Children's programming is television programming specifically designed for kids, usually scheduled for late night or early morning whenever kids are asleep. It can be full-length, as in kids' cartoons, or it can be part of a video program like Toy Story. It is sometimes educational as well, particularly for kids who have trouble learning important facts. It can feature animals, toys, or all forms of entertainment. It has evolved to target younger viewers, although it does continue to target adults as well 少儿编程.
The creation of Children's programming has resulted in the educational benefits being pushed to families and kids as an integral part of growing up. As a result, it is being promoted as a critical element of a good preschool curriculum. As technological improvements have continued to push the educational advantage of computer screen time into everyday programming, children's programming on various cable channels has also improved.
In 1984 Congress directed the FCC to set forth some guidelines regarding the protection of children from exposure to negative depictions of violence and other adult content on television. The Children's Programming Act was enacted by the FCC in order to protect kids and their viewing habits. Among the requirements of the Children's Programming Act was a ban on advertising for any type of violent material, even suggestive material. This law, the Children's Television Act, is commonly referred to as the ""LCJ"" or ""Litttle Christmas Law." The FCC is still looking into setting more exact regulations regarding the exact definition of suitable television content for kids.
The Children's Television Programming and Marketing Survey (CSPMS) found that most households with children do not have cable or satellite television and thus do not get the variety of programs available. In fact, most households with children do not even have a set-top receiver unit to watch regular television broadcasts. When these households were provided with the option of receiving educational programming through an over the air Broadband connection, their interest in watching educational programs and shows dramatically increased. This led to the creation of various Children's programming options including, Family Ties, The Magic School Bus, and numerous advertiser supported Children's block box programs.
Even though it has been shown that children who regularly receive educational programming are more likely to perform well academically, many parents choose to supplement the basic educational offerings provided by local television stations. In recent years several specialty channels have been dedicated specifically to children's programming. For example, one of the largest satellite television stations, dish network, has several children's options, including the highly rated cartoon series, Rugrats, which is geared toward young children.
Most television stations target their efforts at educational children at the expense of more adult-oriented programming. While there are some exceptions, for example, the History Channel features an educational children's series in addition to news, factual programming, and films and reality shows aimed at all ages. On the other hand, some of the most popular children's network television shows, including Sesame Street, also feature a number of educational children's programming that is not geared towards older viewers. For example, the Saturday Night Fever series features music from a number of different era groups and is very funny and educational at the same time. In fact, many critics have described Sesame Street as "brilliant" and "riveting".
As noted earlier, with increased demand, came increased competition among children's programming offered by television stations. There are two major players in this marketplace, which makes it difficult for smaller operators to penetrate the marketplace. The two major players in the syndication market are Viacom and Nickelodeon. The two companies have wildly different interests, which often leads to conflict and confusion within the marketplace. Viacom has historically focused its marketing efforts on highly profitable adult viewers, while Nickelodeon has typically focused on younger, more impressionable children.
Because of the highly competitive environment of the television industry, children's programming is often made available exclusively through Viacom or Nickelodeon. Both companies provide exclusive television programming, which is targeted for an audience focused on various demographics. In recent years, Nickelodeon programming has begun to target a broader range of viewers, such as teenagers and adults. However, both Viacom and Nickelodeon have been successful in building cable television channels that appeal to a much larger range of viewers. In fact, many of today's hottest movies and shows have been developed for television by one of these two companies. This type of exclusive programming ensures that children will be able to find hours of highly entertaining and educational programming each day.
