Newsround Extra

Newsround is broadcast on BBC1 at 5.25pm. Some days it's replaced with Newsround Extra - a programme intended to cover one topic in more depth than the ordinary programme. However, as certain topics are effectively "no-go" areas for the Newsround team the resultant programmes may give a distorted or incomplete view of the subject they are supposed to cover.

Newsround Extra about Islam shown last year is a case in point, as is the Newsround Extra programme about depression shown on 13 March 2006.

The Children Act 2004 incorporates the "five outcomes for children." These outcomes are:

Be healthy - physical and mental health and emotional well-being
Stay safe - protection from harm and neglect
Enjoy and achieve - education, training and recreation
Make a positive contribution - the contribution made by them to society
Achieve economic well-being - social and economic well-being


One of the causes of depression is low self-esteem. Prejudice, homophobia and discrimination lead to alienation of gay kids and therefore depression is more likely to be found amongst gay people than others. But as we know, Newsround itself discriminates against lgbt people by invisibilising, and by doing so it does nothing to help with depression in lgbt young people. Newsround has always ignored the issue of homophobia and the strategies employed to stamp it out in school and society. Recently (see earlier blog for 22 March), the Equalities Review Panel reported that the damage of homophobic bullying is likely to lead to long term disadvantage. Newsround is part of the problem, not the cure.

Newsround Extra: Depression - video (Note: BBC video links are not always available)

The Newsround Extra programme about Islam has been nominated for an award in Prix Jeunesse 2006. The programme went into a reasonable detail about the five pillars of Islam, and also reported on a specially commissioned survey about being Muslim amongst school children, but it failed to address the conflicts which arise between traditional Islam and human rights in a modern society. This meant that sex equality, gay rights and the treatment of apostates weren't discussed.

The BBC received complaints that Newsround promoted Islam without providing the proper balance necessary when making factual programmes. Newsround's editor, Ian Prince, defended his editorial judgement on BBC Newswatch.

Newsround Extra: Islam - video