19 June 2017 tbs.pm/12375

From ITV 1964, published by the Independent Television Authority in February 1964

Ever since the start of Independent Television, particular regard has been paid to the needs of children. Specially produced and selected programmes are transmitted daily, of a type considered suitable to the taste of young viewers. Children have not been slow to declare their preferences and their letters play an important part in guiding the planners of the programmes.

Whereas eight years ago most children came fresh to television and naturally found it a magnet of tremendous power, many of them now see it as just one more piece in the jigsaw of their environment. In this sense the novelty has gone for ever, though the magnet undoubtedly remains. There can, of course, be no assurance that a child’s experience of television is by way of the programmes specially designed for him, and it is for this reason that the Authority has developed its concept of family viewing at times when young children are most likely to be watching. Failing this assurance, it can only be hoped that the first television programmes to become intelligible to a child are those between 4.45 and 6 p.m. which are particularly designed for children.

Since older children’s tastes are infinitely more varied, and therefore more difficult to cater for in the time available, and the older children are undoubtedly looking at programmes other than those specially designed for them, children’s programmes on television now tend to be made to appeal to the younger child.

Most children like quizzes, put out on the network by Granada, and regionally by Anglia; they like magazine programmes which are on the whole informative, put out by Associated-Rediffusion, on the network, and regionally by Border Television, Scottish Television and Anglia Television; and they like light entertainment, naturally, when it includes pop music. But it would not be easy to pinpoint the actual age at which they tend to turn off, for instance, the serials specially made for them. When does a child throw down a book which, even a week ago, he would have found absorbing? This is one of the teasing problems in the making of fiction for children’s television. Nevertheless, the serials have been very good during recent months: Emerald Soup, from ABC Television, Sierra Nine and Smuggler’s Cove from Associated-Rediffusion, all accurately described as adventure serials, with children taking the major parts.

The regional companies have tended to provide rather more of their own children’s fare locally. The popular Happy Go Lucky in Tyne Tees has gone on; Southern Television has had a successful drama series, Let’s Make a Play, as well as a photography group; Anglia Television, in addition to its quiz programmes, has had a magazine club; and Westward Television has had a teenagers’ programme with the intriguing title Move Over, Dad.

The youngest children, however, come well into their own both on the network and regionally with the wide-eyed magic of the land of make-believe inhabited by puppets, animals and funny grown-ups, with which children’s programmes open at 4.45 p.m. These programmes have included The Rogies and Romper Room from Grampian, Playtime from Westward, Birthday Greetings from Channel and Border, Snip and Snap from ABC, and Small Time from Associated-Rediffusion.

FIREBALL XL5. A space adventure puppet series. [ATV]

L. Local. P. Part Network. N. Network. Unless otherwise stated, the lists refer to 1963 and p.m.

Entertainment

Practical

SNIP AND SNAP. Jill Lawrence shows children how to make the paper sculpture characters seen in cartoons. [ABC]

Fiction

SMUGGLER’S COVE. An adventure serial by Jean McConnell in the setting of Cornwall. [Associated-Rediffusion]