The State of Childrens Television
The dreadful state of children’s television and the influence it may have on our kids was brought home to me today in a Basil Brush television show – Christmas one I think.
In this show The plot appears, from the bit I saw, to entail Basil’s co-presenter getting a new job; in this case a stripping Santa for adult parties. Being a Basil Brush show there has to be a twist, and in this case it is that his first job is at Basil Brush’s party. We are supposedly entertained by the man leaping through the door in his Santa costume and ripping the top half off. This is then dubbed with can laughter from 8 year old children.
Just in case you do not realise that this is a sex joke, Basil Brush then says, “for more of this performance, please call our discreet phone line with your credit card. And more canned laughter from young children is added.
So, not only do we have two blatantly adult sex jokes, but they are underpinned by laughter from pre-teenage children.
I am no prude, but I personally think this is just terrible. What sort of high are the stupid writers on? Not only are their jokes so unfunny that they need to be reinforced by the BBC sound effects department, but they are cracking jokes completely inappropriate for a programme aimed at 8 to 12 years olds.
In recent times there has been much commented on the decline of children’s television and how modern attitudes are not benefiting our kids in any way. This show has really just proved the point once and for all: programme makers and commissioning editors really don’t give a damn about the kids.
We need a serious debate in this country about children’s television, children’s education and children’s welfare. In the last 30 years we have got it very wrong and we need to do something that does not entail forcing kids to become adults with adult knowledge and adult ideas at 12 years old.
And we might do no worse than to start by sacking the writers and producers of the Basil Brush show.
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