Programme makers devoted to creating outstanding content for pre-school audiences today (26 May) celebrate Eurovision’s 40 year tradition of freely sharing items at the 2014 Erfurt Pre-school Item Exchange.      

Delegates representing more than 20 public service broadcasters from the EBU community have gathered in the central German city for the two-day event during which up to 120 items will be showcased.

Producers of video magazines for pre-school audiences first met in Saarbruken to offer their programmes to participants on a ‘make-one, take-all’ principle.

Since 2005, the Exchange has been hosted by German Public service broadcaster Kinderkanal (ZDF/ARD) in Erfurt.  Today, the event is a source of inspiration,  enriching public broadcasting schedules with input, ideas and know-how from other countries and cultures with participation from Asian, Latin American and African broadcasters. 

Eurovision Project manager Nadja Burkhardt says every year up to 150 items – all free of rights – are exchanged by participating Members.

“The Erfurt Exchange represents a unique form of collaboration between programme makers committed to producing short films of outstanding quality,” Ms Burkhardt said. “Producing content for very young children has positive long-term consequences. It  confirms in the minds of young audiences that they exist and that their opinions are of value – that they have a contribution to make to a well-functioning society.”

Sheila de Courcy, Head of Children's programmes at RTE, and Vice-Chairperson of the EBU’s Children & Youth Experts' Group, says although recent years has seen an ‘explosion of content for young people across new platforms,’ powerful narratives remain the hallmark of success.  

“Today children are watching, listening and playing on a broad range of new media,” said Ms De Courcy.  “At the heart of it however, pre-schoolers still like good stories featuring strong characters. They want to feel safe and secure and to laugh a lot. Despite all the new forms of delivery traditional content and values are important to young children.”

Michael Stumpf – Kinderkanal Managing Director says in the past 40 years, the Exchange has provided inspiration across the EBU Community .
 
“The Exchange of items has always been a valuable addition to the work of programme makers, especially those targeting pre-schoolers, who give their complete energy to every project, knowing as they do, the special responsibility they bear to this target group,” he said. “The educational and developmental psychology provides ever new insights, which have a significant impact on creative works and formats. So we continue to move forward. KiKA is part of it and our hope is that that even more broadcasters will join us in the future.”