CAN THO — The need for more airtime and better scheduling for children's programmes was stressed by local filmmakers as well as television stations TV broadcasting officials at a seminar held in Can Tho city early this week.
Airtime for children's programmes on Da Nang Television was 10.3 per cent, on Ha Noi Television (HNTV), 9.1 per cent, and on Viet Nam Television (VTV) is 8 per cent, and in several provincial stations, just 2 per cent, said Huynh Mai Huong of Ho Chi Minh TV (HTV).
"Children programmes are broadcast at 2.30pm, 6.30pm or 7.30pm every day failing to attract young viewers, who are either at school or are beginning to do their homework at home," she added.
Musician The Long of the VTV in Can Tho said: "We produced 147 programmes in different styles for children in 2008; this dropped to 51 programmes in 2009 and just 47 this year. "
A recent survey by psychologist Dr Huynh Van Son and his team showed that only 30-45 per cent of children in HCM City and neighbouring provinces watched TV programmes designed for them.
"Most viewers prefer watching foreign productions on cable channels such as Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, because domestic works are poorly made and boring," he said.
Cartoon time is the highlight of the afternoon for children, but over 90 per cent of the cartoons shown on TV are imported productions.
The relatively few Vietnamese cartoons shown use outdated technology and uninspiring scripts, and they are losing out in a big way to high-tech, sophisticated productions from Japan, China and the US.
To produce a programme for children, VTV spends around VND3.7 million (US$ 160) – including the royalty of VND500,000 ($25) for the show's director – these meagre figures tell their own story, according to speakers at the seminar.
Many skilled producers and directors refuse to make children's programmes because they see it a poor business opportunity.
One official with Ha Noi Television (HNTV) said that without increased financial investment and new policies, "our TV programmes will continue to fail to attract children".
He said many provincial TV stations still lacked professional staff, modern technology and support from related offices to promote their broadcasts.
Also attending the seminar, held within the auspices of the National Television Festival held in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta city, were representatives from foreign TV stations including Australia's ABC, China's CCVT and Japan's NHK. — VNS
