Kids Networks Take Lead from Kids

Linda Hardesty

Not so long ago, when kids came home from school in the afternoon, they would often turn on the TV and sack out on the couch. Now, many of them are surfing the Internet instead. At children's-oriented television networks, programmers are scrambling to retain their audiences. At some networks, they're testing characters and story ideas on the Web and then feeding them back into the production pipeline. Others are taking e-mail comments about their programming seriously.

Over at Nick Jr., Nickelodeon's pre-school block of programming, they're using the Internet for feedback from parents and teachers. Angela Santomero, co-creator and head writer of Blue's Clues, said, "We get tons and tons of e-mail letters." She said the creators have sometimes altered the program based on e-mail suggestions.

For example, one character on Blue's Clues is a side-table. In one shot, 'Side-table' always said, "It's Blue's Clues, I'm so excited." Santomero said people sent in e-mails commenting that the star of the show always ignored 'Side-table' even though she was so excited. "We took that to heart," said Santomero, "and now in each episode, the star talks to 'Side-table' and she will answer. She became this bigger character."

Interactive Programming Eleo Hensleigh, SVP-marketing for Disney Channel, said about two years ago, the network came up with its interactive programming concept, Zoog Disney, because execs noticed that kids were spending more time on their computers. "It was from watching kids and starting to see a trend toward watching less television," said Hensleigh.

The Zoog Disney Web site and television show were created at the same time. During the week, kids play games, post messages and join celebrity chats on the Web site. Then on Saturday, the Zoog Disney show features programming related to the week's online activities. For example, the show airs a music video countdown based on the videos kids voted as their favorite.

"We call it 'TV you do,'" said Hensleigh. "The circle it creates between online and on-air offers the prospect that what you do might end up on TV."

At Discovery Networks, they're not using the Internet for any formal research on kids, but use it creatively for "percolating ideas," according to Marjorie Kaplan, SVP-children's programming and products.

Kenny, the Shark She said one popular character on Discovery Kids, Kenny, the Shark, came from the Internet. Three years ago, during "Shark Week," the network hosted an online interview with a man-eating shark. The online discussion, targeted to Discovery's adult audience, ran the gamut from serious questions like "How do sharks eat?" to "How do you feel about Jaws and Steven Spielberg?"

Kaplan said after that "Shark Week," the network did not promote Kenny, the Shark anymore, but people continued to send him e-mails. "Many of those people turned out to be kids," she said.

As a result of kids' interest in the character, Discovery created a series of interstitials for its Discovery Kids programming block. The interstitials are similar to the old Saturday Night Live skits where a man-eating shark tries to get into people's homes by pretending to be a candygram delivery person. "Kenny exists as an all shark point of view, so you don't see Kenny," said Kaplan. "He comments on human existence, but also lets kids learn stuff about sharks, as well."

Kaplan said there are 13 Kenny interstitials and the network is exploring whether to turn the concept into a half-hour series.

Nickelodeon is so serious about converging kids programming with the Internet it created a new kids network, Noggin, last February, with the Internet playing a big part in the brand.

The idea for the character, Phred, in Noggin's show, Phred on Your Head, came from kids' suggestions via the Internet. Tom Ascheim, GM-Noggin, explained that Phred used to live on the label of a jar of pickles. One day, he was miraculously released and landed on the forehead of a little girl. Ever since, he has jumped from people's foreheads: sometimes the foreheads of kids; other times the foreheads of famous people.

While the concept may seem bizarre to adults, and Ascheim admitted, "We have some very child-like people in our office," he added, "When you're doing kids TV, you really need to be responsive to what they want."

Kids have responded enthusiastically to Phred. Ascheim said in one television episode, Phred went to visit the philosopher Plato, but accidentally landed on the planet Pluto, instead. Kids were encouraged to send e-mails with their advice on how Phred could find his way home again. "They sent us hundreds of thousands of submissions," said Ascheim.

Ascheim's philosophy, similar to Disney Channel's, is that kids like to influence TV. "The Internet has allowed us to connect with our audience in a much more vital way than we would have if we didn't have it," said Ascheim. "The audience has a lot more power."