Children’s TV Training
Posted by: designxpress on: June 14, 2009
In our research on Chilren’s Television Programming (CTP), we tried to find out how those interested in CTP can train themselves. Here is list of resources were you can get some training.
Job training centers, seminars
Domestic:
Sesame Workshop- non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children’s programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world.
International:
Wokshop Interactive (Amsterdam): Cinekid, the International Film, Television and New Media Festival for Children and Mediamatic organise a workshop for professionals on interactive television for children during the Cinekidfestival.
Lola Kenya Screen 2009 Workshop (South Africa)
New Australian Writer’s Guild Workshop on Children’s TV Drama
ii) Universities with deep academic programs dealing with domain
American Studies @ Princeton University:
Children’s Television: History, Politics, Economics
The class examines the history, aesthetics, economics, and ideology of children’s television, from the late 1940s to the present. We will examine in particular how reformers, censors, parents, and producers use television to reinforce or challenge the cultural ideal of childhood innocence. Although we will discuss studies of children’s attitudes towards television, we will not focus on how children may be positively or negatively affected by TV. Rather, the bulk of the class focuses on how adults make decisions about children’s television. Programs studied will include Sesame Street, Howdy Doody, Pok émon , and SpongeBob SquarePants.
NYU Tisch Undergraduate Film & Television
Children’s Television Production Workshop
Writing for Children’s TV
School of Communications and Theater @ Temple University
online course: Media and Children
NYU School of Continuing & Professional Studies
Writing for Children’s, Teen’s and Tween’s TV (Spring 2009)
Television for young people has come a long way since Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo. It is a world unto itself, with its own cable networks, superstars, and product tie-ins. Like publishing for children and young adults, kids’ TV has unique parameters, jargon, and “dos and don’ts.” This course helps you develop the knowledge and skills necessary to conceive of, structure, and complete a spec script for a children’s, tween’s or teen’s TV series.
ii) Special Articles and Studies
Education Resources Information Center
Special paper: The Role of the Early Childhood Advisor in Children’s Television Production
NYC Panorama @ Queen’s Museum of Art
Posted by: designxpress on: June 12, 2009
So many times we have beautiful things surrounding us and we don’t even know- Queens Museum of Arts is just one such a place. It’s a small museum but has an amazing art on display. It’s less than ten minute drive from my place and yet I never made a plan to visit it until yesterday. My niece’s school planned a visit to QMA and I decided to accompany her.
On this raining day, I and my sister drove down to QMA. We entered the Flushing Meadows Park and I simply loved the greenery & serenity surrounding that place. I took an immediate liking to the area.
Soon, the kids arrived in the school bus and we began our tour. We started with quick introductions which were followed by block building activities. We were divided in five groups for the five boroughs. Each of us was given a map and we had to build the boroughs using the blocks. My team had Manhattan and we managed to build central park.
After this we were to visit, what I will call the biggest attraction at QMA – the NYC panorama. Our tour guide explained to us without divulging details what we were to witness. Since none of us had ever been to QMA, this was going to a surprise to us. We entered the panorama through Brooklyn and walked our way to Manhattan. What has been built is truly spectacular. A scale of 1 inch equals 100 feet has been used to depict the five boroughs. Every detail has been meticulously met. The JFK airport has flights landing and taking off. The water has been abundantly displaced. Manhattan skyline looks amazing. Since the panorama was last updated in 1992, you can still see the twins towers, which I thought was great because New Yorkers like me who came to this city post 2001 can see how the city looked with the two towers standing.
Lack of camera hindered me from taking pictures of this beautiful art so I had to do with my cell phone camera. The kids enjoyed visiting the five boroughs and so did the elders. I am my sister decided to visit again this time with a better camera.
If you want your kids to take a nyc tour in twenty minutes, this is a place to go!
Children’s TV Programming – Trends
Posted by: designxpress on: June 12, 2009
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.
Roger Federer wins French Open 2009
Posted by: designxpress on: June 7, 2009
I missed the French Open final thanks to my picnic to Prospect Park. It didn’t come as a surprise that Roger Federer had finally clenched his win at Roland Garros. As I watched the match point and presentation video on YouTube, I wondered if this would have been possible if Nadal was in running.
Few years ago I was a Federer fan. Then I saw him play against Nadal and fell in love with Nadal game. I was thrilled when he won Wimbledon. It was upsetting to see him loose so early in French Open this year. Although Federer deserves this win, without Nadal it was easier to him that it could have ever been.
I hope Nadal recovers soon and comes back to his game, winning every single game in the coming tournaments.
Election and Me
Posted by: designxpress on: April 16, 2009
This is the second election I missed. I have to admit that I have never voted till date. (yeah, shame on me.) With my family shifting homes constantly, I could never prove the electoral office which constituency I belonged to. And without that, it is impossible to get a voter’s card. Politicians wouldn’t bother much about people like me because our demands do not include installing new pipelines or building new toilets or a community water hose. So their concern is to make sure the poor go to the polls.
The small black dot on the index finger, a symbol that you have cast your vote has always excited me. As a kid, I would stand at the door to inspect fingers of my entire family and with a joint family, trust me there were many. They would all go. Not one would miss their vote. It was a ritual and they took it as their duty. I would then, put black ink on my finger. So what if it was to wash one the moment I held my hand under running water! For me, that small black dot meant empowerment. It made me feel, my country is hearing my voice. For days, I would watch as the dot slowly faded away.
One question I asked my mom every election year, why she went to vote. That answer has not changed till date. She said and continues to say, “I go because, it’s my duty. Every vote counts. Tomorrow if a bad guy comes to power, I don’t want to feel, if I had voted, he might’ve lost. We should always vote.” Her words were inspiring. For this duty, she took pains to go from one office to another, to get their name listed on the new voter’s list when we changed our residence five years back. My question seemed more relevant then, when she struggled and all the bureaucrats did was make her visit offices. Neither her zeal nor her answer had changed. In the end, she had managed to get herself listed and she was ready to do her duty for the umpteenth time of her life.
While, my mom’s story is inspiring, mine is not. Elections have always eluded me. I have always wanted to vote but never could. Few years back when I finally became eligible to vote, I couldn’t exercise my right because I didn’t have a voter’s card. The second time, which is now, I am not in my country.
Today, when the times are tough, I feel it is important than ever before that every citizen of India fulfills this duty. It is important that my generation participates actively and religiously just like our parents did. And it is even more important that the elite do theirs. This is their country too.
As for me, I am hopeful that some day, I will make a small black dot on my finger. And at that time, it will fade away gradually.
Happy Journey to Mom!
Posted by: designxpress on: April 10, 2009
- In: First life
- 1 Comment
For past four months I have been enjoying the company of Aai (mom). My sister and I had convinced her to visit us. We had convinced her that Tai ( my sister) needs her help at home since she will be busy studying for an exam. How cunning of us 
Yesterday, we were at the ariport to bid our goodbye. As we drove fast on the van wyck exp in the full moon, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mom. It’s always exciting for moms to meet their kids, it’s never exciting to leave them. Aai was no exception. I thought of how she had traveled all the way alone. She had traveled alone only up to Kuwait, which is only three hours. But America is 14 hours with a break journey. I wondered how she managed everything so well at every step of her journey in spite of not talking English.
I was glad she was not traveling alone. My sister and niece were going to India with her. Although she had been eager to go home, the fact that she was sad to leave us behind was too evident on her innocent face. She has always been a strong woman; her looks state otherwise. Neither her nor me put our sadness in words. I gave her tight hug and kissed her good bye. She returned my display of love with a warm smile and ‘kalji ghe‘ (take care) and the three of them proceeded to the security check.
We waited patiently as our three travelers passed through the security. They passed the check and we were already waving our hand as high as possible to wave them our final good byes. My niece was blowing kisses at us. Aai lifted her hand and waved good bye briefly. I stood there to see her turn around and waited till they all disappeared from my site. I felt happy for her. No longer sad I walked back home thinking when would be the next time for me to be on the other side of the security check..
Aloo Chat – Movie Review
Posted by: designxpress on: April 7, 2009
There are some movies we watch because the directors are big or because our favorite actors start in them. But they turn out to be big disappointment. And then, there are movies we watch just because, we find their titles peculiar or promos inviting. Their directors are either debutants or virtually unknown but the films are pleasing and paisa vasool. Aloo Chat falls in the later category.
Robby’s Aloo Chat is as palatable as its title. The story is simple. One guy trying to convince his parents to accept a girl he loves and wants to marry. Now what’s so different about that? This is a plot that has been beaten to death in countless Hindi films across all the genres. What makes Aloo Chat different is not the story but the execution.
Robby scores a home run with the perfectly timed humor. The humor in this film fits within the scene, flows within the content and never comes across as forced. It’s just perfect. While, Nikhil (Aftab Shivdasani) and Aamna (Aamna Shariff) execute Hakeem Tarachand’s (Manoj Pahwa) plan to get them together, Kulbhusan Kharbanda (Nikhil’s father) and Sanjay Mishra (Nikhil’s neglected uncle) keep the movie going with their light- hearted humor.
Forget those big titles, big directors and big cast, this is a movie that tickles your funny bone, doesn’t disappoint you and leaves you with a feeling- that was a good one, I am glad it was not such a waste of time.
Watch it. Don’t miss it.
Robby Gerwal has previously directed MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar, and Samary; When Time Strikes.
That’s what friend do..
Posted by: designxpress on: April 3, 2009
I sat monotonously hitting my keyboard in office, my cellphone buzzed to an occasional caller. My friend from India had called to check where I was in awake of the Binghamton hostage situation. I assured her New York City was miles away from the hostage place, everyone in my family was safe and there was nothing to worry. We hung up after quick updates and I returned to my desk. In my heart, I felt nice because a friend had called out of concern. I had no clue about the hostage situation until she called.
Hours passed and my monotony continued. A window chat popped at what was 1.45 India time which means for me in New York it was 4 PM. Here’s how the chat proceeded.
Window 1
Gujju: Did Kannan call you?
Me: No. What happened?
Gujju: He is online he will tell you.
(I am leaving the details, just sticking to the topic)
I pinged Kannan and asked him why he had tried calling me? It didn’t take me long to connect Binghamton to Kannan’s call. So I asked Gujju.
Window 1 (cont’d)
Gujju: haan.. He woke me up at 1.30 while I was sleeping to inform me that you are not answering. I tried to convince him that you are far away from that place. But you know him, he wouldn’t listen. So I told him to come online and check.
Meanwhile, Kannan had narrated the same story.
The three of us continued our talk over a phone call.
I sat in the train back home, thinking about the three of them, who had called me all from the other side of the world. All the efforts they took to find out if I was safe. They had called out of concern.
All the time, we lead our life with the same boring routine. Till our friends do these acts and make us feel special.
44 Places to go in 2009
Posted by: designxpress on: April 3, 2009
All my bags are packed, I am ready to go…New York Times list of 44 places to go in 2009..
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/11/travel/20090111_DESTINATIONS.html?scp=6&sq=interactive&st=cse
Disney in talks with YouTube to share content
Posted by: designxpress on: April 1, 2009
Walt Disney is making a distribution deal with YouTube to share short-form content. The company is also in negotiations with Hulu to distribute some of its popular content and a possible equity stake in the NBC Universal and News Corporation’s joint venture. Networks for years have been trying to pull viewers to their websites as a source to view online episodes. However, YouTube has always triumphed in this area. Now the networks are teaming with YouTube which attracts around 100 million viewers every month. According to the deal with Disney, Disney will control the advertising on the clips and split the revenue with YouTube. Also, YouTube will use ESPN video player to embed the videos. This will be the first time YouTube will use an outside player to embed videos on its site. The ads will be placed before the video starts and as overlays. YouTube is undoubtedly the largest video portal but revenue has been difficult to bring in. This is partly to do with the dearth of professional content and abundance of user generated and copyright questionable content. With networks bringing in their content to YouTube, there is a better chance for to earn advertising revenue. As for the networks, they too can earn revenue for their already aired content.. It’s like reruns but on the web. Looks like a win-win situation for the two. What has to been seen is how the revenue gets split and how popular this actually would be?
