Floella Benjamin warns British children’s TV could ‘disappear from screens’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Legendary children’s TV presenter Floella Benjamin has warned that British children’s TV could “disappear from screens” as the sector faces market failure. “And without funding, television programmes which reflect British children’s lives could disappear from the nation’s screens, this would be a tragedy.” Baroness Benjamin highlighted a proposal by the Producers’ Alliance for Television and Cinema to help the sector with tax relief. “So how is the Government living up to its responsibility to ensure that the nation’s children are accessing high quality British children’s programming, and will the tax break proposed by Pact be supported to ensure we have more UK commercial public service broadcasting children’s content?” Culture minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay responded: “The Young Audiences Content Fund was always designed as a three-year pilot. “On skills, through our creative industry sector vision, the department is working to address skills gaps right across the creative industries to make sure we can continue to make world-leading content.” Former culture minister and Tory peer Lord Kamall asked what public service broadcasters provide when it comes to children’s television that commercial channels do not.