BFI Unveils Findings of Report on Kids’ TV Consumption

BFI, which administers the government-funded Young Audiences Content Fund, commissioned a study about how kids aged 4 to 18 in the U.K. feel about the television they consume on free-to-access channels and platforms.

Led by Cardiff University, the study drew data from entrants to the BFI’s See Yourself On Screen Challenge, which invited young people to create an idea for a TV show. Among other findings, the report concluded that less than a quarter of young people believe that U.K. television represents them.

Per the report, only 35 percent of children think they see young people on TV that share similar interests or experiences with them, 31 percent of children see other young people they think sound like them and only 24 percent of U.K. children see young people on TV they think look like them. A desire for more diversity is apparent, with 57 percent of children in 2021 feeling that there are not enough people who look like them on TV.

The lack of representation is driving young audiences toward YouTube and social media, according to the study, though many young people also noted the detrimental effect some content they consume on these platforms can have. Children aged 14 to 18 shared their view that social media was exacerbating the issue of having to conform to a certain “look.” The study further revealed how children want to have their voices heard on the big issues of our time—from politics and economics to environmental matters.

On a brighter note, the research found that over the last two years, TV has helped children and teenagers feel part of a community at a time when they felt isolated and has helped to spread positivity in their lives.

The study also revealed that children with no siblings, children from divorced families and children with key worker parents were keen to see more diverse experiences on screen reflecting their situation.

PhD student Laura Sinclair and Dr. Cynthia Carter of Cardiff University said: “This research provided us with a unique opportunity to hear the voices of hundreds of children across the U.K. and their viewpoints on children’s television. Through conducting the research, it quickly became apparent that television plays a vital role in creating a sense of community, particularly during a time of uncertainty. Children value the sense of shared viewing and experiences that television continues to offer. Creating high-quality, free-to-view content should remain a top priority in order to reflect the lives of young viewers.”

Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for children’s media and the arts, said: “Contrary to some belief, television remains the first place our young people go to be entertained, to learn about the world and to feel part of a community. The methods our young audiences consume television may continue to evolve, but this report shows that there is a huge appetite among young viewers for original television that reflects their lives, and if we don’t provide it, they will find their way to content that is lesser in quality and potentially harmful to them.”

Jeanette Steemers, professor of culture, media and creative industries of Kings College London, said: “This research offers crucial insights into how children living in the U.K. feel about how they are represented on screen and what they truly value about British screen content made especially for them by U.K.-based creative producers. The findings underscore the importance of interventions by the BFI’s YACF, whose investment in content that represents the diversity of children and their experiences, makes a valuable contribution to the range of quality, free-to-air programming that children can access—especially in these challenging times.”

Head of Fund Jackie Edwards said: “The YACF exists to support the creation of unique, inspiring, diverse shows for children and young people in this country. The Fund is directly addressing the gaps found in the research released today. YACF support has delivered 42 brand-new, U.K.-originated programs that would not otherwise have been financed by the market. Furthermore, we are financing new stories from all corners of the U.K., with a good spread of projects across all target ages, including older teens, bringing to screen fantastic new series that reflect all of the U.K. All of our new projects need to meet the BFI’s Diversity Standards, which are playing a key role in improving diversity across the sector in front of and behind the camera.”