Record of proceedings MARCH 2012

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Background 1

The sessions 2Today’s kids—who are they? 2What do children aged 5–11 need? 3The ‘real’ deal—non-drama C programs 4Animation versus live action drama—dealing with the scary bits 5Q&A 6

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BackgroundChildren’s needs and interests are changing. The way children engage with media is also changing. So how can television continue to stay relevant and meet the needs of a contemporary child audience?

To consider this question, the ACMA held the second event in its Citizen conversations series on 28 March 2012—Tuning in to Kids TV. The forum explored a range of key issues in delivering quality television programming for children.

As part of its regulatory role, the ACMA classifies P (preschool) and C (children’s) programs under the Children’s Television Standards 2009 (CTS). The CTS aim to ensure that children have access to a range of quality programming made specifically for them on commercial free-to-air television. The CTS define children as ‘people younger than 14 years’.

Topics covered as part of the conversation included the contemporary child audience, the specific viewing needs of the five to 11-year-old demographic, non-drama programming, and the depiction of violence in animation and live action drama.

Key themes that emerged from the forum were the increasing trend for children to access content across multiple platforms and co-viewing with their parents.

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The sessionsToday’s kids—who are they?Participants were treated to an engaging start to the forum by Wendy Harmer, an Australian humorist with a 30-year career in journalism, radio, television and stand-up comedy. Wendy has also written the children’s book series Pearlie in the Park and scripted its television adaptation, titled Pearlie, for the middle C audience (7–11 years).

Wendy commenced by reflecting that she couldn’t recall a time without television and that her father, a teacher, felt that children from homes with television appeared more informed about the world, more engaged in their school work, and more social than those without television.

She then introduced a panel of six Year 6 children from Darlinghurst Public School in Sydney, and asked them about their likes and dislikes in relation to television and the media in general. Interestingly, many commented that they didn’t watch television, or much television, although as the morning progressed it became apparent that this was a serious underestimation.

The children’s responses were interesting, often thoughtful and sometimes unexpected:> they like to watch the television shows their parents watched as children; for

example, Thunderbirds and H.R. Pufnstuf > they like to ‘view up’; that is, watch contemporary shows which are not made

specifically for them; for example, Glee, Masterchef and Modern Family> they like to watch programs which feature older peer groups; for example, kids

aged 10–11 enjoy Dance Academy, which features 15–16-year-olds > their parents set strict limits on their television viewing; for example, one child

panellist said:

I am allowed to watch 45 minutes a day.

> comments about their specific likes and dislikes included:

I like a good story.

Shows must be real, not boring.

I don’t like fake and unreal.

I don’t like cartoons, I prefer people who are acting.

I can tell if there is a bad actor or when a show is corny or cheesy.

I watch Home and Away because I like the drama.

> when asked what they would like to see more of, the children answered—variety, funny movies, more comedy and dance shows, less cheesiness, more Glee kind of shows, more Bruce Willis, more Monty Python, more Animalia on ABC3, less toilet jokes, more documentaries and more gangster films

> they access programs through multiple devices (for example, tablets) and view programs when and where it suits them

> they download programs, including those yet to be broadcast in Australia:

I use my USB to download movies and plug it into the TV.

> they do other things while watching television:

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I am playing on my computer when I watch TV.

I am watching with my younger siblings and reading at the same time.

> they are aware of stereotypes in children’s programs:

I don’t like the fairy princesses. In the US there are more stereotypes with the pretty and the dumb girl being friends.

The boys are the superheros who save the girls.

If I grew up and made children’s TV, I would make it where the girls don’t like fairies.

After hearing the children’s opinions, Wendy wrapped up the session by commenting on the surprising wave of nostalgia for television programs from the 1960s and 70s.

What do children aged 5–11 need?Moderator Simon Hopkinson and panellists Dr Leonie Rutherford, Dr Wayne Warburton and Hugh Baldwin discussed the developmental and viewing needs of children aged 5–11 years.

The major themes that emerged were:> children aged between five and nine do not seem to be catered for by television to

the same extent as preschool children or older children—this means they often watch shows aimed at the older C audience (children aged up to 13 years)

> recent developments such as dedicated destinations for children (for example, ABC3) increase the range and variety of programming for children

> the early-to-middle C age group’s peak television viewing time is in the evening> studies demonstrate that gender, socioeconomic status and influence of peers

affects children’s media usage> the cognitive development of children aged seven to eight is characterised by

concrete thinking, pretend play and difficulty in distinguishing fantasy from reality—abstract thought and empathy are just beginning to develop

> media has a role in promoting children’s development by providing age-appropriate content; for example, as the concept of morality develops between the ages of five and 11, programming for this age group should include pro-social themes

> as with most things, balance is the key when it comes to the amount of time children spend watching television—the amount of influence that television has on children is related to the amount of time spent viewing and parental supervision (co-viewing with parents)

> television can encourage children to play and get excited about issues, get their brains engaged and get them to talk to others about what they have seen

> media is only one aspect of identity development and doesn’t substitute for family and friends

> children’s television programs extend the fan’s experience across multiple platforms; for example, the Nickelodeon programs iCarly and SpongeBob SquarePants, which have companion websites for a more in-depth or immersive experience

> fans are active, critically engaged and creative.

More information on the presentations can be found on the ACMA’s engage website.

The ‘real’ deal—non-drama C programsModerator Jennifer McNeill and presenter/panellists Cherrie Bottger, Michael Bourchier and Monica O’Brien considered what makes an engaging non-drama C

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program for the contemporary child audience and developments in non-drama programming in Australia and overseas.

A question put to the panel was how to maximise the appeal of non-drama programs for the contemporary child audience.

Highlights of the discussion were:> non-drama programming; for example, game shows and magazine-style shows,

forms a significant proportion of Australian children’s programming on commercial free-to-air television

> one of the challenges in reaching the contemporary middle C child audience is their sophistication—they are social, tech-savvy, very peer-oriented and time-poor, and they make deliberate choices about how they engage with content

> the middle C child multi-tasks and this is the most significant development in the way young people consume media

> the multi-platform experience is important for children and some participants noted that they hoped that the recommendations of the Convergence Review will recognise these technological developments

> program producers need to recognise that children communicate ‘fan-to-fan’ through social networking

> tablets, smartphones and the ABC’s iview allow children to interact with friends while watching television—producers and broadcasters need to look at the audience and understand what they are doing and talking about

> budgets can be a big impediment to getting programs made—a view was put forward that this, coupled with advertising restrictions imposed by the Children’s Television Standards, can hinder development of innovative non-drama programming

> children in this age group like to see their peers participating in quiz and game shows, and undertaking stunts and challenges

> children in this age group also ‘view up’; for example, shows for 10-year-olds may include contestants or feature stories involving slightly older children (say, aged 13 years and older)

> children in the audience responded favourably to clips from Escape from Scorpion Island, Kitchen Whiz, Pyramid, Scope and Totally Wild shown during this session, indicating they also enjoy viewing programs made specifically for them

> having clear winners and losers is not a deterrent, as long as the program conveys a funny and rewarding human experience

> children do like information and learning—the challenge is to deliver this experience in an engaging way

> television programs that stimulate the imagination or encourage thought demand active engagement and this type of viewing is not passive

> even non-drama programs have dramatic elements; for example, Escape from Scorpion Island, a reality challenge show

> at their best, non-drama programs foster a sense of resilience in participants and viewers alike

> budget constraints mean that shows such as Escape from Scorpion Island can only be made as co-productions with other countries.

More information on the presentations, including clips from Kitchen Whiz, Pyramid, Scope and Totally Wild, can be found on the ACMA’s engage website.

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Animation versus live action drama—dealing with the scary bitsModerator Jeremy Fenton and panellists Dr Wayne Warburton, Jo Boag and Ewan Burnett explored the extent to which violence, level of threat and dangerous behaviour can be dealt with in animation and live-action C drama programs.

The conversation during this session centred on: > research overwhelmingly indicates that exposure to violence leads to short-term

increases in aggressive behaviour (for about 15–20 minutes after exposure)> cumulative exposure means a person may become more aggressive over time> children become fearful after exposure to violent depictions in media > the challenge of C classification requirements is that they apply to a broad age

group (5–13 years) and this broad audience encompasses several different developmental stages with different responses to depictions of violence

> children do like to be scared> the characters in Dex Hamilton (Alien Entomologist), a show aimed at children

aged 10–13 years, deal with dangerous situations.The characters are not children, the heroic team consists of teenagers, and they take a moral stance of protecting the habitat. Producers have to carefully consider the treatment of death and dying

> the depiction of appropriate violence can be empowering for a child audience; for example, Captain Flinn and the Dinosaur Pirates, an animated adventure drama currently in production, has child characters that are depicted as smarter than the grown-up characters and the storylines empower the child characters

> as the program is aimed at a younger child audience, it deals with depictions of violence by changing the dinosaur’s weapons from swords to kitchen utensils and modifying the sound effects during the fighting scenes

> even though this program depicts ‘fantastical’ situations, the action will have a correlation to the child viewer’s own life—including themes of loyalty, family and belonging

> producers have expectations and responsibilities in ‘protecting children from fright’ and dealing with violence and threats of violence in children’s media content

> the issue for live-action drama is finding the middle ground. Producers can take children on a journey through drama and this involves fun as well as emotions—including feeling scared. Storytelling is critical in establishing and presenting these themes

> children can learn from stories in drama and learn the complexities of character as they are developing their own personas

> drama can be compelling as well as entertaining. Children can also lead the drama—this is the fundamental approach to storytelling

> children generally love ‘scariness’ and their emotional response to it is part of their entertainment

> research indicates that children will be affected by violence, particularly when it is unfair or unjust, when it is directed at animals and when the victim is isolated

> in relation to the difference between responses to live action and animation, a view was put forward that animation can heighten emotions and the events because of the fantasy element.

Q&AThe ACMA’s Deputy Chair, Richard Bean, facilitated the Q&A session, featuring moderators and panellists from each session.

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Is there a ‘reality’ line for middle C programs when it comes to depicting themes such as death or divorce?> This is a difficult issue as there are some high-quality drama programs featuring

child actors; for example, My Place, which may not pass ACMA’s C classification.> Themes such as death can be incorporated into C programming. The key

consideration is the context and treatment of these themes.> Dance Academy is a popular program—it is now in its third season and its lead

characters are 18 years old. This would raise potential issues relating to how appropriate this program would be for the C audience if submitted for C classification.

Is violence in books different to that in television?> Books are in the imagination, whereas television provides a sensory experience. A

panellist indicated that there is no research on the impact of violent books.

How do co-productions with other countries work when you have to take into consideration international codes and differences in cultures and audiences?> You need to understand cultural differences.> Audiences’ needs are more similar than we may think.

What about the multicultural aspects of children’s programs? It seems diversity is more apparent in adult programs> The ABC works hard to show cultural diversity. For example, Bushwacked!

features an indigenous child presenter.> One of the difficulties with making shows diverse is that the cultural spread of

children applying for roles or participation in game shows is overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon and middle class. Greater diversity is achieved when game shows have schools as contestants.

What about the role of girls in children’s drama?> There is a positive push to avoid stereotypes of girls; for example, having a ‘fairy’

character who is a punk rocker.> Shows cannot appeal to everyone and every specific taste; some cater specifically

to girls or boys.

Is there a problem with children imitating what they have seen on television if, for example, they live somewhere where they have access to guns?> A series of environmental factors influence behaviour, not just what is seen on

television.

Is influence the only reason why children shouldn’t watch violent films?> The issue is not to have no exposure but balance and ‘healthy’ exposure.

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