When it comes to breaking down what works on the tube for kids, simply reading the ratings doesn't cut it. For a more comprehensive look at why kids watch what they watch and what they want from their shows, for this month's issue of Reaction we conducted a series of on-line focus groups with seven- to 12-year-olds, as well as polling the larger Reactorz community in that age group to find out what programming characteristics float their boat.
No matter how we approached this topic, the message we got from kids came through loud and clear: A good story is absolutely essential. Individual kid viewers certainly expressed preferences as regards genre, format and style, but the bottom-line ingredient for success is still a funny and/or interesting plot.
On the favorite show radar, live action seemed to have an edge over animation, with both age-appropriate fare like The Amanda Show and adult-skewing sitcoms such as Friends getting a lot of mentions. Live-action shows tend to reflect reality more than cartoons do, and our kid panelists told us quite consistently that they prefer reality to fantasy. Wacky non-human creatures (à la the undersea cast of Spongebob Squarepants, which also got a lot of kid nods) have their moment-especially when kids are after over-the-top, side-splitting humor. But on a daily basis, kids seem to go for shows that reflect their world in some way.
That's why even in the realm of animation, our panelists say they gravitate towards "natural" animation styles as opposed to the more stylized Japanese anime look that's exemplified by Yu-Gi-Oh! and Cardcaptors. Kids still watch the anime series, but they report feeling a stronger connection to more realistic-looking toons such as The Simpsons.
When we're talking about portraying real life, it's important to note that kids prefer a rose-colored, aspirational reality to an unadorned version. For example, our kids say they'd rather see two-parent, suburban families than single-parent or divorced ones. Interestingly, centering a show around a divorced family was viewed as setting a bad example. Beyond the pure entertainment factor, today's kids clearly look to television programming to fulfill a role model function as well.
Kids' penchant for a reflection of real life also dictates what they are looking for in TV characters. Life is complex, so they're not interested in one-dimensional protagonists that are always good or always bad. But can reality-based heroes still save the day in improbable ways? Absolutely! Some of the most popular kids stories out there today (see Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) cleverly combine fantastical stories with fairly ordinary characters and settings. Our panelists explained that this balance allows them to both relate to the characters and be entertained by the plot.
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Insight: As kids TV trends come and go, one constant necessity is a funny or interesting concept that reflects their world in an aspirational way. Fantasy firmly rooted in reality will catch their attention.
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So whether we are programming, producing, promoting or advertising with children's television we need to keep in mind that a little bit of fantasy goes a long way.
Are you unfamiliar with some of the shows the kids are watching? Check them out at:
To find out more about Reactorz contact us online at
www.reactorzresearch.com. Or call 416-516-0705.
Reactorz is a youth-powered research engine. Our online community of kids ages 7 to 22 provide their opinion and insight into current events, issues, creative & product design, entertainment and communications strategies. Reactorz parent company Big Orbit gathers this information and empowers clients by connecting them with this target group through strategic consulting and creative development. For over a decade, Big Orbit has worked with corporate, government and non-profit organizations such as: Kraft Canada, Junior Achievement of Canada, Concerned Children's Advertisers and Key Porter Books. For a complete list of clients and case studies please visit
www.bigorbit.com or
www.reactorzresearch.com.
