Lord Reith's edict that BBC programmes should "inform, educate and entertain" clearly echoes in the children's factual output of both the BBC and commercial channels. It's not essential these programmes have proven educational value, unlike the more tightly controlled content of schools programmes, so children's television emphasises entertainment and avoids didactic teaching. Programmes based on core school subjects like history and science are rare. Treasure Houses (BBC, 1982-87) provided historical biography, while Johnny Ball enthused on maths, chemistry and physics principles in various series beginning with Think of a Number (BBC, 1977-84). How (ITV, 1966-81; 90-) often explains simple scientific principles using party piece tricks. Children's television treats art as an expressive rather than an academic subject. The BBC's Vision On (1964-77), Take Hart and Hartbeat (1977-93) and SMart (1994-) or ITV's Art Attack (1990-) suggest creative ideas that can be tried at home rather than lecturing on art history. Natural history programmes have proved popular since Zoo Time (ITV, 1956-68) first broadcast from British zoos. Animal Magic (BBC, 1962-84) saw Johnny Morris provide funny voices for zoo animals to comedic effect. The Really Wild Show (BBC, 1986-) was more scientifically accurate and tried increasingly to get out of TV studios and zoos to show animals in natural habitats. Animals in Action (ITV, 1980-83; 86) reused footage from the primetime nature series Survival (ITV 1961-). This repackaging of adult formats demonstrates how children's television continues to borrow all manner of mainstream programming strands, from the chat show - Ask Aspel (BBC, 1970-81) - to news programmes, including Children's Newsreel (BBC, 1950-61) and the long-running Newsround (BBC, 1972-). While written literature is difficult to portray on a visual medium like television, children's books were covered by The Book Tower (ITV, 1979-89), which used illustrated readings and dramatisations. Programmes examining other media have endured. Junior Points of View (BBC, 1963-70) let young viewers comment on their favourite and less favoured TV shows, as did First Post (ITV, 1983-85) and Take Two (BBC, 1982-96). The latter progressed to cover all media in intelligent ways. Cinema history and production were knowledgeably chronicled by Clapperboard (ITV, 1972-82), while Call the Shots (BBC, 2002-) goes behind the scenes of cinema today. Advice on life problems and issues tend to be covered within the fictitious realm of Children's Drama. School classes in 'citizenship' usually take the form of discussion and debate and this approach was utilised in Search (BBC, 1971-5) and Z-Shed (BBC, 1975). The 'All About Me' personal video diaries were a central part of Going Live! (BBC, 1987-93). Religious matters were rarely tackled but there were occasional series like The Sunday Gang (BBC, 1976-81) and Knock, Knock (BBC, 1988-89). Most factual topics can be happily included within a wide-ranging magazine series like Blue Peter (BBC, 1958-). The remit of the flagship BBC children's programme stretches from pop interview to animals to historical biography. It has outlasted predecessors - Cliff Michelmore's Telescope (BBC, 1950-51) and Studio 'E' (BBC, 1957-58) - and commercial rivals alike, including Magpie (ITV, 1968-80). Alistair McGown
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