Teens to get new shows

Press, 6 September 1980, Page 13

Teens to get new shows

A new look for children’s television designed particularly to cater for young teen-agers has been announced by the 8.8. C. Three new series aimed at 13-year-olds to 16-year-olds, have been announced by the 8.8.C.’s head of childrens programmes, Edward Barnes.

The largest project, “Maggie,” is a nine-part series about, a girl who lives in a Glasgow council flat and wants to go to university. The two other programmes are “The Deceivers,” a six-part series about famous hoaxers, forgers, and swindlers, and “Spine Chillers,” in which well-known actors will read literature’s best spine-chilling tales.

“Until now we have deliberately cut off our target age range at 13,” Mr Barnes said. “Previous research suggested that when children reach puberty they are more interested in . each other than in watching television.” “But last year’s experiment of. transferring ‘Grange Hill’ (a series set in a secondary school) to the early evening showed us that if a programme really appeals to younger teen-agers and it is screened at a time when they are around, it can attract as much as 55 per cent of the 13-16 audience.”

After 25 years 1 the 8.8. C. has also decided to stop using the . title, “Watch with Mother,” for its pre-school programmes.