The quality of children's programmes

Children's programmes must be produced, directed and presented by experienced, dedicated and properly-trained individuals. I suggest and recommend that, first and foremost, there should be an aptitude test, even if it means bringing qualified persons from abroad. The selected few would then be assigned to spend time (at least a year) with renowned stations. EU funds are available for such studies. There is need for dedicated persons whose prime goal will not be monetary gain.

Different age groups require and need a distinctive separate approach. Entertaining programmes must not be confused with educational ones. Entertainment is relaxation after school and homework. Children's programmes are primarily intended to amuse and entertain with the educational aspect carefully hidden. Any form of indoctrination should be absolutely forbidden.

If such programmes are to be regulated by law or by a regulatory commission, a detailed study and analysis are a must. Surveys on viewers are mainly adult oriented, though I understand that a specific survey had been carried out by Sandra Dingli.

Children from different backgrounds, education, schools and even their language usage will have an impact on their preferences. Unless imposed by some diabolical means, what would make a child follow a local production when his/her choices are so many? All this makes regular, frequent and detailed surveys a sine qua non.

Going by my very long experience in the sphere, the best way to assess young people is by actually meeting them face to face. Another good tool used effectively by many large foreign stations is assessing a programme on a continuous basis from the very first edition and if it fails to make a hit it is pulled out immediately. The fault could lie in the presenter(s) (not every person is suitable), or the direction (too slow/fast), the producer (not ready to adapt on an ad hoc basis), the studio and the equipment (the programme being relegated to the lowest technical level possible), or the programme format/content itself.

The question arises: who can be classified as a child? This is not a legal but practical matter. Up to 14 perhaps, but once past puberty they will feel to be adults and will not have anything to do with youngsters. Children are constantly changing and a programme achieving great success in one year might become passé the following year (or season). It is good to give talented (no mediocrity, please) children the possibility to take part and be seen, but a careful balance is essential.

The participating child will be pleased but would the general viewer enjoy the show? Quizzes and prize winning shows must not be such that the chances of winning is minimised.

How much will such control and supervision cost? Having one commission and three panels, say involving 20 persons, their remuneration and overheads, the cost will consume a substantial part of the budget allocation of Lm100,000. Or are these expected to work for free or for a pittance, as many of us did in the old days?

It would be interesting to know how many children watch the local TV and the other readily available stations and for how long. Once this is established, one must then find out why this is happening. Thus, instead of edicts, a continuous and genuine comprehensive study and survey is essential.

The BA is already empowered to control the content of advertising, be it during children's programmes or otherwise. Children watch any programme, even late at night in the privacy of their own bedroom. There is thus no doubt on the need of good quality programmes in Maltese, but the proposed bureaucratic system will end up making matters worse. You can take a horse to the water, but you cannot impose on children what to watch.

If a commission and panels are eventually established, these should remember that theirs would be an unenviable task, facing many obstacles, obstructions and interference, with pressure to push someone or some idea. (Could it be that some person or organisation is already being earmarked for this task?) Will the commission only regulate PBS or will it also have jurisdiction over all the other local stations, even if they are political?

The children of today are our assets of tomorrow.