Kids
Parents place high value on originality of kids shows in the UK: study
MUMBAI: According to the results of a YouGov poll, parents in Great Britain place a high value on originally produced, children’s programming and like to watch their favourite children’s programmes with their own children.
The poll, commissioned by Pact – the trade association for independent producers – was conducted amongst a sample of 2551 adults across the UK.
Other key findings of the survey include the following:
• 66 per cent of parents believe original children’s programming provides families with shared cultural experiences
• 70 per cent believe that original UK children’s programmes contribute to the UK’s cultural identity
• 73 per cent agree that original UK produced children’s programmes encourage children to read and play imaginatively
• 73 per cent agreed that original UK children’s programming is even more important in the age of multi-channel television
• Just 21 per cent agree that programmes from countries like Japan and the US are just as high quality and family friendly as children’s programmes produced in the UK.
These findings come at a critical time for the UK children’s programming industry. Over recent years there has been a steady decline in the level of new UK children’s programming shown on commercially funded public service broadcasters (ITV, Channel 4 and Five).
ITV stopped commissioning new UK children’s programmes 12 months ago. It has continued with this policy despite Ofcom’s ruling that it is not allowed to cut the amount of children’s hours it broadcasts each week. Furthermore, it has also recently cut the total number of children’s hours to just two per week, despite Ofcom’s ruling.
Pact also understands that Five’s commissioning of new UK programmes for older kids (outside the so-called pre-school genre) is under severe pressure.
Historically the UK’s broadcasters have been renowned the world over for funding and broadcasting imaginative, high-quality and family-friendly programming.
Successful contemporary shows made by the commercial broadcasters include:
* My Life As A Popat: nominated for a Commission for Racial Equality award (ITV)
* My Parents Are Aliens: deals with contemporary family values (ITV)
* Fifi And The Flowertots: promotes the environment and health (Channel Five)
* Peppa Pig: celebrates the warmth and humour of family life (Nick Jr)
* A Different Life: teaches about children with unusual lives – from having rare disabilities to living in the South African bush (Five)
* Art Attack: encourages kids to experiment (ITV)
* Michaela’s Wild Challenge: explores nature and the environment (Five)
* Brainiac: promotes science as fun (Sky1)
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
