Taking On The 'Toons -- More Educational TV Shows Are Popping Up On Saturday Mornings, Due To FCC Pressure

Along with seeing the regular Saturday morning TV crew of mutant turtles, space creatures and snide furry mammals, viewers this fall can find some unexpected gems: entertaining shows that teach children about science, technology, self-esteem and exercise.

This fall's Saturday morning lineup includes a boom in locally produced shows - such as KIRO's "Brainwaves" and KCTS's "Bill Nye the Science Guy" - as well as network and syndicated shows such as "Cro," a cartoon about a Cro-Magnon boy who learns about technology; "Beakman's World," a show with a cartoonish, wacky scientist; and "Nick News" with Linda Ellerbee.

It would be heartwarming to think that stations and networks suddenly recognized children's needs, and decided "The Flintstones" isn't an educational look at prehistoric life.

In reality, the Federal Communications Commission has threatened to deny license renewals to stations that don't comply with the Children's Television Act of 1990. That act requires broadcasters to offer educational and informational shows for children under 16. Licenses are renewed on a five-year basis; Seattle-area stations come up for review in February.

The new kids' shows are a welcome sight to many critics of broadcasters.

"The shows are a step in the right direction," said Kathryn Montgomery, who runs the Washington, D.C.-based public interest advocacy group, Center for Media Education.

But Montgomery was concerned that the shows are "merely a temporary response to the pressure."

"We want to see an ongoing commitment to educational programming from broadcasters," she said. Montgomery's group is pressuring the FCC to adopt stricter guidelines that would define how much programming is enough and what exactly is educational.

The slew of educational shows calls attention to the age-old conflict of what is good for children vs. what children like; educational shows draw smaller audiences, one reason stations have been hesitant to put them on.

"If I put somebody on doing a classroom lecture for an hour, I'm a hero for the law," said Craig Smith, KING-TV programming director. "But if no kids are watching, what are we doing?

"Educational shows get a lot of praise from parents and teachers, but getting kids to watch it is the hard part."

Enter MTV. Whether you blame or credit it, the music station has revolutionized TV for younger audiences. In an attempt to capture children's attention, the new shows use lots of quick, action shots; funky camera angles; bold sets; and an overall hip-hop attitude.

One successful example of this genre is "Watch This!," a magazine show now in its second season. Produced by KING-TV, it features KING's "Evening Magazine" staffers Mimi Gan and Jim Dever with teen reporters explaining stories on modeling, TV stars, politics and social issues in energetic, giddy deliveries. The show often relies on segments first seen on "Evening Magazine" and tailors them for children - which satisfies FCC requirements.

"We have to be up, and talk like this! Or people won't watch us," said 13-year-old Emily Mack, an eighth-grader at Meadowdale Middle School in Lynnwood who appears on the show.

In the Oct. 16 ratings, 11 percent of TV audiences tuned in to "Watch This!" compared with 20 percent who watched Fox's cartoon "X-Men." About 7 percent watched "Beakman's World" and 5 percent watched "Brainwaves."

"That's pretty successful for a kids' educational show," KING's Smith said of "Watch This!"

"Obviously, it's the animated stuff kids go for, but I feel really good with where we're going."

Stations feel obligated

The net cost of producing a local kids' show is usually higher than producing an adult show, because the audience is narrower. It also is considerably cheaper to buy syndicated shows, program directors say. So why the effort to produce shows locally?

Some stations say educational shows are necessary, despite lower ratings and higher costs, and that the debuts of new children's shows have nothing to do with the upcoming renewal period.

"Could we make more money putting some cartoons on? Sure," said Dick Warsinske, vice president and general manager of KOMO-TV.

"But part of our obligation as broadcasters is to broadcast in the public interest. It's part of the cost of doing business."

KOMO began producing educational shows long before the FCC's scrutiny of that issue at license renewal time loomed; for several years, KOMO has been producing "Front Runners," a show on role models (though not necessarily for kids only) and "Boomerang," a show for preschoolers.

KIRO also has produced its own educational shows, which haven't always been successful. It used to produce "Kids' Week," which "evolved" into "Airwave." That show was pulled, after mediocre ratings, because the station "wanted to do something different," said Maria Margaris, KIRO's director of program operations.

KIRO's current show "Brainwaves" features kids on location at the zoo, Pike Place Market and Green Lake learning about animals, magic and nature. It has a rough but earnest feel to it. So far, the ratings have been average, but that could improve - it often takes time for new shows to develop an audience.

`Not a cost issue'

"Brainwaves" is produced with a sister station in Utah to keep costs down. John Reim, KIRO's director of local programming, said the station is committed to the show, even if it isn't a big moneymaker.The FCC doesn't require stations to produce their own programming; it just looks for overall commitment to educational shows. The benefits of a local show come from possible revenue if it can be syndicated to other markets, and the ability to tap into regional issues.

"This program is not a cost issue," Reim said of "Brainwaves.""We felt that it was something we as a station need to be doing, and its motivations are other than profit-based."

Margaris agreed. "Children's shows are not a new issue to us just because it's a new regulation," she said. "We want to be known as being concerned with that segment of our audience."