The production ecology of pre-school television in Britain

该项目调查了自20世纪90年代中期以来，在全球和国家发展的背景下，英国学前电视节目不断变化的生产生态，当时少数英国学前节目（天线宝宝，建造者鲍勃）取得了很高的国际知名度。主要目的是通过确定影响和塑造英国学前电视发展和生产的因素，对英国学前电视的现状进行系统的分析。第二个目标是传播调查结果，以增进工业界和学术界对该部门的了解。该研究的主要成果之一是获得行业联系和不同生产背景的程度，这为满足项目的目标和目标提供了丰富的证据。通过对制片人、发行商、广播公司、作家、导演、监管机构、mari研究人员和海外买家的88次访谈，结合对一系列生产环境的观察，本研究明确并确立了决定学前生产的复杂内部和外部因素。它侧重于这一生产生态中的不同参与者如何管理和创造性地协商更广泛的商业、管制、文化和技术力量以及对所生产产品性质的影响。这项研究被证明是非常及时的，因为它恰逢英国儿童电视的危机，此前英国禁止在针对儿童的节目中播放高脂肪、高糖、高盐食品的广告，ITV也减少了在其地面服务ITV 1上委托制作内容和传播儿童节目的承诺。国际成功与国内危机之间的对比为进一步调查提供了令人信服的理由。该项目的另一项成就是传播水平超出了最初的设想（2篇文章，1本书章节，2次会议，一份行业报告，13篇论文）。就结果和结果而言，该项目提供了英国学前电视的全面检查，参考其历史，结构，制度关系和工作运作。特别是，它描绘了学前电视是如何被一系列外部力量和内部实践所塑造的，以及它是如何作为一个由一系列大小参与者（广播公司、制片人、许可人、联合创始人）组成的生产生态系统发挥作用的，这些参与者在竞争激烈和日益全球化的生产环境中，在不同时期共存、合作和竞争。对这些不同的参与者及其可变的、往往不平等的关系进行审查，可以更好地了解互动、相互依存、合作与竞争的不同程度，以及参与者如何根据不断变化的国家和国际环境以及彼此之间的关系定位自己。专注于不同参与者的确切角色，团队深入了解了项目委托和资助所采用的策略。就项目的发现而言：生产部门的高度分化但又相互联系的性质，从大型的、以商业为导向的、在国际市场和特许商品上有重大利益的生产商-分销商到较小的、以创意为主导的生产实体。广播公司（主要是C Beebies， Five和Nick Junior UK）提供的少量佣金和资金与他们基于对广播发行的控制而决定制作内容的权力之间的脱节。在很大程度上，国际和授权商品的考虑决定了什么被制造出来。在学前节目中加入教育内容的重要性日益增加，以满足人们对节目对儿童影响的日益关注，同时也满足更注重教育的美国市场。

This project investigated the changing production ecology of British preschool television in the light of global and national developments since the mid-1990s when a small number of British pre-school programmes (Teletubbies, Bob the Builder) achieved a high international profile. The principle aim has been to provide systematic analysis of the state of British preschool television by identifying the factors that inform and shape its development and production. The second aim has been to disseminate the findings to enhance understanding of the sector both within industry and academia.One of the main achievements of the research has been the degree of access to industry contacts and different production contexts, which has provided rich evidence to meet the project's aims and objectives. Drawing on 88 interviews with producers, distributors, broadcasters, writers, directors, regulators, mari researchers, and overseas buyers, combined with observations in a range of production environments, the research has articulated and established the complex internal and external factors that determine preschool production. It focused on how different players in this production ecology manage and creatively negotiate wider commercial, regulatory, cultural and technological forces and the implications for the nature of what is produced. The research proved particularity timely as it coincided with a perceived crisis in UK children's TV following a ban on advertising for HFSS (high fat sugar salt) foods around programming targeted at children, and the reduced commitment of ITV to commissioning content and transmitting children's shows on its terrestrial service ITV 1. This contrast between international success and domestic crisis provided a compelling rationale for further investigation. A further achievement of the project, has been levels of dissemination beyond what was originally envisaged (2 articles, 1 book chapter, 2 conferences, an industry report, 13 papers). In terms of outcomes and results the project provides a comprehensive examination of British pre-school television with reference to its history, structure, institutional relationships and working operations. In particular it charts how preschool television has been shaped by a range of external forces and internal practices, and how it functions as a production ecology comprising a range of large and small players (broadcasters, producers, licensors, co-founders) who at different times co-exist, co-operate and compete in a highly competitive and increasingly global production environment. The examination of these different players and their variable and often unequal relationships provides an improved understanding of the different levels of interactivity, interdependence, cooperation and competition, and how actors position themselves in relation to changing national and international circumstances and to each other. Focusing on the precise roles of different players, the team gained insight into the strategies employed to get programmes commissioned and funded. In term of findings the project established: The highly differentiated yet interconnected nature of the production sector ranging from large and commercially ^ orientated producer-distributors with major interests in international markets and licensed merchandise to smaller creatively-led production entities. The disconnect between the small amounts of commissions and funding provided by broadcasters (primarily C Beebies, Five and Nick Junior UK) and their power In determining what gets made, based on their hold over broadcast distribution. The large degree to which international and licensed merchandise considerations inform what gets made. The growing importance given to the incorporation of educational content in pre-school programming to meet increasing concerns about the impact of programming on children, and also to satisfy the US market, which is more educationally focused.