From pupils to consumers: the transformation of the concept of childhood in Israeli children’s television

Abstract

This article divides the history of children’s television in Israel in its first decades into three distinct eras: The Single Channel Era (1966–1989), The New Exclusivity Era (1989–2000), and The Age of Multichannel TV (2000–2010). Based on qualitative interviews with 20 central producers, who worked in Israel’s leading channels for children, the article examines the significant changes that occurred in the production field of television for children: from past broadcasts of only public and educational nature in a single Israeli channel, to the current reality of a great number of private channels, some globally owned, broadcasting mainly entertainment. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s cultural theories, this work analyzes the changes that took place in the collective conventions and practices in children’s television in Israel, and in its producers’ concept of childhood: from a national educational service for children, to looking at children as consumers in a media market.