Empowering little viewers

Q&A: Jules Fuller

Jules Fuller made his name as a television executive, working predominantly with music channels and youth entertainment programming. His India connection began a decade ago when he became general manager of Channel V, overseeing its growth from a fledgling production unit to a stand-alone channel.

For the last three years, Fuller has been working out of London for the Endemol Group, the largest independent producer in Europe. Now he has renewed old ties with India through his work as consultant executive producer for Turner India's kids' channel Pogo. Fuller speaks about the kids' TV market in India.

How did your association with Turner begin?

The company contacted me last year "" I was in London at the time "" and asked if I could come over and work on some ideas for Pogo. The thought of returning to India was so exciting that I said "Yes" immediately "" before I had even checked to see if Endemol was okay with it!

What kind of programming have you worked on for Pogo?

I helped conceptualise the first art show for kids, called MAD (Music, Art and Dance). I'm told it's been a big success. We also created The Pogo Amazing Kids Awards, the first ever children's awards in India.

We are now working on a game show called Bam Bam Bam Gir Pade Hum, based on the UK show I'm Still Standing.

Are you customising these shows to the requirements of Indian viewers?

Sometimes a good format can work across languages and cultures. But yes, there is a certain amount of customisation in most cases. Hindi versions of programmes are produced too.

For instance, we have a very popular Japanese show calledTakeshi's Castle, the Indian version of which is being voiced by Javed Jaffrey.

You left Channel V in 1999. Between then and now, what major changes do you see in Indian broadcasting?

Well, as you know there has been an explosion of channels, especially news channels. The industry is much more segmented now than it was then.

But more than anything else, a certain buzz has grown around the television industry, which I find very exciting.

It's great that there is more competition now. Advertisers are finally taking the children's market seriously and acknowledging that kids make so many of the decisions in the household.

How does the children's TV market in India compare to that in the UK?

Well, the Indian market is still very new in comparison. You'd be amazed at how wide the programing is in the UK; on Saturday mornings for instance, there is an absolute spate of programming.

Another significant development is that the presenters there have stopped talking down to their audiences; they now look kids in the eye and talk to them.

I see scope for improvement along those lines in the Indian market. We all know how smart and "with it" today's kids are; they certainly don't like to be condescended to.

Interactive programming seems to be Pogo's focus. Is that the direction kids' programming is headed?

Turner's focus is empowering children, which means many things. Sure, it means more interactivity "" organising games and contests, making children feel like more than just passive viewers "" but it means other things too.

It means helping kids to learn while at the same time giving them someone they can relate to. In that sense I'm very pleased with some of the feedback we've got for MAD "" mothers write in to tell us that their children learn a lot about painting and creativity by watching the show, and then improvise at home.