We're Open and an announcement

[evil_plotbunny]

All fics in, all pinch hits done. Now your mod gets to collapse for 2 minutes before yuletide starts.

When I first started this exchange, I planned to alternate it with a kids tv exchange, either winter/summer, or every other year. Then I got tapped to help run Yuletide and people really liked the idea of a kidlit exchange, so I ended up running that three years in a row. But now it's time. Next summer instead of fic corner, I'll be running that kids' tv exchange, which is unnamed as yet (put your suggestions in the comments).

Eligible fandoms will include cartoons and live action shows aimed at kids or teens. It will definitely include the precursors to dedicated kids tv networks (such as Full House and Boy Meets World), but I'm not sure where the eligibility rules will come down on something like BtVS where the main characters start in high school, but graduate less than halfway through the series.

Comments

[elf]

Were the gifts supposed to be anonymous at first? (I had assumed so, and then realized I couldn't remember whether the rules said that.)

I don't know if the exchange needs a different name, and even if it does, I'd prefer it stayed here instead of splitting into a new community. (Sesafic street?)

Note re: Kids TV exchange--I recommend leaving out Buffy. One, I don't think it was "kid focused" as much as being about unlikely heroes in a horror setting, and two, Buffy is not an under-served fandom. While the fic-corner exchange allows large fandoms like Harry Potter, I'd prefer that, in the case of questions about qualifying, mega-fandoms could be left out.

BtVS is not listed on Wikipedia's list of children's shows.

[evil_plotbunny]

No, this has always been an author reveal at the same time as the fic reveal exchange.

I'm inclined to keep it here. There's no point in my trying to remember another set of passwords.

I'm looking at it as a companion to fic corner, which does allow teen books. The problem is that there isn't a clear dividing line for tv shows, when one gets to that age. And I can't start using that list as a reason to reject shows, because it only took me two tries to find a show from my childhood that wasn't listed. So the questions I'm pondering are is this limited to tween and under or teen and under, and if the latter, how do I define a "teen" show. No decisions will be made for a while, though.

[sailorsol]

You could look at the rating? If it's TV-14 or up, it isn't eligible. Not a definitive ranking system since not all shows are rated, but it's a starting point?

[evil_plotbunny]

Unfortunately the rating system is relatively recent and it's country specific, but it is a good place to start.

[crantz]

I had a great time with this one and look forward to trying out tv next.

I also recommend going by rating and sense.

[evil_plotbunny]

I'm thinking about that. It will depend on where I decide to set the dividing line.

[senmut]

I always enjoy this exchange. Your other idea sounds great.

"After School Special" for a name? (Showing my age, maybe)

[evil_plotbunny]

It's a bit US specific, but I'm thinking either that or "As Seen on TV" or "Saturday Morning TV". It will almost certainly be run under the Fic Corner banner, though.

[ardyforshort]

Oh yay! I don't have anything particularly useful to say but I really loved participating in this exchange and I'm down for a kids' TV exchange.

[chomiji]

I've been enjoying this exchange (despite my troubles this year), but as I don't watch TV, I won't be participating in the other one. (Yes, I used to watch it as a child, but that was 30-40 years ago. And I wouldn't want to have to review canons at this point.)

- cho / opalmatrix

[evil_plotbunny]

Well, there's no requirement that you do both. I fully expect there to be people who do the book version who wouldn't be interested in the tv version (and vice versa). I hope you'll come back for the books in 2017, though.

[espresso_addict]

Interesting idea to alternate with television, though I'm glad you plan to return to books in 2017.

Television aimed at older children might be quite hard to pin down; for example, Blake's 7 was originally shown in an early evening children/family slot, and I certainly was allowed to watch it as quite a young child, yet it contains no child characters and its themes (terrorism vs freedom fighting, brainwashing, dystopia, drugs &c) are not obviously aimed at children.

[evil_plotbunny]

Yeah, anything pre-child-centered channels is open to debate (unless it was advertised as being for children). I remember watching MASH at the same age, but it's definitely not eligible.

I'm thinking advertised as for children, or having children as the main focus of storylines (such as being set in a school, focusing on the children's problems over the adults, etc.), but again I'll be working this out over the next year.

[greerwatson]

Now, how do you plan to define children's shows? I mean, my parents were quite strict about TV and we had to go to bed early; but that didn't stop us watching reruns of I Love Lucy in the afternoon.

But seriously...

I've had a squint at YouTube once or twice and found very little there for the shows that I feel reminiscent about, which might stifle other people's canon review. And would other people nominate anything that I'd feel confident I could write? I can tell you right now: I predate Sesame Street by quite a bit. So anything from that era or later, I've probably never seen.

(Ah, well. We'll see.)

As for names: "Glued to the Goggle-Box", maybe?

[evil_plotbunny]

See the discussion above for my initial thoughts. I'm trying to work out the definitions for the pre-Nickelodeon era.

As with kids books, there are some people who only know the era they grew up in and some who kept watching or had or knew children who exposed them to later shows.. This may end up not being the exchange for you, but there is also a lot on DVD. (Beany & Cecil, Kukla, Fran & Ollie, Thunderbirds, etc.) so people may be able to find resources at their local library or cheaply on Amazon. Also, I was one of the first Sesame Street kids myself, and I remember watching a lot of older shows in reruns back in the day. You might be surprised.

[greerwatson]

Definitions are going to be a real problem, I agree. Obviously there are shows aimed at pre-schoolers, such as The Friendly Giant or Maggie Muggins. You mention Thunderbirds: that was after my time; but my sister may have seen it—I know she watched Joe 90. (The Supermarionation show that I adored was Supercar.) And I guess shows aimed at slightly older kids, like Dennis the Menace and Lassie, would qualify as children's TV. So would half-hour adventures like Ivanhoe or The King's Outlaw.

On the other hand, a lot of half-hour comedy and one-hour adventure/spy/cop shows were watched as much by children as adults (and in our family, were only watched by the kids). I'm thinking of Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Flying Nun; but also of Tarzan, Land of the Giants, and Star Trek. I was in junior high by then, but my sister certainly wasn't.

I think I'm going to have to wait till you firm up your definitions—and, even then, wait till nominations have got well underway so I can see what other people are likely to want.

As you say: I may be surprised!