The latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie breathes new life into a children’s franchise that might have been considered long past its sell-by date.
Category Archives: children’s television
PAW Patrol and neoliberal hegemony: misreading the politics of toddlers’ TV
Is PAW Patrol just authoritarian capitalist propaganda? Such accusations may tell us more about adult critics than they do about children…
Airbrushing the Street: re-telling the story of how we got to Sesame Street
A new documentary glosses over some awkward questions about the origins of America’s most celebrated children’s television show.
Adult fans, children’s culture: the curious case of My Little Pony
What’s going on for adult fans of children’s culture? Some thoughts about the bronies, and other adult fans of My Little Pony.
Child obesity and TV advertising: another case of symbolic politics
A proposal to extend the ban on TV junk food advertising isn’t supported by the evidence – and it could cause collateral damage.
The trouble with Peppa Pig

Recent controversies about a cute cartoon character are part of a longer history of adults’ responses to media for very young children.
Introducing ‘Growing Up Modern’

Announcing my new writing project Growing Up Modern: Childhood, Youth and Popular Culture Since 1945.
Should we ban advertising to children?

A proposal currently under consideration by the European Parliament would result in a complete ban on advertising and ‘commercial communications’ targeting children. But what is the logic for such a ban – and what unintended consequences might it have, especially for children’s television?
Eh oh! Recycling Teletubbies

How can we understand the increasing recycling of children’s television? A few thoughts on the BBC’s return to Teletubby land.
