Emma Field

Screen time is a contentious issue for modern parents. We are inundated with conflicting messages about how much is too much. But research has begun to show that it’s not just the time children spend engaging with screens that matters: we need to focus on the quality, not just the quantity of what children are watching.

When it comes to film and television, Australia is teeming with talent. In fact, it’s rare that an IMDB deep dive won’t turn up an actor or crew member who was born or bred down under – and some of our most successful screen professionals began or grew their careers with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF).

Kyas Hepworth is responsible for driving the creative direction of NITV's distinctive offering across commissioned and acquired content and overseeing its programming and scheduling to bring it to audiences. Ahead of the premiere of the third season of award-winning children’s animation Little J & Big Cuz, we sat down with Kyas to find out more about her goals for NITV children’s content, why it’s important for Indigenous children to see themselves reflected on screen, and – of course – what our favourite cousins Little J and Big Cuz get up to in Season 3.

In August 2020, the Minister for Communications and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, asked the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts to conduct an inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 and the Black Summer bushfire season on Australia’s creative and cultural industries and institutions, and to consider the direct and indirect benefits of these industries. The Committee tabled its report – Sculpting A National Cultural Plan - in Parliament in October.

As the Head of Children’s Content at the ABC, Libbie Doherty is one of the most influential figures in Australian kids’ television. We sat down with her to find out more about her incredible role, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on viewing habits and programming decisions, her goals for the future of ABC Children’s, and tips for creators on how to successfully pitch their show to the ABC.

Inspired by the legacy of Emma Wiggle, we’ve looked back at some of the most influential personalities in Australian children’s television history.

Last year, the Commonwealth Government announced an additional $20 million in funding for the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) to invest in high quality screen content specifically for Australian children, which reaches and connects with them through all the different platforms children engage with.