Death of children's TV is causing youngsters to 'lose touch with British culture' amid rise of streaming services
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The decline of children's TV could mean that a whole generation of youngsters could lose touch with British culture, a BBC TV director has warned. The broadcaster's Director of Children and Education Patricia Hidalgo admitted that despite continued efforts to keep producing content for young people 'the broader children’s media landscape is in decline'.
![[Another British classic Rosie and Jim aired on ITV's children's channel between 1990 and 2000]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/09/93451339-0-image-a-4_1735032590988.jpg)
She explained that the industry is facing a 'huge challenge' to capture children's attention by creating 'original, culturally relevant content specifically for children' amid the rise of online streaming and social media platforms. Ms Hidalgo said: 'The disappearance of commercial children’s TV channels and the loss of EU funding for kids’ programming has created a vacuum that public service broadcasters alone cannot fill.
![[Simon Groom, Sarah Greene and Peter Duncan on the set of the Blue Peter with the show's pets, in 1981. The long running BBC children's TV series is currently in its 11th season]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/09/93451473-0-image-a-5_1735032761201.jpg)
'This lack of market competition and investment means that much of the content consumed by children today is not made for them.'. She added that around a third of content watched by children on major streaming platforms is specifically made for them, meaning they are being exposed to inappropriate content.
![[Teletubbies Laa-Laa, Tinky-Winky, Dipsy and Po are four characters who have been keeping children entertained for years on the hit BBC show]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/09/93451333-0-image-a-6_1735033076921.jpg)
It was announced in 2022 that CBBC - the BBC's own children's channel - will also move online in the new year following cutbacks. Meanwhile, Iconic television channel CITV was axed after 17 years on screens, with the broadcaster having moved its entire slate of children's programming to its new streaming platform ITVX.
![[Tom, Lily and Tiny are the three main characters from ITV's Tots TV series which first aired in the UK in 1993]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/09/93451335-0-image-a-8_1735033442086.jpg)
