In an era where kids scroll before they walk, where tablets replace picture books, and quantity is placed over quality, media experts are sounding alarms about the state of children’s media. Concern lies not only in how much they’re watching, but the content itself, and whether it’s doing them any good.
Once upon a time, children’s television offered real stories, carefully produced to teach kids meaningful lessons. These consisted of programs developed with educational goals and backed by research, designed not only to entertain but to boost school readiness and language skills.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape looks entirely different. Streaming, social media, and short-form video platforms have completely taken over, with traditional TV ratings for children’s channels continuing to plummet. A striking example of this is Nickelodeon’s ratings dropping by 86% from 2016 to 2023, with similar declines across other major networks.
As of today, we can accurately say that the age of children’s TV is effectively over, replaced by YouTube and TikTok.
Unfortunately, the effects of this change are all too noticeable. Long gone are the series like Avatar: The Last Airbender that focus on narrative storytelling and overarching themes. Instead, kids’ media has quickly transitioned to shorter and faster-paced clips that are increasingly overstimulating. Unfortunately, this form of media is known to diminish viewers’ attention span, even in adults. Content that once focused on teaching children important language skills and moral lessons, like Sesame Street, now prioritizes engagement over actual educational value.
Anne Wood, the creator of Teletubbies, warns that many modern children’s programs on YouTube are “empty”, lacking the creative and educational structure traditionally expected from children’s television. In her words, “we’re losing a tremendous amount, and nobody can see it because it’s not considered important.” Konnie Huq, the longest-serving female presenter of the British children’s television programme Blue Peter, agreed on the current state of the industry.
“If you search for it, you can find really good educational stuff, but if a child is told they can eat sugar for every meal they might eat sugar for every meal. People – grown-ups and kids – will go for instant gratification and a dopamine hit over something that might be a bit more work but might give delayed gratification and longer term benefits.”
Konnie Huq, British children’s television presenter and screenwriter, on modern-day kids’ media.
Unfortunately, Wood and Huq may be right. It does appear that nobody is addressing these issues. Instead, social media platforms continue to bolster this form of content, prioritizing engagement with little regard for its effects on young audiences. For the impressionable mind of a child, still in their critical developmental years, this can be especially harmful.
However, children’s media is not dead yet. There’s still hope that television programs could make a comeback, or that online content could take a turn. Content creators like Ms. Rachel are becoming increasingly well-known as children’s entertainers who still care about kids, especially young infants. I can’t deny that I look up to educators like Ms. Rachel, who get so little reward for what they do, since I feel there’s almost nothing more important than the education of children.
“My love and care for children doesn’t stop at my own children. It doesn’t stop at the children in our country. It embraces every child of the world.”
Ms. Rachel at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards.
Thankfully, on the horizon, there are still producers who care for the minds of future generations and work to support their imagination, learning, and healthy development.