Boys Costumes: Children's Television


Figure 1.--

The TV programs surveyed by HBC include programs in which children are depicted. This means programs about children which are commonly family oriented shows. Children are also depicted in children's programing. A growing body of literature has been devoted to the studying of children's television. Scholars are especially interested on the academic and social impact of watching television, given in the fact that in different countries it is interlaced with commercial and ideological messages. Julia Alexander wrote an interesting paper in 2000 on American Saturday morning advertising and educational programming for children in the 1970s and 80s. An especially valuable source is Timothy and Kevin Burke's Saturday Morning Fever: Growing Up With Cartoon Culture. Spencer Downing has researhed American children's programming from Howdy Doody to Sesame Street. Many other aspects of children's programming are being studied. One scholar reports working on how we remember programs from our childhood, in the recent "resurrection" of programmes like Bagpuss, the Clangers, Rainbow etc which have now acquired something of a cult status, largely among people who are too young to remember their original transmissions! She is interseted in how we remember programmes from childhood, in the recent "resurrection" of programmes like Bagpuss, the Clangers, Rainbow, etc. which have now acquired something of a cult status, largely among people who are too young to remember their original transmissions! As with TV itself, this has varied widely from country to country. In terms of children's TV in the U.K., a good starting points are provided by the various writings or studies edited by Professor David Buckingham.

Chidren's Programing

The TV programs surveyed by HBC include programs in which children are depicted. This means programs about children which are commonly family oriented shows. Children are also depicted in children's programing.

Impact of Viewing

A growing body of literature has been devoted to the studying of children's television. Scholars are especially interested on the academic and social impact of watching television, given in the fact that in different countries it is interlaced with commercial and ideological messages. Many other aspects of children's programming are being studied. Most of the academic work we have noted has been ki America and Britain. As with TV itself, this has varied widely from country to country.

United States

Julia Alexander wrote an interesting paper in 2000 on American Saturday morning advertising and educational programming for children in the 1970s and 80s. An especially valuable source is Timothy and Kevin Burke's Saturday Morning Fever: Growing Up With Cartoon Culture. Spencer Downing has researhed American children's programming from Howdy Doody to Sesame Street. One thought provoking book is Joseph Tobin, Good Guys don't Wear Hats: Children's Talk About the Media (New York & London: Teachers College Columbia University, 000).

United Kingdom

In terms of children's TV in the U.K., a good starting points are provided by the various writings or studies edited by Professor David Buckingham. One scholar reports working on how we remember programs from our childhood, in the recent "resurrection" of programmes like Bagpuss, the Clangers, Rainbow etc which have now acquired something of a cult status, largely among people who are too young to remember their original transmissions! She is interseted in how we remember programmes from childhood, in the recent "resurrection" of programmes like Bagpuss, the Clangers, Rainbow, etc. which have now acquired something of a cult status, largely among people who are too young to remember their original transmissions! Another useful source is Bruce Lindsay, "Influencing development: the media" in B. Lindsay, The Child and Family: Contemporary Nursing Issues in Child Health and Care (London: Bailliere Tindall, 1994). The paper includes a brief discussion on film, but focuses on television and its possible impact on children's development. Its from the early years of computer games and satellite TV, with a focus on the United Kingdom.

Childhood

Television and the media in general may be affecting our very concept of childhood. An interesting book on the relationship of Television and concept of children and childhood is Neil Postman, The Disappearance of Childhood, Vintage Books, 1994. THe book takes a general and conceptual approach.

Reality

One question often asked anout children and television is to what exten and at what age that children can differentiate between television and reality. the question of television and children's conceptions of reality is addressed in Davies Messenger, Fake, Facts, and Fantasy: Children's Interpretations of Television Reality (Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc, 1997).






Christopher Wagner





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Created: March 23, 2000
Last updated: March 23, 2002