Some broadcasters have begun work on producing locally-relevant children’s content for TV screens, radio and digital platforms.
This followed the training on how to create research-based children-focused content.
The training organised by Ubongo Kids, creator of popular children’s show, “Akili and Me”, held at the Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Ubongo Kids, which has its origin in Tanzania, produces free-to-air children’s educational Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics and life skills programmes on television, radio and digital platforms targeted at 3-6, and 7-14-year olds across Africa.
The training facilitated by Ubongo Kids’ Head of Education, Chiodna Ryan, exposed the participants to human-centred research and effective edutainment content.
They also learnt the six stages in a story arc to make content memorable. They are: inciting incident, character motivation, conflict, climax, conflict resolution, and ending.
Since completing the training, Ayodele Oderinde, a broadcaster with Lagos Television, told The Nation she had developed new content which she wanted animation for to bring to life.
Asked if the training helped, she said: “Yes it greatly did. I have been trying to get animators to translate my contents to animations so children can relate well.”
Fatimah Abubakar of Radio Nigeria’s Bond FM said she started working on new content even before the meeting ended.
Read Also: Adam & Eve holds The Content
“Before the end of the programme I was able to develop almost a whole story book. As children content producers, it will help us a lot in developing our own story lines.
You know sometimes we get to take stories from other places but I think with this programme one can develop one’s own story,” she said.
David Lasisi of Superscreen said it would help his work in production, scripting and coming up with content for kids.
Country Director, Ubongo Kids, Tayo Olaniyan said the essence of the training was to bring back “Children’s Belt” in local TVs in Nigeria which had almost disappeared.
“ ‘Children’s Belt’ on TV, on the radio, over the last decade has almost disappeared. Many remember a time when there was very rich local content available for children. There is a huge gap.
“And as we engaged with them(broadcasters) over the last two years, one of the key concerns or requests that they put forward to us was about supporting building capacity. So, this is to enhance the capability of broadcasters to develop entertainment content for Nigeria. It is in line with our vision,” he said.
Speaking further on Ubongo Kids’ mission to develop local content for the African audience, the firm’s Director of Marketing and Communication, Imam Lipumba, who came all the way from Tanzania, said:
“While Tanzania is where we are founded, actually Nigeria is our biggest market when it comes to the number of viewers we’re having. And of course because Nigeria is a big country, but we like to also think it is because, you know, we have really tried to make the shows Pan African and relevant to children across the continent.”