Seminar - 19th January - The Production Ecology of Pre-School Television in Britain
Research Seminar
The Changing Production Ecology of
Pre-School Television in Britain
19 January 2007, 10.30am-4.00pm
Westminster University, Regent Campus
309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus Tube)
Pre-school programming began in Britain in 1950 with the launch of Andy Pandy, the first BBC series aimed specifically at a pre-school audience. In the mid-1990s Britain emerged as a leading producer of programming targeted at pre-school audiences worldwide with the global success of shows such as Teletubbies and Bob the Builder. Yet British television has changed from the scarcity associated with public service provision by the BBC to the wider range of providers and channels today. The arrival of pre-school channels, audience fragmentation and the internationalisation of markets since the mid-1990s have radically altered the funding base of children’s television and the relationships between key players. This research seminar focuses on those complex and changing relationships between broadcasters, producers, and financiers that constitute the production ecology of pre-school television and shape its output. In particular, it asks:
- How and why is the production ecology of pre-school television changing?
- What are the implications of changing media consumption habits on production?
- How will advertising restrictions affect the funding and commissioning of television for younger children?
The event is open to industry professionals and academics. Tickets are free and include lunch, but places must be reserved.
To book a place, email Rachel Groom ([log in to unmask]) or Tel: 0207 9115968 or [log in to unmask]. Further details available at http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-567
This is a University of Westminster Research Seminar funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Agenda
10.30 Coffee and Registration
11.00 Why is an examination of pre-school production important? An introduction to the AHRC funded project ‘The Production Ecology of Pre-School TV in Britain’
Professor Jeanette Steemers, University of Westminster
James Walters, Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of Westminster
12.00 How are children's media consumption habits changing and what are the implications for pre-school production?
Lizzie Jackson, BBC Children’s, Consultant in Online Community
Gary Pope, Partner, Kids Industries
Professor Sue Thomas, De Montfort University, author of Hello World: Travels in Virtuality (2004) and the founder of the trace Online Writing Centre.
1.15 Lunch
2.15 Children's Television in Crisis. What is the nature of the challenge for pre-school TV and how can this challenge be met?
Iain Lauchlan, Creative Director, Wish Films (Jim Jam and Sunny)
Christopher Skala, Senior Vice President, Programming and Development, HIT Entertainment (Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney)
Jocelyn Stevenson, Producer, Writer, and Chair of the BAFTA Children's Committee
3.30 Closing Remarks and Feedback
