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BAFTA Aims at Celebrating Children's TV Programming with Three New Awards Categories

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By Lami Adenekan - - 5 Mins Read
Kids watching TV with their parents | Pexels

Gone are the days when there were lots of fun TV shows for kids. Recently, there has been a massive reduction in the number of shows available to kids on mainstream television, and this  decline has sparked concerns and raised several questions about the quality of TC content available to young audiences.

With newer streaming platforms now taking the forefront, the traditional television industry is about to fight back. One of the stakeholders championing this reform is the British Academy of Film and Television, as the institution has decided to take actionable measures to revive the kiddies sector. To accomplish this goal, BAFTA has decided to promote high quality content for kids and celebrate excellence in kiddies television by rewarding creators who dedicate their crafts to creating excellent shows in the area.

BAFTA's New Awards Categories

In a move to reward excellence, BAFTA has decided to introduce three new awards that recognize outstanding children’s TV content. These awards would help motivate the production of more kid’s content. The intent is to celebrate kids on TV aged 16 and under thereby helping children acknowledge the importance of quality content.

These new BAFTA categories were decided upon after consultations with industry peers and the Young BAFTA Advisory Group. These groups acknowledged the need to ensure accurate representation and inclusiveness in celebrating excellence on television.

The newly introduced BAFTA Award categories for kids television are:

  • Children's Scripted: Honors exceptional writing and storytelling in scripted children's television.
  • Children's Non-Scripted: Recognizes innovative formats and programming in non-scripted children's television.
  • Children's Craft Team: Celebrates the creative expertise behind the scenes, including: Editing, Cinematography, and Production Design.

BAFTA’s Gift to the Next Generation

The decision to introduce these new awards has been welcomed by industry figures. It is believed that recognizing and rewarding the creation of children's content is vital in shaping young minds.

In a statement by actress Floella Benjamin, she had this to say "Quality children's content is essential for cognitive development, social skills, and emotional intelligence." Other children industry veterans also talked about the need to improve children’s television content. Johnny Ball, a presenter said, "Children's television has been undervalued for too long. BAFTA's recognition will help raise standards and encourage innovation."

As the praise continues to roll in, we have to understand that the fight towards improved children’s content is not a fight against innovation and new technologies. Although new online platforms like YouTube are now a thing, as they have transformed the way adults and children consume content, promoting new content for kids on traditional TV will only make things better.

The Significance of TV Programming for Children

It’s also important to talk about the role of children’s television in shaping young minds. This is because the content that they are introduced to on TV helps with fostering cognitive development and also promotes learning.

Television shows like Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and Blue Peter, have all garnered global appeal and have been instrumental in children’s development. By addressing complex issues like empathy, resilience and diversity, these programs have made it easier for children to understand these concepts from an early age. 

Conclusion

BAFTA’s decision to recognize excellence in children’s television is a step in the right direction. By introducing new awards in the children content category, the industry would be encouraged to create more engaging and inspiring content. This would in turn shape young minds and propel them to become more-informed and capable minds.

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