Rupert the Bear, Postman Pat, The Flumps, Super Ted, The Magic Roundabout – all programmes capable of stirring powerful nostalgic memories.
But children’s television today looks very different — not only in how it is delivered, but also in the sheer volume and variety of content now available.
As part of my work on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, we are launching an inquiry into children’s TV and video content.
According to the inquiry, research from Ofcom shows a major shift in how young people watch video. Traditional TV viewing among children is falling, while YouTube is now the most-used app or website by children of all ages, with 88% of 3–17-year-olds using it last year. These changing habits make it harder for public service broadcasters to produce original children’s content and, crucially, for that content to be discovered. This in turn affects those in our creative industries who want to make high-quality UK programming for young audiences.
The inquiry will look at a wide range of issues:
- How best to support the continued creation of original, high-quality content for children and ensure it can be easily found online.
- Parental control of online content.
- The potential benefits and risks of children’s viewing habits for their health and development.
- The sector’s economic contribution and its importance to the UK’s cultural identity.
More information is available here: New inquiry: MPs to investigate children’s TV and video content – Committees – UK Parliament.
To help inform this work, I’d love to hear from parents, grandparents and carers in East Hampshire about your experiences of children’s TV and your child’s viewing habits. Please do take a few minutes to complete my survey below and share your views.