Previous campaigns

CMF campaign activity

2020

September

CMF has responded to Ofcom's call for evidence related to the government's plan for it to regulate Video Sharing Platforms (VSP) based in the UK.

July

Ofcom decides to allow the BBC to decrease the number of Newsround bulletins, and reduces quota for news hours and all originations on the CBBC Channel. The CMF registers its disagreement.

April

DCMS consultation on decriminalising the Television Licence fee. CMF Response.

January

Baroness Howe brings a Private Members Bill in the Lords to force the government to enact Part 3 of the 2017 Digital Economy Act which had been dropped. Part 3 implements age-verification for legal porn websites, with the regulator given powers to block sites which fail to comply.  CMF supports.

2019

December

CMF's response to the Ofcom Newsround and BBC Children's Originations consultation. Plus an independent response by three members of the CMF Academic Advisory Board, Professors Jeanette Steemers (Kings College London) and Máire Messenger Davies (Ulster University), and Dr Cynthia Carter (Cardiff University).

November

Ofcom launches their consultation into a BBC proposal to reduce the number of Newsround Bulletins on the CBBC Channel and use the resources to offer more Newsround content online, with the consequent requirement to change the quota hours for children's news in their Operating Licence, and reduce the quota of originations in total, by 50 hours. The BBC also proposed that content made for online-only distribution be considered in future as part of their overall quota hours.

July

CMF response to the government Online Harms White Paper.

June

CMF response to the government consultation on further advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt and sugar.

April

The government launched their Online Harms White Paper - following the extensive Green Paper consultation in December 2017.

The Information Commissioner's Office has issued a draft guideline on age appropriate design with the aim of creating a code of practice for online services. CMF's consultation response is here.

March

The House of Lords Communications Select Committee launched an Inquiry into Public Service Broadcasting in the Age of Video on Demand. The CMF response is here.

The government announced a consultation on further advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt and sugar. Their aim is to reduce children’s exposure to HFSS advertising, to reduce children’s overconsumption of these products, to tackle childhood obesity.

February

The BFI shared their draft criteria for producers applying to the Young Audiences Content Fund (formerly the Contestable Fund).

CMF responded with a number of questions, and expressed concern that the way the criteria were formulated could allow organisations providing platforms for the proposed content to avoid co-financing. Some of CMF's practical suggestions were incorporated into the final version of the guidelines.

Subsequently in private and at a meeting of the Children's Media and the Arts APPG, the BFI has reassured that, as a pilot, the Fund will remain flexible and responsive to uptake and any difficulties being experienced by producers in accessing it. They have also clarified that they will not fund projects for platforms that do not come up with at least some of the match funding.

2018

December

Ofcom consulted on new guidelines on how to handle age verification around "specially restricted material" as defined in the BBFC film certification process, when the restricted material appears on  Video on Demand services. The CMF response makes it clear we consider the new guideline too limited, as it appears to avoid considering harms other than those associated with pornography.

October

The DCMS has handed over the plans for their newly announced Young Audiences Content Fund to the British Film Institute, which will fine-tune the criteria and operation of the Fund prior to launch in April 2019.

A DCMS policy paper revealed the detailed plans for the Contestable Fund - including £57m over tree years for a Young Audiences Content Fund to be fine tuned and operated by the BFI. The Fund will provide up to 50% of finance for projects that will be shown on a platform that is free at the point of use (which suggests ITV, Channel 4 or Channel 5). Content proposals will have to meet criteria around diversity, nations and regions representation, quality and innovation. Content for indigenous UK languages will make up 5% of the output.  There will also be a development element to the Fund.

The BFI will be working with industry stakeholders on fine-tuning, Our reaction to the plan is broadly supportive but with concerns about over-emphasis on newcomers producing content. We are calling for a broad mix, from the challenging and innovative to tried and trusted genres such as drama and comedy - to ensure a wide reach.

July

Ofcom reveal the findings of their Children's Media Review and their plan to persuade ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 to commission more children's and youth content.

CMF made a statement welcoming Ofcom's analysis of the issues and their desired outcomes, but disappointed at the failure to regulate.

May

The UK Government announced the next phase of its Internet Safety Strategy

CMF Response to the House of Lords Communications Committee inquiry into regulation of the internet.

January

CMF Response to the Ofcom consultation on the Children's Content Review, which will inform planning of potential new regulations for children's content on the Commercial Public Service Broadcasters.

2017

December

CMF Statement welcoming the government decision to dedicate the whole of the £60m Contestable Fund for Public Service Content to children's content.

CMF response to the DCMS Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper.  CMF Board member Professor Jeanette Steemers has submitted a further response on similar lines.

The Children's Commissioner for England has contributed to the debate on children's well-being online in two reports: Growing Up Digital in January 2017 and Life in Likes on the use of social media by 8-12 year olds (January 2018).

November

The DCMS launched a consultation on its Green Paper on Internet Safety Strategy. Children and young people feature significantly.

October

The CMF commissioned a Report - Can We Fix It at CMC2017 on the July Children's Media Conference session that dealt with various concerns around children's internet use, and polled industry professionals for their views on potential solutions. This was sent to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the opening day of their consultation on the government Green Paper on their Internet Safety Strategy.

July

CMF Response to the Ofcom consultation on Regulating the BBC, with specific reference to quotas for content on children's services.

February

CMF response to the DCMS consultation on proposals for a Public Service Broadcasting Contestable Fund.

2016

December

CMF supplementary evidence to the House of Lords Inquiry on Children and the Internet.

November

CMF letter to Channel 5 on increasing children's commissioning budgets.

CMF Press Release on decision to run the CITV Channel without a specialist team.

October

CMF submission to the Parliamentary consultation on the Digital Economy Bill.

CMF's presentation to the 'Drawn Together' Summit in Parliament, on Children's Arts and Culture.

August

The CMF response to the House of Lords Inquiry on Children and the Internet

May

CMF supported research by Professor Jeanette Steemers (Westminster University) into contestable funds and how they operate in a variety of territories: Policy Solutions and International Perspectives on the Funding of Public Service Media Content for Children: A Report for Stakeholders.  Executive summary. Full Report.

CMF Statement in response to the government White Paper on the future of the BBC.

April

CMF Statement on Ofcom's demand that Channel 4 draw up plans to better serve the 10-14 audience.

CMF Statement on Sky's decision to commission UK children's content.

CMF submitted a response response to the House of Lords Committee on Communications Inquiry into the Sustainability of Channel 4.

February

CMF brought together a meeting of the key campaigning bodies focusing on children's content in the BBC Charter Review process.  The meeting was attended by PACT, the VLV, Animation UK and some producers.  It issued a Joint statement calling upon the BBC to protect the children's budget at 8% of overall spending (slightly higher than currently).

Subsequently CMF arranged for members of this group, and children's content producers, to meet the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, John Whittingdale, at a consultative round-table.  The meeting was dedicated to the children's issues discussed in the DCMS Green Paper and was intended to inform the preparation of the White Paper on BBC Charter Review due to be published in May 2016.

CMF Chair Anna Home's follow-up lettter to the Secretary of State neatly sums up the position we expressed in the meeting,

January

CMF contributed a children's audience focused submission to the Goldsmith's University review: 'A Future for Public Service Television’, chaired by Lord Puttnam.

2015

December

Briefed by CMF, Baroness Floella Benjamin asked the DCMS six written Parliamentary questions about the government's support for children's media as a social force, their view on market failure, on a contestable fund and whether commercial PSBs can be stimulated to commission children's content.

November

CMF Response sent to BBC Trust consultation on BBC Management proposals for Charter Review. "Tomorrow's BBC - Creating an Open more Distinctive BBC".

CMF met the Trust to explain our proposal that the BBC commits to increase budgets for children's and youth content over the next ten years.

October

CMF Chair, Anna Home met BBC Director General Tony Hall and has since exchanged correspondence on the need for the BBC to make a long-term commitment to more funding for its children's and youth content.

CMF Response sent to the DCMS Consultation - BBC Charter Review (responding to the government's  Green Paper proposals).

September

CMF Response sent to the BBC Charter Review Consultation, Parliamentary Select Committee on Culture Media and Sport.

CMF Response sent to the What's the BBC For? Consultation, House of Lords Select Committee on Communications.

CMF Response sent to the BBC Trust Second Consultation on Plans for BBC Three and related extension to CBBC Channel.

CMF Response sent to the BBC Trust Consultation on Tomorrow's BBC.

June

Contribution to the Broadcast magazine round-table on the state of the children's TV industry in the UK.

Participation in the "Protect the BBC" event in Parliament convened by Broadcast magazine and the Coalition of Creative Industries trades unions.

April

Briefing meeting with new Director of BBC Children's.

March

Campaign planning round table on the future of the BBC with former Heads of BBC Children's.

February

CMF Response to Ofcom consultation: Public Service Content in a Connected Society, Ofcom's 3rd Review of Public Service Broadcasting.

Associated reports: PSB Annual Report including Children's Analysis

CMF Response to Ofcom consultation on Channel 4 Corporation's delivery of its media content duties (2010 - 2013).  .

CMF Response to BBC Trust consultation on changing BBC Three to an Online service and related activities including the extension of CBBC Channel airtime to 9pm.                     

2014

December

Some of the signatories to the CMF letter to George Osborne

Letter to the Chancellor supporting the creation of a children's television tax incentive on cultural grounds - signed by over 30 figures in the arts, academia and media.

June

Appearance before  Parliamentary Select Committee for Culture Media and Sport - perspective on future of the BBC.

January

Written evidence to Parliamentary Select Committee for Culture Media and Sport for their enquiry into the Future of the BBC.

2013

November

CMF Response to the Office of Fair Trading Final Consultation on Online Games and in-app payments.

June

CMF contribution (via the All Party Parliamentary Group) to OFT Review of Free Children's Web and App-based Games.

May

CMF Response to the  BBC Trust Children's Service Review.

January

CMF Response to the BBC Trust Review of Online and Red Button Services.

2012

November

CMF response to the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee call for evidence  by Parliamentary Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport. on "Support for the Creative Economy" Inquiry.

August

Treasury: call for responses to the proposed Tax Relief scheme for the UK animation industry CMF response to the Treasury Consultation on the proposed Tax Relief Scheme for the UK Animation Industry

July

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Children's Media and the Arts was asked to contribute a media perspective to The All Party Parliamentary Group for Children, on the subject of their Inquiry:  "Are children getting the opportunities they want?".  The CMF acts as secretariat for the All Party Group and composed this response.

June

CMF submission to the BFI consultation on the future of UK film Outcome: The BFI "Film Forever" plan

March

CMF response to European Commission/DCMS consultation on proposed new Creative Europe programme.

February

CMF response to Parliamentary Select Committee for Culture Media and Sport consultation on media plurality

2011

December

CMF response to BBC Trust: consultation on BBC Executive's proposals "Delivering Quality First".

November

CMF/SKTV response to Ofcom consultation on Measuring Media Plurality CMF response to Ofcom consultation on "Measuring Media Plurality".  Outcome: Ofcom report "Measuring Media Plurality".

 September

CMF response to DCMS: Film Review

CMF responses to DCMS Film review questionnaire