The U.K. government’s decision last week to shut down the pioneering BFI Young Audiences Content Fund sent shockwaves around the industry. Among those incensed was Anna Home, chair of the Chi…
, chair of the Children’s Media Foundation , a non-profit organization focused on securing the best media choices for young people on all platforms. Home, a BAFTA-winning TV producer whose credits include “Grange Hill” and “Jackanory,” shares her thoughts on the matter in an exclusive column forThe U.K.’s TV industry is a creative powerhouse that is up there with the best in the world.
This “market failure” matters. Television — and particularly public service content — plays a huge part in connecting kids to the culture and society in which they are growing up. It inevitably impacts on their engagement later in life. And young people are aware of missing out. An Ofcom review in 2018 revealed that children feel they don’t see themselves enough on TV and, in recent research conducted for CMF, they complained about not being listened to.
In its first two years, the fund proved its worth: 55 new projects in a variety of genres were successfully financed, and 144 development grants distributed. New producers benefited, as did ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 who all expanded origination. Broadcasters in Wales and Scotland commissioned new content in their own languages.
We also proposed adding National Lottery funding to the mix. The Lottery Cultural Fund finances the British Film Institute to support U.K.-based features. Since the BFI also operates the Young Audiences Content Fund we proposed an increase in Lottery allocation to cover some of the cost of continuing.
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