AG ENDA
Children’s television fac ;,. sternest critics
Children turned the tables on broadcasters at the week-long World Summit on Televrsion for Children, and ended up With a promise that digital broadcasting will bring them their own dedicated channel from the BBC.
The conference, held in London, attracted 1400 delegates from 80 (Ountrres as diverse as Guatemala, Mongolia and the Lebanon
They were iorned by 31 JUHIOT delegates aged ten to thirteen, who published their own 'Children's Charter’ of demands.
The Wide-ranging paper included requests that children's programming should be honest about what is gorng on in the world, while at the same time disc0uraging use of drugs, crgarettes and alcohol.
Children also argued that they should be able to watch programmes Without commerCials, that presenters shouldn’t talk down to them, and that they should be able to see and hear their own languages and cultures on IElG‘VISIOH,
Other more basic demands included
£—10m kitty l for Scotland
to celebrate year 2000
SCOTLAND WILL BE ABLE to celebrate the millennium in style after the Government announced that £104 million had been earmarked for community events and festivals.
Speaking in Glasgow, Scottish Arts Minister Sam Galbraith said Scotland's reputation for partying was second to none.
He said; 'Anyone who has spent Hogmanay here Wlll know that we are world leaders in celebrations.
'We will certainly have something to celebrate in the year 2000, not least our new Scottish Parliament '
The money comes from the National Lottery Millennium Festival fund, and applications for grants are now being invned.
Mr Galbraith suggested protects could range from sporting events to arts festivals, and said the process would be kept simple to allow ideas to develop With the minimum of bureaucracy.
However there is no pornt applying for cash to stage a big binge. The money Will 90 to events only and cannot be spent on food and drink. (Stephen Naysmith)
I A special information hot/me has been set up for applicants, tel; 0870 600 2000.
24THE UST 20 Mar—2 Apr 1998
calls for children's programming that .s fun, entertaining, educational, interactive and should help to develop them physically and mentally
How this souares wrtli the slangrng match that erupted at the summit over Te/etubbr'es is uncertain BBC Chairman Sir Christopher Bland has defended the
Toasted: Tellytubbies get a rough ride
programme and clescr‘rhed criticisrris as ’high minded, sanc‘tirnonious twaddle '
However, the Teletubbres had a rough ride from )tlll!()l delegates including l\“J(’l'.'t"\/()clr'()l(l Donna Kelly, from Edinburgh lthrnk they should learn to speak properly,’ she said
Donna's main the
t()ll’c_(’l ll ‘v'i/d‘)
.‘lZ~.“.".l of existing cirrlclren's programming 'We need more teenage programmes, and more children's programmes for people Without cable,' she explained
Donna and many of her to delegates wanted to see a free dedicated channel for kids She s lltl 'lt could show wee ones' programmes while we're at school, and when we come home there'd be stuff for slightly older children '
Stich evening nit-urinal could fill the 'tap for the unfortunate twelve sixteen year olds who presently wander in .i wrlderness tilled primarily Willi soaps 'Teenagers get fed up that there's nothing interesting for them on teleVision,’ Donna clarrned
Donna's voic e doesn't seem to have fallen on deaf ears BBC head of children’s programmes Lorraine Heggessey confirmed 'We are looking at the idea of a free BBC digital children's channel ' It could be up and running by the next World Summit in 2001, which Will he held in Athens Greece IGahe Stewart)
llll'lli';, as '.‘.ell as
Edinburgh looks a cert for parliament
EDINBURGH appears to have scored a telling blow in the boxing match between Scotland's two major cities over the right to offer temporary accommodation to the new Scottish parliament
Glasgow City Council’s deputy leader Charlie Gordon warned of a 'bare-knuckle fight’ if the decision was not made fairly.
But the momentum seems have swung decisively in Edinburgh's favour after a meeting of the consultative steering group on the Scottish parliament.
A Scottish Office spokesman said: ‘There appeared to be a predisposition among members to favour Edinburgh. But the decision belongs to the Government and Donald Dewar.’
The rivalry has been brought about by the need for temporary
THE GOVERNMENTS Rough Sleepers Initiative (RSlI is not a cure-all 11,: homelessness, Scots \'.’Ill be warned next week
With £5 million due to be awarded by the Scottish Office under RSI this year, the housing charity Shelter (Scotland) rs holding a conference on the initiative
RSl's benefits have yet to be fully realised in Scotland, according to Shelter spokesman Simon Little
.'It IS tOO early to say how effective it has been Part of the conference wrll
accommodation for the first two years of the Scottish Parliament, as the permanent site at Holyrood will not be ready in time for the first Scottish elections next year.
Edinburgh's council leader Keith Geddes, who sits on the steering group, stressed that he had withdrawn from this week’s meeting when the issue was discussed.
He is a member of the group in his role as president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, but did not want to be accused of a conflict of interests.
Minister for devolution Henry McLeish said the preference of the steering group had been founded on a feeling that the parliament should be able to establish itself in Edinburgh, along with businesses and services running alongside it.
There was a strong indication that
Scots warned over homeless ‘honey-pots’
be about learning lessons from England, whit h has had RSI for longer' Bristol was awarded L7 5 million pounds in I996, and it has had a maior impact according to Aileen Eci'wards, director of the city's Second Step housing assoc ration
However it has also brought new difficulties, she warned 'It has highlighted the enormous problems and issues that need to be tackled '
Ironically, Bristol has also acquired problems as homeless people migrate to the city a phenomenon some have
Glasgow will still benefit, however, with plans to base a key standing committee in the city.
Geddes welcomed the ideas, and said: 'What is important here is not individual cities. It is what is the most appropriate option for the first meeting in 300 years of a Scottish
parliament. 'I would hope Glasgow could be given some of the important
committees, on an permanent basis —
which do far more for the city in the long run.’
Glasgow's depute leader councillor Charlie Gordon said he did not regret
his comments over the late reworking of Edinburgh's bid. ’I chose trenchant language
because I wanted people to know
that if the goalposts were being i
moved Glasgow wouldn’t just roll over.’ (Stephen Naysmith)
blamed on the gualrty of its sen/ices 'it is a case of the chicken and egg,’
said Edwards 'It may he that because
services for the homeless are good, people choose to come here '
Little said Shelter recognised the problems caused by migration to big cities 'I am gob-smacked at how much sleeping rough there is in Bristol, despite RSI.
'We want to see dialogue between rural and urban areas, to prevent the ‘honey-pot effect,‘ he added (Stephen Naysmith)