sign in sign up
<<
Home , Donald Duck Presents, My Pet Monster, Romper Room

CINEMA CAN •A D A

Kid vid A survey of Canadian children's television programming BY WYNDHAM PAUL WISE

confess, I am ababy boomer parent of two production company for ) the young girls, three-and-a-half and five, and French inserts so they can be used in other I have been recently inundated with TV markets. We take out the strongly American for children. While I'm no child messages and put in metric messages and the psycholOgist, nor an expert by any means, Canadian alphabet when it comes to the letter I li /', /I eight to 10 hours of Sesame Street a week, plus Z endless reruns of Pollm Dot Door, Sharon, Lois And There has been a lot of criticism of Sesame Street Bram's Elephant Show and Today's Special, has over the years - that it is too commercial in made me a connoisseur of sorts. nature, too frantically paced, too aggressive, My kids live with television as part of their even that it is too "grouchy", although I daily routine. By the time they reach the age of personally think Oscar the Grouch is one of the 12, they will have spent, according to Deborah Street's greatest creations. Bruce defends the Bernstein, former executive director of the show. "The one thing I can say about CTW is the -based Children's Broadcast Institute, impressive amount of research that goes into 12,000 hours watching television - more time anything new that they do. Every character on than they will have spent in school. the Street has been very carefully studied and Oearly parents have reason to be concerned developed. Everything in life isn't bright and about the effect of all this TV time on the fresh, and I think putting" grouchy" in is a development of our children. But, equally possibility and it's real. clearly, we have reason to be proud and "It's been produced in a commercial style encouraged by the quality and range of because their research - and they researched it Canadian television programs for children of all for three years before they produced their first ages. TVO's Today's Special. "Research and attention to detail puts TVO in the product - found that kids watching TV at a "Canadians are beginning to be recognized forefront of children'S programming " tender age had developed a style of watching. worldwide as one of the primary producers of Inc., Toronto), Pollm Dot Door and Today '5 Special to be found in this country's broadcasting They were attentive towards commercials, children's television," claims Angela Bruce, the (TVOntario) , Kidsbeat (Global, Toronto), My PeI--industry, my two children would agree with where things change quickly, and where the development head of Children 's Programming MOllster and The Care Bears (, Toronto), Ruth Vernon. Their three fa vorite programs, messages were short and to the point. They at the esc. She should know. The CBC The Rockets (CKY-TVWinnipeg), Size Small Islmul Pollm Dot Door, Today's Special, and Sesame Street, found that this was the best way to reach the regularly captures a phenomenal 99 per cent (CKND Saskatoon), Harriet' sMagic Hats (Access all emanate from TVO. viewer. share of pre-school audiences across the Alberta) and Fred Penller's Place (CBC Sitting on a living room floor in Toronto in "ButI've noticed that the whole pace of Sesame country. Not only are broadcasters and a whole Vancouver). These programs entertain, inform, frontofa television is perhaps not the mostideal Street has slowed down. It's not as frantic and host of independent producers producing and educate. place to conduct an informal survey of why the inserts are longer. They don't come at you programming for children that is second to By way of contrast, the United States, with its Canadians do what they do so well in this area. with the same rapidity. I personally prefer it. I none, but children's programming in is, huge population base, has a very limited range But with a handy converter, and basic cable, it think that the slower-paced Canadian product for the most part, regionally based. This of children's programming - from Dislley to Jem does provide one with the advantage of being also improves what we get from Sesame Street. provides one of the strongest arguments for the to He-Man to the Smurf5 and back to Disney. able to view the greatest number of stations and We are gentler in our approach and we have a very nature of our unique mix of public and David Mintz, president of the Global Television programs to be found in any Canadian market. softer sell. " private broadcasting. Network, has a simple answer for this: For instance, one can view 43 hours of Sesame This particular Canadian quality is evident in From Halifax to Vancouver, Canada, with its "Television in the States has virtually one Street aweek, courtesy of the CBC, TVO, and the CBC's longest- running show for pre-schoolers, small population base, has developed an obligation, and that's to make money for its PBS station out of Buffalo, which runs no less Mr. Dressup. Originally a partner with Fred extraordinary variety of children's program­ shareholders. Therefore, when television than four hours back-to-back on Sunday Rogers, of Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood, Ernie ming. This bountiful harvest includes The Blue stations in the U S. program shows for children, mornings. It is by far and away the most Coombs began as Mr. Dressup 21 years ago with Rainbow (CHSJ St. John's), Blizzard Island (CBC they feel no obligation to inform or educate. I've successful program of its kind and it is also puppeteer Judith Lawrence. Bruce 'sexplanation Halifax), Passe-Partout (Radio-Quebec always felt that Canada couldn't exist in virtually the only show for pre-schoolers that for his success is very simple, yet puzzling to ), Under The Umbrella Tree (Noreen television without regulation. In the area of has been sold right around the world. parents who are driven crazy by the slow pace of Young Productions, Ottawa), Tree House (CKCO children's programming, I am happy to see that The Canadian connection here is a strong one. the show. in cooperation with Stratford's Children's regulation has produced not only entertainment For many years now, the CBC has been "It's his very personal presentation," says Productions), Romper Room (CKCO Kitchener), programs, but also many programs which are providing the Canadian inserts that go into Bruce. "Eachc hild seems to believe that Ernie is Mr. Dressup (CBC Toronto), Sharon, Lois And informing and educating. " Ruth Vernon, Sesame Street. They are currently producing 25 talking to them personally. It works very well in Bram's Elephant Show (Cambium Productions, director of Children's Programming at minutes of material a day for the show. This an intimate setting. It's almost going into your Toronto), Degrassi Jr. High (Playing With Time TVOntario, agrees, "It's the nature of public material comes from the regional affiliates and is own living room. It is very gentle and very broadcasting in Canada that makes for the range assembled in Toronto. Angela Bruce explains, non-aggressive and Ernie is brilliant in Wyndham Paul Wise is agraduate student in the and quality of children's programming." "We have our own Muppets and we take all the understanding what the best ingredients are film department at York University. He joins the Without knowing the first thing about the Spanish out and put French in. We identify our that make the show work so well with young staff of Cinema Canada as the Toranto news bizarre complexities of broadcast regulations, native people. We even sell back to the kids. " reporter. quotas, and the paranoia of foreign domination Children's Television Workshop (CTW, the The Corporation also programs for the older C.NIMA CANADA 'UNI1 ... PAGI7 CINEMA CAN A D A •

kids with lA/hat 'sNew? (current affairs), which is magazine format and the other more of a in its 17th season, and the award-winning storyline. The storyline seemed to work better. Wonderstruck (popular science). However, there So once all that was done, we had the money to has been some trouble with popularizing these get started with a number of shows, which is programs. Over the years the Children's important for young children. By the time we Department has been forced to program the 4to went on air, we had 42 shows which allowed us 6 p. m. "strip" with anthology-style program­ 21 weeks before we had to go into repeats, and ming. ~e were still producing. We eventually According to Bruce, it is not the way children produced 120 shows and a one-hour special. watch television. "They get hooked on "We're not doing it any more. We are now something and they'll be there. So we are working on a new pre-school show. Today 's working quite hard to change the anthology­ Special was costly and Clive was tired of doing it. style. We had The Elephant Show on Mondays, He had done it for seven years. It had been his which is for the 6 to 8 year-olds, OWLrrv on life. He was the producer, director, and he wrote Tuesdays, which is for 8-lOs. Then on most of the music. However, we will continue to Wednesday we have Wonderstruck for the run it. We keep getting new audiences. They over-lOs. Then on Thursdays we have What 's keep corning in and going out the other end. It's New?, which is for the early teens. As a child, been sold everywhere. It was Clive's decision you have to remember howold you are and what right off the bat to go with Jeff Hislop. It was just you are supposed to watch. It doesn't work like the perfect choice. Jeffs was a fantastic that. Either they like a program or they don 't. contribution to the show's success. " Either it's there or it's not. If not, they have a TVO 's research and attention to detail has put tendency to forget it. " it in the forefront of children's production in The only real competition to the CBC in the Canada. It also provides a grea t deal of in-school area of children's television in the Toronto programming, as mandated by the Ontario broadcast area is TVOntario. From TVO comes Ministry of Education. Unfortunately, this Polka Dot Door, the second-longest-running provides competition for the programming children's show on Canadian TV, and, dollar within the organization. While incidentally, one of the most popular shows at learning-to-read programs like Readalong, which my children's daycare. It's been running for 18 has been running for 13 years now, teaches years now, every day, twice a day. The show'sa Amanda Stepto (Spike) and Bill Parrott (Shane) in Degrassi Junior High. youngsters and new Canadians how to read,it success, according to Ruth V~rnon, because it is Series drew 1.2 million viewers when first moved to Monday evenings and is takes money away from quality at-home shows top·rated kids' show in Britain the best targeted program aimed at 3 to like Today 's Special. 6-year-olds. The other major networks in the Toronto "A lot of parents hate it," says Vernon . "Let's viewing area, Global and CTV, predictably, face it, they consider it boring. We can al ways provide considerably less programming hours tell when our crews have children. Before they devoted to children. CTV 's flagship station in would complain that it is tooslow , but then they Toronto, CFTO, runs only one half-hour of would change. It's based on the child 's own Romper Room during its weekday morning world, which is play. We give them ideas of how schedule. The show, which comes from Burt to play with toys, which are learning situations. Claster Productions in association with CKCO, The original concept carne from the BBC's CTV 's affiliate in Kitchener, is another Playschool. We changed it a lot, but the idea of a long-running institution. However, it has none story, of going through the door to the outside of the chaml of Polka Dot Door, the gentle wit of world with some sort of footage and songs, Mr . Dressup, or the production values of Today '5 remains the same. We have sold it across Special. "Miss Fran" works well with the Canada, but because of its similarity to children, bu t the show tends towards being

Playschool, we have not sold it internationally. " .1 sappy" . It 's rather like being in school, which The frequ ent change of hosts doesn't seem to is to say that it is not much fun. reduce its popularity In fact, it demonstrates CKCO-TV is also responsible for Oopsy Daisy, TVO's very effecti ve research in to what makes starring a sillyand somewhat patronizing clown children's shows work. named Oopsy, and Camp Cariboo (which won the Today 's Special is another TVO production 1987 Children's Broadcast Institute Award for which has also proved tremendously popular Best Regional Programming), for older children. with slightly older children. The research that In addition, it produces Tree House with longtime went into the show prior to being put on air was Stratford performer Danny Coughlin. In fact, exhaustive. Ruth Vernon explains, "The Sharon, Lois and Sram's Elephant Show. "Performers who come closest to CKCO, along with CKY-TV in (Magic creating rock·star hysteria in the daycare set " concept of the inside of a department store, the Garden for pre-schoolers and The Rockets for 6 to mannikin who comes to life, who represents the into our studios and we put our cameras on ca me on. Researchers, behind two-way mirrors, 12-year-olds), are the most active CTV affiliates child, the woman who is the boss, the mouse them. They all watched the program and then watched every minute. But since we felt that this when it comes to children's programming. who is the mischievous child, who gets into a they were asked questions. The one thing that was not quite a fair indication, we put the two CFTO produces none of its own at this point. little bit of trouble and who talks in rhyme, and didn't work off the top was the character of Sam. pilots on air. We had certain sites around the The smaller Global Network makes a more Sam, the old security guard, came from Clive He was a little too gruff on the first two pilots. province and we talked to parents and concerted effort for quality, although its choice Vanderburg. That had to be changed. You could tell, the researchers after the airing. of programming reflects the narrow range of "We tested enormously. We brought children children pulled back from the screen when Sam "Of the two pilots, one was slightly more a commercial broadcasters. The one that Global

CINEMA CANADA PAGE 8 IUNI1911 CINEMA CAN • A D A

originates in its Toronto studios is Kidsbeat, become a ritual of growing up in Quebec. French Our feeling is that our audience out there is independent producers, headed by Jon Sian, which is now in its seventh year. Like CBC's Canada's answer to Sesame Street was created by smart and very discriminating and want good, who was formerly involved with SuperChannel What 's New?, the 1I2-hour news and current Laurant Lachance 10 years ago. Developed by intelligent stories. We don't want to be before it merged with First Choice. YTV intends affairs show is targeted for the 6 to lO-year-old the Ministere de I'Education du Quebec and sensational or do a sex showfor teens. But if we to be an entertainment, not educational, service, age group. More recently the format has produced by Radio-Quebec, the provincially­ were going to connect with those kids, we were but it is encouraging to note that they will be expanded to include music and entertainment. owned TV network, Passe-Partou t is carried going to have to talk about those things that they picking up two of TVO' s favorites, Polka Dot Without talking down to the children, Kidsbeat nationally by CBC's French-language service. are discussing. So in the same show we could Door and Today 's Special along with a variety of explains hard news and still maintains their Of the many independent producers working talk about wet dreams, the nervous anxieties of material from the CBC and CTV networks. interest. TVOntario picks up the show for out of the Toronto area, several have committed asking a person out for the first time for a date, In Toronto there is the Children's Broadcast second viewing, although Ruth Vernon says she themselves whollyt oc hildren's TV. Atlantis got or the anxiety of having to write a test. If we Institute, which maintains a library for research had trouble with the inclusion of some of the its start with imaginative series, like the Oscar were going to be true to our audience, we would and acts as an adviser to the industry. It rock videos. These have now been dropped award-winning Boys And Girls, but have now have to be given the freedom to talk about these publishes a Directory of Canadian Children's from the format. moved on to adult programming and many issues. That's why we could never work with Film and Video and holds biannual awards for Global also produces a number of shows in other things. The youngCambium duoof Arnie someone like Disney. There is just no common excellence in children's programming. In association with independent producers or Zipursky and Bruce Glawson have had great ground. " Montreal there is the new Youth and Media broadcasters- Mr . Wizard , science for older kids, success with Sharon , Lois And Bram 's Elephant But parents beware, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, studies at the University of Montreal which will with CFAC in Calgary ; Size Small Island, an Show, which has completed its fourth year of and all the rest of the gang is coming to "shame the industry into putting more money excellent pre-school show done in Saskatoon production. It has been named "Best TV town in the fall. At least 60 per cent of the new into quality programming for children" , says with the talented Lumby family in association Variety " by CFTA and "Best Children's specialty pay-TV station, The Family Channel, Tom Axworthy, vice-president of the CRB with CKND ; and Blue Rainbow, a pre-school Programming" by ACTRA. Undeniably, the will be programming from the . Foundation, which has been created by program from St. John's, in association with success of the show is with the performers, who Morning programming for pre-schoolers will millionaire Charles Bronfrnan. The foundation CHSJ. However, the bulk of Global's children's come closest to creating rock-star hysteria in the include MOllsexcise, Welcome To Pooh Corn er, and will also be providing funds for the production

programming is animated product from daycare set. The Elephant Show has recentlybeen Good Morning Mickey . In the afternoon . 1 strip" of high- quality shows. Canada's two largest animation studios, the sold to , which might provide the there will be more of the same, Money, or, more properly, the lack of it, is the Toronto-based Nelvana and Ottawa's Crawley breakthrough in the American market that has Presents, Presents, and, for variety, central theme running through discussions with Studios. According to David Mintz, "There are so far eluded this excellent series. Walt Disney Presents. The Family Channel's 25 all producers and broadcasters of children's not very many animation studios left in the At the other end of the age spectrum, Playing per cent commitment to Canadian programming programming. Angela Bruce of the CBC says world. In the United States there might be five. With Time is breaking new ground with Degrassi will initially come in the form of reruns of Matt that, "It has never made sense to me that there's In Canada we have two of the best. We have Jr . High, a dramatic series for teenagers. A and Jenny and a new animated Wizard Of Oz out an attitude that children's programming should been able to foster in Canada the creative and natural growth from the very successful Kids Of of Montreal. I can only hope that it is better than cost less. You pay the cameraman the same, the technical skills, and both of the Canadian Degrassi Street, Jr . High is now seen on the dreadful Wizard Of Oz series from the costume people, the writer - they're all union ahimation houses have had material on the U. S. prime-time on CBL T. Yet, it is still produced in Crawley Studios, currently seen on Global. people. It doesn't cost less because the viewer is networks." the Children's Department of the CBC. This ' Susan Rubes, president of The Family shorter. That's something that's been haunting CertainIy Nelvana's production output is suits Linda ScQuyler, producer, and co-founder Channel, and founder of the Young People's us for years. But it's getting better." impressive. In the Toronto market alone, it of Playing With T~, Just nne. II Our,mandate is Theatre in Toronto, has a difficult job ahead of So is TV for children, especially in Canada. provides seven hours of programming a week not to talk to adults. Our mandate is to talk to the her. With all the new programming coming on My generation, which grew up in the '60s, on Global. From The Care Bears to ' adolescents and early teens. I think it is really basic cable in September as a result of the recent fundamentally distrusted the message of Ewoks and Droids to My Pet Monster, Nelvana has important when you're producing a show that CRTC decision, there is bound to be confusion television, and for good reason. Ironically, now become an effective, and very successful, you have a really narrow fix on who your and The Family Channel might not be able to these baby boomers are responsible for a production arm for American product-driven, audience is. If we were to water it down to find its target audience. Images of the debacle of resurgent growth of television in the lives of our animated, hour-long commercials, which are appeal to a broader range, then the adolescent the last pay- TV decision handed down by the children. Although still a major concern, the sold as Saturday morning entertainment for will no longer feel that it is their show. That's CRTC loom large on the horizon. "We're a negative impact on children has become less of kids. Alot of criticism has been leveled at the why it is crucial that the show continue to be specialty pay service, and not on basic," says an issue. Ageneration of Sesame Street-literate company for its aggressive commercial produced out of the Children's Department. Rubes. "One of our biggest selling points is that kids have become TV-wise and schools are marketing, and its tie-ins with the Americans, There is a fundamental different sensibility from there will be no commercials. " finally beginning to catch up with its potential to but its product remains Canadian in the sense people who produce children's television and YTV, on the other hand, will be on basic and educate. It is a central part of our children's that it is much gentler than the American people who produce family television. " will have commercials during its early morning, lives, whether we like it or not. animated commercials, such as He-Man, Jern , or The first time Degrassi Jr. High was scheduled pre-school shows from 6-8 a. m. Then from Again, Angela Bruce, "Afew years ago there Voltron, Defender Of The Universe. in the8 :30p. m. time slot on theCBe, it attracted 8-3 :30 p. m, it will be commercial- free . YTV was a growing attitude that children should not Maybe in an attempt to upgrade its 1.2 million viewers. It has recently gone on air in programming will consist of 30 per cent for be allowed to watch TV. Well, that's like assembly-line image, Nelvana's next project will Britain, with no promotion, and has immediately pre-schoolers, 48 per cent for children and forbidding your children to go outside. It's part be Babar The Elephant, both as a feature and a found success. Its realistic, no-frills approach to youth, and a maximum of 22 per cent directed at of life. Forbidding them to watch TV is almost as television series. Babar, a children's classic by the subject matter has been a huge hit with children and families. The service has been dangerous as forbidding them to read. Laurant de Brunhoff, is a sentimental favorite British audiences and it is presently the directed by the CRTC to provide no less than 60 Television has become a substitute for books and amongst parents of young children and many top-rated kids' show over there. percent Canadian content and not less than 60 theatre. Reading can be encouraged with TV, are anxious to see what the people who brought Linda Schuyler thinks that the need for this per cent in prime time. In addition, YTV must not discouraged. " us the saccharine Care Bears and the My Pet type of teenage programming has been there all devote not less than 10 per cent of its gross to the With the theme music of SesameStreet running Monster, will do with Babar. If Nelvana brings to along, "but I don 't think that there have been development and production of original, through my head, as it has been for almost five it the concern and freshness which its earlier people wanting to tell stories to that age group. first-run Canadian programs. years now ("Sunny day, wishing the clouds series The Edison Twins embodied, it should be I think it takes a lot of courage on the part of Kevin Shea, president of YTV, and former away ... Can you tell me how to get, how to get promising. broadcasters to put on the kind of material we v. p. of marketing for Rogers Cable Ltd., claims to Sesame Street?"), I can only be grateful that French programming in the Toronto area are putting out, It's our feeling that the Kids Of to have 3,5 million homes committed through my children's television viewing is being includes TVO French, CBLFT (Radio-Canada), Degrassi Street really worked because we were the cable systems across Canada. Rogers, CUC watched over by committed and caring people and some on TVO English. The most popular speaking honestly to our audience out there, and Cablecasting own 56 per cent of the like Angela Bruce, who have their best interests children's show is Passe-Par/out, which has and we really treated our audience with respect. company, in partnership with a consortium of foremost in her heart and mind, •

CINIMA CANADA ,UNI19M PAGI'