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| Vol. 18: This Issue |
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MediaWise
Report Card Gives
Video Games an F
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 Another
disturbing new trend in video games is an increase
in reports of video game addiction. In one extreme
example, a young man shot himself after playing the
online game Everquest for 36 hours straight.
Other examples include parents who neglect their families
in favor of games and children who do not do their
homework because of the extreme amount of time they
play video games.
In addition, a growing body of research shows that
video games have profound, often detrimental, effects
on brain development. One study showed that children
who play violent video games may have underdeveloped
brain centers that control anger.
The Report Card was released at a press conference
in Washington D.C. with Senator Joseph Lieberman and
U.S. Representative Betty McCollum.
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For the first time in its seven-year history, the
MediaWise ® Video Game Report Card gave an overall
grade of F this year. According toDavid Walsh, Ph.D.,
president of the National Institute on Media and the
Family, several disturbing trends this year make the
failing grade a necessary wake up call.
Among the findings was a trend of grotesque violence
against women. In the year's most popular console
game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, players
are rewarded for kicking a prostitute to death after
having sex with her. The game has been rated M for
mature, but Institute research shows that many children,
as young as eight, play the game. Unfortunately, although
popular video games have become more lewd, retailers
continue to do little to keep adult video games out
of the hands of children.
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New Logo, New MediaWise Movement
The new MediaWise logo on the top of this page and the
message below it, "Watch what your kids watch,"
are the beginning of our new national campaign to launch
the MediaWise Movement.
Over the years we've made a commitment to bring you the
most up-to-date and important media-related information
concerning children and families. Now we're starting a movement
of parents, educators and communities to help shape a child-friendly
media environment. The key to our success is help from people
like you.
We already have important support for the Movement. For
example, our new logo and message were created and generously
donated by the Martin Williams advertising firm.
In the coming months we hope to kick off the Movement with
a series of MediaWise public service announcements, also
created by Martin Williams. To get involved in the MediaWise
Movement contact
us or call 1-888-672-5437.
MediaWise Newsletter now doubly computer
compatible
 We're
proud to announce that our MediaWise newsletter is now available
exclusively in electronic formats. Because we no longer
spend time and resources preparing each issue for the printing
process, we can focus on communicating the most up-to-date
information to our readers. We've also made our newsletter
computer-compatible in order to keep in step with an increasingly
computer-savvy readership. Now we offer every issue of the
newsletter in a web-friendly HTML format and in a print-friendly
PDF format. If you prefer to read or distribute the newsletter
on paper, please feel free to print copies from our print-friendly
format, by clicking
here.
Each industry has its own rating system, leaving parents
with an alphabet soup of ratings to sort through. TV-Y7,
AO, NC-17, EC-it's difficult to keep all of these letters
and numbers straight, and it's even harder to use them in
selecting media for a child.
Even worse, the ratings aren't always accurate. Recently
we conducted a survey, asking parents to determine if the
media live up to their labels. According to parents:
- 10% of PG-13 movies should be rated R;
- 20% of Teen games should be rated Mature;
- Half of all TV-14 programs are not appropriate for
teens.
Our survey shows that parents want the ratings to work.
But because ratings systems are conducted by the industries
that make the media, the results are biased and there's
no cooperation among media types. What parents need is a
rating system by parents and for parents that applies to
all types of media. That's where KidScore® comes in.
For years we've used the help of volunteer parents and our
KidScore system to rate media for reports such as our
MediaWise Video Game Report Card. Now the KidScore system
is available for use by anyone at www.mediafamily.org.
Parents and teachers can sign up to rate the media they
see and submit their ratings votes online. Raters give a
red for stop, yellow for caution, or green for go in several
categories including, violence, fear, sexual content, and
age-appropriateness. Our Web site tallies the average of
all the votes and makes the results available for anyone
who wants to view them.
Use KidScore today and help us make the ratings make sense!
Sex, Murder, and Video Games
a NEW video and discussion guide resource
 The
National Institute on Media and the Family is offering a
new video and discussion guide called Sex,
Murder, and Video Games. Now in production, this
15-minute video will change the way you look at video games
forever.
In response to video games that graphically depict women
as sexual objects and victims of brutal violence, Sex,
Murder, and Video Games explores how violence against
women is promoted, how power and violence are related, and
how violence against women is paired with entertainment.
Complete with discussion guide,
Sex, Murder, and Video Games serves as a spring-board
for discussion in parent groups, college classes, neighborhood
or religious organizations, and other community groups.
Order by March 31, to receive the pre-production sale price
($59.95) and save! For more information or to order contact
us.
Research Update:
Violent Media and Mean Kids
Our researchers are presently conducting a two-year study
to discover how children's violent media exposure affects
their aggressive and social actions at school. The study
of third- through fifth-graders will also try to determine
how their aggressive and social behaviors affect their relations
with peers.
Although the data from year one are still in analysis, early
results show that kids who expose themselves to more violent
media at home (TV, videos/movies, video games) are meaner
and ruder to their peers in the classroom. According to
Douglas Gentile, Ph.D., the Institute's Director of Research,
the study's final results could help parents and schools
deal with the problems of bullying.
The Institute recently received a grant of $30,000 from
the Laura Jan Musser Fund to complete year two of this study.
We can't help
without your help
The generous support of caring people and organizations
makes our work possible. We cannot continue to offer our
vital information and tools without contributions from people
like you. Every bit helps us to reach families, educators,
and communities with our MediaWise ® message and continue
to conduct groundbreaking research.
The Institute accepts donations via mail, telephone, and
online:
606 24th Avenue South, Suite 606
Minneapolis, MN, 55454
1-888-672-5437
Concerned about how media violence and disrespect affects
your family?
What:
Support the important work of the National Institute
on Media and the Family.
Why: Kids
need your help. The Institute is a nonprofit organization.
Your gift helps us help parents and educators help children.
How: Send
your tax-deductable gift to:
National Institute
on Media and the Family
Riverside Professional Building
606 24th Ave. South, Suite 606
Minneapolis, MN 55454-1438
Who: YOU
can make a difference for our children.
Also:
How you can help.
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