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Vol. 2: This Issue
Parents at odds with TV ratings
 The
first independent study of the current TV rating system
finds that parents do not agree with the industry's ratings
of TV programs. The "Parents
Rate the TV Ratings" report found that the majority
of parents find the ratings to be more lenient than the
rating they would give for children in the designated age
group.
Parents were asked to view 210 TV programs that were popular
or marketed to children during the 1997-98 season. Using
the National Institute on Media and the Family's content-based
rating system, KidScore®, parents evaluated programs
based on the degree of violence, sexual content, offensive
language, illegal/harmful behaviors, ability to cause fear
and overall appropriateness for viewers in age ranges of
3-7, 8-12 and 13-17.
Fewer than half the shows given a TV-G rating were deemed
suitable for 3-7 year olds. Parents also found fewer than
half the TV-Y7 shows suitable for children 8-12 years, and
only 12 percent of parents found programs rated TV-14 appropriate
for teenagers. The only area where parents and industry
raters agreed is on the meaning of TV-M, considered inappropriate
for children of all ages.
To view a copy of the "Parents Rate the TV Ratings"
call (612) 672-5437, or view it online at: "Parents
Rate the TV Ratings."
Parent educators take on
media in class
In a recent series of parent education classes held in
suburban Minneapolis, mothers and fathers had a chance to
discover the powerful messages of the Unplug
Your Kids® program. Incorporated into a multi-week
parenting course, the video provided insights and opportunities
for dialogue among the parents about media issues.
"We think the video is very effective," says
Dawn Van Ryn-Olson, one of the educators at the Columbia
Heights Family Center. "We use Unplug Your Kids
as part of a lesson plan for parents on how television and
violence affect children. Parents were amazed by some of
the statistics presented in the video."
For Van Ryn-Olson and fellow educator Carol Wade, the video
is a potent teaching tool. "We recommend Unplug
Your Kids to other teachers," says Van Ryn-Olson.
"In fact, we use a lot of the material from the discussion
guide."
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Tools
to help tame the tube
Managing the media in the home can be a real challenge
for parents and concerned adults. As a part of its
role to provide reliable, independent information
so adults can make wise media choices for children,
the Institute has developed numerous tools for educators
and parents.
Selling Out America's Children:
Dr. Walsh examines how media has impacted the values
in today's youth and tells how adults can work for
change and take responsibility for our children.
$11.95
Unplug Your Kids video:
Shows how kids learn values, attitudes and behaviors
from the mass media and offers concrete suggestions
for how adults can use the media in a healthy way.
This 15-minute video is accompanied by a discussion
guide. $79.95
Box Head Boy book: Ever wonder
what would happen to someone who watches too much
TV? Instead of becoming a couch potato, nine-year-old
Denny turns into a box head boy. $14.95
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Let kids be kids, they grow up
fast enough
Observations by Dr.
David Walsh, President of the National Institute on
Media and the Family.
I've been struck by how much our society expects children
to grow up quickly--a phenomenon I call the adultification
of youth. We see it in children's pagents where little
girls are made to look like grown-ups. And we see it with
Little Leaguers whose full double knit baseball uniforms
are just like the major league players.
Although many of the advertising messages children encounter
suggest they are simply small adults, the truth is otherwise.
The first step in dealing with this adultification process
is to be able to recognize the ways it happens. This awareness
will enable parents to know when our children are being
pushed, coaxed or talked into adopting adult behavior patterns
before they're ready.
Parents also need to communicate with their children about
this process. Parents can help their kids make critical
evaluations of movies or music by talking with them about
the issues involved.
Kids become adults quickly by any measure. To rush them
into adulthood, however, is to deprive them of a unique
moment in their lives. There must be time and opportunity
to make mistakes, to learn without tragic consequences and
to become knowledgeable about oneself.
Adulthood is a less threatening and confusing time when
one has had an opportunity to be a child during childhood.
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