Children deserve a proper review of children's TV standards

So Communications Minister Helen Coonan says the Government will review children's television standards later this year.
Why do I feel immediately underwhelmed?
Perhaps because it ignores the fact that almost all television is television accessed by children and is therefore at one level children's television. And then there's the fact that reviews in the past have tended to water down and not strengthen the protection built into dedicated children's television.
To deal with the first issue first. Our system assumes that television screened during the times that children are watching will be appropriate for children. Basically before school, after school and before 8.30pm and before 8.30pm on the weekend there should be nothing on the television deemed unsuitable for children.
The programs in this zone are all classified G or PG. But as complaints to the Australian Broadcasting authority reveal this isn't always the case. Promotions for shows later at night seem to be a source of constant concern with the Australian Media and Communications Authority revealing numerous instances where both the ABC and the Commercial stations breached their responsibilities in this regard. In every case the penalty was a slap on the wrist. There is simply no incentive for stations to do the right thing.
And then there's the official dedicated children's televisions zones. The last review in 2004 saw the number of hours of protected G rated television reduced by one hour on school days and nine and a half hours on weekends.
And repeated calls to restrict the amount of inappropriate advertising children are exposed to are consistently ignored.
When it comes to preschool television standards, the situation is even worse. Since 1984, broadcasters have been required to screen a minimum of 30 minutes of preschool programs each week day . The code says this is because commercial television licensees have an obligation to serve children. Yet we all know that while 30 minutes a day might be a requirement that certainly doesn't mean a dependable time of day, every day of the week. A good cricket match or golf tournament seem ample reason to throw that "obligation to serve children" out the window. You only need to look at the instance where the death of Kerry Packer in the last week of 2005 prevented the Nine Network from meeting its preschool television commitments. In short, the networks care only as much as they are made to care - which really isn't very much.
So Senator Coonan, by all means review children's television but do so in the interest of children and not just the networks or advertisers. Our children deserve it