We want to inspire kids to be who they are, not have them dreaming of being someone else. This means programmes have to be aspirational which could be off the shopping list. I initiated children’s drama series at ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) for the first time in 2004 as a chairperson of the Children’s Programme Working Party. Since then, my interest has been in developing children’s content in Asia.
Education does not have to be separated from entertainment. When it’s not fascinating enough, it won’t sell or be distributed. So, education should go along with entertainment and creativity to bring the video perspective to the audience especially, at a young age to keep their interest going. Worldwide, the battle for kids’ content is becoming increasingly heated, as scripted and reality shows on mainstream channels continue to pull younger viewers from kids’ nets.
This is something we see as a trend and we’re responding to it. How we ramp up our production strategy: when I decide on a new programme, I take the opportunity to discuss with the kids or educators in the field at the planning stage. I also talk to experts on the ground when the programme is almost edited, before the final cut. The finished product is then shown to the kids (focus group) for their responses. It’s important to notice how they react, their facial expressions and respond to the new shows and adapt by further editing. Factors such as what they understood, what they missed and why it was important are rectified at this stage. Elements like different music, editing is done to emphasise different aspects. The approach is to give them what they really want.
It’s difficult to generalise children’s content because specific programmes have different aims. But nowadays, children’s content is considered a huge borderless global market and that’s why animation is growing bigger. I’m not against animation but it’s important to keep a balance and amplify the real lives of children in their own voice with the fun aspects, such as animation and fantasy world.
We even title the shows creatively to catch the attention of both the children and the parent in Korea for maximum impact. The titles allow The kid’s TV business is becoming ever-more challenging with education producers battling the effects of fragmentation and changing international market demand, EBS’s (Korea Educational Broadcasting System) Senior Executive Producer Dr Hyunsook Chung tells K. Dass how she narrates her education programmes for kids. Thinking out-off-the-box them to start imagining of the topic which in return built their character, social behaviour and conduct. Some of my projects translated from Korean include; Baby on the Way, Do You have a Sister? (Series) and Brother is Zero. So, it can be fun, uttering how it’s nice to have siblings but at the same time it feels like, do you have a sister? I don’t want to have one, so it demonstrates how to socialise and accommodate or welcome the new member in their own kingdom.
Last year, we launched a show My Brother is Zero, we try to see the multi-relations like a hierarchy. They learn something among themselves as if it’s self-automated sort of learning and socialising.
My Brother is Zero was very well received by not only children but adults as well. The young parents find the programme appealing. They can recall their own childhood and observe their children’s perspective of how difficult it is to have another brother or sister. It was broadcasted in 6 different countries including Singapore by Mediacorp and Japan by NHK last summer.
Baby on the Way season 1 has 6 episodes; season 2 has another 6 episodes. Two from last season were nominated at an international children’s programme festival. Last November, the Mongolian version was awarded the Japan Foundation Prize for promoting cultural diversity and understanding. The second season covers three different continents and will shine more light on cultural diversity.
We broadcasted all 6 episodes of Baby on the Way season 2 last December. This year we will produce season 3. We have been collaborating with a Chinese partner as their policies have changed from one child family to two children. They now desire to emphasise the importance of family relationship so they approached me to join the project. There will be 6 different countries in the third season with 2 episodes from China from two different families. My aim is to produce 6 episodes again to create a balance and one feature length documentary.
The first Baby on the Way shot in Singapore was the inaugural series. Singapore is the only place that hasn’t had a telecast yet so we’ve been in discussion with Mediacorp’s OKTO channel.