We want our Wombles

3:23pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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THIS country once led the world in children's TV programmes.

British-made series from Muffin the Mule, Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men and Andy Pandy (whose viewers are now grandparents) to The Wombles and Bagpuss ruled the airwaves for generations of youngsters.

Along the way there were others like Rainbow, Tiswas, Magpie.

Today, sadly, things have changed. Although our adult drama and comedy still sells to stations all over the world, most young people's TV time slots are filled by foreign imports.

It's a wonder many of our youngsters don't grow up copying the American accents that have taken over children's programming.

Cartoons and dubbed Japanese animations have little to offer educationally. They dominate our screens for just one reason. They are cheap.

While no-one would want politicians deciding what should be on television, the Early Day Motion presented by Janet Anderson, and backed by 100 plus MPs makes a good point.

We want and need much more of our children's TV to be stimulating and educational as well as entertaining and above all reflecting the ideas and values of this country, not the United States or other foreign countries.