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In April 1972, a handy six-minute gap at 5pm on BBC paved the way for a six-week experiment that has now endured for 50 years. Belying the idea that children hated the news – they just hated the way the news was presented for adults – John Craven donned a jumper, sat in front of a desk and talked to younger audiences about ospreys and the Vietnam war on Newsround.

For almost two decades, he and a team of reporters interviewed world leaders, distilled complex ideas without patronising the audience, and broke major stories including the Challenger Shuttle disaster in 1986.

We talked to Craven and some of the 30-plus presenters who have followed him about a gamble that has paid off for generations of children.

Hello and welcome to Newsround

John Craven (1972-89) As well as major news events, we needed stories children wanted to hear – to do with adventure, wildlife and conservation, school life, science, sport