Do you have an opinion on children’s television? Do you think it’s important that we keep home grown children's TV on the air, or are you happy for your children to watch US imports? The TV Show wants to hear from you…
Just 1% of children’s shows broadcast in the UK are new, UK-made programmes and the situation is said to be getting worse. Channel 4 has pledged to begin commissioning for children’s TV again as part of its Next on 4 vision for the future – but will this be enough?
As part of its ongoing campaign to save British kids’ TV, Pact has released a viral film featuring The Wombles that highlights the impact that US imports can have on our children’s language. Have you seen it? What do you think?
The TV Show will be discussing Pact’s campaign on tomorrow’s show – Saturday May 10. If you’d like to contribute to the debate, please either comment below, or email thetvshow@channel4.com
When mine were little I would not let them watch anything on the American channels. I used to record alot of the schools programmes on BBC1 and BBC2 like Rosie and Jim, Pipin, magic grandad etc maths and English programmes names of which I have forgotten now, and let them watch those. I would also record the programmes that were on in the afternoon too. I may sound like a control freak, but they were what I thought of as well made, fun and educational.
Well adult TV has been dumbed down to the level of childrens' TV of 10 years ago so the appalling quality of current childrens" programmes should come as no surprise.
Overall broadcasters are required by law to provide a certain proportion of home grown programmes. Perhaps this should be expanded to cover all genres like childrens' TV.
At the time of the campaign to ban this and that from advertising on kids' channels it was ventured that such restrictions would impact the economic viability of said productions. Any truth to that?
Originally posted by zonk: At the time of the campaign to ban this and that from advertising on kids' channels it was ventured that such restrictions would impact the economic viability of said productions. Any truth to that?
There was a programme about that impact not that long ago.
And it made a HUGE impact.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
Do you have an opinion on children’s television? Do you think it’s important that we keep home grown children's TV on the air, or are you happy for your children to watch US imports? The TV Show wants to hear from you…
Yes, it is important to keep British made children`s channels on air.
Ufortunatly, like everything else, programme makers need to make a profit; broadcasters need to make a profit from advertising during these progarmmes. And there`s just no profit in making childrens shows, hence the vast amount of mostly rubbish from America that gets put on UK TV very cheaply.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
British programmes makers need to have a look at how Americans are able to make shows.
A TV series in the USA lasts mostly around 22eps, which takes them 9 months to make.
In the UK, a series is only 13 eps long, but still it takes 9 months to make.
So our programmes cost twice as much to make, which explains why trashy american imports are so cheap to buy and broadcast.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
A 5 year old I know likes Trap Door and Dangermouse and Chorlton and the Wheelies and Ivor the engine. (70's and 80's programmes) Always requests a DVD and not much c beebies is seen at all. I think a lot of todays programmes, don't quite get the stories right for her. Thats all I can comment on xx
*Momma of the A team thread.* ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥.. We beat together... Critical adorer of the Captain and the Scam Artist ♥♥
Isn't this just another example of parental self-regard?
Most of the current generation of parents of young kids will have watched tons of US shows as a kid. Not just the ones aimed at them (Scooby Doo or whatever) but adult ones too (Charlie's Angels, Starsky and Hutch etc).
It was hardly the end of the world. No damage done. But of course, now it's *their* kids, there just has to be endless navel-gazing about it.
Originally posted by Angelus the Vampire: British programmes makers need to have a look at how Americans are able to make shows.
A TV series in the USA lasts mostly around 22eps, which takes them 9 months to make.
In the UK, a series is only 13 eps long, but still it takes 9 months to make.
So our programmes cost twice as much to make, which explains why trashy american imports are so cheap to buy and broadcast.
I assume you're talking about a show like Doctor Who? US shows actually run year round and they film the current seasons while showing it. Why do you think the writer's strike hit US shows so hard. In the UK they tend to have entire shows "in the can" before showing them. Also to be fair there are far too many filler episodes in most US series. The best shows like The Wire, The Sopranos and Dexter have a similar number of episodes per season as British shows.
It`s not just Doctor Who. NONE of the homegrown TV series are longer than 13 eps. Most are only 6 weeks.
If you want to use Doctor Who to compare to US shows, with all its SFX, then equally you must compare it to US shows that have a similar amount of SFX. Like Buffy/Angel, any of the Star Trek franchise from Next Gen onwards, etc. And those shows take 9 months to make.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
Originally posted by Angelus the Vampire: It`s not just Doctor Who. NONE of the homegrown TV series are longer than 13 eps. Most are only 6 weeks.
If you want to use Doctor Who to compare to US shows, with all its SFX, then equally you must compare it to US shows that have a similar amount of SFX. Like Buffy/Angel, any of the Star Trek franchise from Next Gen onwards, etc. And those shows take 9 months to make.
So you think that it's a case of volume i.e. British shows should have more episodes per Season? Also you haven't answered my point about the season lengths of shows like The Wire and Dexter.
Originally posted by plandalet: Also you haven't answered my point about the season lengths of shows like The Wire and Dexter.
You claim these shows are the best.
As I haven`t watched them, I can`t comment.
So I am unable to agree or disagree with your statement that shorter length seasons are better.
However, your comment about "filler eps", I don`t agree with. Whilst they may not expand on a shows main story arc, they are just as enjoyable in themselves the other eps.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
Originally posted by plandalet: Also you haven't answered my point about the season lengths of shows like The Wire and Dexter.
You claim these shows are the best.
As I haven`t watched them, I can`t comment.
So I am unable to agree or disagree with your statement that shorter length seasons are better.
You haven't seen "The Wire", "Dexter" or "The Sporanos"!?
quote:
However, your comment about "filler eps", I don`t agree with. Whilst they may not expand on a shows main story arc, they are just as enjoyable in themselves the other eps.
That's debatable anyway I doubt that even your generous view of filler eps would extend to infamous clipshows i.e. episodes which consist almost entirely of scenes from previous epsiodes.
Originally posted by plandalet: Also you haven't answered my point about the season lengths of shows like The Wire and Dexter.
You claim these shows are the best.
As I haven`t watched them, I can`t comment.
So I am unable to agree or disagree with your statement that shorter length seasons are better.
You haven't seen "The Wire", "Dexter" or "The Sporanos"!?.
Nope, not one.
Didn`t fancy watching yet another cop drama showing "gritty realism" set in the `hood.
Dexter`s the one with the sychopathic mass murdering cop, isn`t it?
And isn`t Sopranos about the mafia??
Sorry, none of these looked to be my taste. They all sound very depressing.
quote:
However, your comment about "filler eps", I don`t agree with. Whilst they may not expand on a shows main story arc, they are just as enjoyable in themselves the other eps.
That's debatable anyway I doubt that even your generous view of filler eps would extend to infamous clipshows i.e. episodes which consist almost entirely of scenes from previous epsiodes.[/QUOTE].
Very few filler eps are clipshows.
And, in Doctor Who, last season`s "filler ep" was the brilliant Blink episode.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
Originally posted by plandalet: Also you haven't answered my point about the season lengths of shows like The Wire and Dexter.
You claim these shows are the best.
As I haven`t watched them, I can`t comment.
So I am unable to agree or disagree with your statement that shorter length seasons are better.
You haven't seen "The Wire", "Dexter" or "The Sporanos"!?.
Nope, not one.
Didn`t fancy watching yet another cop drama showing "gritty realism" set in the `hood.
Dexter`s the one with the sychopathic mass murdering cop, isn`t it?
And isn`t Sopranos about the mafia??
Sorry, none of these looked to be my taste. They all sound very depressing.
Then you've missed some of the best US TV of the last few years. Add Deadwood to your list (short seasons as well).
quote:
quote:
quote:
However, your comment about "filler eps", I don`t agree with. Whilst they may not expand on a shows main story arc, they are just as enjoyable in themselves the other eps.
That's debatable anyway I doubt that even your generous view of filler eps would extend to infamous clipshows i.e. episodes which consist almost entirely of scenes from previous epsiodes.
.
Very few filler eps are clipshows.
And, in Doctor Who, last season`s "filler ep" was the brilliant Blink episode.
It wasn't a filler episode it was a Doctor-lite episode and there's only one a season. In US TV there are usually many more.
Anyway in my opinion shorter seasons give an opportunity for more focus. 22+ episodes per season of a 45 minute show would mean that episodes would have to be basically filmed year round. The structure of British TV production simply doesn't allow for that.
Originally posted by The TV Show: Do you have an opinion on children’s television? Do you think it’s important that we keep home grown children's TV on the air, or are you happy for your children to watch US imports? The TV Show wants to hear from you…
Pact[/URL] has released a viral film featuring The Wombles that highlights the impact that US imports can have on our children’s language. Have you seen it? What do you think?
The TV Show will be discussing Pact’s campaign on tomorrow’s show – Saturday May 10. If you’d like to contribute to the debate, please either comment below, or email thetvshow@channel4.com
I'm not concerned about the impact American children's tv is having on my children's language. I am concerned about the impact of british childrens tv on my children's attitudes towards adults and other behaviours. British tv producers seem to think that to hold the interest of children they need to continually show children being disrespectful to adults, adults behaving like idiots, lots of farting burping and other toilet humour and so on. I avoid much of british children's tv for this reason. My girls don't watch much tv anyway but when they had a short diet of Tracy Beaker they began to adopt a beligerant attitude. I think that British tv for very young children is educational and entertaining in a healthy way but for older children it is less desirable and producers don't seem to show much respect towards older children at this impressionable age. Hopefully, if more British tv for older children does come forward it will inject some desirable moral attitudes that shows respect for children and adults and models the kinds of behaviours that we would like our young people to adopt.
>>Anyway in my opinion shorter seasons give an opportunity for more focus. 22+ episodes per season of a 45 minute show would mean that episodes would have to be basically filmed year round. The structure of British TV production simply doesn't allow for that.<<
Not all year round. 9 months. Which goes back to my first comment, that US TV shows take 9 months to film 22 eps, which makes them half as expensive as British shows which take the same amount of time for 13 eps.
Therefore, if Brit shows adopted the same turnaround in episode filming (no matter whether they were 13, 6, or 22 eps long), then the shows would be cheaper to make, so then Brit makers can make MORE shows for their money. Which in turn means that the childrens TV market does not have to be full of cheap american imports.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
Originally posted by Angelus the Vampire: I watched, and loved, Deadwood.
>>Anyway in my opinion shorter seasons give an opportunity for more focus. 22+ episodes per season of a 45 minute show would mean that episodes would have to be basically filmed year round. The structure of British TV production simply doesn't allow for that.<<
Not all year round. 9 months. Which goes back to my first comment, that US TV shows take 9 months to film 22 eps, which makes them half as expensive as British shows which take the same amount of time for 13 eps.
Therefore, if Brit shows adopted the same turnaround in episode filming (no matter whether they were 13, 6, or 22 eps long), then the shows would be cheaper to make, so then Brit makers can make MORE shows for their money. Which in turn means that the childrens TV market does not have to be full of cheap american imports.
It is year round I'm afraid. That's why they don't tend to have entire seasons "in the can" and why the writer's strike hit them so hard. They film new episodes of a season while they're showing old ones. It's all to do with the commissioning structure of US shows except for shows like HBO.
I don't think it's as simple as saying that UK shows should be filmed like American ones. The logistics, infrastructure, etc. are just too different and I seriously doubt that US TV shows are cheaper than their UK equivalents on a cost per episode basis.
It is year round I'm afraid. That's why they don't tend to have entire seasons "in the can" and why the writer's strike hit them so hard.
Not disagreeing with you over the fact that US shows are being aired while later eps are still being made.
Just disputing that a 22ep show takes all year to film.
But, no matter how long it takes to film, the fact that there is so many US shows on Brit TV, just proves that they are cheaper to buy than Brit shows.
******************************** John Smith: So what am I then? Nothing. I`m just a story.
Doctor: You`re an echo. That`s all. A TimeLord is so much more. A sum of knowledge; a code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it`s gone now, all of it. Gone forever.
It is year round I'm afraid. That's why they don't tend to have entire seasons "in the can" and why the writer's strike hit them so hard.
Not disagreeing with you over the fact that US shows are being aired while later eps are still being made.
Just disputing that a 22ep show takes all year to film.
When I say it takes all year to film I'm adding to that the writing, production, etc. The actors might not be working all year round but the all round production is a year round effort.
quote:
But, no matter how long it takes to film, the fact that there is so many US shows on Brit TV, just proves that they are cheaper to buy than Brit shows.
Or it might be the case that British broadcasters are less willing to invest in new shows? When was the last time ITV or C4 invested in an actual original drama or comedy show that could be sold to overseas markets? Even the BBC is terrible at doing this but at least they have the excuse that this isn't strictly part of their remit.
