Children's news program
A children's news program is a type of news program that is specifically aimed at children, usually 6-14 years olds, rather than an adult audience. The programme is usually made by the network's news and current affairs department, rather than the children's department.[1]
As the programme is aimed at a much younger audience from ordinary adults focused news programme, there are significant differences in the style and make-up of the programme. These are for example: the programme has news stories that children would be interested in, usually avoiding deep political and business news and more dealing with popular cultures such as music and television. The programme is presented in with much lighter tone, with the language being much simpler and less complex and has graphics and sounds that are much more colourful.
Usually, the news presenters are much younger than regular news presenters and acting in a much more informal environment than regular newscasters, with casual clothing and either standing or sitting on a chair, rather than behind a desk. Some presenters use the programme in the past as a platform to later work as a formal newscaster or correspondent.
History
No one network is responsible for the creation of a news programme aimed at children. CBS first broadcast a series of news clips aimed at children in 1971 under the title of "In the News". However, in 1972, the first channel to broadcast a new segment for children was by the BBC with John Craven's Newsround.[2] Accounts tended to avoid the political emphasis of adult news and instead sought to build an ‘‘interesting’’ agenda.[3] In the same year, Sweden's SVT started broadcasting a weekly news roundup programme called Barnjournalen[4] (Children's Journal). Later the Netherlands[5]' NOS created a children's show Jeugdjournaal (Youth Journal) in 1981.
List of current and former children's news programs
Current shows
Country | Program Name | Network | Former networks | First date of broadcast |
Australia | BtN | ABC Me | ABC | 1968-2003; 2005-present[6][7] |
Germany | logo! | KiKa | ZDF | 1988 |
Ireland | News2day | RTÉ Two | 2003 | |
Netherlands | Jeugdjournaal | NPO Zapp | Nederland 1, Nederland 2, | 1981 |
Sweden | Lilla Aktuellt | SVT Barn | SVT1 | 1994 |
United Kingdom | Newsround | CBBC | BBC One | 1972 |
Former shows
Country | Program Name | Original Network | Other Networks | Broadcast |
Sweden | Barnjournalen | TV1 | SVT1 | 1972-1991 |
United Kingdom | Newsround Showbiz | CBBC | 2001-2005 | |
United Kingdom | Sportsround | CBBC | 2005–2010 | |
United States | In the News | CBS | 1971-1986; 1996-1997 | |
United States | 30 Minutes | CBS | 1978-1982 |
- Alon-Tirosh, Michel (18 March 2017). "Children and news: opinions of children's news program creators in Israel". Taylor Francis Online.
- "John Craven's Newsround". Do You Remember?. 2004-04-23. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
- Matthews, Julian (April 24, 2008). "A MISSING LINK?: The imagined audience, news practices and the production of children's news". Journalism Practice. 2 (2): 264–279. doi:10.1080/17512780801999402. ISSN 1751-2786.
- Louise Åström, Åström (2017-02-07). "Barnjournalen-profilen Bengt Fahlström död". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- Östberg, Lowe (2018-10-16). "Public service producing news for young people" (PDF). nordicom. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- Behind the News celebrates 50 years on air, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2018-06-04, retrieved 2020-04-06
- "Behind The News' Missing Candle". ACTF Blog. Retrieved 2020-04-06.