The Commissioner for Children has strongly criticised a candid camera programme involving children, broadcast on Family TV on January 4.

Children were invited to the studio supposedly for a rehearsal and to sing a song.

"Instead, these children found themselves insulted, mocked, and pushed around for the purposes of the prank while at the same time being filmed. The crew who were present in the studio made numerous (and successful) efforts to provoke the children to tears and anger, all in the name of entertainment," the Commissioner said.

"This two-hour long programme included name-calling, yelling =at the children, and a staged fight aimed at drawing a reaction from the shocked children who were present. One young girl was even reduced to uncontrollable tears, whilst others remained shocked and unsure of what was happening.

"It is absolutely disgraceful to witness such deterioration in the quality of TV programmes. Whilst children are capable of taking a joke, the content of this programme was tantamount to bullying. This is appalling not only in itself, but in the fact that the management of this station saw it fit to classify this as entertainment. Using children as the butt of humour in this way is deplorable and humiliating and should be unacceptable in a society which claims to love and respect its children."

The Commissioner said she was urging audiences to show their disapproval by boycotting such programmes. She also urged broadcasting stations to invest in quality programmes.