BBC’s director of children and education talks TV landscape: “We are standing alone right now”

by

What’s the role of children’s television?

What children watch and experience has a big impact on their development. It’s important to offer them content that does more than just keep them busy – it should help them understand themselves and the world around them. Unfortunately, I believe we’ve forgotten how valuable this kind of media can be.

Should parents be concerned about reducing screen time?

Today’s challenge for parents is sorting through the huge amount of content available to children. It’s often hard to tell what’s actually designed for kids and what just appears to be. The issue isn’t simply how much screen time children get, but what they’re watching. When used in moderation and with appropriate content, screen time can actually be a positive experience.

What do you think of some of the children’s content on YouTube?

We’re constantly concerned about the strong influence of American culture. Most of the content available simply isn’t relevant to our own culture.

Does children’s television have a role to play when it comes to children’s mental health?

As a viewer, one of the things I really appreciated about bringing back Balamory is how it beautifully illustrated a thriving community. It wasn’t abstract; it felt real. You got to know the characters – the police officer, the shopkeeper, Miss Hoolie the teacher – and see how they all interacted and supported each other. It’s a simple idea, but honestly, a lot of kids today aren’t seeing that kind of positive community spirit in their own lives, and Balamory offers a lovely reminder of what it could look like.

How do you answer critics who say there’s not enough family content on the BBC?

What are you most proud of currently?

While traditional TV viewing isn’t often discussed, CBeebies performs exceptionally well. We’ve also significantly expanded children’s programming on iPlayer over the past five years. I hesitate to highlight specific shows – it feels unfair to play favourites – but we recently launched two new ones: Duck and Frog, a hilarious British slapstick comedy, and Rafi the Wishing Wizard, an animated series set in Manchester. We consistently receive wonderful feedback from viewers who enjoy them.

Do you want to see more competition in the industry?

Currently, we’re in a vulnerable position, and we need to act fast. A healthy industry requires competition, and we can’t rely on just one company. To support British-made children’s television, we should offer more tax breaks. While shows from other countries, like American sitcoms, are great, we need a balance. I’d love to see a truly British animated comedy with the same broad appeal as The Simpsons.

Authors

Sherna Noah

Read More

2026-04-06 19:44