Memorandum submitted by Pact
ORAL EVIDENCE
OF SHAUN
WOODWARD MP TO
SELECT COMMITTEE
(REVIEW OF
PUBLIC SERVICE
MEDIA CONTENT,
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
658-691)
I would be grateful if I could comment on some
points regarding children's programming raised by the Minister
for Creative Industries in his oral evidence to the Culture, Media
and Sport Committee's Review of Public Service Media Content (14
June 2007).
The Minister suggests that there is currently
a great range of children's programming, citing the increase in
investment at the BBC over recent years. The BBC has of course
increased its presence in children's television through its two
dedicated children's channels, yet this does not mean that there
is a greater range of UK programming on offer to children across
the UK broadcasting landscape as called for by the 2003 Communications
Act. In fact, there was more investment in new UK programming
across all broadcasters before the BBC launched its digital channels.
Imported programming, notably from the US, dominates the new,
multi-channel world.
This was highlighted by the initial findings
from Ofcom's review of children's programming, which the regulator
made public last month. According to Ofcom, funding for UK-made
children's programmes has fallen by a third in real terms since
1998. As a result, Ofcom publicly stated last month that: "The
evidence to date shows that there is clearly a threat to the future
delivery of high quality, UK-originated programmes for children".
In his evidence to the Select Committee, the
Minister repeatedly praises Ofcom and concedes that the work that
the regulator is conducting through the children's review is "extremely
vital", yet he does not mention these findings.
The Minister goes on to contrast the rise in
British programming on the BBC with the situation in Canada as
a whole, where the total amount of domestic children's programming
across all broadcasters, commercially-funded and public, has fallen
slightly. Simply highlighting the success of the BBC and contrasting
it with the entire Canadian children's television sector does
not paint an accurate picture. It is not true that UK children's
programming is in a healthier state than that of Canada. In fact,
much of the evidence suggests the opposite is the case. Canada's
equivalent to the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation,
has tripled its commissioning spend for Canadian children's programming
since 2000-01. This is comparable to growth at the BBC. Meanwhile,
average hourly spend on Canadian children's programming by all
broadcasters has fallen by 24% since 1998; in the UK, spending
has dropped by nearly 50% over the same period, according to Ofcom.
Finally, the Minister states that it is important
to consider the wider context, and argues that children's needs
are in part being met outside television by internet broadband
services and computer games. Whilst it is true that children are
watching less television, Ofcom's initial findings from its children's
review show that it is adult programming that they are deserting.
Ofcom found that children are watching just as much children's
programming as ever, albeit on multi-channels services rather
than traditional PSB services. Television therefore remains by
far the most important medium for children (and, as we have noted
above, British children's shows remain the most popular type of
programming).
We have yet to see any thorough analysis of
the public service benefits of computer or online games for children.
Only last week Manhunt 2 was banned from the UK by the BBFC for
"unjustifiable harm risks" to minors and adults. While
one or two high profile examples should of course not tarnish
an entire sector, the BBFC's decision to ban Manhunt 2 does underline
the risk of relying on other media to provide the cultural and
educational benefits traditionally required of public service
broadcasters under statute.
I am happy to provide you with any further information,
and attach the report and figures on Canadian's children's television
that both the Minister and I are quoting from.
June 2007
STATISTICS FOR INVESTMENT BY CANADIAN PUBLIC
BROADCASTERS IN CHILDREN's TELEVISION PROGRAMMING
CHILDREN'S
TELEVISION PROGRAMMING—ESTIMATES
OF PROGRAM
LICENCE FEES
AND NUMBER
OF PROJECTS
COMMISSIONED BY
CBC/SRC
| 2000-01 | 2001-02
| 2002-03 | 2003-04
| 2004-05 | 2005-06
|
| 5.3 | 4.5 |
11.0 | 4.6 | 10.9 |
13.2 |
| Number of projects | 14 | 12
| 12 | 6 | 12 |
12 |
| | |
| | | |
Source: Nordicity estimates based on data from Canadian
Audio-visual Certification Office.
ESTIMATES FOR
CANADIAN CHILDREN'S
PROGRAMMING COMMISSIONED
BY ALL
CANADIAN PUBLIC
BROADCASTERS (INCLUDES
CBC/SRC AND PROVINCIAL
EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTERS)
| 2000-01 | 2001-02
| 2002-03 | 2003-04
| 2004-05 | 2005-06
|
| Total licence fees (millions of Canadian dollars)
| 14.3 | 17.1 | 25.7
| 17.3 | 20.0 | 38.0
|
| Total budgets | 96.7 | 100.4
| 97.2 | 57.8 | 87.1
| 131.5 |
| Number of projects | 36 | 37
| 40 | 31 | 32 |
46 |
| Number of hours of original programming |
320 | 406 | 454 |
256 | 274 | 409 |
| | |
| | | |
Source: Nordicity estimates based on data from Canadian
Audio-visual Certification Office.
| 
