A long time ago in a galaxy which is exactly where it is now................
We all know that children's television programmes are not what they used to be. The days when we all used to be entertained by Rainbow, Wacaday, You And Me, No.73 etc etc are long gone. Children of the present are more likely to be found watching televisual feasts such as iCarly, Handy Manny, Tracy Beaker and Ben The Chavmaster's Adventures Outside The Realm Of His Dilapidated Block Of Flats.
Saturday mornings used to be a haven of entertainment that allowed us to escape from the educational montage of weekday dreariness. These shows transfixed our eyes and minds and were fun with minimal violence (which when seen, was depicted in a cartoonish fashion, which is ok!)
Back in 1985 primary school teachers Ronald Bunt and Jackie Whemp had a fantastic idea for a kids tv show. It was a quiz based on the centuries old Top 40 Singles Chart. The basic premise was simple beyond belief. It involved 2 teams of 4 children (ages 9-14) answering questions on the 'pop charts' in various Central African dialects whilst using their feet to construct 8 feet tall prisms (made from varying sizes of perspex) to depict different battles of the English Civil War. The winning teams were rewarded with prizes such as the latest home computer, televisions, VHS players, Wimpy vouchers or Opal Fruits (mmmmmmmmm Opal Fruits, made to make your mouth water no less). Despite this idea being straightforward and easy to understand for children, no TV company wanted to run with it. London Weekend Television were the last to be contacted and head of children's programming Linda Marzipan-Smith seemed keen. Negotiations took place between all parties and the idea was later used to create what became known as 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'. For varying reasons ITV has now become a bastion of drab reality shows.
This has been a sad decline, but maybe one day some 'rebel scum' will take it upon themselves to make kids TV great again and let it soar up above the streets and houses where the Rainbow is flying high.
* If you are deeply distressed at the state of modern kids TV and would like to complain vigorously about it, please write to: Monsieur Tambu Divumba
Zambian Regional Weekend Childrens TV
Degrassi Street
Lusaka
Zambia
PO Box 909
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