No sound strategy for children

In February 2011, the BBC's Strategy for Children's Audio axed all licence-funded radio for the under-sevens and replaced it with 15 minute podcasts to promote and complement the CBeebies TV brands.  By way of excuse, executives postulate that children today may no longer be able to listen without visual stimulation: apparently oblivious of their culpability in such an alarming surmise.

Parents protest that the new regime disadvantages homes without internet access and requires extra adult supervision, technology and knowhow compared to a pre-set push-button radio that a very young child can operate. Concern is also expressed about increased reliance on screen and keyboard activity so often blamed for causing language delay, obesity and attention disorders.  

Instant cuts of 50 per cent to the Children's Radio budget and 75 per cent to their airtime compare unfairly with general BBC savings averaging 11 to 16 per cent amortised over five years.  The Baroness Warnock, Chair of the Sound Start Group of parents and child-care professionals, twice called for the BBC Trust to apply a Public Value Test [PVT] but was refused.  Conversely BBC 6 Music; Asian Network; World Service and Local Radio were all granted reprieves. Children, it seems, are a soft target.

To talk we must first learn to listen and early years experts agree that daily sharing of songs, stories, word games and rhymes can play an important role in tackling the language deficit shown in a string of government reports. Many parents don't know nursery songs and rhymes or may struggle to read with their children. Immigrant families need to learn English as an additional language and cuts are squeezing essential resources in childcare centres, nurseries and schools.  Radio can help.

Many children arrive at school unable to explain their needs or understand simple instructions, which can severely undermine their social, educational and working lives.  Freedom of expression defines us but that freedom is meaningless unless we know how to use it and express our thoughts, feelings and ideas. Radio can open the world beyond family, friends and school-life: not only giving us what we think we want but what we never knew we could have.

In a move to mitigate its departure from children's radio, the BBC plans commercial release of its children’s radio archive for secondary broadcast by third parties but this commercialises young ears and exploits licence funding for the benefit of private companies: in effect it is top-slicing by the back door.

The meagre content remaining for seven- to 14-year-olds now constitutes a 'Family Hour' on R4Extra - the adult speech network licensed as home of horror, sci-fi, and stand-up comedy.  Radio has no watershed and the BBC Trust is dealing with complaints that the young are open to unsuitable adult material on a daily basis.  By way of defence, executives argue that the number of children listening to R4 Extra is so minimal as to hardly register. This reflects years of failure to attract young listeners via adult speech formats and certainly is no excuse for leaving the remaining few in harm's way.  

Perverse UK law protects access and choice in radio only for listeners aged 15 years and above, so, while decades of radio expansion have delivered thousands of stations for adults, children are left with less licence-funded radio than 'Children's Hour' provided in the 1940s when the Home Service was the only platform of delivery. This is indefensible!

As guardian of our public airwaves, the BBC is paid to remain competitive, maintain high standards for others to aspire to and serve all communities across all its platforms.  Discrimination against this needful audience is against the BBC Charter and contrary to their human rights.  

Research consistently shows strong public preference for a licence-funded radio network for young children and their families. The BBC should abandon this flawed Strategy and take notice of public demand.

• Susan Stranks  www.sound-start.com