In the Youth Education category, programs for youth around age
12 to 17 areentered and evaluated. In JAPAN PRIZE 2002, the 52 entries from 30
countriesfell mostly into two groups. The first concerned curriculum-based educationand
the second related to social and current affairs concerning teens suchas solitude,
death, drug abuse, and gender and cultural identity. There werefewer curriculum-based
entries than in past years, but creative school-useprograms are still needed.
These difficult subjects for a difficult time in life are hard to produce intypical
TV formats. This age group is less interested in traditional TVprograms, especially
when the content and format reflect adult perspectivesand control. Producers are
encouraged to look for new formats and techniquesthat permit teens to communicate
their issues in their own authentic voice. |