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EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 16 MAY 2012 45 Follow us on Twitter @standardcity Business Media Gideon ‘Not since Spanier Top Of The Pops has a TV show featured HEY look like the cool older kids in the playground, number one inviting you to share in their artists week fun. Six fashionably dressed teenage presenters stride after week’ Tconfidently onto a stage in a studio in BBC Television Centre — to a chorus of screams from the over-excited audi- ence of 100 or so children, aged between eight and 14. Soon the presenters and the audience are jumping and singing along together to Pixie Lott’s hit Kiss The Stars Tonight. Watching in the studio, the sense of innocent fun is infectious. Welcome to a recording of Friday Download, the hottest new children’s show on TV, a mixture of live perform- ances and chat, with segments dedi- cated to the latest pop music, films, video games and gadgets. There are fashion tips, jokes and that karaoke- Teenage stars: Friday Download’s hosts Richard Wisker, Georgia Lock, Tyger Drew-Honey, Dionne Bromfield, Ceallach Spellman and Aidan Davis style singalong too. The idea is that it is billed as “the instant download for the week ahead”. The hour-long magazine show, which airs on CBBC on Fridays at 6pm and is The hottest kids’ show on TV repeated on BBC2, has become essen- tial viewing for the target audience of under-12s. The first series debuted a year ago and was shortlisted for a Bafta, helping it to get recommissioned. The giving hope to music industry third began last month. As many as 400,000 watch. It has been among the most popular CBBC shows on iPlayer, nine-year-old hanging on to the word of years ago, the kids would all be from there are strict editorial rules — some- “We do see a sales lift when artists and often trends on Twitter — proof their 14-year-old cousin,” says Salsby. stage school, with scripts written by thing that should appeal to parents appear on the show,” says Ruth Parr- that it attracts older teens. The presenters — two girls and four producers like me,” says Salsby, a 44- who know their pre-teens are discover- ish, media director at Island Records, Record labels and games manufactur- boys, with backgrounds from across year-old father of four. “I couldn’t ing the world but don’t want them to part of Universal Music, Britain’s big- ers are taking notice. In a sign of Friday the UK — include familiar faces: Tyger script it and know how they’d use a be bombarded with commercial or gest record company. “We love Friday Download’s pulling power, the three Drew-Honey acted in TV comedy Out- phrase like ‘sick’ or ‘swag’.” sexual messages. Download. They are great with artists most recent number-one artists in the numbered. Singer Dionne Bromfield, Salsby, who set up Salt Beef in 2009, The girl presenters don’t wear heels — probably as they have talented artists singles chart — Tulisa, Carly Rae Jepsen god-daughter of Amy Winehouse, has credits old shows such as Why Don’t or heavy make-up, and it’s been known within their own rights, presenting.” and Rita Ora — have sung in the past released an album. And dancer Aidan You? and Janet Street-Porter’s Def II for for pop stars to be told to change their Salsby says it’s easy to forget what a month. The fact this young audience Davis was a finalist on Britain’s Got Tal- inspiration. But unlike some “yoof” outfit. “We have to be very careful to risk CBBC boss Damian Kavanagh took. loves music is giving hope to the record ent. The others are Georgia Lock, Rich- shows of previous generations, Friday have age-appropriate lyrics and video,” “Why on earth would you want a pro- industry, even as CD sales dive. ard Wisker and Ceallach Spellman. Download doesn’t use bizarre camera says Melissa Hardinge, the executive gramme with six 14- to 16-year-olds who “Not since Top Of The Pops has a TV None had presented before but they angles and fast-paced editing. producer for CBBC. “We won’t allow have never presented before, and then show featured number one artists week had credibility in music, acting, dance Presenters are given time to talk some of the lyrics that even day-time put it on for an hour for 13 weeks? It’s after week,” says Jeremy Salsby, and so on. Salsby, a former producer about the latest electronic gadget or Radio 1 has allowed.” insane but here we are. It’s a great indi- founder of production firm Salt Beef of The Big Breakfast and creator of kids’ discuss what’s “hot or not” — with vis- Commercial plugs are banned too. So cator that risk can work in TV.” TV, who created Friday Download. show Sorry I’ve Got No Head, believed iting pop stars invited to join in. At the while Friday Download will road-test Friday Download suits the social But it is the six presenters, aged that was vital as he wanted the show to end of each segment, they declare: a new video game each week, viewers media age, says Salsby. “Everyone between 14 and 16 when they began, have a free-flowing, authentic feel. That “Download complete.” Salsby likens it aren’t told the price or that they should wants to be the first to know things and who are key because they are barely is why, even though the show is care- to an iPod, as the show shuffles from go out and buy it. to be the first to share.” The happy older than the viewers. “It’s akin to a fully planned, it is unscripted. “Thirty topic to topic. As this is a BBC show, Even so, the exposure is influential. faces in the studio suggest he’s right. IN THE AIR BY GIDEon SPANIER a mere three weeks after staying ■ SEniOR figures at the top of the clashed with Johnson during the team from Microsoft, had barely Coulson’s sleepover with Brooks. BBC are unhappy about expensive election campaign. “All politicians started when one of Microsoft’s talent show The Voice, which has think the BBC is against them,” Dyke players had to be stretchered off chez Rebekah ■ REBEKAH Brooks told the seen ratings slide since the “blind” tells In The Air. “The idea that you having had his leg broken in two ONE intriguing detail to emerge Leveson Inquiry that Tony Blair auditions stage. “It feels too much put in a Tory and you expect him to places by a crunching tackle. Team from Andy Coulson’s witness and his circle were “a constant like other talent shows,” warns a change what happens in a local Microsoft avenged its fallen statement to the Leveson Inquiry: He presence in my life for many leading BBC executive. newsroom is ridiculous. The job of colleague by inflicting a 3-1 defeat said he spent New Year’s Eve 2010 at years”, and she had meetings with the BBC is to be an impartial on Mohan’s luckless maulers, who Rebekah Brooks’ Oxfordshire home. him at least 19 times during his ■ EX-BBC director- broadcaster and ask difficult might have had one or two other The significance is twofold: first, premiership. Number of mentions general Greg Dyke questions of all the candidates in things on their mind. Coulson was David Cameron’s of Rebekah in Tony Blair’s has dismissed elections, particularly when they’re director of communications at No 10 memoirs, A Journey? Zero. Boris Johnson’s in power. I have no idea who’s going ■ THE BBC is to have a new viewers’ and Brooks was chief executive of call for the next to be the next director-general. Ask advocate under a revamp of News International — just as Rupert ■ How much was Rebekah Brooks D-G to be a Tory. the Trust chairman, he’ll tell you.” NewsWatch, the weekly news show in Murdoch’s News Corporation was paid as chief executive of The former BBC Not yet, he won’t. Many have tried. which viewers get to confront bidding for BSkyB. And Coulson’s News International? Accounts boss believes the programme-makers directly. Ray stay chez Brooks came after she had just out for NI Group Mayor is aggrieved at ■ THE Sun’s reporters are Snoddy is moving on after eight years two social meetings with Cameron, for the year to July his treatment by BBC renowned for their aggressive and handing onto ex-Channel 4 on December 23 and on Boxing Day. 2011, when Brooks London, whose approach to stories, and it seems presenter Samira Ahmed. Doubtless The phone-hacking crisis was also was still in well-regarded this extends to the football pitch she will give BBC bosses a grilling but mounting as Ian Edmondson, then a charge, do not political editor too. The newspaper recently it would be interesting if she could news executive at the News of the name the highest- Tim Donovan fielded two teams at a corporate quiz her former employers from C4 World, had just been named in paid director but tournament held at Arsenal’s News. Ahmed quit after clashes with court in connection with the hacking his or her annual Attack on the Emirates Stadium. The first match, her bosses over her “scruffy” of actress Sienna Miller’s phone. pay package was BBC: Boris involving The Sun 2, featuring appearance, with friends claiming she Coulson quit in January 2011, £1.9 million.