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1.1 In October 2007 Ofcom published The Future of Children's Television Programming, a discussion paper setting out our findings regarding the current state and future prospects for children's television programming.

1.2 The aim of our research was to create a firm foundation for debate by establishing comprehensive body of evidence around current delivery and future prospects for public service broadcasting to children in the UK.

1.3 We asked stakeholders for their views on a range of questions in relation to children's television and to public service broadcasting in general. We also sought views on a number of possible policy approaches suggested by stakeholders. The purpose of this statement is to summarise responses the discussion paper and to set out Ofcom's approach to considering the issues raised by our research going forward.

1.4 Most of the responses believed that children's television programming faced significant pressures. There was also a broad consensus among these that the need for intervention was required in the short term.

• There was general agreement on the importance of the continuing provision of high quality, UK-originated output for children of all ages, and almost without exception, respondents agreed that plurality in children's television programming was important.
• Consistent with the findings of Ofcom's research, stakeholders highlighted programming for older children and UK-originated drama and factual programming as areas of particular concern.
• Of the five policy approaches suggested by stakeholders, none was seen as an easy solution. All who responded on the policy approaches were agreed, however, that the status quo was not a viable option. Each of the remaining options received some degree of support, with many suggestions including a combination of approaches.

1.5 Since the start of our children's review in February 2007, Ofcom has begun work on its second Review of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB Review). Going forward, we propose to integrate our work on children's television with the wider and ongoing work of the PSB Review. Therefore this is the closing statement on The Future of Children's Television Programming.

1.6 This statement is published simultaneously with the results of Phase One of our second Review of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB Review Phase 1: The Digital Opportunity). That report presents further evidence that children's television programming is a critical part of public service broadcasting in the UK. While delivery of the PSB purposes and characteristics has been broadly met for public service broadcasting as a whole, the report shows that this is not currently the case for some areas including children's programming. Investment in first run original programmes by the commercial PSBs has fallen by over 80% the past ten years.

1.7 There is no evidence that the market will fill the gaps in children's content provision left by falling investment by the commercial PSBs. No commercial digital channel has established a business case for investment in high quality UK programming for older children, and our modelling suggests that such a case is unlikely to emerge.

1.8 Reach and impact will be more important than ever in an environment where older children's consumption of media is rapidly fragmenting. Parents also believe it is important for plurality to continue to play a central role in delivering public service content for children.

1.9 We estimate that the cost of intervention in children's content to maintain levels of reach and impact and achieve plurality of provision would be around £30m per annum.

1.10 Section 7 of PSB Review Phase 1: The Digital Opportunity sets out four potential long term models for delivering public service content. These are:

• Model 1 - Evolution
• Model 2 - BBC only
• Model 3 - BBC/C4 plus limited competitive funding
• Model 4 - Broad competitive funding

1.11 Each of these models presents an alternative framework for delivering public service content for children in the future.

• Model 1 could involve an increased role for Channel 4 in delivering content for older children and young teenagers, with Five or ITV1 maintaining provision across the rest of this audience.
• Model 2 could see the BBC taking on an enhanced role to deliver children's programming needs currently met by other institutions that the market will not provide in the future. However there would be little competition to the BBC in UK originated children's programming, especially for older children in drama and factual and for young teenagers.
• Model 3 could maintain the BBC's role; and increase that for Channel 4 as providers of PSB content for children, with additional long term contracts potentially tendered to third party providers for any areas underserved where further intervention was appropriate.
• Model 4 could leave the BBC to provide its children's service with competitive contracts tendered to ensure it faced competition for children's public service broadcasting. This could be provided by a wide range of commercial and civic institutions.

1.12 There remain, however, a number of outstanding short-term issues for provision of public service content for children.

1.13 In our discussion paper, we identified several proposals made by stakeholders which could address the issues facing children's programming. Most of the five stakeholder approaches suggested are for government to consider. Tax incentives are an option which could theoretically be introduced in the short-term, although evidence regarding their effectiveness is unclear.

1.14 ITV1 and Five continue to make a contribution to children's programming. But given that Ofcom's powers under the Communications Act are also limited with regard to guaranteeing specific levels of children's programming for broadcasters.

1.15 Given these constraints, we believe that there are three possible approaches to the issues facing children's programming in the short term. These are:

• Developing the BBC's role in delivering children's content: establishing greater certainty over future investment from the BBC, extending the availability of BBC output for older children beyond 7pm, and extending provision to teenagers. These are issues for the BBC Trust to consider, taking into account the range of competing demands for BBC resources.
• Extending Channel 4's remit to include older children and teenagers. Channel 4 has already announced plans for a substantial short term investment in content for older children, which will make a significant if partial contribution to the likely deficit in this area. It has indicated a willingness to continue and extend this commitment in future but has said this would require additional ongoing funding support.
• Exploring the role S4C could play in delivering content to all UK children, for example by strengthening incentives or independent producers to reversion content for a UK (and possibly international) audience.

1.16 We will continue to have a constructive dialogue with the BBC, Channel 4 and S4C over the next few months. In the meantime, Ofcom will continue to work within the limits of its powers, ensuring that broadcasters understand the importance of delivery of the public service broadcaster purposes and characteristics for this important audience.

The full document is available below:

• The Future of Children's Television Programming - Future delivery of public service content for children [pdf]
  Statement published 10|04|08

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