Written evidence submitted by the
Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB)

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) is a trade union representing professional writers in TV, film, theatre, radio, books, comedy, poetry, animation and videogames. Our members also include emerging and aspiring writers. We negotiate national agreements on pay and conditions with key industry bodies, including the BBC, ITV and Pact.

Many of our members write children’s TV and video content and so we welcome the opportunity to submit evidence to this review.

Children’s TV and video content in the UK 

1. Who is commissioning and making original, high-quality, TV and video content for children and young audiences in the UK? 

1. In answering this question, there are some important distinctions to be made: that between ‘high-quality’ scripted content (such as drama, comedy and animation) and other high-quality content such as factual and entertainment programming, between high and low-budget productions, and between work produced in the UK for a UK audience and international work which is acquired for broadcast on UK channels.
2. WGGB believe that high-quality children’s content is work which is both educational and entertaining. It may help children to understand and navigate social issues such as bullying and blended families, supports the themes present in the national curriculum and/or supports extra-curricular learning. It also allows children to see themselves, their families, their areas and their cultures represented and reflected. We would also add that high-quality content is produced by human creators rather than ‘generated’ by AI.
3. PSBs – who have a public service remit and an expectation to cater to all ages – remain the largest global commissioner of original, high-quality TV and video content for children and young audiences. Stats from Ampere Analysis show that, in 2024, 54% of kids and family TV titles announced were from PSBs, compared to 13% from SVODs.
4. As PSBs have a remit to produce work which is less ‘commercially viable’, they are a natural home for high-quality children’s content, which has additional advertising restrictions in the UK.
5. However, as the ongoing crisis in TV funding continues, the landscape of children’s programming is rapidly declining. With Sky Kids recently announcing the winding down of their children’s commissioning, only two UK broadcasters are now commissioning original series for children: the BBC and Channel 5.
6. These broadcasters are struggling to sustain high-quality content. The BBC’s 2024/24 annual report stated that, “recent analysis [suggests that] the BBC is the number one commissioner of kids programming globally.” It also referenced that, “macro trends including pressure on BBC funding, inflation, reductions in both wider commissioning levels and third-party funding sources,” are making high-quality children’s programming harder to sustain. As Ofcom’s Transmission Critical report points out, current requirements for third-party funding from international finance puts PSB’s “at the mercy of the business models and decisions of large international companies who do not have the same public service objectives.”
7. WGGB are concerned that under-resourced PSBs are increasingly relying on acquired – often internationally-produced – children’s content, which is cheaper than commissioning and producing high-quality UK intellectual property (IP). As a result, fewer slots are available for high-quality, UK-specific content. A recent example is a new children’s animation promoting exercise by Joe Wicks, which has found a home on YouTube after being turned down by UK PSBs.

a. How can they be best supported to make more?

1. WGGB would support any interventions designed to support PSBs in producing more high-quality children’s content.
2. We are in agreement with Ofcom’s Transmission Critical report that any new funding should “prioritise genres that are socially valuable but commercially less viable and attract lower advertising revenues, such as […] and children’s programming.”
3. In order to guarantee this, WGGB would recommend reinstating the Young Audiences Content Fund, which would help to ring-fence funding for children’s content commissions.
4. Additionally, WGGB proposes that any new funding for children’s content should prioritise projects where the IP was not just created in the UK, but which is owned and/or remains in the UK.
5. WGGB would also support levies on video sharing platforms such as YouTube Kids, which benefit from advertising revenue from the platforming of PSB children’s content. A requirement of an annual funding contribution to a Young Audiences Content Fund would help provide additional funding for creators and protect the UK market.
6. While the Communications Act 2003 specifically includes requirements that PSBs make available audiovisual content which reflects the lives and concerns of children and young people in the UK, unfortunately there are no specific requirements around the amount of original scripted drama/comedy. As a result, PSBs often rely on entertainment formats which are targeted at young or ‘junior’ audiences.
7. WGGB would welcome stronger reporting guidelines from Ofcom, including requirements that PSB annual plans and reports should detail the number of hours of original (first run) children’s drama and comedy planned for TV (broadcast-first and digital-first).
8. We would also support more stringent accountability measures for those PSBs who do not fully meet their requirements under the Act.

2. How does the range of content and genres for children vary between that provided by public service media, subscription channels, and both short- and long-form video sharing platforms? 

1. While children and young people may be able to access a wider variety of content and genres on video-sharing platforms, much of the content would fail to meet our definition of ‘high-quality’. The biggest variation between PSBs and other online platforms (particularly short-form platforms) is in quality control. Platforms which rely on user-generated content have significantly fewer restrictions on what children can access and use algorithms to promote content which may be low-quality or not age-appropriate for children.
2. In recent years, this includes a growth in the amount of AI-generated content which can be accessed. Guardian analysis of data from the analytics firm Playboard shows that out of the top 100 fastest growing YouTube channels in July this year, nine were showing purely AI-generated content.
3. We are particularly concerned about the increase in mis and dis-information available on many sites which rely upon user-generated content, and about children’s abilities to discern reliable sources of information.
4. We are also concerned that the majority of English language content on many of these platforms is produced outside of the UK and can confuse younger viewers on topics such as spelling, history etc.

a. Which audiences, by age or other characteristic, are currently being underserved?   

1. The 11-14 age group is currently significant underserved by PSBs, with very few examples of high-quality scripted drama available. Commissioners view this age bracket as “challenging” as young adults of this age tend to reject content which they feel is “too young,” but are not yet old enough to engage with 15+ content. Commissioners therefore tend to prioritise content for younger audience.
2. WGGB have detected in recent years a marginalisation of content for this age group, in favour of work for younger audiences. Programmes such as The Dumping Ground (a spin-off of The Story of Tracy Beaker) continue to tell high-quality, diverse stories which engage the 11+ audience, but writers have reported a pressure to "age down" their work in a way which is off-putting to older children. Writers have also reported little appetite from commissioners for new, original work for this age group. This lack of serving is problematic as children of this age will instead seek out online content which is often of a lower quality.
3. It is also important to note that children from low-income families with restricted internet access are disadvantaged by an overreliance on streamed content. WGGB would support the ringfencing of family-friendly broadcast slots – such as “teatime” slots from 5-7pm – allowing all children to access suitable content. WGGB would also support the increased scheduling of children’s and family drama on Saturdays and/or Sundays.

b. How can we increase the amount of news and factual programming made for children on TV and online?

1. WGGB supports the need for more news and more educational content on TV and online, but would caution against a false distinction between dramatic and factual programming.
2. The blending of genres can be enormously successful when it comes to educational content, as demonstrated by the enormous success and popularity of programmes such as Horrible Histories (a factual sketch comedy).
3. Perhaps a more blended and creative approach, with greater emphasis on educational content (with links to the national curriculum) would help to increase the amount of content overall.

Finding children’s TV and video content online 

3. How can it be made easier to find original, high-quality, TV and video content for children online?

1. While platforms like YouTube Kids and Netflix Kids make children’s content easy to find, the ‘Kids’ designation is less suitable for young adult (11-14) audiences.
2. WGGB believe that a concerted effort needs to be made by PSBs to prioritise the promotion of children’s and young adult content online. At present, there appears to be little algorithmic targeting of children’s content on video sharing platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, and stronger marketing strategies are required to ensure that children are aware of high-quality content. PSBs need to take steps to ensure children’s programming receives promotion on broadcast TV and SVOD platforms (such as BBC iPlayer) that is equal to that of its ‘priority brands’.
3. Similarly, as TVs are increasingly used for non-linear viewing, WGGB would support requirements for children’s content to be immediately visible in TV menus.
4. WGGB support Ofcom’s recommendation that, “As a priority, public service broadcasters should work urgently with YouTube, to ensure that PSM content is prominent and easy to find on the platforms, and on fair commercial terms,” and propose regulation to ensure that PSB children’s content must appear in the top 10 channel listing positions.
5. We would also support badging or kitemark systems for children’s content to indicate that content which meets an agreed quality standard.

4. How effective are the tools available for parents to control what children are watching on public service media, subscription channels, and video sharing platforms?

1. Current tools to control what children watch are effective but need to be applied correctly. More education and resources for parents and guardians are necessary to ensure that they can effectively control what their children can access.

Health and child development 

5. What evidence is there that the TV and video content that children watch, and how they watch it, can contribute:   

a. Positively to their health, learning and development?

1. High-quality children’s programming demonstrably has a positive impact on children’s health, learning and development. This is partly due to their remit to invest in educational content.
2. The series Numberblocks is used by 90% of teachers in schools and is supported by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM). Fireman Sam includes a message on health and safety in every episode. Bob The Builder employs a Construction Adviser to ensure the accuracy of the builds in each episode, thereby promoting STEM. Other series work with child psychologists to ensure that children are actively learning while watching, rather than passively receiving instruction, or employ educational advisors to create strong links to the national curriculum.
3. Outside of this, children’s programming provides opportunity for less diverse geographical areas to see representations of a diverse range of family cultures (such as in JoJo & GranGran or Nikhil & Jay). They also provide opportunities for ESL families to develop language skills, providing benefits to both the child and the parent or guardian.
4. As mentioned above, the limited amount of content for the 11-14 age group represents a lost opportunity to support the emotional development of young adults at a time of widely reported increases in anxiety and other mental health challenges.

b. Negatively to their health, learning and development?

1. There is mounting evidence that low-quality short-form children’s content may have a detrimental impact on memory cognition and concentration. This includes content which is frenetically paced and under or over-stimulating.
2. WGGB is concerned that increasing AI-generated content on video sharing platforms (as above) will exacerbate these issues, as well as allow more user-generated dis/misinformation to permeate.
3. As above, WGGB supports increased creation and effective promotion of high-quality programming to help counter this.

Wider benefits of children’s TV 

6. How does children’s TV made in the UK contribute to:   

a. The UK’s culture and identity?

1. Children’s TV in the UK has a significant impact on UK cultural identity. Iconic British characters – including Dennis and Gnasher, Dangermouse, Paddington Bear and Peter Rabbit – have international recognition. Inside the UK, a diverse range of shows have been instrumental in reflecting children’s cultural heritage (JoJo & GranGran or Nikhil & Jay) and regional background (Molly and Mack or Jamie Johnson) back at them.
2. However, an increasingly global market has increased demand for content which is internationally sellable. WGGB is concerned that this drive is now starting to disincentivise the production of content like that mentioned above in favour of more generic content that can be easily sold and translated in other territories. At the other extreme is an international appetite for older, out-of-copyright British work which risks presenting a heritage-tourism version of ‘Britishness’, rooted in colonial-era stereotypes, rather than presenting the UK’s diverse contemporary culture.

b. Our cultural and economic exports?

1. Children’s programming is a lucrative source of income for the UK economy. Characters from UK children’s TV have significant international brand recognition – including the Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Peppa Pig and Paddington franchises.
2. These characters and programmes bring in tourism, as well as income generated from merchandise, theme parks, immersive events, stage adaptations etc. For example, the BBC is building on the success of Bluey to build a ‘lifestyle brand’ for all ages, while a recent BBC report stated that, “about 20 to 25% of the commercial revenue from Wallace & Gromit currently comes from South Korea.”
3. Similarly, there is significant international appetite for UK programmes. Numberblocks has been translated into 36 languages across 134 territories, while Fireman Sam is available in 155 countries, Peppa Pig in 180 and Hey Duggee in 150.
4. However, WGGB are disappointed to note that many children’s programmes which are culturally perceived as ‘UK shows’ are now American or internationally-owned. This includes Peppa Pig, owned by Hasbro, and Thomas the Tank Engine, owned by Mattel. As above, WGGB would advocate for measures which allow UK IP to remain within the UK.

If you have any further questions – or would like to discuss the above in more detail – please contact Eleanor Dawson. We would be happy to speak to the committee regarding any of the above points.

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