MP Wants More Homegrown Children’s TV

Over 50 MPs have now signed up to a House of Commons motion put down by Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow. Mr Gerrard says he is concerned at moves by TV companies to cut back on commissioning new children’s TV programmes.

“There is a legal requirement placed on the TV companies to show an appropriate range of children’s programmes” says Mr Gerrard, “but there are signs that some companies are looking to cut back. Good quality TV can play an important role in improving children’s language and comprehension but it seems that more and more companies are moving towards greater reliance on cheap imported cartoons rather than encouraging new writing and home grown programmes.”

“This has a serious impact on writers and actors as well as dumbing down the material which children watch. Ofcom, the regulator, is also concerned and has issued a report recently expressing some concerns. Now I want Ofcom to act to make sure that the TV companies live up to their obligations.”

The full text of the motion is:

That this House recognises that children's television production provides significant public value; appreciates the importance of high quality British television programmes for children in developing their sense of identity; acknowledges that appropriate children's television can improve attention, language, comprehension and vocabulary of children; notes that parents also consider high quality programming as a factor in improving general knowledge, literacy and attention; believes that plurality of provision by more than one broadcaster is essential in ensuring quality; is concerned that the main advertiser-funded public service broadcasters are seeking to reduce the commissioning of children's programming; understands the financial constraints on these broadcasters and the BBC following a lower than expected licence fee settlement; but further notes that children's and animation programmes generate a total turnover of three times their initial investment; supports the requirements in the Communications Act 2003 for broadcasters to show an appropriate range of home-grown children's programmes; and calls upon Ofcom to ensure that this obligation is met.

June 2007

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