TV in De Background

I've gotten into the habit of listening to Sky news while I scroll through the Sky text news. My kids are capable of talking to me while texting. While they Bebo, they IM and they also do their homework. Do they multitask? Do they ever?

So findings that say kids actually want to be involved in games related to TV shows strike me as wishful thinking. No it is not a Sky initiative but Channel 4. Programmes as games? bad call.

So reports the Guardian: "Janey Turner, head of education at Channel 4, says the adjustment is a bid to "find new and effective ways to better connect with 14-19 year olds. To be successful, we have to live in their world."

The evidence is though that kids do still watch a lot of TV. "Thinkbox, the commercial TV marketing body, has released a report called The Secret Lives of Students, which found anecdotal evidence that students watch a lot more TV after they leave home - mainly a diet of daytime fodder, including many soaps and cult viewing such as Peep Show and Shipwrecked."

"Nevertheless, Channel 4 is switching its education budget away from producing TV shown during the mornings, when the target audience of 14- to 19-year-olds are not watching TV. Instead, it is emphasising cross-media programme development: commissions that combine online communities with TV shows, as well as introducing gaming elements and so on."

What we find in our household is that the children sit and watch the television when they are with us. As with so many aspects of their behaviour, from coughing to reading, our influence is critical. If we want to sit quietly and watch a TV programme at least one child will join us.

Rather than pursue a mythical childhood need to immerse themselves in TV brands (wishful thinking) the radical channel might think more about how families behave.