Choosing for children - principles and charters

There is worldwide concern among those who care for kids, to ensure that children have access to a diverse range of quality programs made specifically for their age group, and which are entertaining, culturally appropriate, and which enhance their development rather than hinder it.

This topic contains world-wide statements from international and Australian organisations in support of quality media for children:

• International Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Charter for Children's Television
• Australian Broadcasting Services Act 1992 Objective (J)
• Australian Broadcasting Authority's Children's Television Standards

International Convention on the Rights of the Child

Articles 13 and 17 of this convention are relevant to media and children,

Article 13

1. The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.

2. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:

(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or

(b) For protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.

Article 17

Parties recognise the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health. To this end, States Parties shall:

(a) Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child and in accordance with the spirit of article 29;

(b) Encourage international co-operation in the production of, exchange and dissemination of such information and material from a diversity of cultural, national and international sources;

(c) Encourage the production and dissemination of children's books;

(d) Encourage the mass media to have particular regard to the linguistic needs of the child who belongs to a minority groups or who is indigenous;

(e) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of Article 13 and 18.

The Charter for Children's Television

This was formulated at the first World Forum on Children and Television held in Melbourne in 1995, and revised during the following years.

1. Children should have programs of high quality which are made specifically for them. These programs, in addition to entertaining, should allow children to develop physically, mentally and socially to their fullest potential.
2. Children should see, hear and express themselves, their culture, their languages and their life experiences, through television programs which affirm their sense of self, community and place.
3. Children's programs should promote an awareness and appreciation of other cultures in parallel with the child's own cultural background.
4. Children's programs should be wide-ranging in genre and content, but should not include gratuitous scenes of violence and sex.
5. Children's programs should be aired in regular slots at times when children are available to view, and/or distributed via other widely accessible media or technologies.
6. Sufficient funds must be made available to make these programs to the highest possible standards.
7. Government, production, distribution and funding organisations should recognise both the importance and vulnerability of indigenous children's television and take steps to support and protect it.

Australian Broadcasting Services Act 1992 Objective (J)

Australia's Broadcasting Services Act 1992 contains a number of objectives. Objective (J) is particularly relevant to children and the media.

1. Objects of this Act are:

(a) to promote the availability to audiences throughout Australia of a diverse range of radio and television services offering entertainment, education and information; and

(b) to provide a regulatory environment that will facilitate the development of a broadcasting industry in Australia that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs; and

(c) to encourage diversity in control of the more influential broadcasting services; and

(d) to ensure that Australians have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services; and

(e) to promote the role of broadcasting services in developing and reflecting a sense of Australian identity, character and cultural diversity; and

(f) to promote the provision of high quality and innovative programming by providers and broadcasting services; and

(g) to encourage providers of commercial and community broadcasting services to be responsive to the need for a fair and accurate coverage of matters of public interest and for an appropriate coverage of matters of local significance; and

(h) to encourage providers of broadcasting services to respect community standards in the provision of program material; and

(i) to encourage the provision of means for addressing complaints about broadcasting services; and

(j) to ensure that providers of broadcasting services place a high priority on the protection of children from exposure to program material which may be harmful to them.

Australian Broadcasting Authority's Children's Television Standards

The Australian Broadcasting Authority's (ABA's) Children's Television Standards (CTS) are designed to promote the provision of quality age specific programs for both preschool children and primary school aged children. The objective of these standards is:

"Children should have access to a variety of quality television programs made specifically for them, including Australian drama and non-drama programs."