Programme 36 24/2011/E

Greg Childs Children’s TV and the Internet – and beyond

Examples of TV brands reaching out successfully in the Internet and Games world

This article includes a personal ple, it is also about them uploading market. The expensive boxed-game selection of websites and other in- their own content and participating in distribution system is giving way to teractive applications connected to ever more sophisticated ways. online delivery – with lower costs. children’s TV brands that provide All the principles were there from the And we are all casual gamers now what kids want, in innovative and beginning. Kids want to have fun. (55 million players of Farmville on engaging ways. They want to express themselves. Facebook back this up). Mobile game They love TV brands, but they want devices seem glued to every younger more than just promotional content. kid’s sticky hands, and (if they give ack in 1998, I attended my They love stories, but they also want their fingers a wipe first) many are first Prix Jeunesse In- to have agency. Kids need to be safe, swiping and tapping touch-screens on Bternational festival to and that needs care and budgets. The smart phones and tablet PCs. participate in an info-session on the Web also provides a prime opportu- new phenomenon of broadcasters and nity for them to be challenged and to The younger demographic producers building websites around learn in more meaningful ways than their channel and programme brands. via TV. They learn through experienc- When it comes to online projects, I spoke for Children’s BBC and Jenny ing ideas and situations rather than many people forget the preschool de- Buckland profiled some of the devel- just passively watching, by interact- mographic. But in truth some of the opments at ACTF in Australia. Even ing, participating, and experimenting. most ambitious and innovative work in those early days, some of the key The websites listed here are all con- is being done for this demographic. elements which are now good prac- nected in some way to children’s On websites for all ages, play is of tice on kids’ websites were starting television brands. They are good par­amount importance. But there are to emerge. Our sites reported from examples of how to provide what diffe­rent forms of play, and some backstage, used programme talent kids want, in innovative and engag- of the most successful sites for pre- to produce additional material, and I ing ways. While the Internet is now schoolers focus on playful exploration proudly presented the first game on a without doubt the “second platform”, rather than what you might call con- bbc.co.uk website. I also announced there are others in which children’s ventional games. One of the nominees we would be opening a forum called and youth brands can find their audi- for last year’s Prix Jeunesse Up- “Chatterbox” in which kids could ence and offer them holistic experi- to-6 Interactivity Prize was the Big communicate with each other. At the ences beyond the TV screen. Game and Small website (Plug-In Media, time we were only beginning to think consoles have been around for a long UK, for the CBeebies). Every move of the implications of that sort of audi- time, but the new economics of the of the mouse across the colourful and ence engagement for an organisation games market have allowed a wider intricate screens produces a response like the BBC. 13 years on, it could be range of brands to have an impact – it of some sort. Some objects in the said that the web has changed out of is no longer all about the big game frame play little tricks on the user, all recognition: broadband connec- brands or the major movie franchises. others, when clicked, open up to mini tion speeds have made a huge differ- Nintendo’s Wii home console, casual games such as hand painting, making ence to what can be delivered – and online gaming and mobile consoles a band, getting the character Small to of course now it is about much more have opened up a whole new fe- sleep – all delightful, easy to under- than simply delivering to young peo- male, family, and younger children’s stand and navigate – and all guided Programme 24/2011/E 37 by the same voices used on the TV branching storylines available online of-the-mill, and there are ways of uti- show. This and other CBeebies web- for really young children. lising games to facilitate exploration sites are models of brand consistency, and learning which are powerful and making the transition from the passive add meaning and purpose to play. viewing experience to interactive play Amongst the sites which featured in seamless. That Big and Small should the final line-up at the Prix Jeu- have won the interactive Children’s nesse 2010, 13 in De Oorlog (NPS, BAFTA (British Academy Award) at Netherlands) is a fine example of a the end of 2010 is no surprise. difficult subject (the Second World War) approached in an accessible way on TV. The series features the stories of 13 young people caught up in the war in the Netherlands. This extends The social aspects of the Internet do to the online space in an even more not really work for younger kids, but accessible way – through an intrigu- that does not mean that they do not ing detective game. want to contribute to TV via the web. A truly cross-media project engaging really young kids (with their parents’ The winner of the 2010 Prix Jeu- help) is PicMe (Jam Media, Ireland) nesse under-6 category was the site which has seen success on RTÉ (Ire- for Dinosaur Train (PBS Kids, USA, land), Nick Junior (UK and Europe), see box on page 40). Once again it and PBS Kids Sprout (USA). PicMe is a good example of how the tone is innovative in that it allows its view- and purpose of a programme can be ers to star in each short TV episode. reflected online. The focus is on the Parents can upload a photo of their principal characters, and though there child to the PicMe website, from Similarly, the Horrible Histories are games on the site, the key feature where it is incorporated into the TV (CBBC, UK) site uses a rich video is a vast factual resource about dino- animations. The activity encourages game to offer the humour of the TV saurs which mirrors the learning in collaboration between child and par- show with many opportunities to learn the TV programmes. In some ways ent, and it offers an enhanced version along the way. It feels just like the TV this is a rather “old-fashioned” ap- of the “birthday card moment” used experience, but it takes you through proach to online engagement, but you by so many TV channels to offer their a series of conversations using video can see how fans of the programme – viewers their 30 seconds of fame. content which not only progress the especially those “dinosaur collectors” game, but teaches you history along in the audience would love it. the way (www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/horri­ The next example takes both integra- blehistories/game.shtml). tion and play further. The TV anima- In terms of brand extension, Horrible tion Tom and the Slice of Bread with Histories is an example of the po- Strawberry Jam and Honey (Film tential for crossover into the games Bilder Studio for SWR, Germany) is market, with PC, Wii, and Nintendo full of choices and decisions for the DS versions of Ruthless Romans re- leading character, Tom, as he searches leased in 2010. for his bread, jam, and honey. Full The winner in the 7-11 interactive advantage was taken of this when the category at the Prix Jeunesse interactive version of the stories was was Klangkiste, the site of the WDR Older children – play and released online. In “branching sto- orchestra, big band, and choirs (see learning rylines” the young audience can play box). This site is a technical tour de with the ideas in the story, select the Research suggests that game play is force, with wonderful use of Flash next part of Tom’s path, and discover a major feature of why 7- to 11-year- mini movies teaching you everything if their decisions have led to success olds are online. But there are ways of you need to know about the orchestra or back to the point of choice again. integrating websites and their game etc. – though there is little chance to It is simple but incredibly satisfy- play with the programme experience discover through play, which might ing – and it remains one of the few which set them apart from the run- be an educational opportunity missed. Programme 38 24/2011/E

Teens and social drama tory dramas have been made in Nor- ing huge success internationally, e.g. way (Sara and Mia, NRK, Norway; the social gaming site for younger The winner in the Prix Jeunesse http://nrksuper.no/superstore/sara/; children Moshi Monsters (Mind Can- 12-15 interactive category was Routes http://nrksuper.no/mia/) and in New dy, UK) and fashion/play phenom- (Channel 4, UK, see box) which set Zealand, Reservoir Hill, (TVNZ, enon Stardoll (Stardoll AB, Sweden). about re-inventing the factual format New Zealand) which won the Digital and using every interactive means Emmy for Children and Young Peo- possible to further its educational ple in April 2010 (http://tvnz.co.nz/ aims. Routes uses a scheduled ap- reservoir-hill). proach to content so that the web ex- Interactive drama offers the audi- perience is more like that of linear TV. ence much deeper engagement than The topic is DNA, and the website its linear counterpart, because it al- content is a blend of games, factual lows them to share comments, rec- documentary, and fictional interactive ommend to their friends, vote, and, mystery. in some cases, influence the story The blurring of the lines between re- outcomes. Sharing and recommenda- ality and fiction is becoming more tion amongst the teen audience are the The statistics for Moshi Monsters and and more a feature of teen websites. point at which social media sites such Stardoll are simply amazing. Moshi Adults find it disturbing;T eens appear as BEBO and Facebook meet broad- has in the region of 30 million regis- to find it perfectly acceptable – it suits casters and producers. The Channel tered members, playing educational their general world-picture! 4 (UK) philosophy is an interesting games, customising their monsters, Also in the Channel 4 stable of “soft example of a change of heart by a and chatting safely with online education” websites are some for- broadcaster. For their “soft-learning” friends. Stardoll takes the simple mats which take the novel approach sites for teens they ensure that these concept of a paperdoll cut-out cloth- of starting online and graduating to are seeded, planted, and grown virally ing game to over 50 million users in a TV show only after the brand and on the social media sites where kids 236 countries. If you work in kids’ TV the participants’ activity is well-es- and teens are, rather than where the and do not know Moshi and Stardoll, tablished online first. The campaign channel feels they should be. Channel you are seriously missing out on the site Battlefront (Channel 4, UK) is branding is minimal. But their asso- lives your audience are living and the an example of this, as young activists ciation with sites frequented every competition you face. And of course compete to put an issue they feel pas- minute of every day by teens ensures they will, all in different ways, have sionate about in front of the teen audi- that the brands will cut through the TV aspirations – in fact Stardoll TV ence, by whatever media and means cyber-babble and make an impact. has already launched... online. they feel would work best – video Meanwhile the extent to which many being a feature of course – and a TV of these teen content sites avoid a TV series being the end result, but not the presence is also interesting. starting point.

Kids’ loyalty shifting A phenomenon has been the growth of brands which are exclusively on- line. They market themselves in quite different ways from the traditional TV/online tie-ins, and some have be- Meaningful interactivity come immensely and internationally successful. The potential of some of Interactive participation can take Interactive drama has a strong pull on those brands has already been recog- many forms, from the simple act of the teen audience. Recent examples nised by the major international kids’ voting for your favourite singer on such as Sophia’s Diary ran to 3 series broadcasters, with Nickelodeon buy- a talent show, to building, creating, on BEBO and has been re-versioned ing up Neopets and Disney acquiring uploading, and sharing your own con- in many territories across the world, Club Penguin. tent. For me, the key questions are including China (see www.bebo.com/ But even as the big broadcasters find always, “Is the participation mean- sofiasdiary). Public service versions their way in this space, there are still ingful? Does it have a good effect on of the same interactive and participa- powerful independent brands enjoy- the user and can the user’s content Programme 24/2011/E 39 affect the overall content proposi- website is amortised in the same way Ten brand. The Ben Ten Game Crea­ tion in some way? Does the user’s as the cost of the animation. tor has recently been extended to the agency produce a perceptible result?” Star Wars: the Clone Wars and Bat­ My final examples are of meaning- man brands. The Game Creator lets ful interactivity which carries across you not only build games but also from the online space to the TV in a upload them to Game-play Central variety of ways – all aimed at the 7-12 where everyone else can play them. demographic. Though play is a serious business Total Drama Island (Xenophile Media for kids – and learning the basics of and Jam3media for Teletoon, Canada, games development might give some and subsequently Cartoon Network of them career access to a multi-bil- in various territories) is an animated lion dollar industry – a more serious parody of a reality show in which par- Sites which encourage kids’ creativity participatory activity is available on ticipants in a summer camp are “voted get high marks from this reviewer. the Bugbears (CBBC, UK) website. off” week by week. For broadcasters, Examples are: Bugbears allows users to upload au- who not only acquire the animation Me and My Movie (CBBC, UK) is dio about their feelings, concerns, but buy into the full version of its one of several sites around the world worries, and observations on life. website, Total Drama Island (TDI) which encourage kids to make their These are then moderated and fed online offers the world of the anima- own movies and animations and up- through a semi-automated animation tion in which users can create their load them YouTube-style to the li- process to produce an entire world own avatar and compete in their own brary of content. Me and My Movie of little monsters speaking with the competition by playing micro-games (www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/mymovie) kids’ voices. It is empowering and on the site. If they rise to the top of the misses out slightly on the vital TV stimulating on many levels – as the game play leader-board, their avatar component, though it is connected kids can show their respect or sym- will win the chance to appear in the fi- via the programme Blue Peter to a pathy by clicking on voting buttons. nal episode of the series. Meanwhile, competition which gains the winner Bugbears was a finalist in the 7-11 though it would be impossible with a a British Academy Award at the Chil- interactive section of the 2010 Prix pre-produced animated series to al- dren’s BAFTAs. Jeunesse. The TV cross-over has low the audience to actually vote for In the Netherlands, the popular and yet to develop, but it is interesting the weekly “evictions”, online users long-running magazine show Klok­ that the BBC was prepared to build a do get the chance to vote in the fi- huis (NPR, Netherlands) has devel- brand online with no TV outlet. nal – through the simple mechanism oped a suite of tools on its website to of there being 2 final episodes. TDI allow kids to build their own sketches is ambitious and has explored some – reflecting the comedy element of of the key problems of meaningful the TV show and using the regular interactive engagement – such as the characters, and their familiar roles point that audiences can only influ- and catch-phrases. The Klokhuis site ence TV content when programmes also features a game constructor so are live or near live as a general rule. that kids can build their own versions But they have also understood that of online micro-games from a kit of with a little thought and additional parts (http://oud.hetklokhuis.nl/doe). work (and not too much additional Cartoon Network has taken this con- And finally, after years of expensive expense) audiences can be offered cept up internationally under its Ben software development, the BBC cre- sufficiently meaningful choices and ated Bamzooki (CBBC, UK). If you power to encourage them to partici- have never visited, or built a Zook, pate in large numbers. TDI has also and raced it against the others on cracked another conundrum – how the site, you really should. It is the to finance a complex and expensive gold standard of creative involve- website through international sales. ment. Users build creatures which The distributors (Cake Entertainment, follow the laws of physics and are UK) offer the website as part of the targeted on certain aims. This allows animation acquisition package, but them to compete with others, both with an additional charge to cover on the site and in a TV game show the web budget. Thus the cost of the which is packed with technological Programme 40 24/2011/E

innovation and real audience engage- tiple stories in a variety of media. The PRIX JEUNESSE ment. The cost was enormous and in And the various industry sectors are Interactivity Prize difficult times it is hard to see when converging, as broadcasters realise Since 1964, PRIX JEUNESSE has work of this sort will be done by a the power of multi-player gaming, been the premier prize in children’s and national broadcaster again. But the as book publishers explore tablet PCs youth television. Now, as young peo- principles behind it are purposeful (like the iPad), as toy manufacturers ple seek entertainment and informa- and enabling, and the TV crossover venture into virtual worlds (watch out tion from multiple media, the “PRIX potential is strong. for Lego Universe, http://universe. JEUNESSE Interactivity Prize” hon- lego.com, and Playmobil World) and ours applications (websites, interactive as brands emerge to huge success TV, games, mobile media, etc.) that through the viral power of the Internet reflect excellence in a broadcaster’s with no movie or TV origin. These are multi-platform strategy for a children’s powerful new forces. TV programme or series in 3 age cat- For public service and local broad- egories (Up to 6, 7-11 and 12-15). casters cost is an issue, and there is evidence that some are reverting to Winners 2010 a model whereby broadband Inter- Up to 6 net becomes simply another delivery DINOSAUR TRAIN WEBSITE method for TV content – rather than What next? Or rather ... FableVision Inc, Boston a means of developing a totally new what now? The Jim Henson Company, Holly- relationship with the kids’ audience: wood PBS, Arlington Beyond online, many of the interna- two-way, interactive, inclusive, and tional broadcasters are taking advan- empowering. There are those who tage of placing their brands on game think that this will be broadcasters’ consoles – especially the mobile con- final undoing. Denying the funda- soles – and turning their brands into mental shift in audience relationship apps for the iPhone and iPad. Cartoon which the web implies, is to turn your Network had an unexpected runaway back on progress, and on “what kids success with its simple but amusing want”. The alternative – embrace the Ben Ten Mouth Off which allows the multi-platform approach, take a ho- user to lip-synch their own voice with listic view of content and brands, en- 7-11 WDR Klangkiste alien mouths animated on the iPhone able interactivity, participation, and Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Cologne screen. There are literally thousands choice, and build the expertise or of games and other apps on the market the partnerships to facilitate this – in which use children’s and youth TV short, adapt to survive. brands as their basis. The potential for educational apps has been taken note up by companies like Zuztertu, which offers a comprehensive aggregation This article is the product of research undertaken of educational games and learning annually for a talk on “Digital Kids” delivered to

creenshot © WD R S creenshot © the German “Akademie für Kindermedien”, with http://klangkiste.wdr.de apps for smart phones (http://www. some additions from a contribution on cross-media zuztertu.com). children’s content at the Prix Jeunesse Suitcase 12-15 held for the children’s department of the Turkish We have talked about convergence public broadcaster, TRT, in November 2010. ROUTES for a long time. But now devices have Channel 4 (on behalf of Oil Produc- converged, with not only PCs but the author tions for the Welcome Trust), London also phones, mobile and fixed game consoles all having Internet access Greg Childs has and therefore social media potential. worked in Chil- Content converges either as cross- dren’s media for media propositions, moving the audi- over 20 years. He ence from one platform to another to now runs his own media-consultan- get the full experience, or transmedia cy company, “Childseye”, London, S creenshot © Channel 4 approaches to a consistent story uni- United Kingdom. www.routesgame.com/home verse which can accommodate mul-