The government-funded channel Teachers’ TV has failed to hit its viewing targets after Sky TV moved it to a specialist channels slot, among pornographic and dating shows.
The viewing figures were revealed in the latest annual report for the channel, which broadcasts a range of programmes providing practical teaching tips for teachers.
It is now 880 in Sky TV’s listings, putting it alongside broadcasters such as Red Hot and Television X. Governors blame the move for the slip in viewing figures. Last year, 19 per cent of the potential audience watched, compared with a target of 26 per cent. Numbers have slid from 21 per cent in 2005.
The digital channel is also available on Freeview, but only between 11pm and 1am, while it is broadcast on satellite and cable 24-hours a day.
Sir Paul Judge, chair of Teachers’ TV board of governors, said: “We don’t know why the decision was taken to move an education channel funded by the Government to the so-called specialist section. There has been a drop (in viewing figures) since last February when the change was made.”
Teachers’ TV appealed to the broadcast regulator Ofcom over the move, but no action was taken. At the time Nigel Dacre, chief executive, called the decision “disturbing”.
However, the channel’s website continues to be a success story. All of its programmes are available online - putting it ahead of Channel 4 and the BBC, which have only a limited number on the internet - and its shows are downloaded around 121,000 times every month.
The channel launched in 2005 with annual funding of nearly pound;20 million. A spokesman for Sky TV would only confirm that Ofcom had rejected the Teachers’ TV complaint.
www.teachers.tv
