Is Sci-Fi TV Too Scary For British Kids?

Is Doctor Who too scary for kids? That's the claim that one survey seems to be making, pointing out that British parents feel that the show should be broadcast later to avoid giving kids nightmares.

The survey of 3000 UK parents, carried out by website, happily blamed television for children's bad dreams:

All children suffer from nightmares at some point during childhood. But there is no doubt that viewing unnecessary violence and hostility on television contributes to this.

Who wasn't the only show named and shamed; Primeval, Ben 10 and even Power Rangers had fingers pointed at them as bad influences, with two thirds of those polled admitting that they had trouble choosing what was and wasn't suitable for their children. Doctor Who, in particular, was singled out for being "too dark and sinister for under seven-year-olds," with the majority of those polled wanting it to be pushed to a later, less kid-friendly timeslot.

Speaking as someone who went through enough "watching television from behind my hands" moments as a nipper, I now want someone to poll 3000 British kids about how destructive to fertile imaginations over-protective parenting can be in the long-term. As well as the next season of Doctor Who to contain at least one terrifying moment per episode, just because.

TV shows including Doctor Who 'giving children nightmares' []