So let’s say, hypothetically, that you were offered a chance to do a local TV station’s television show. You’re a video expert and do your own YouTube show, but you don’t know much about children’s TV. You do have a friend who’s majoring in early childhood education who has been acting in your other stuff and would be good as onscreen talent, but you don’t have a lot of money. Currently you’re just in the planning stages, but you’re really excited about the opportunity and you’ve been throwing a bunch of ideas around.
You haven’t gotten to the point yet of contacting, say, the local university’s education department and seeing if you could get a volunteer to consult on it.
Are there some good resources to turn to? We’ve been watching old episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for inspiration. (I know there’s a Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent’s College in Pennsylvania, because I was in a wedding there oddly enough. Maybe they’d help us out?)
Are there any professional childrens’ media associations to join? Good conferences? Particularly well-regarded books or journals? Where should we start?
I know this is kind of a weird question, but surely we’re not the first people to put together a childrens’ show knowing nothing about children, right? (Back in the day the local weather man did a much-beloved show that was probably pretty similar, I’d imagine. Surely Joe Pinner doesn’t have any kind of fancy schmancy education degree, right?)