The above graph and table illustrate the differences (by proportion of viewing time and in terms of actual minutes per day, respectively) in the viewing of children’s programmes between children in terrestrial households and those in multichannel homes. The graph shows how viewing in 2002 was split across the children’s genres. In multichannel homes, we look at total viewing of Nickelodeon, Fox Kids, Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel, taking into account viewing of the replay channels.
Although children in multichannel homes have a wide range of children’s channels available, the amount of time spent watching programmes classified within the children’s genres stands at around 30 minutes per day - similar to the amount spent by children in terrestrial homes. Viewing to children’s programming, 2002
Average Minutes of Viewing Per Day Terrestrial Children Multichannel Children
Total 30 29 Drama 3.6 1.6 Factual 5.2 1.6 Animation 11.9 15.6 Light entertainment 5.0 3.0 Pre-school 3.8 4.6 Miscellaneous 0.7 2.4
Source: BARB Monday-Sunday
Terrestrial Children: BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, Five
Multichannel Children: BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, GMTV, Channel 4, Five, Boomerang, Cartoon Network Total, Disney Channel Total, Playhouse Disney, Toon Disney, Fox Kids Total, Nickelodeon Total, Nick Jr Trouble, CBBC, CBeebies Diversity in children’s viewing, 2002
Terrestrial children
Multichannel children
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100%
Although children in multichannel homes have many more programmes to watch, the split in viewing by genre suggests that the domination of animation across dedicated channels influences their viewing choices. Animated programmes make up 39% of viewing by
children with access to analogue terrestrial channels only - in comparison, more than half of all viewing of children’s programmes in multichannel homes was of animation (54%). Thus, while multichannel children have access to more programming, they are watching a less diverse range of children’s programmes than those living in terrestrial homes. In particular, faced with a wider choice of other programming, only 5% of the total viewing time in multichannel homes was spent watching factual material.
Audience share by channel: multichannel children
Boomerang
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network Total
CBBC
CBeebies
Disney Channel
Disney Channel Total
Toon Disney
Playhouse Disney
Fox Kids
Fox Kids Total
Nick Jr Nickelodeon Nickelodeon Total Trouble 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7% ■2000 ■2001 ■2002
With the influx of new channels over the years, the dedicated children’s channels have seen dramatic movements in audience share. The more established channels, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, have all suffered from declining audience share. At the same time, new players such as Boomerang, the spin-off Disney Channels, Trouble and, more recently, the new BBC channels, CBBC and CBeebies, have made a notable impact on the long-running channels.
Channel performance throughout the day highlights some interesting trends in the viewing habits of multichannel children. Viewing of non-terrestrial channels is highest during the daytime segment between 0930-1530, when viewing of terrestrial channels is at its lowest. In the early morning (0600-0930) the terrestrial channels, in particular BBC2, perform relatively well, although it is clear that, as viewing of the non-terrestrial channels increases, these channels lose audiences. The fall in viewing of non-terrestrial channels and the increase in viewing of BBC1 and ITV1 between 1530-1730 demonstrates the continuing importance of the main networks in multichannel homes - this is also illustrated by the list of top-rating children’s programmes in these homes. Viewing of non-terrestrial channels dips Audience share by quarter hour, 2002
Weekday viewing by children in multichannel homes
Source: BARB, Monday-Friday
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0600 - 0615 0645 - 0700 0730 - 0745 0815 - 0830 0900 - 0915 0945 - 1000 1030 - 1045 1115 - 1130 1200 - 1215 1245 - 1300 1330 - 1345 1415 - 1430 1500 - 1515 1545 - 1600 1630 - 1645 1715 - 1730 1800 - 1815 1845 - 1900 1930 - 1945 2015 - 2030 2100 - 2115 2145 - 2200 2230 - 2245 2315 - 2330 2400 - 2415 Share, % BBC1 BBC2 ITV1 C4 Five Other
Top children's programmes, 2002
Programme Genre Channel Viewers, proportion Viewers, 000s of children(%)
All children
Newsround Factual BBC1 10.9 1,007
Smart on the road Factual BBC1 10.7 989
All About Me Light Entertainment BBC1 10.6 976
Christmas at Club Blue Peter Light Entertainment BBC1 10.4 958
CBBC at the Fame Academy Light Entertainment BBC1 10.3 949
Blue Peter Factual BBC1 9.9 915
Grange Hill Drama BBC1 9.7 894
Film: Snow White Animation CH4 9.7 893
Viva S Club Drama BBC1 9.6 885
Mona the Vampire Animation BBC1 9.4 865
Multichannel children
All About Me Light Entertainment BBC1 7.8 446
Newsround Factual BBC1 6.7 385
Bob the Builder Animation BBC1 6.2 355
Stig of the Dump Drama BBC1 6.1 352
Fingertips Factual ITV1 6.1 349
Smart on the Road Factual BBC1 6.1 348
Blue Peter Factual BBC1 6.0 346
The Ghost Hunter Drama BBC1 6.0 343
The Cramp Twins Animation BBC1 5.9 340
The Story of Tracy Beaker Drama BBC1 5.7 330
Since the previous study conducted by the Broadcasting Standards Commission in 1997, Internet penetration has risen from 5% to 43% (The Public’s View 2002). Figures show penetration is skewed towards households with children - 49% of these households have access via a computer in the home.
This, along with the technical development of games consoles and the growth of mobile ‘phone penetration, has meant that today’s children are faced with more diverse media choices, both as a source of entertainment and of communication. These extra choices will undoubtedly lead to the fragmentation of children’s leisure time as they spend time away from the television, using their PCs, mobile phones or games consoles.
Netvalue measures the usage of the Internet at home and is based on a panel of 7000 households. In June 2002, the average child connected to the internet 10 times, spending 28 minutes online during each session. Frequency of usage is marginally lower than among adults, who connect 17 times per month, but the average session for children is two minutes longer. Usage is highest on weekends, between 1800-2100 and after school, between 1500-1800, whereas adult usage is heaviest between 1800-midnight.
Figures suggest 52% of 7-16 year olds own a mobile phone, rising to 82% of 14-16 year olds (Source: NOP). As well as contributing significantly to the millions of SMS messages sent via mobile phones each day, children are heavy users of the Internet as a means of communication. They are more likely than the average Internet user to participate in instant messaging (38% of online children versus an average of 28% of the Internet population) and visit chat rooms (8% of online children versus an average of 5% of the Internet population), as shown below.