1. QUALITY TELEVISION FOR CHILDREN IN 2015 Dr. Sandra M. Dingli Dr. Jennifer Harper Mr. Sergio Azzopardi

2. CHILDREN’S TELEVISION  in the past  in the present  in the future

3. What is foresight?  thinking about the future, creating and sharing alternative scenarios and acting now to ensure a better future  creating and exploring alternative future scenarios in an attempt to clarify present actions and subsequent consequences  taking action or formulating policy now to make a desirable future occur or to adapt to unfavorable circumstances.

4. Aims and Objectives  To explore alternative scenarios and to develop a vision/s for quality children’s television in 2015  To motivate participants to identify roles for themselves in this vision  To instigate stakeholders to improve the quality of children’s television programmes …/Cont.

5. Aims and Objectives (Cont.)  To disseminate the concept of feasible quality television programmes for children  To provide criteria for the raising of standards  To provide the impetus for higher expectations on the part of both participants and others by means of initiating a dialogue on this topic

6. Quality television for children … some key concepts  Young people’s notions of the good life are greatly influenced by media culture (values)  Young people look to television and other media to acquire strategies for acting on their dreams and hopes for the future and for coping with social dilemmas (empowerment)  Pluralism in broadcasting implies more available options and choice (diversity) …./Cont.

7. Quality television for children … some key concepts (cont…)  TV is today an integral part of family life – no longer an external or intrusive force (media saturation)  an inseparable component of family living – evidence is its positioning in the living, eating and sleeping areas in our homes (media presence)  not merely another household appliance – ‘family viewing’ involves the operation of social power and influence, both within and beyond the family itself (power relations)

8. Some implications …  media, in particular television, is rapidly diffused and offers children possibilities for learning and knowledge  television may be viewed as one of the main formative agents where children are concerned, impressing on them information that may influence their development in either a positive or negative manner

9. = Quality television for children It is therefore essential that quality television progammes for children are produced which take into account the sensitivity and educational needs of children together with pedagogical dynamics and ethical values

10. Quality television for children …  Allowing children to be not just spectators but important participants and to play an active role in the programme  Designed to promote the intellect, emotions and creativity of children in a systematic fashion that helps them make strides in their personal development  Respecting their intelligence and critical judgment and their ability to reflect by avoiding oversimplification, stereotypes, propaganda and intellectual laziness (Cont…)

11. Quality television for children …  Attempting to meet the needs and expectations of different child age groups and using pertinent studies to do so  Providing a world view by paying attention to reality and yet still inspiring the imagination and opening up a world of the family, friends, school, street, city, society, earth and universe

12. Quality television for children …  not the same as regular television  breaks the established rules of television and displays creativity and innovation  it may initially struggle against unappreciative audiences and may tend towards the controversial  often includes social and cultural criticism and allusions to popular culture  it may go as far as defining genre classification by creating a new one

13. Six sectors researched … a.May 2005 Children in state schools in Malta b. August 2005 pilot focus group at MCST (n = 8) c.September 2005 Kids on Campus (n = 40) d.September 2005 Three focus groups of stakeholders at BA (n = 27) e.October 2005 PGCE students (n = 18) f.October 2005 MA Creativity and Innovation students (n = 19)

14. Research with children Why do children watch TV?  to relax and unwind  to laugh and to cry  to learn  to share and interact with others  to escape reality

15. Children use other media …  Children use other media such as games, internet, DVDs, etc., most of which involve active interaction  Children enjoy chatting and communicating with others on-line in real time – an activity that sometimes takes over from television

16. Why children watch TV …  To learn about other countries  To learn how people live in other countries  To be entertained with music, fashion, sports, adventures, scary movies, also by the creative and unusual

17. Why children watch TV …  To learn in an entertaining way about science and technology, art and craft, etc.  To learn how other people live in Malta and how other people react in different places and situations (eg. local drama)  To have a good laugh (local humorous drama and cartoons)

18. Children’s TV in Malta today  One ‘individual’ television for each family member  Television use in schools is still very uncommon in Malta (mainly movies)  Children use of other media such as games, DVDs and internet – more interactive, faster, more fun  What are the effects of the shift from only local and Italian television to cable, satellite and digital television – and internet?

19. Outcomes - sessions with state school children  Children see a good production as including action, surprises, music and other activities  Children demonstrate a real concern over appropriate content (violence, U or PG)  Children are keen to learn from television and there is a preference for art and crafts and lifeskills programmes  Children hate ‘talking heads’ programmes such as discussion programmes and the daily news  Interactive television is certainly something children wish to be increased

20. Outcomes - sessions with state school children  Children recognise and learn from good role models and examples and enjoy programmes where good triumphs over evil  Children want their favourite programmes to be of longer duration and without breaks for adverts  Some children have difficulty in understanding languages other than Maltese or unusual foreign accents  An evident omission is interest in television which relates to science and technology although creativity and innovation are clearly of interest

21. September 2005 Kids on Campus, University of Malta Number of TVs in household No. of TVs in householdNo. of children 18 219 39 42 52 Total n = 40 As 40 is not a representative sample, this is indicative and implies that it is normal for households to own at least two TV sets

22. What makes for good quality children’s TV?  Humorous / funny  Action / adventure / exciting  Educational  Interesting  Suitable for children  No bad language / rude stuff  We can understand everything  No killings or murders

23. Emerging visions of quality children’s television in 2015 “TV flies and walks like a robot. TV has two hands and does what you say. A TV T-shirt that you can see TV on a shirt.” (R 19c)

24. Emerging visions of quality children’s television in 2015  The merging of available media technologies  The replacement of remote controls with voice or movement commands or touch screens  Sensory TV emits smells too  Different shaped TV monitors embedded in interesting backgrounds  Miniaturisation to increase ease of portability – folding or small as a wristwatch  Multiple screens for media multitasking – foldable  On-demand TV

25. Emerging visions of quality children’s television in 2015  Increased interactivity “I will get sucked in and take part …” (R 25c)  TV as dispenser of food, drink, cash, gifts, etc. also capable of mind reading and granting wishes against payment  TV as robot that sings and dances (mobility)  Security features eg. Secure voice recognition to avoid burglary  TV runs on air with no need for other energy source  Cordless and wireless TV and other media

26. Key Outcomes  The importance of education and learning  The futility of bad language  The importance of programmes being suitable for children  The significance of certification U or PG  Expressions of professionalism  Action and adventure as expressions of entertainment  Advertisements as disruptive  Humour as fun but not always educational  Actors, presenters and talent displayed as role models

27. Outcomes - sessions with children  Children’s imagination enables them to enter into the programme and to actively participate both from within and without.  Children are well aware that certain local humourous productions would not be considered as quality television  Children want adverts and breaks to be eliminated  Children perceive their favourite programmes as being ‘too short’

28. Outcomes - sessions with children  Cartoons remain a favourite genre  Gender differences - males often prefer excitement and violence while females tend to prefer programmes which involve relationships or glamour such as America’s Top Model

29. August 2005 Pilot – some emerging issues …  Integration of present day technology (eg. video games) with TV  More personalized TV with greater choice  TV not as giver of information but as interactive instrument  Cyborg humans equipped with a chip to ‘control’ programmes  Touch screens for use of DVD, music, games, as in TV on planes

30. Pilot – some emerging issues …  Media education within school curriculum provides opportunities for children to produce their own programmes with facilities available in schools such as editing facilities on computers  Paradigm change in the way messages are delivered – live interaction could be achieved even today, eg. through web cams for live intervention in real time

31. Pilot – some emerging issues …  Finance - generally available for TV that sells, large audiences – not necessarily for quality TV  Specialist programmes with low audiences will lose marketing share and be discarded  Advertising efforts have already shifted towards internet  Branding can be overdone – public service should control this  Will quality TV stations such as BBC move towards other technologies such as internet?

32. September 2005 Stakeholder Focus Groups – mixed scenarios children who were empowered to produce their own programmes versus children watching less and less television and indulging more in interactive sessions with television relegated to the background or being totally eliminated

33. Some scenarios  HYBRID TV - Integration of children’s TV with adult TV – quality family time?  AMBIENT TV - TV everywhere, more personalised, more interactive  GLOBALLY INTERACTIVE TV – TV stations switch from studio in one country to another, children interact globally  TV POWERED BY CHILDREN - Children produce their own programmes, children as journalists and newscasters

34. Issues arising …  Would parents or children recognize and appreciate quality children’s television?  Can better cooperation be created between schools and television productions?  Should the public be given what it wants or are we in duty bound to nurture and instill an appreciation of quality in children’s minds?

35. Issues arising …  Should children be encouraged to watch more television given that they hardly spend any time out of doors and are already very busy with homework and private lessons (which could include music, dance or drama)?  Pay television could give rise to ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ and to a knowledge divide

36. Issues arising …  Privatisation of the sector requires regulation and monitoring  Art and craft are still as popular as they always were, despite being repeated over and over again  Language is still a big issue – programmes in Maltese exclude English speaking children and vice-versa

37. Issues arising …  Will children’s television still exist in 2015 given that children have a number of other (more interactive) possibilities (chatting, web cams, web surfing, gaming, DVDs, Blogs, etc.)  Should television be inward looking and utilize only professionals or outward looking and involve other media, new blood and international possibilities?

38. Drivers/Constraints/Enablers  Resources  Scale  Professionalism  Quality standards  Media education  Language  Competition  Research  HR overseas  Respect for children and age-grouping  Mission, vision and strategy

39. October 2005 Key Outcomes … PGCE students n = 18  Teach children other uses for IT, eg. desktop publishing, photo manipulation, creating games, puzzles, etc.  Presenting pro-social behaviour in a subtle way, eg giving good examples in drama or case studies of actual situations  Robotic and electronic characters to take over from traditional cartoon figures such as Tom and Jerry, Popeye, etc.  Science and history presented by children in a fun and interesting way

40. Key Outcomes … PGCE students n = 18  Why is it necessary to have cable television to view Education 22?  Including people with disabilities, truants, different cultural backgrounds into cartoons to encourage children to integrate  Respect children’s intelligence and not treat them as ‘babies’  Simple experiments using junk material  Exposure to good literature and stories to read (to encourage both literacy and literature appreciation)

41. Key Outcomes … PGCE students n = 18  Programmes that show situations children can relate to – case studies, eg. peer pressure or Paceville experiences, or teenagers problems in response to input from target audience  Quizzes, teamwork and healthy competition between schools  Art and craft programmes – using things generally considered as useless

42. Key Outcomes … PGCE students n = 18  Private lessons through television with work submitted through internet or SMS  Involving the senses in television, eg. smells during cookery  Topics should fill the gaps there are in regular education in schools

43. October 2005 MA Creativity Innovation (n = 19)  Education as entertainment  Let children’s opinion be heard through increased interactivity  Hands-on ‘how to’ programmes – fun to learn how to do things  Increase awareness of diversity  Children as producers and presenters of TV programmes  News programmes for children

44. October 2005 MA Creativity Innovation (n = 19)  TV as increasing global interactivity  Programmes to encourage literacy  TV spill-over effect into other media (internet, games, radio, etc.)  Healthy competition and team building through quiz or sports programmes  Collaborative programmes between schools, parents and children

45. October 2005 MA Creativity Innovation (n = 19) Respondent (f) 11 “Create cultural programs that involve local cultural awareness  Make culture look hip and cool  Maltese culture is as interesting and creative as any other European, Asian, etc.”

46. October 2005 MA Creativity Innovation (n = 19) Respondent (f) 14  A treasure hunt program that situates a TV at different venues which give the next clue. Children would be able to participate in the game actively or follow the movements of others from their home (the former could include schools/parish)  Thrillers with incomplete plots or alternative plots. Children will write in with suggestions and the winning one gets acted out. Involve a great story-teller.

47. October 2005 MA Creativity Innovation (n = 19) Respondent (f) 15  11 – 17 News Zap: Junior style news from the world followed by open debate with the issues of the day through a mediator  Brilliant careers – 5 min inserts on famous inspirational people  Drama re-enactments – famous historic events from children’s point of view

48. Aims achieved? Awareness raising? Concrete action necessary to combat paternalistic attitudes …

49. Possible incentives … competitions, awards, adequate resources or cost sharing could be offered to encourage research and production of quality television for children

50. Status Quo? What future can we expect for quality children’s television if things remain as they are at present?

51. Recommendations …  Dissemination strategy  Research on ‘centres of excellence’  Research in programme design phase  In-depth foresight exercise with key stakeholders  Media education and Channel 22  Resources  University students – new blood?

52. To conclude … TV … yesterday and today … Management … yesterday and today …

53. To conclude … Local productions die a natural death versus Malta as a centre of excellence? Can we formulate strategy and policy NOW to achieve a desirable future for children’s quality TV?

54. The local scenario … Local policy makers and those involved in the media are often involved with both children’s and adult TV Issues that emerge from this research apply not only to children’s television but to productions aimed at an adult audience too

55. Thank you for your attention! Thanks are due to the Broadcasting Authority and to all researchers and participants including Sergio Azzopardi, Lisa Pace, Matthew Ellul, Shirley Pulis Xerxen, Karen Bonnici, the children from Kids on Campus, and children from state schools. Thanks are also due to Katie Konrath, Josianne Sciberras, Neville Dimech, Domenica Pace, Cora Vella, Monica Micallef, David Chircop, Claudine Muscat, Tanya Mercieca, Joe Sammut and to the University students who contributed to this research Last but not least the authors are grateful to all participants who freely and openly shared their concerns and ideas during meetings and group sessions