Channel 4 to invest in Kids TV
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(Mostly lifted from another site...)
Channel 4 has ring-fenced £10m to spend on programmes for 10-to 15 year-olds over the next two years - with a flagship drama series set to take centre stage.
C4's move into children's TV follows ITV scaling back its kids output. "This is not a particularly commercially viable thing to do and commercial broadcasters have cut back [in this area]," said Lygo. "You're unlikely to attract a vast audience. It's a departure for us, born out of a belief in what Ofcom and others have identified as a group that's not particularly well served by television."
Article (registration required): http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/03/c4_to_pump_10m_into_kids_output.html
Nice to see a UK channel investing in children's TV, maybe if it's successful rival channels might follow the idea.
The commercial channels won't, there isn't any money to be made in kids tv now that fast food companies have been banned from advertising in kids programming.
The BBC already invest in kids tv, and I believe are starting to invest in their own 10-16 year old programming as well. Which is, I feel, better news for Knightmare, since C4 isn't exactly known for it's revivals, whereas the BBC occasionally do revivals (Even if the Treasure Hunt revival lasted all of 15 episodes. [victim of it's own success based on the fact the last five of which went out on BBC1 but didn't increase the ratings from BBC2's ratings which got it there])
As for C4 and kids programming associations, I'd kinda assumed they still did the educational age 5-10 C4 Schools programming that they did while I was in school.
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As for C4 and kids programming associations, I'd kinda assumed they still did the educational age 5-10 C4 Schools programming that they did while I was in school.
Ye gods. I remember those from when I was a nipper - even if I was mainly watching the programmes for deaf kids, of which I was not one. Didn't pick up any sign language from it, though... or from the signed bits of Sesame Street.
I would say C4 should get Christopher Lillicrap out of retirement, but I won't because the average 5-10 year old now would realise how unfortunate his name is...
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So here we have Channel 4 throwing money at Knightmares traditional demographic in one part of the forum...
And a certain "BVA" (who most have figured out the identity of by now ) saying that "Something is stirring" in another part nearby.
Coincidence? Possibly. I'm up for some fan speculation though.
In recent years, we've had 2 possible program ideas from Mr Child and Company that got to the Demo stage:- "KMVR" (a nice idea that sadly felt rushed, a little dumbed down, and slightly wide of the mark IMHO) and "Timegate" (To Me, this looked VERY promising. However, I get the feeling it scared those with the pursestrings but no understanding of the technologies involved.).
Could one of these be reappearing after a little evolution? Could there be a new program that combines ideas taken from both? Could Knightmare be returning in a modern form of how WE remember it? (Again possible and fingers crossed. Only time will tell.). Could we even have the chance of developement on "The Sword and the Sorceror" in a similar vein to how "Scavengers" and "Crystal Maze" were played?
... Or could this lead to many hopes and jumps for joy only to fall apart due to outside (ie Non-Fan exec) influence still high on "Brother Celebrity Circus on Ice Get me out of Here!" Quick buck for the masses "Reality" *$&%£ ?
The over-verbosity meter is flashing red so I'll shut up at that. What do folks think? Do we have something happening here (more fingers crossed)?
If we do, what?
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So here we have Channel 4 throwing money at Knightmares traditional demographic in one part of the forum...
And a certain "BVA" (who most have figured out the identity of by now ) saying that "Something is stirring" in another part nearby.
Coincidence? Possibly. I'm up for some fan speculation though.
In recent years, we've had 2 possible program ideas from Mr Child and Company that got to the Demo stage:- "KMVR" (a nice idea that sadly felt rushed, a little dumbed down, and slightly wide of the mark IMHO) and "Timegate" (To Me, this looked VERY promising. However, I get the feeling it scared those with the pursestrings but no understanding of the technologies involved.).
Could one of these be reappearing after a little evolution? Could there be a new program that combines ideas taken from both? Could Knightmare be returning in a modern form of how WE remember it? (Again possible and fingers crossed. Only time will tell.). Could we even have the chance of developement on "The Sword and the Sorceror" in a similar vein to how "Scavengers" and "Crystal Maze" were played?
... Or could this lead to many hopes and jumps for joy only to fall apart due to outside (ie Non-Fan exec) influence still high on "Brother Celebrity Circus on Ice Get me out of Here!" Quick buck for the masses "Reality" *$&%£ ?
The over-verbosity meter is flashing red so I'll shut up at that. What do folks think? Do we have something happening here (more fingers crossed)?
If we do, what?
It was my first thought, but as I said earlier, C4 revival's are extremely rare indeed. As such I would, personally, feel it more likely to be the case that, if this is a KM revival for it to be on the BBC's 10-16 year old service (Which I'd assume is in about the same stage as C4's is when it comes to being launched)
Timegate, on the other hand, feels from the trailer to be almost perfect for a C4 8pm adult slot. Or at least would have done ten years ago when C4 were still being innovative, so I'd, personally, assume that if it's Timegate it won't be on either public service broadcaster's teen service but instead aimed at adults.
...Although that's probably just me doing wishful thinking because I want to apply as a contestant for Timegate if it happens.
This isn't to say you're wrong of course, simply that you're guesses aren't where I'd place my proverbial chips.
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(Mostly lifted from another site...)
Channel 4 has ring-fenced £10m to spend on programmes for 10-to 15 year-olds over the next two years - with a flagship drama series set to take centre stage.
C4's move into children's TV follows ITV scaling back its kids output. "This is not a particularly commercially viable thing to do and commercial broadcasters have cut back [in this area]," said Lygo. "You're unlikely to attract a vast audience. It's a departure for us, born out of a belief in what Ofcom and others have identified as a group that's not particularly well served by television."
Article (registration required): http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/03/c4_to_pump_10m_into_kids_output.html
Nice to see a UK channel investing in children's TV, maybe if it's successful rival channels might follow the idea.
You're supposed to draw some connection with Knightmare (even if it's simply to mention, 'This isn't Knightmare-related as such, but you might find it interesting'). Luckily Snowcat has now done this.
I like Channel 4, but I've never really thought of children's TV on it.
That's a shame in my opinion, considering that 4 is the channel that brought British children Sesame Street, Pob's Programme, the Back To The Future cartoons, Ulysses 31 and Earthworm Jim, not to mention The Crystal Maze and GamesMaster.
So here we have Channel 4 throwing money at Knightmares traditional demographic in one part of the forum...
And a certain "BVA" (who most have figured out the identity of by now ) saying that "Something is stirring" in another part nearby.
Coincidence? Possibly. I'm up for some fan speculation though.
Since BVA's post is only three lines long, I won't attempt to read between them. But let's just say that if by any chance Raven resurfaces on Channel 4 with a certain Mr. H. Myatt recast in the title role, you heard it here first.
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That's a shame in my opinion, considering that 4 is the channel that brought British children Sesame Street, Pob's Programme, the Back To The Future cartoons, Ulysses 31 and Earthworm Jim, not to mention The Crystal Maze and GamesMaster.
Girrrrrrrrrroovy!
Must find EJ cartoons. Somewhere. Must be... cough16cough again.
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not to mention The Crystal Maze and GamesMaster.
Neither of which technically count as children's, I feel. the former simply had a very large children's cross demographic (I think), and the latter was more upper teens than children in target demographic - 16-20, probably (And the first two seasons [church and oil rig] were far better than S3+, S2 [oil rig] probably the overall best)
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The fact that I listed them separately from the others was acknowledgement of that. My point was simply that British children watched them (on Channel 4), and as grown-ups remember them fondly alongside the children's TV they watched. The fact that The Crystal Maze had children's specials is relevant here; and I know of quite young kids today who enjoy Crystal Maze as much as they do Raven.
One interesting thing that Crystal Maze and GamesMaster have in common is that both programmes brought in a second presenter who was significantly less popular than the first, it seemed.
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as more upper teens than children in target demographic - 16-20, probably (And the first two seasons [church and oil rig] were far better than S3+, S2 [oil rig] probably the overall best)
No way, Gamesmaster didn't get good until late on when it became the Dominic Diamond comedy half hour!
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Any developments on this yet?? channel 4 seem to be doing stuff or rather talking about the gaps in Tv this includig the possibility of taking about taking the use f "regional News" which would be intersting as ITV is heavily cutting back and wil probably in 5 years time give up on Regional news and hand t to chanel 4 anyway which wouldn't be a baD THING IMAO
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Any developments on this yet?? channel 4 seem to be doing stuff or rather talking about the gaps in Tv this includig the possibility of taking about taking the use f "regional News" which would be intersting as ITV is heavily cutting back and wil probably in 5 years time give up on Regional news and hand t to chanel 4 anyway which wouldn't be a baD THING IMAO
The quality of ITV news has been lacking for some time now, yeah. (Even North West Tonight has declined in quality in recent years)
But starting an entire new line of programming will naturally take time, and I'd have thought said amount of time would be in the order of two years or so. For both the BBC and Channel 4's teen programming line. They'll both want to open with enough programming to last at least a couple of hours a day with not having to air repeats for a couple of months (so, about 278 = 112 hours of programming, I'd have thought, although that programming can be filmed in parallel rather than in serial due to different production teams for each of the hypothetical 14-28 shows), and it should be remembered that the UK tends towards, excluding live programs and soaps, filming every episode of a program before transmitting any. (Well, and other programs that are on for most days of the year, but to quickly use Deal or No Deal as an example, that gets filmed 3 shows a day, 5 days a week, 2 weeks on, one week off. So... 30 shows get filmed in the time taken to air 18 [They do still have Saturday shows, right?], which comes out as 'the show you watch today was probably filmed a couple of months ago'
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I've heard that the kids stuff starts in 2009!! As Richard and Judy have gone and Countdown will probably go next year, a afternoon slot looks likely!
What, and move the afternoon behemoth which is Deal or No Deal?
More seriously, the 3:30 Countdown slot is inappropriate for a teen slot, since teens are still at (or coming home from) school then. The post-Deal 5:00 slot which Richard and Judy is currently in would work, except that it's only available half the year due to Paul O'Grady, iirc, still pulling in good ratings. Additionally, it looks like Countdown will be continuing into 2009, albeit without Des or Carol, hence why they're advertising for a new arithmetician at the moment.
Incidentally, where did you hear that the C4 Teen thing starts in 2009?
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I read it on the internet somewhere! I can't remember where but it might have been Digital Spy. CBBC starts at a 3.30(ish) start and CITV used to start at 3.15 so why shouldn't Channel 4 do the same. Especailly as the 'slot' will also be on E4 and they wouldn't scrap Simpsons or Hollyoaks.
Personally I think that they'll have the slot as follows:
Channel 4 3.30-6.00 (E4 showing stuff for older teens)
E4 6.00-7.00 (Channel 4 showing Simpsons & Hollyoaks for teens)
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That's true.
Maybe if Countdown gets scraped (which it probably will after a series with the new presenters), Deal or No Deal will be moved to the Countdown slot and then the kids slot will start. As Paul O'Grady is only for a few months after Christmas, I think that the kids stuff will start about Easter time when Paul O'Grady is finished!
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