TV One's new school of thought

BBC show Eureka TV is coming to One.

When the kids come home from school and sit down in front of the TV, do they: (a) watch cartoons (b) hang out with their favourite American heroes or (c) switch on to TV One? Chances are, most of them would screw their noses up at (c). It's mum and dad territory.

Not for long. On January 31 TV One launches its first dedicated children's timeslot, weekdays 3.30-4.40pm, with the focus on educational TV and drama.

"We're quite confident they are very different programmes to what we're screening on TV2," says TVNZ international programme scheduler Liz Fraser. "It's more of a family watch. An 8-year-old can sit down with mum and they can both get something out of it, perhaps more than they would sitting down in front of a cartoon."

Sounds like a grand idea. But will kids want to be educated when they come home from school? Wouldn't they rather just flick over to SpongeBob and escape for an hour?

TVNZ says it's confident the new schedule will appeal to older children. Whereas TV2's after-school timeslot is mostly aimed at kids aged 10 and under, the new TV One zone will be pitched at 8 to14-year-olds. As for the programmes the new schedule will replace, Emmerdale has moved to a 12.30pm timeslot and repeats of 6th Sense with Colin Fry have been scrapped.

Viewers have the charter partly to thank for the changes. Research by TVNZ showed viewers desired greater choice, for themselves and their children, with more breadth of genre when it came to kids' TV.

"The only thing missing from One was children's content, so by bringing that in we are delivering to the needs of all New Zealanders across both channels," says Ms Fraser.

But it's a double-edged sword. Professor Geoff Lealand, who lectures media and screen studies at the University of Waikato, says children's television has become an increasingly competitive Zmarket. Whether or not a bulging number of animated shows equates to choice is a moot point. But aside from the rivalry between TV2 and TV3 is the threatening presence of Sky.

Its three dedicated kids' channels, Nickelodeon, Disney and the Cartoon Network have taken a generous slice of the audience share.

It is also in TV One's best interests to attract younger viewers.

"The general problem is that TV One is ageing and there doesn't seem to be another cohort to come along and replace its audience," he says.

So far, all of the new series are international, coming from a variety of production companies including BBC and Southern Star but TVNZ says plans are underway to introduce local content. TV2 already screens locally-produced What Now?, Studio 2 and Sticky TV. In the meantime, NZ On Air has contributed almost $1 towards three animated children's programmes and a show about young inventors for TV2.

"There is an enormous amount of children's product out there and we've selected on the quality of those programmes, on how well they've been produced," says Fraser. "It's not about the ratings. Is it relevant to New Zealand audiences? A kids' show made in the UK may not be suitable for kids in New Zealand."

Educational

Eureka TV: Wacky how-to science series that will have you generating your own electricity, making magic potions and finding space objects in your garden in no time.

Backyard Science: No adults allowed! Let kids your own age show you easy, practical experiments you can try in the garden, kitchen or shed.

Being Me: Find out how well you really know yourself. A series about our unique personalities, making friends and meeting the challenges you're confronted with every day.

Fingertips: The series that shows you how to make and do weird and wonderful things with household items. Learn how to build a dinosaur CD rack, bake a cake that will trick your mates or play a game of ghostly golf.

The Really Wild Show: If you love animals, you'll love this! Amazing stories about the world's most curious creatures.

Sync or Swim: Join host Jamie Aditya as he takes on the most extreme music and dance performance activities in the world, trying not to embarrass himself along the way.

Drama

Foreign Exchange: What would life be like if you could walk through your bedroom wall and be on the other side of the world? Brett, a 15-year-old from Perth, Western Australia knows. One day he discovers a mysterious portal in his bedroom that leads to the cellar of an old boarding school in Galway, Ireland.

My Dad's the Prime Minister: Eleven-year-old Dillon Phillips gets to hang out with Destiny's Child at swanky parties but there are drawbacks to your father being the most influential man in the country — like the time he danced in public with mum.

Shoebox Zoo: Uprooted from Colorado after her mother's death, Marnie McBride is struggling to adjust. Then one day a mysterious man gives her an unusual gift: a shoebox containing four, carved celtic animals that come to life, revealing Marnie has ancient, magical powers.

Silver Sun: It's the year 2050 and the teenage crew of Star Runner are two years into a journey to their new home — a planet closely resembling Earth. Their mission is to ensure the safe delivery of 550 cryogenically suspended settlers to populate the new world.