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Graeme Base joins CBeebies editorial council

Animalia's Graeme Base will join a new Editorial Advisory Council set up within the BBC's local children's channel.

gbChildren’s writer Graeme Base (Animalia) will join an editorial advisory council for the CBeebies channel.

The local channel, run by the BBC, will set up the forum to identify, respond to and provide advice on emerging issues in children’s television. It will provide a platform where regulatory, programming and content issues can be discussed and debated.

Tony Iffland, General Manager, said, “The Council will allow us to build on the great heritage of the CBeebies brand, whilst ensuring that the channel is outward- looking and focused on the needs of Australian children.

“The distinguished members bring to the Council a wealth of diversity and expertise enabling the CBeebies team to more actively engage with our pre-school aged viewers.”

The initial appointments to the Editorial Advisory Council are;
Graeme Base –Author, Illustrator, Composer, Screenwriter and Executive Producer
Graeme wrote and illustrated his first picture book, My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch in1983. He has since written and illustrated more than a dozen books including Animalia which has sold over three million copies around the world, and co-wrote the theme for the animated TV series Animalia with Yuri Worontschak and also co-executive produced the series.

Assoc. Prof. Christine Johnston, PhD (University of Sydney), B.A. (Hons)
Christine Johnston is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Western Sydney and convenes the Special Education Programs. Christine teaches primarily in the areas of early childhood intervention and evidence-based practice.

Helen Martin – Early Childhood Producer
Helen has been an early childhood producer and adviser with HI-5 since its inception and prior to that performed similar roles with the ABC in Play School and other children’s programs. For many years she was a lecturer in the performing arts with the Institute of Early Childhood and was also Director of the Marian Street Children’s Theatre. She is the author of numerous books for young children and scriptwriter for radio programs, children’s theatre and television.

Cate McQuillen – Filmmaker and Entertainer
Originally trained as a primary school teacher, Cate was the Head of Drama at Clarence Valley Conservatorium in Grafton for 10 years. She is also an invited regional HSC drama consultant. Cate has been working in all facets of children’s entertainment for the past 20 years. As well as an educationalist, she is an award winning performer and musician. A popular public speaker, she is also the award winning co-creator, writer and performer of Dirtgirl World, a children’s project targeting the under eight market.

2 Responses

  1. @ Bill – I wouldn’t worry – most of it’s content is already on the ABC and most of it cheap and nasty either playschool ripoffs or teletubbies or awful postman pat derivatives like ‘Undergroud Ernie’, If you’ve got Nick Jr and Playhouse Disney then you’ve got the best toddler TV already.

  2. one day us austar subs may even get this channel, hope so, before my toddler grows too old for it, but I am not holding my breath, bloody monopoly, nothing good for the sub

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