BBC Audience Council Northern Ireland Advice to the BBC Trust Service Review of CBBC and Cbeebies February 2013

BBC Audience Council Northern Ireland Advice to the BBC Trust Service Review of CBBC and CBeebies February 2013

A. Introduction

The Audience Council Northern Ireland’s advice to the Trust is informed by feedback from a range of parents, educationalists and other adults working with children, as well as some indirect feedback from children through schools, families and relevant organisations. The evidence base is described more fully in Section D.

The Council received less feedback on CBBC than CBeebies – which may be because of the nature of the groups we spoke with, the wider choice for this age group, and the fact that adults tend to be less closely involved with older children’s viewing. The Council therefore believes that is very important that this review is informed by the views of children, and welcomes the Trust’s plans to seek a diverse range of children’s views through a consultation process and audience research.

B. Executive Summary

Quality, distinctiveness and range: CBBC, and CBeebies in particular, are generally regarded as high quality and distinctive services for children. Audiences all placed a high value on the fact that the services are safe and free of adverts, and that they promote the BBC’s Public Purposes – particularly, but not exclusively, with regard to education. The commitment to programmes made in, and reflecting, the UK is particularly appreciated, as is the general high quality, range and appeal of the programmes.

There is, however, a notable proportion of parents who do not place a premium on the BBC channels, and are content for their children to switch to commercial stations, which they increasingly do as they get older and gain more control over their viewing choices, especially in multichannel homes.

The Council notes that audience reach for both channels is lower in Northern Ireland than other parts of the UK and it suggests that some of the issues raised below are key to connecting with audiences in Northern Ireland.

Online content: The websites are highly regarded by those who use them, but many people are not aware of the wealth of content aimed at children or their parents. The

Council suggests that more could be done to promote the websites off air – for instance in targeting specific sections of the audience - such as teachers and parents - in relevant ways, and doing more to promote the services elsewhere in the online environment. Also, more and more people use tablets and phones to access online content, and the touchscreen is much more accessible to young children and some children with special needs – yet the BBC’s offer on these devices – particularly for CBeebies - is much more restricted. The Audience Council sees this as a priority for development.

Audio content: There is a considerable lack of awareness of audio content online and – especially - on Radio 4 Extra. The Audience Council considers that there is a latent demand for some audio content, and significant benefits for children – for instance in developing their listening skills. It asks that the BBC develops its strategy for audio content to stimulate demand and support children’s development, and to do more to explain the benefits and opportunities to adult audiences. The strategy also needs to take account of distribution options, as the children’s content on Radio 4 Extra does not appear to be reaching its audience.

Relationship with BBC One and BBC Two: The Audience Council recognises the reasoning behind the BBC’s decision to move children’s content to the digital channels. However, it also notes some downsides, especially in children losing out on the experience of watching a mainstream channel, perhaps with other members of the family. It asks that the BBC gives thought to how these potential downsides might be mitigated.

Different age groups: There was a consensus that more needed to be done to help children transition from CBeebies to CBBC, and to better meet the needs of the older (10– 12 years) CBBC audiences. The Council sees this as a particular priority.

7 pm closedown: The CBeebies bedtime hour is highly valued by parents of younger children. However, the 7 pm closedown is less relevant to older children and some parents feel they have no choice outside commercial channels at this time. The Audience Council understands that there are constraints on extending CBBC’s hours, and asks that more thought is given to how the BBC might meet the needs of older children through other channels.

Education: The Audience Council considers that CBBC and CBeebies make a strong contribution to children’s education and development, across the range of topics and skills. However, teachers appear to make limited use of content in the classroom, even though they consider it relevant and of high quality. The Audience Council asks that further thought is given to releasing this aspect of public value more fully.

Language development: A number of people in different groups thought that the ‘babyish language’ on programmes such as In the Night Garden and Baby Jake was not helpful and would prefer programmes which used real speech models. The Audience Council believes it would be helpful for a clearer statement of the basis for this approach so that parents can make informed choices.

Diversity and inclusion: There is a strong consensus that the BBC channels deliver very strongly at promoting diversity and inclusion, for instance in terms of ethnic groups and

disability. They also make a very important contribution to some groups with specific needs, such as children with disabilities, who may not be well served elsewhere. The Audience Council recognises this public value and asks that it is sustained and developed. It considers that the channels could build on this strength by offering even wider portrayal across its output, thinking in particular of older people – both male and female.

Reflecting nations, regions and communities: Audiences in Northern Ireland place a very high value on programmes which reflect life in Northern Ireland, and believe that there could be more of this. The Audience Council is mindful of the costs of delivering this value at a time of diminishing resources. It asks the Trust to ensure that the channels continue to invest in and develop this important aspect of their services, noting the particular value they add in Northern Ireland where both CBBC and CBeebies achieve a lower audience reach.

Merchandising: There is a notable consensus that it is acceptable and appropriate for CBBC and CBeebies to offer merchandise, on the basis that profits are ploughed back into programmes and also because there is demand for products such as toys, comics and tickets to shows. The Audience Council agrees with the view that the BBC must nonetheless act responsibly and honour the trust which audiences place in it. It considers that audiences would tolerate greater commercial exploitation of the brands – especially through international sales - providing profits are reinvested in the UK channels and commercial activities do not interfere with the public service remits which drive the channels.

The Audience Council would prioritise three of these issues :

· work to better serve the older age group and children transitioning from CBeebies to CBBC · continued investment in reflecting diverse communities around the UK · development of the online offer for mobile devices.

C. Key Themes and Audience Council Advice to the Trust

Overall, we received more feedback on CBeebies than CBBC and the points below refer to the service for the youngest children unless otherwise stated or implied.

Quality and distinctiveness: Feedback from audiences was very positive, with the vast majority of people regarding CBBC, and CBeebies in particular, as high quality and distinctive services. Audiences placed a very high value on the fact that both services are safe and free from adverts. Other distinctive qualities included the strong educational theme, the commitment to indigenous UK content and the promotion of other aspects of the BBC’s Public Purposes, relating to creativity, citizenship and reflecting different communities and ways of life around the UK. Parents and adults working with children particularly liked the interactive elements of programmes which engaged and involved children, and the focus on real life characters and situations.

However, it was also apparent that, as children increasingly took control of their own viewing, other channels became more appealing. This may be because of the popularity of certain brands such as Disney, as well as content differences: some saw commercial

channels as ‘brighter and louder’, more humorous or lighter and more entertainment focused. It was also suggested that some older children are sensitive to content broaching issues and solutions when they would prefer more entertainment, or perhaps a different approach to issues which concern them. It was notable that a not insignificant proportion of parents we spoke with did not place any particular premium on the BBC services, and were content that commercial services could meet their children’s needs. There were also some parents who preferred that their children did not watch television or kept their viewing to a minimum.

The Audience Council notes that audience reach for both channels is lower than other parts of the UK and it suggests that some of the issues raised below are key to connecting with audiences in Northern Ireland.

Range of programmes: Most groups were able to identify a significant range of programmes on CBeebies and CBBC that their children watched and enjoyed. They appreciated the breadth of content, covering for instance arts, hobbies, science, health, natural history, news, sport, comedy, literacy, numeracy, communication and social development.

As we would expect there were a number of different views about how this range might be extended. A number of people asked for more programmes which encouraged reading for CBBC audiences, noting the challenges which many parents and teachers face in encouraging children to read for pleasure. There was also interest in more content about sports for a CBBC audience in particular. Some adults also thought there could be more science programmes on CBBC: some older boys in particular, who appreciated factual content, looked instead to family viewing such on BBC One, such as Bang Goes the Theory. The Audience Council welcomes the recent announcement of investment in science content on both channels.

A number of parents thought that there was too much repetition of CBeebies programmes during the day. The Audience Council considers that some element of repetition is likely to be required due to constraints of resources, and this is not unreasonable in principle given that young children should only be watching for a limited period each day. However, it would like repeats to be kept to a minimum and believes that the main emphasis should be on ensuring a wide and varied range of programmes throughout the day, with some attention to scheduling these to offer young viewers as much variety as possible at key times.

Websites: The CBeebies website is highly regarded by those who use it – and variously described as ‘innovative’, ‘engaging’, ‘entertaining’ and ‘educational’. Audiences consider that the site adds value to the broadcast output through activities, information and games and that content is extensive and broad ranging. The Audience Council received less feedback about the CBBC website, but views were positive. There was, however, a suggestion that some children who used this site saw it as a discrete games site rather than a complement to CBBC, or part of the BBC.

As children get older they tend to use the websites more independently. Parents are content that the websites are appealing, user friendly and—most importantly—safe places for children.

The Audience Council was struck by the proportion of parents and professionals who were not aware of the wealth of online content for children. A proportion of households do not have sufficient broadband access to enjoy these services, but many who do were simply unaware of the service. The Audience Council is mindful that many sections of the audience miss out on the opportunity to understand the range of programmes so they can discuss them with their children, and guide them to new content. Few parents were aware of the content aimed specifically at grown-ups, and therefore missed valuable opportunities to become better informed about aspects of child development and education.

The Audience Council notes that there is considerable on air promotion of the websites, but suggests that more could be done to promote them off air – for instance through targeting specific groups such as parents and educationalists in relevant ways. It also considers that more could be done to promote the websites in the wider online environment – to ensure, for example, that content is more likely to appear in search results where people have not specifically sought out the BBC.

The Council is also aware that a significant and growing number of children access online content through smartphones and tablets, and that a touchscreen is easier for young children as well as some children with special needs. However, the online offer is significantly less developed on mobile devices - for CBeebies in particular - and the Audience Council sees this as a priority for future development.

Audio: Only one person we spoke with had any awareness of audio content on Radio 4 Extra, and very few were aware of the audio content on the CBBC and CBeebies websites. Some parents thought that there was limited demand for audio programmes as children tend to prefer visual content. However, the Council concurs with educationalists and some other parents and professionals who believe that audio has a strong role to play in children’s development, for example, in helping them to develop their listening skills and in engaging reluctant readers. Some parents and professionals also pointed to evidence of an appetite for audio content, e.g., stories and music for ipods and the car, and content associated with favoured brands or authors such as Horrible Histories, Zingzillas and David Williams.

The Audience Council believes it is important that the BBC develops its strategy to stimulate demand for audio and support children’s development. The strategy also needs to take account of distribution options, as the children’s content on Radio 4 Extra does not appear to be reaching its audience. The Audience Council believes that audio content could be better promoted, for example, through short ‘taster’ inserts on mainstream radio channels that families might listen to on the school run (noting the interest in the Chris Evans 500 Words competition for the under 13s). The Council would also asks the BBC to do more to explain to adults in an appealing way, why it is investing in this content, how they might consider using it, and what the benefits are for children.

Relationship with BBC One and BBC Two: Audiences appreciate the logic behind moving children’s programmes to the digital channels, once it is explained: they note the very low viewing figures for BBC One and Two, the universal access to the digital channels since switchover, and the cost savings for the BBC. It was apparent, however, that most of the audience were unaware of the move or, in a number of cases, did not understand what

was changing or why – for instance, a number of people thought that Blue Peter was dropped altogether. A number of parents said they appreciated that there was still some special content for children’s audiences, e.g., Room On the Broom at Christmas. The move to digital channels also offered some advantages: for instance, Newsround was given room to expand and develop, to the benefit of its audience.

However, a number of potential downsides to this approach were noted:

· A variety of people in different discussions thought that children would not have the same opportunity to relate to the main BBC channels, and this could affect their consumption patterns, and the value they would derive from the wider BBC portfolio, in the future. It was not clear how, or if, this audience would move from niche channels to the mainstream ones in the future. For example, some parents reported that their older children would have enjoyed and benefited from a programme like Africa but did not watch it because they considered BBC One a boring channel that was not for them. That said, some parents were less concerned about this because they felt it was their role to encourage their children to view more widely, as appropriate. · A number of parents also thought it was important that children were exposed to some (suitable) content for a wider audience eg the news, family viewing, etc. · Others thought that it would impact on shared viewing across the generations, with parents and grandparents less likely to watch programmes with children if they were on the digital channels.

Some parents also thought that more should be done to promote the children’s channels and their websites on the BBC’s main channels, preferring this to the websites as the place where they would understand what content was available for their children.

The Audience Council advises that, whilst there is not a demand to reverse the move completely, thought should be given to mitigating the potential downsides, most especially in building audiences for BBC One and Two in the future and not forgetting the value of intergenerational/family viewing.

7 pm finish: The CBeebies Bedtime Hour is highly valued by many parents with children in this age group, both for the suitability and quality of content and for its role in guiding children contentedly to bed. However, a sizable proportion of parents commented that the 7 pm finish is no longer relevant to some older children and suitable content would be appreciated until around 8:30 pm or 9:00 pm, especially at weekends. For example, a number of parents would appreciate a family film on a Friday evening. The Audience Council understands the distribution challenges associated with extending CBeebies or CBBC beyond 7 pm, when this capacity is used to broadcast BBC Three and BBC Four. However, the Council does see merit in providing content that would appeal to this older age group on other BBC channels from 7 pm; and helping this audience to make the transition (e.g., signposting, elements of continuity and familiarity). This would also contribute to the aim of encouraging children to view other BBC channels with other members of the family.

Education: The channels are generally considered to be contributing very well to the BBC’s Public Purpose to promote education and learning – particularly CBeebies – and this

is valued by parents and professionals. For example, teachers noted a strong educational theme on CBeebies through art and craft, music and song, language development (Bedtime Stories, Rhyme Rocket, The Lingo Show), mathematical concepts (Abadas and Numtums), the environment (Nina and the Neurons, Mr Bloom’s Nursery), healthy eating (I Can Cook) and exercise (Justin’s House). They observed a strong theme of personal education issues running through output, encouraging empathy and exploration of real life issues, such as illness, loss, relationships and awareness of diversity. They felt that the level of animation was appropriate as young children engage with animated characters which appeal to their sense of fantasy.

However, feedback suggested that teachers are making very limited use of children’s content in the classroom, even though there is general agreement that content is of high quality, and relevant to the curriculum and the way it is taught. Although children’s services are not aimed at the classroom in the same way as BBC schools programmes and other learning resources, the Audience Council considers that there is further potential to deliver public value in this regard. It would like the BBC to do more work to understand the obstacles to using children’s content in the classroom, which may include lack of awareness, as well as ease of use and adaptability, given the pressures on teachers’ time.

Language development: A number of parents and professionals did not like the ‘babyish’ language on programmes for very young children like In the Night Garden and Baby Jake. Some people assumed that there was some basis in child development research for this approach, whilst others – including some professionals – felt that the appeal and benefits could still be achieved using more developed speech models. Nonetheless, In the Night Garden, in particular, was very popular with a number of parents and children.

The Audience Council considers that this type of programme is an important part of the mix for very young viewers, and makes its own contribution to an understanding of the different ways children communicate. However, it suggests that it would be helpful for a clearer statement of the basis for this approach so that parents can make informed choices.

Serving all audiences: There was wide ranging discussion on this topic, with particular focus on the needs of different age groups, on reflecting life in different parts of the UK, and on providing positive role models and promoting diversity and inclusion.

Age groups: A range of parents noted that 5 and 6 year olds tend to have less interest in CBeebies, but may not have made the transition to CBBC because they aren’t finding the content that is most suited to them. Some programmes aimed at older audiences are not always felt to be suitable for the youngest CBBC audiences e.g., Tracey Beaker tackles more mature themes.

“My seven year old is too old for CBeebies, but not all programmes on CBBC are suitable for seven year olds.”

The Audience Council would like to see further work on the balance of output for different age groups, and on supporting the transition from CBeebies to CBBC – perhaps more entry points and clearer signposting.

It also notes that older age groups – 10 to 12 year olds – tend to be less interested in CBBC and asks that more thought is given to developing content for this age group. There could also be better linkages with appropriate family content on other channels (e.g., BBC One and Two and the wider BBC Online site). It was observed that the CBBC website is often more popular with this age group than the channels themselves, and the Council believes it is worth considering how this age group wants to access content.

Some parents observed that a small proportion of programmes on CBBC could be considered too mature for the target audience, particularly (but not necessarily exclusively) the very youngest. For example, some content repeated from BBC One, such as the second series of Merlin, seemed darker than the first series and perhaps less suitable for children to view without adults. The Audience Council asks that CBBC continues to exercise vigilance in this matter and to ensure that content is suitable and appropriately signposted.

Some groups discussed the provision of content for the under 3s, given that some child development experts claim that it would be better for children not to have any screen time at this age. The general view was that some high quality content that was appropriate for this age group and offered benefits in terms of development was helpful, with the onus on the parents to be selective and to restrict screen time. A number of adults thought that it was good to have the choice and felt that it would be unrealistic to restrict viewing as parents would look to other channels. The Audience Council agrees that it is appropriate to have programmes for the under threes, as part of the mix, so that parents can make informed choices.

Diversity and inclusion: There is a marked consensus that CBeebies and CBBC are good at promoting diversity and inclusion, throughout the range of programmes and online content. The Audience Council agrees that this delivers significant public value, and adds to the distinctiveness of the channels. Audiences particularly noted the inclusive and positive approach to disability, which helps build children’s awareness and understanding from an early age, e.g., Newsround Special – My Dyslexic Mind and Something Special.

Positive portrayal of different groups was valued, from diverse communities to different generations, including parents and grandparents. Many parents felt that it was particularly important to show the range of different cultures and backgrounds of the UK, as their children had less exposure to this diversity.

The Audience Council believes that the channels could build on this strength by offering even wider portrayal across its output, thinking in particular of older people – both male and female.

There was also a very high level of appreciation for content which particularly addressed the needs of some children with special needs – such as Something Special’s contribution for children with learning difficulties, particularly through the use of Makaton, and Tree Fu Tom’s focus on primary movement, as advised by dyspraxia specialists. The Audience Council wishes to underscore the importance of

this content to these audiences who have specific needs which are often poorly served elsewhere. It would consider further investment in content of this nature highly worthwhile, especially given the BBC’s track record in delivering innovative content which is also beneficial to a wider children’s audience and helps to build an inclusive society.

Positive role models: A number of parents and professionals were concerned about the values that are modelled and promoted in the media as a whole eg the pressure on girls regarding their physical appearance, standards of behaviour, etc. In discussion, the BBC’s services were considered better than the media in general in this regard – for instance, the presentation teams reflect a wide range of people who dress modestly and behave ‘normally’, like people the children know and can relate to. The presenters are considered strong and positive role models. The Audience Council strongly commends this approach.

Adults also asked for a healthy balance of positive role models among children in dramas and other genres where social issues were broached. Whilst they felt it was important that programmes tackled difficult issues relevant to their young audiences, they also needed to see positive portrayal of children behaving well and achieving goals.

Representing nations, regions and communities: It was striking that all the audience groups we spoke with felt strongly about the additional value that they place on programmes which reflect something of life in Northern Ireland, e.g., Same Smile, Sesame Tree, Something Special. These programmes all stood out for children and adults alike, and were highly valued because they could recognise and relate to people and places. It is clearly one way in which BBC services can distinguish themselves from other children’s services.

However, many people thought there was room for greater portrayal of Northern Ireland, and more opportunities for local children to get involved in programme making. They felt that where such opportunities exist they should be better promoted locally. Positive examples of promotion include the behind the scenes look at Dani’s Castle which highlights the local contribution a programme filmed at a local landmark with some local actors and production staff; and the promotion of Sesame Tree in schools, which had been very well received. Some people thought that the gap would be best addressed by commissioning a proportion of programmes from Northern Ireland, for a UK-wide audience.

It was clear that audiences do not want tokenistic representation of NI – citing by way of example an edition of Rhyme Rocket from NI which did not appear to leave one room. They also wanted Northern Ireland to be reflected in all its diversity – encompassing different places, accents and ways of life – and not depending too heavily on Belfast.

Audiences also appreciate representation of life in all its diversity right across the UK, observing that children could relate to similar interests and ways of life in different places.

The Audience Council places significant value on the contribution which BBC children’s services make to reflect the nations, regions and communities of the UK. It would like the Trust to ensure that the pressure on resources under Delivering Quality First does not in any way impact on this distinctive and valued quality. This is particularly important for the Northern Ireland audience, where reach for CBBC and CBeebies is significantly lower.

Irish language: One group said they would like the BBC to provide Irish language content for children, noting that it provides children’s content in Welsh and Scots Gaelic through dedicated services of S4C and Alba. Such content would also be of educational interest, especially in Irish Medium Education (IME) schools. They said that parents of children at IME schools tend to discourage their children from watching English medium TV as it can confuse them. Other groups had less interest in programmes in Irish or Ulster-Scots.

The Audience Council asks the Trust to keep in mind the BBC’s commitment to indigenous minority languages (Irish and Ulster Scots), taking due account of the range of audience needs and market and policy context.

Merchandising: Audiences tend to agree that it is acceptable and appropriate for CBBC and CBeebies to offer merchandise, on the basis that profits are ploughed back into programmes and also because there is demand for products such as toys, comics and tickets to shows.

However, the Council concurs with parents who also said that there was a balance to be struck and they provided a number of examples of commercial activity which they would not expect of the BBC – such as food marketing; promoting a number of toys as one gift to mislead the child into asking for a whole range; continuously expanding the range of toys so that the pressure to complete the collection never ceased; and creating programme formats round merchandise rather than vice versa.

Parents were more likely to welcome products which encouraged an activity, such as the I Can Cook cookware range, and they were disappointed when products did not live up to the values of the programme (for instance, when a highly interactive programme was represented by less than interactive toys).

A number of people from different groups were disappointed that there were fewer CBeebies and CBBC (or related) shows in Northern Ireland, than other parts of the UK. For example, CBeebies Live! with Justin Fletcher is – at the time of writing – touring through England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland. One group noted that local children were already less likely than those in some other parts of the UK to have opportunities to engage directly with programmes, or see their communities portrayed on them.

The Audience Council considers that audiences would tolerate greater commercial exploitation of the brands, such as the sale of formats to other countries, providing the profits are ploughed back into the UK channels, and commercial activities remain secondary

and do not interfere with the channels’ public service remits. It asks the Trust to ensure that proper safeguards are in place.

D. Evidence Base

The Audience Council’s advice draws on direct engagement with a number of different audience groups including parents, educationalists and other adults working with children. Although the Council has drawn on the views of children indirectly – through adults – it believes it is important that children should have a direct say in this review. The Council therefore welcomes the Trust’s plans to solicit the views of a diverse range of children through consultation and audience research.

The Audience Council engaged directly with mothers and toddlers groups in Fivemiletown and Belfast, with parents of nursery children in Holywood, and of primary school children within the CBBC target age range in Moira and Glengormley. Members met with a fathers’ parenting group in Portadown and received feedback from parenting groups in Dundonald, Belfast and Lisburn. They also benefited from feedback from a wide cross section of teachers and educationalists from a variety of contexts right across Northern Ireland – including rural and urban settings – and from staff at Barnardo’s and the Girls Brigade Northern Ireland.

The Audience Council has also drawn on feedback from its programme of engagement throughout Northern Ireland in recent years, and through members’ own networks. It has carefully assessed this feedback in light of its understanding of the services’ strategies and performance, and the BBC’s Public Purposes.