channels, but now I don't see why they should have to. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

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26-09-2006, 07:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
C_steam Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Paddling up 5hit creek..... Posts: 7,964	makes no practical difference. The idea WAS that quality of kids TV stayed high (i.e interesting and not full of american or japanese cartoons) due to healthy competition between the beeb and ITV. Now, you have poor quality kids satellite channels, and the maths don't ad up in advertising revenue income for the ITV to make good quality kids programmes. Likely outcome is that ITV (which ceased commisioning new childrens TV last december - IIRC)will still show kids tv because of the OFCOM ruling but will put on the cheapest rubbish they can find. This removes competition from the beeb, who can then relax and also start to screen more rubbish. Net result is educational and interesting and non-violent, non-fantasy childrens TV will be gone within 5 years, or less. Which also proves that OFCOM is pointless.

26-09-2006, 09:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
presterjohn Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 63	:shock: