Television for years has been the primary resource for kids when it comes to entertainment and educational and informational content. But as newer mediums such as ipods, mobile have gained popularity; tv is no longer the sole source for kids content. As is the case for other age groups, these new mediums have established themselves in the kids market. To put it simply, it is no longer just TV and DVDs/VCDs. 

The Parents Television Council published the “Family Guide to TV” which published ratings for the top 20 most popular prime-time shows watched by children Ages 2-17. This guide was published in October 2007. Although published almost two years back, the guide reflects how kids today are not necessarily watching age appropriate shows. Apart from watching shows such as ‘Deal or No Deal’, ‘Extereme Makeovers: Home Edition’, they are also watching ‘Family Guy’, ‘Survivors’.  You can view the entire report here.

Latest Trends and Movements

Online Presence: Over the years, websites have evolved to strength the relationship between kids and their favorite characters.

Websites offer games, video, art, radio and several other services for kids to interact with their favorite characters. This way, a kid can watch Sponge Bob on Nickelodeon and then go online to play his games or watch videos. The experience is also extended towards parents by services such as party planning, kids recipes, online shopping, parenting tips, events information etc. Therefore when parents are online with their kids, there is content for them to interact with as well.

New Technologies:

More and more broadcasters are exploring mediums such as ipods, in car entertainment, mobile tv, video on demand as options to offer children programming content.

AT&T announced CruiseCast in-car satellite TV Service launch in spring 2009. With a cost of $1,299 for the kit and $28 per month for the service, the service offer 22 channels and 20 sat radio stations. The kids channel lineup includes Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network Mobile among other channel.  ⁽¹⁾

In august 2008, Turner Broadcasting announced that it will make television content Cartoon Network available via ICO mim. ICO mim is an interactive mobile video, navigation and emergency assistance service.

Nickelodeon offers Nick Jr Podcasts as “Video To Go” for both kids and parents. Video podcasts of the kid’s favorite characters can be downloaded to ipod, iphones or directly to the computer.

PBS Kids released PBS Kids Play an online software for children 3-6 years on a subscription basis. The software offers games that help kids explore essential preschool and kindergarten skills.

Key Legal Issues:

The Broadcast Law Blog: A good place to stay abreast with the legal changes/development related to children television programming and advertising is Broadcast Law Blog.  check it out at http://www.broadcastlawblog.com/archives/cat-childrens-programming-and-advertising.html

The most important factors influencing CTP are the rules laid down by FCC. THE FCC has laid down rules and regulations for children televisiion programming.

According to a research, children in America on an average watch atleast three hours of television a day. All broadcast television stattions – commercial and non-commercial stattions have to offer educational and information children’s programming (1)

In 1990, Congress enacted the Children’s Television Act (CTA) to increase the amount of educational and informational programming for children available on television. CTA requires each broadcast television station in the United States to serve the educational and informational needs of children through its overall programming, including programming specifically designed to serve these needs (“core programming”). It also limits the amount of time broadcasters and cable operators may devote to advertisements during children’s programs.

Under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, television stations must:

·         provide parents and consumers with advance information about core programs being aired;

·         define the type of programs that qualify as core programs; and

·         air at least three hours per week of core programs.