Why is it that the Teletubbies have been such a success and of such socio-cultural importance? The level of interest in the Teletubbies exceeds the usual media splashes about sold out dolls and cult student fan clubs. Quite simply there is nothing on television like the Teletubbies. Why is this so? What is different about the Teletubbies? Why is there this level of interest? When the Teletubbies began on BBC television in early 1997 they were surrounded by controversy. Educational groups quickly sought to attack the way in which language was used within the Teletubbies. The show watched by young children with undeveloped language skills, was defended by the makers and the BBC as being aimed specifically at these children and therefore used language similar to them. The controversy was quickly forgotten and had the ring of a media campaign behind it. (It was first aired on BBC news the same channel which shows the Teletubbies). However the defence that this programme was made specifically for children and not for adults sets a precedence as to the other, original aspects of the show. Subversion and controversy has always been courted by the makers of children's television. From the subtle political and drug allegories of The Magic Roundabout, the blatant environmental message of Captain Planet and the wholesome American goodness of Thundercats, He-man et al. This subversion or reinforcement of dominant ideologies have usually come in two forms. On one hand there is the easy to understand reinforcement of dominant ideology, ('Winners don't do drugs', punishment of Dennis the Menace, Thelma constantly losing her glasses) and on the other hand you have the subtle hints of subversion over the kids' heads (The whole of The Magic Roundabout, the campness of George in Rainbow, innuendo in TISWAS). This imbalance in the messages received by children is the norm in their programming and is where the Teletubbies is different. How is the Teletubbies subversive? Well, it isn't a hotbed of revolutionary ideas and subversion, but it also tries hard not to perpetuate the values and ideologies presented towards children in the rest of the television they see. Does it do this purposefully? Who knows, the difference however is there.

This is one of the very few times that an infant child is shown in children's television. The child is also the sun. This gives many allusions and references mainly powerful, warm and nurturing. The baby in the sun, oversees all of the Teletubbies and starts and ends the programs. The unusual concept of a baby in the programme (think about it, when was the last time you saw an unaccompanied baby in a children's TV programme.) is further complicated by the power and importance placed upon the baby's presence and also the signification of the sun.

Within children's television programmes the announcer is, to put it simply, God. He (mainly he) tells you what is happening, what to do (sing along, spell this out), and is the intermediate between the programme and the audience. Within the Teletubbies this concept is perpetuated, the announcer says what is happening and the teletubby acts out what has been said. In an unusual and complex structural device, the teletubby actually listens to the announcer to find out what it is they are supposed to do. It is in the reactions to the disembodied announcer that the Teletubbies shows a different representation of power. Firstly, when the speakers arrive the Teletubbies proclaim 'Uh-oh' and run away. At the end of each program the announcer says goodbye to each teletubby only to see them pop back up. When gently scolded by the voice ('no') they laugh and mock his supposed authority. Once, when told to do exercises for the fourth time by the announcer, the tired Teletubbies shout 'run away' and flee the scene. Hiding from the announcer and further exercises, they importantly go unpunished for this. Usual children's television was based almost entirely on the punishment of wrongdoing. (The narrative would follow crime or wrongdoing, consequences, punishment, acknowledgement of wrongdoing and finally a fitting moral message). The Teletubbies get away with all sorts of messing about, falling, dancing, hiding, chasing Noo-Noo, with no specific authority figure to stop them and no punishment.

Firstly, the Teletubbies follow the usual size of a nuclear family. Tinky Winky is the tallest (dad), Dipsy is a little shorter (mum), Laa Laa is smaller again (kid one) and Po is the smallest (kid two). This is not however, the way the sexes are represented. The gender representation in Teletubbies is a bit unusual. Firstly taking the image of a nuclear family (which is everywhere in Children's Television) we see that Dipsy should be a woman, this is not the case. Tinky Winky also has a fetching red handbag. Without wishing to sound like a Tory MP, this, relative to the conservative world of kid's TV is unusual. It can also be noted when The Face (UK Style Bible) put Tinky Winky forward as a Gay Icon for Kids then he was sacked. Dipsy has the gorgeous Dalmatian hat and Laa Laa and Po have a ball and scooter which are both toys (adults clothes, kids toys - nuclear family). The contrast between what is apparent (nuclear family) and what is real (the Teletubbies actual genders) is again a subversion of the black and white constant filled world usually presented to children.

The structure of Teletubbies is unusual for kids TV and is aimed specifically at young children. Anyone who has sat and watched Aladdin for the four thousandth time can testify to the level of repetition that children can endure when watching TV. The Teletubbies is full of aspects which appeal to young children. Ten minutes of a programme can be taken up by a continuously repetitive segment. The Teletubbies often cry 'Again Again' and repeat exactly what has gone before. Boring for adults maybe, but if you put a child in control this is what they usually ask for. The second thing that is different to other children's TV is the level of education. There is very little formal education. This is almost unheard of. It is usual for normal Children's TV to follow the pattern of, educational bit, entertaining bit, educational bit, entertaining bit etc. Even supposedly entertaining cartoons or live action TV is usually just sugar coated moral or ideological education. There is always a message to learn. The Teletubbies doesn't do this. It is sometimes just pure entertainment. A teletubby rolling up and down a hill or (the excellent) dancing can hardly be seen to be teaching the children anything. Even the live action sequences within the tubby TVs have very light educational aspects and are usually just fun.

This lack of education is what the kids would want if asked themselves. It is however, not what they are usually offered. This and the other aspects of the Teletubbies is where the true difference lies. The power is on the side of the viewer. Unusually in this case, the viewer is a child. It is within the representation of power that the Teletubbies offers something truly different. The Teletubbies are representations of the children watching (they speak the same language). The Teletubbies do pretty much what they want. The only time they have to come or go, is when the baby in the sun rises or falls. There is no adult involvement. The announcer as a representation of authority (adult) is mocked, ignored and contradicted by the Teletubbies. The live action sequences within the programme feature mainly children and is narrated by a child. Repetition is throughout, the Teletubbies (children) ask for a sequence again and again and this request is granted. They are in control, they live in the land of do as you please, and most importantly they are happy. There is no adult to control them, there are no mishaps resulting from their playing, there are no lessons to learn and responsibility is theirs. They truly have the power.