Janet Smith
South African children watch very little=20 children’s TV, and one of the most=20 important reasons for this could be that=20 most South African children are not home=20 and free to watch television until after=20 supper.
When superb productions like the specially- packaged import Open Sesame (now broadcast=20 in Zulu and Sesotho) and the local=20 alternative Kideo (broadcast in English)=20 are on air, most children are either at=20 school or on the streets.
They tune in after 7pm to watch shows like=20 LA Heat, the innovative drama Entsha, the=20 rerun of the drama Winning the American=20 sitcom Living Single and the drama=20 Crossroads – the top five in the ratings=20 for all South African children.
The only programme which is designed for a=20 younger audience and which makes it into=20 the top 10 is Dynamite Diepkloof Dudes, a=20 Secret Sevenish adventure which makes crime=20 in Soweto look like a food poisoning=20 incident at the church fair in Miss=20 Marple’s English village.=20
Despite the appeal of KTV, M-Net’s more=20 privileged younger viewers are rather=20 tuning into Open Time, turning Hangin’ With=20 Mr Cooper, Caroline in the City, Dave’s=20 World, 3rd Rock from the Sun and Wings into=20 top 10 winners on the pay channel’s own=20 listings.=20
The only KTV series that creeps in around=20 number 10 is Jonny Quest, the impressive=20 graphic TV novel which first made inroads=20 on Cartoon Network on DStv.=20
Children form the biggest TV-viewing=20 audience in the country, pulling figures of=20 two-million and more where the largest=20 adult audience is around 1,5-million for a=20 single programme.
Children watch The Bold and the Beautiful=20 (mirroring their parents’ taste) and trash=20 TV like The A-Team. They’re also watching=20 Barry Ronge’s Screenplay, serious films=20 like A Dry White Season and grown-up=20 American comedies like Mad About You.=20
Where adults like Highlander, children like=20 Sinbad. Where children like Early Edition,=20 the enchanting drama, their parents prefer=20 The X-Files.
There’s a bigger audience for Zulu news=20 bulletins from children than there is for=20 adults, but the hefty adult figures for=20 English news bulletins are not reflected in=20 the children’s ratings.=20