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ABC puts kids’ channel back on the table

ABC boss Mark Scott has again pushed for a dedicated, commercial free kid's channel -and flagged another designed to air "key democratic processes and public events."

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ABC managing director Mark Scott has told the National Press Club in Canberra the broadcaster still wants a dedicated children’s channel.

“Next year, there are likely to be 15 free-to-air digital channels in Australia as we move to analogue switch-off. One should be an ABC children’s channel,” he said.

The comments come amid a debate over advertising aimed at children and follow a decision by the Australian Communications and Media Authority last month not to tighten regulations in relation to such ads.

“If we are concerned about the impact fast-food advertising on television is having on our children, doesn’t it make sense to give parents the choice of a completely commercial-free children’s channel, with high-quality Australian content?” Mr Scott said.

“No pester power, no exposure to fast-food advertising – just quality children’s content.

“It is a compelling proposition – not just for the peace it brings to family life, but what it offers to the government in terms of increasing take-up of digital television.”

He said it would obviously be commercial free “and brought to you by the most trusted and valued source of children’s television in Australia’s history”.

“And available free in every Australian home, not just those signed up to subscription television. Not just to those homes willing to pay $50 a month or more,” he said.

The former Howard Government had pledged money towards a kids’ channel prior to the election, but it wasn’t matched by the Labor Party.

Mr Scott also raised the prospect of establishing a dedicated public affairs channel – similar to the C-SPAN model in the United States – which would cover “key democratic processes and public events,” such as the 2020 summit held in Canberra earlier this year.

“The broadcast of the Australia 2020 summit also illustrated what the ABC could offer in terms of creating a new service delivering footage of public affairs and Australian democracy at work,” he said.

“We want to be able to create a service – online and on television – that allows citizens to watch for themselves key democratic processes and public events, unmediated, unfiltered.”

Mr Scott said the advent of digital media meant much more content could be broadcast.

But he said it was imperative that broadcasters take the opportunity to bring a suite of offerings into every home that are high quality, distinctive and provide a valuable service.

Source: AAP

6 Responses

  1. If the kids channel goes ahead, I expect all the kids programming on the ABC2, would move straight to the ABC3.

    But I wouldn’t expect the kids programming on the ABC1 to change, until analog TV is switched off in the future.

  2. If this channel goes ahead (it will possibly be called ABC3, as suggested earlier), I don’t really see how it would make sense for the ABC to stick with airing children’s programs on ABC1 in the mornings from 06:00-12:00 and in the afternoons from 15:00-18:00.

    I am all up for a new kids’ channel. I would probably keep watching it more than our existing channels.

  3. The ABC can’t even manage decent kids programming on their current channels:
    New seasons of popular cartoon series take longer each year (ie Avatar, Fairly Odd Parents)
    New seasons of cartoon series are frequently cut short (ie Avatar, Fairly Odd Parents, Skunk Fu).
    New episodes mixed with repeats (ie My Goldfish is Evil, Skyland)

    The ABC continues to waste money on Australian kids series, that have already been shown by other TV networks. Instead of buying more new content, that has not been shown before.

    Since the ABC changed the timeslot of RollerCoaster on the ABC2, the kids shows on the ABC are around 98% repeats. With no sign of more episodes of several series, that were previously exclusive to that RollarCoaster timeslot on the ABC2. And the repeats are all recent series, not older classics either (ie not giving any real variety).

    Several series are only been shown on the ABC2 channel, or via iView service, while RollerCoaster on the ABC1 is frequently showing repeats in the afternoons. In addition to the early morning repeat cycle, of RollerCoaster on the ABC1.

    If the ABC gets a kids channel, it needs new management. As we don’t needs a new kids channel, that is just full of endless repeats.

  5. Hopefully this plan will pull through, i know when i was younger, the 90’s held great tv shows and possibilities for kids, today it seems like ABC is the only channel to keep it going this way. This will be a great step for childrens television.

  6. Sure Australia produces so good quality tv for kids but I would think we should want our kids to watch less tv and a dedicated channel 24 hour channel is a little excessive. There is plenty of room on ABC2 to fit more quality programing. I hardly remember it’s there sometimes!

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