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December 2007
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April 2007
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December 2006
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February 2006
January 2006
December 2007
New ACMA report shows Australian families are media rich
Australian families with children are media-rich, with multiple communications devices in the home; they value the internet and are striking a comfortable balance in their children's use of media, according to research released today by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The full release can be found at: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310897
November 2007
Review of research confirms risks of media violence
A review of research into the effects of media violence on both children and adults since the early 1960s has confirmed that 'exposure to electronic media violence increases the risk of both children and adults behaving aggressively in the short-run and of children behaving aggressively in the long-run'. The review by Professor Rowell Huesmann was published in the latest Journal of Adolescent Health. The effect of media violence is the same or larger than the effect size of many other accepted threats to public health, slightly less than smoking and lung cancer, but greater than condom use and sexually transmitted HIV or passive smoking and lung cancer.
To read the review article in PDF  format, click here
Noni speaks out on children’s TV
Speaking at the Screen Producers Association of Australia annual conference on the Gold Coast, ex Play School presenter Noni Hazlehurst has delivered a scathing attack on Australian children's television.
To read more, go to http://www.screenhub.com.au/news/newsarticle_sendfriend.asp?newsID=18403
Federal election 2007: Candidates' views on media and its impact on children
Recognising that media impact on Australian children is a current topic of concern to many parents and professionals, YMA sent a short survey to the candidates in the 10 most marginal seats in the forthcoming Federal election. The survey asked for the candidates’ personal or party views on a range of topics. The candidates selected were from the Liberal Party, the ALP, the Democrats, Greens and Family First.
By our deadline, responses had been received from the Greens and from the ALP. The Greens responded to each question on the survey. The ALP sent a more detailed response. Responses have since been recived from Family First and the Democrats.
To read a summary of responses, click here
October 2007
ABC recruiting children’s programmer
The ABC is advertising for a Children's programmer to be located in Sydney. Applications for this contract position close on Friday 9 November. For more details see the ABC website http://www.abc.net.au/jobs
AANA review of Children’s Ad Code
The postponed review of the self-regulatory Advertising to Children Code which is being undertaken by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) is now being conducted by public relations firm Res Publica [Australia] The closing date for submissions, is Friday 23 November 2007.
A ‘discussion starter’ which highlights some of the perceived issues is now available.
According to this paper, issues include
- Should the Code be self-regulatory?
- Should the Code cover all advertisements which may appeal to children, rather than just those aimed at children?
- Should advertisers have to ensure that advertisements are clearly distinguishable as such to children?
- Should advertisements have to comply with prevailing community standards?
- Should the portrayal of children in sexualised ways be prohibited?
- Should advertisements which appeal to children to urge parents to buy particular products be banned?
- Should advertisers be stopped from implying that all products are affordable by average families?
- Should the regulations about advertising alcohol and alcohol type flavourings be strengthened?
- How should advertising for food and beverages be changed to promote healthier consumption?
- Should the use of popular personalities or celebrities be prohibited?
Make sure that you have your say! To respond, or to receive a copy of the dicussion paper, contact:
Tina Alldis talldis@respublica.com.au
To read about the review, or to look at the existing code, go to the AANA website at http://www.aana.com.au/
New research shows timing of TV exposure is important for behaviour and social skills
A new study from the US has investigated how the timing of media exposure influences children's health. The study found that sustained exposure to TV from infancy is a risk for behaviour problems at 5.5 years, but that if early exposure is subsequently reduced there is no additional risk. For social skills, concurrent viewing was found to be a bigger risk than sustained exposure or early exposure. The study confirmed the central role which TV plays in the lives of children in the US. Over 40% of children aged 5.5 were reported to have a television in their bedroom and 15% of children of that age watched over 2 hours of television daily.
To read the report in PDF format, click here.
Mistry, K; Minkowitz, C; Strobino; D, Borzekowski, D (2007) Children's television exposure & behavioral & social outcomes at 5.5 years: Does timing of exposure matter? Pediatrics, Vol. 120, No. 4, Pp762-769.
September 2007
Talking to children about media coverage of the story of Qian Xun Xue ("Pumpkin")
It has been hard to avoid media coverage of the little girl abandoned at a Melbourne railway station and the ongoing story of her missing parents. Constant coverage of this event may increase anxiety and insecurity in children and parents may be wondering about how to deal with this.
To read an article by Michael Carr-Gregg from The Age newspaper which includes advice for parents go to http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/09/18/1189881511214.html
Parents who have concerns about the media's influence on their children can also call the Young Media Australia Helpline on 1800 700 357 Freecall anywhere in Australia, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our Helpline operators come from a strong child development and parenting perspective and can provide callers with research based information about the media.
August 2007
Playschool time change protest
Playschool presenters with children of their own have joined with other parents in protesting about the ABC's decision to screen Playschool 30 minutes earlier in the afternoon. Parents argue that the new 3 o'clock time will result in many children missing the show, because families are out collecting children from school at this time. This means that young school-age children who still enjoy Playschool, as well as their younger siblings, will not be at home to watch this much-loved show.
To read an article in The Australian about this change go to http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22297892-7582,00.html
Please email us to let us know what you think about the change.
Too sexy, too soon: the pressure mounts
Young Media Australia has taken every opportunity over the last 10 or more years to lobby government and industry in the area of the sexualisation of children.
Over the last few months the pressure has been mounting as heightened levels of concern in the community and the simultaneous activities of several hitherto unrelated organisations has brought the debate firmly into the public and political arena.
To coincide with the Women’s Forum Australia forum Get Real! and the launch of their new publication Faking It by Selena Ewing, YMA is publishing a new Fact Sheet about the issue of sexualisation of children in the media.
Click here for more details about Women’s Forum Australia Get Real! forum and Faking It publication
YMA’s new Fact Sheet Too Sexy, Too Soon is available in PDF format: Click here
To read the Hansard version of a Senate motion requesting an ACMA report on this issue go to: http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=110391&table=JOURNALS
To read more, look at our report for April 2007 below.
Preschoolers prefer food in McDonald's wrappers
Results from Stanford University (California) research published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolelescent Medicine confirm the the influence of junk food advertising. In a study of 63 children aged 3 to 5, a majority of children expressed preference for hamburgers, chicken nuggets, fries, milk and even vegetables if they were served in McDonald's packaging. The more televisions there were in a child's home, the more likely they were to prefer McDonald's foods.
To read an article in The Age about the study click here:http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/08/06/1186252630072.html
To read the research paper in PDF format click here
July 2007
Pester power - Help to write the book.
Tania Andrusiak, freelance writer and mother of two boys, is writing a book on children, advertising and media - and she needs your help. Are the media turning children into sexualised, prematurely adult consumers? Or are they a force for good? What problems have you experienced with your children? Who is to blame?
If you’re the parent of children under 16 years of age, please tell Tania what you think by clicking on this link and completing her questionnaire.
Changes to the OFLC
From 1 July 2007, the OFLC will no longer exist as a separate agency, but will be integrated into the Australian Attorney-General's Department. There will be no change to the range of services offered to the public.
A new website http://www.classification.gov.au will be the point of access for information about the Classification Board, Classification review Board, classification decisions and services and the policy functions of AGD.
June 2007
ACMA Review of Children's Television Standards
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released an issues paper as part of its review of the Children's Television Standards on free-to-air commercial television. ACMA invites public comment on its Children's Television Standards Review - Issues Paper by the extended date of 31 August 2007.
The full media release can be found at http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_310395
The issues paper can be found at http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310132/cts_review_issues_paper.pdf
Kaiser Foundation survey results - Parents, children & media
According to
a report released on 19 June 2007, US parents feel that they are gaining control over their children’s exposure to sex and violence in the media. However, they remain concerned about inappropriate content in the media, particularly sex and violence which many believe have a real impact on children's behaviours. The report is based on a national random telephone survey of 1,008 parents of children aged 2-17.
To see the full report go to http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/7638.pdf
April 2007
SA parliamentary report on fast foods and obesity
The final report of the Social Development Committee's Inquiry into Fast Foods and Obesity was tabled in the South Australian Parliament on 27 March 2007. It includes 33 recommendations, including 4 which deal with the advertising of fast foods.
Too sexy, too soon: A call for action
Community concern is rising about the impact of sexualized images of children in the media.
Two main problems are seen:
- the impact that these images in TV programs, advertising and in children’s magazines are having on children’s healthy and gradual sexual development.
- the impact on children’s beliefs about their need to be sexy too early, and the danger this places them in relation to sexual exploitation by adults.
What is being done?
Victorian Democrats Senator Lyn Allison announced on 12 August 2007 that she will introduce a motion in Parliament calling for a government appointed advisory group to look at how sexualise imagery affects children and how they can be protected from it. Our media release on this topic is available in PDF format 1KB
The Sunday Age has taken a leading role in supporting the campaign by parents to have this issue taken seriously by the advertising and media industries, and hosted a roundtable of children’s professionals and industry and regulatory representatives in late May.
Recent articles on the theme can be read by clicking on the titles here:
How you can help
Young Media Australia is joining parent Julie Gale and her colleagues in a campaign to have these practices stopped. The Kids Free to be Kids (KF2BK) website can be viewed at http://www.kf2bk.com
If you’d like to be part of the campaign, or would like to tell us about your concerns please email us at info@youngmedia.org.au with KF2BK in the subject line
- If you would like to support the campaign with a donation (donations over $2 are tax deductible) please download the support form available in PDF format 92KB
New Zealand censor says Australian classifications too liberal on violence
Some films being released in New Zealand after being given M ratings by Australian censors are considered too violent by the chief censor, Bill Hastings. He believes that Australian censors are more liberal.
March 2007
Reducing Reel to Real Violence
Reducing Reel to Real Violence: early intervention in metropolitan Adelaide to minimise harm from media violence is a YMA project funded by the National Community Crime Prevention Program, an Australian Government Initiative. The project aims to help parents of children under the age of seven to minimise their children’s exposure to violent media.
To help to develop the best possible intervention program, YMA is conducting a survey of parents of under sevens. The aim of the survey is to help YMA and partners to understand the attitudes and practices of parents of under sevens in relation to media violence and work out what would help them. If you are a parent of an under seven year old child, we would very much appreciate it if you could complete this survey for us.
- An information sheet about the survey is available as a pdf 33KB, click here
- To complete our online survey click here: Online survey
- To download the survey as a pdf 65KB and complete it on paper, click here
- Please fax completed surveys to YMA at (08) 8376 2122, or post to PO Box 447, Glenelg, SA, 5045.
YMA turns 50
On 30th March 2007, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the formation of Young Media Australia (formerly the Australian Council for Children's Film & Television) in Melbourne in 1957. Over 60 people attended the seminar and lunch at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne and heard Dr Patricia Edgar's keynote address, Challenging the Status Quo in Children's Media in Australia.
- Our media release about the birthday party is available in PDF format
 (68KB)
- More details of the celebration, including photos, are available in PDF format (132KB)
- Dr Patricia Edgar's address is also available in PDF format (58KB)
- Associate Professor Ann Sanson's address is available in PDF format (23KB)
- Lesley Osborne's address is available in PDF format (14KB)
- Dr Catherine Marraffa's address is available in PDF format (14KB)
- Steve Georganas' address is available in PDF format (10KB)
- Senator Ronaldson's address is available in PDF format
 (18KB)
- An article about our history from the February edition of small screen is available in PDF format (213KB)
February 2007
UK regulator issues revised decision on marketing to children
Ofcom, the independent regulator for television, radio, telecommunications and wireless services in the UK has issued a revised decision which, as it is implemented over the next two years, should significantly restrict advertising to children
- A copy of the Ofcom decision is available in PDF format (196KB)
- The Ofcom assessment of impact on industry and population benefits is also available in PDF format (114KB)
New report from the USA on the sexualisation of girls
The American Psychological Association has released a report on the sexualisation of girls and women in advertising, merchandise and the media. They review research into the consequences for the health and development of girls
January 2007
Just out: Violent video games review
Do violent video games contribute to aggressive behaviour? In a newly published book (OUP), Craig Anderson, Doug Gentile and Katherine Buckley provide an overview of empirical research and add 3 new studies
Patricia Edgar : Marketing to children
Dr Patricia Edgar, former Director of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and founding Chair of the Children’s Program Committee of the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, strongly criticised the present state of children’s TV in Australia, and the growth of harmful marketing practices in a paper entitled Marketing to children: a time bomb.
December 2006
Professionals
speak out: Marketing harms children
Extract from (The Australian , Letters, 8/12/06)
:
The serious problem of marketing and media practices
that promote the early sexualisation of Australian children
was well explored in The Australia Institute's October
report “Corporate paedophilia”. The many letters to
the press, articles, and current affairs segments at
that time, showed that this problem is of serious concern
to many sections of the community. It is vital
for children's health and wellbeing that the issues remain
in the spotlight, and that appropriate and decisive action
be taken. The undersigned professionals, have worked
for many years in the fields of child health, welfare,
or media. We believe that the early sexualisation of
children has serious consequences for children's development
and psychological health...
For more information or to arrange an interview,
please call,
Dr Joe Tucci (Vic) on 0418 991 766,or
Dr Patricia Edgar (Vic) 03 9457 1441, or
Jane Roberts (WA) on 0410 509 685, or Dr Louise Newman (NSW) on
0418 453 447
October 2006
Too sexy, too
soon
Jane Roberts, President of Young Media Australia
(YMA), welcomed the report released by The
Australia Institute, Corporate
Paedophilia. She stated “The
Australia Institute report successfully documents, and
highlights the dangers of, directly targeting young
children in ways that sexualise them, a practice that
now occurs frequently in advertising (both print and
television), girls' magazines and television programs
including music video clips. Children are learning to
associate physical appearance and buying the right products
not only with being sexy but with being successful as
a person.”
For media coverage on this issue see:
Adult world must let girls be girls
To view the entire article, click on:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/10/09/1160246068431.html
Ads using 'sexy' children rapped
To view the entire article, click on:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/10/09/1160246071551.html
Retailers' fury at 'corporate pedophile' tag
To view the entire article, click on:
http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20553991-2702,00.html
September 2006
Colin Thiele dies
South Australian author Colin Thiele has died in Qld at the age
of 85. His many books have been much loved by Australian children
for several generations. Of particular interest to YMA are the films
that were made of his books. In the very early years of both the
SA Film Corp and the SA Council for Children’s Films and TV
( a forerunner to YMA), SA Council co-founder Eileen Sharman, and
member Barbara Biggins were asked by then SAFC Director Gil Brearley
if we could recommend books that would make good children’s
films. Our immediate choice was those of Colin Thiele.
In 1976, Storm Boy, a worldwide success, was made. This was followed
by Blue Fin, Fire in the Stone (ACTF), shorts Cigarettes and Matches
(Jerry Elder) and Gotcha, and the ABC TV miniseries Sun on the Stubble
(c 1986).
A life so well lived.
Media & Society: ACMA Tender
Request for tender: 06/ACMA008
Media and Society: National Community Research into the impact of
media on children, families and society
Closing time: 2.00pm October 3, 2006
Contact officer:
Margaret Cupitt
Research and Policy Officer
Strategic Research Section
Sector Analysis and Reporting Branch
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Tel: 02 9334 7861
Fax: 02 9334 7799
Email: margaret.cupitt@acma.gov.au
Video Games: Desensitisation
Research led by a pair of Iowa State University psychologists has
proven for the first time that exposure to violent video games can
desensitise individuals to real-life violence.
Nicholas Carnagey, an Iowa State psychology instructor and research
assistant, and ISU Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Anderson
collaborated on the study with Brad Bushman, a former Iowa State
psychology professor now at the University of Michigan, and Vrije
Universiteit, Amsterdam.
They authored a paper titled “The Effects of Video Game Violence
on Physiological Desensitisation to Real Life Violence,” which
was published in the current issue of the Journal of Experimental
Social Psychology. In this paper, the authors define desensitisation
to violence as “a reduction in emotion-related physiological
reactivity to real violence.”
Their paper reports that past research – including their own
studies – documents that exposure to violent video games increases
aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal and aggressive
behaviours, and decreases helpful behaviours. Previous studies also
fond that more than 85 percent of video games contain some violence,
and approximately half of video games include serious violent actions.
They conclude that the existing video game rating system, the content
of much entertainment media, and the marketing of those media combine
to produce “a powerful desensitisation intervention on a global
level.”
“It (marketing of video and game media) initially is packaged
in ways that are not too threatening, with cute cartoon-like characters,
a total absence of blood and gore, and other features that make
the overall experience a pleasant one” said Anderson. “That
arouses positive emotional reactions that are incongruent with normal
negative relations to violence. Older children consume increasingly
threatening and realistic violence, but the increases are gradual
and always in a way that is fun.
“In short, the modern entertainment media landscape could
accurately be described as an effective systematic violence desensitisation
tool,” he said. “Whether modern societies want this to
continue is largely a public policy question, not an exclusively
scientific one.”
A copy of the paper is available at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~vasser/pubs/06CAB.pdf
Age based classifications
the best
YMA has long argued that an age based classification system would
serve parents’ and children’s interests best when selecting
movies. The present classifications of G, PG and M, based as they
are around the suitability of movies and games for children ‘under
the age of 15 years’ is developmentally meaningless. YMA continues
to argue that these classifications should be replaced by G, G8+
and G13+, thereby providing a much more effective and useful guide.
For media coverage on this issue see:
Calls for overhaul of children's film content
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/09/25/1159036473085.html
Finding Nemo too scary, Christian groups call for ratings
review http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/09/25/1159036472203.html
Parents fed up with food
ads
Young Media Australia (YMA) today released the results of its 2005/
2006 survey of Australian parents. One of its main findings is that
parents believe food companies should stop tactics such as movie
tie-ins, and cartoon and celebrity endorsements to persuade children
to want fast, fatty sugary and salty foods. They are calling for
assistance from the Government in tightening up regulations and
promoting a more healthy media environment. The survey, which received
over 900 responses from parents of preschoolers, found that while
Mums decide what their preschoolers can watch most of the time,
preschoolers themselves are second most likely to do so, and on
Saturday mornings close to 30% of preschoolers are in control of
the remote. This is a problem in terms of food ads exposure, because
there is no suitable programming for preschoolers on non-commercial
free-to-air TV at this time.
Some other key findings include:
- 69.5% of parents said that their children had asked to buy food
as advertised on TV
- 87.2% of parents said that their children had asked to buy food
that has pictures of TV or movie characters on the packaging
- 82.5% of parents agreed fully or to some extent, that food companies
should stop selling unhealthy foods to their children through
food advertising
- 80.1% agreed fully or to some extent that the government should
put more controls on TV food advertising to children.
A copy of the YMA’s Full Report is available in PDF
Format (200KB)
August 2006
Characters sell to kids
An Australian study, published in Health Promotion International,
August 2006, shows that characters connected to children’s
entertainment are being used to sell food of low nutritional value,
to children. This NSW study (Chapman, K et al) focused on the use
of packaging promotions (eg cartoon characters, movie tie ins, competitions
etc) used on foods in supermarkets, which target children. The main
finding is that 82% of promotions are used on unhealthy foods and
only 18% are used to promote healthy foods.
View
Press Release
International Ratings Conference
International Ratings Conference
Ratings in the 21st Century - Community Standards in a Borderless
Marketplace
26 - 28 February 2007
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
The Classification Board is proud to host the International Ratings
Conference in Sydney in 2007.
The conference will be relevant for classification officials, film
industry representatives, computer game developers and producers,
mobile phone content developers and providers, broadcasters, members
of community interest groups, academics, social and market researchers,
professional bodies and students.
A primary focus of the conference will be the identification of
the impact an increasingly global marketplace has on film, games
and other consumable entertainment media.
Themes Include:
- Identification of current and forecast trends in the global
marketplace
- The place for local systems regulations in a global environment
- Classification of new and emerging content formats
- Attempts to define the ongoing business environment
- The nature of community standards in a diverse and increasingly
borderless world
- The latest trends in research relating to the impact of exposure
to film and computer game content
For more information or to register your interest please visit
the conference website on www.ratingsconference2007.com or contact the Conference Secretariat at info@ratingsconference2007.com
Get Superman out of the Supermarket
The Social Development Committee of the South Australian Parliament
was told today that parents are fed up with advertisers promoting
unhealthy food to their children. Over 900 parents expressed their
views in a survey conducted at the end of 2005 by the Australian
Council for Children and the Media, trading as Young Media Australia
(YMA). Elizabeth Handsley, Vice President of YMA, said “Parents
have clearly stated that they believe food companies should stop
tactics such as movie tie-ins, and cartoon and celebrity endorsements
to persuade children to want fast, fatty sugary and salty foods.
They are calling for assistance from the Government in tightening
up regulations and promoting a more healthy environment.”
Read the full YMA press release
July 2006
Fast foods and obesity inquiry
The Social Development Committee of the SA Government is calling
for submissions to its Inquiry into Fast Foods and Obesity by Friday
August 25.
The terms of reference include:
a) the recent trends into fast food and beverage consumption
in SA
b)the impact of fast foods on obesity and the health of South
Australians
c)the marketing of fast foods and its impact on particular groups,
especially children, and
d) the measures, including regulatory, which can be taken to reduce
any negative impact from fast foods at the Government, community,
corporate and family levels.
Further information can be obtained from Robyn Schutte
08 8237 9416 Or sdc@parliament.sa.gov.au
Online food ads to kids:
report
The Kaiser Family Foundation (US) has released the first comprehensive
analysis of the nature and scope of online food advertising to children to
help inform policymakers, advocates and industry experts. The
report, It's Child's Play: Advergaming and the Online Marketing
of Food to Children, found that more than eight out of ten (85%)
of the top food brands that target children through TV advertising
also use branded websites to market to children online.
This report was released at a forum on Wednesday, July 19, 2006,
in Washington, D.C., that included a roundtable discussion featuring
food industry leaders, government health officials and consumer
advocates
View
Full story
June 2006
Poor sleep linked to obesity
Several studies are now pointing to the link between poor sleep
quality/shortened hours of sleep, with obesity in childhood. Research
just published in the International
Journal of Obesity (2006) Vol. 30, 1080-85 by Chaput et al,
concludes that their study of 5-10 year old Canadian children showed
an inverse association between sleep duration and risk to develop
overweight/obesity.
This link has also been found by SA researcher Sarah Blunden. See Sydney Morning Herald 1/6/2006 ‘Reclaim the Night’.
Several studies now point to an adverse influence on sleep duration
and quality from adult TV content and long hours of TV viewing.
Free Filters for Internet
The Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, has announced
(21/6/06) that parents will be given free software that prevents
their children viewing offensive material on home computers. However,
it will be six months before the free software will be available.
This protection, however, is unlikely to help with the threat to
children in some chat rooms.
Parent education and information will be available via Netalert.
See The Australian (June 27, 2006) and The
Age.
226 minutes/day screen time
for 10-13 year olds
Tim Olds, Kate Ridley and Kim Dollman of the School of Health Sciences,
University of South Australia have published a survey of the multimedia
activities of 10-13 year old school children in SA.
They found that median screen time was 229 minutes per day. For
boys, the median was 264 minutes, and girls 196 minutes. 73% of
time was devoted to TV, 19% to video games and 6% to computer use
(not games).
The authors urge interventions to reduce screen time, encourage
earlier bedtimes and to focus on inactive boys in lower SES backgrounds.
Olds, T, Ridley K, Dollman J, “Screenieboppers and extreme
screenies: the place of screen time in the time budgets of 10-13
year old Australian children”, Australian and New Zealand Journal
of Public Health, 2006, vol. 30, No. 2, p.137
Food ads discussion for
SA parents
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PARENTS INVITED TO DISCUSSION GROUP ABOUT FOOD
ADVERTISING TO CHILDREN
All South Australian parents are invited to participate in an informal
discussion group about the effects of food advertising to children.
The discussion group is being run by the Children, Youth and Women’s
Health Service, Southern Adelaide Health Service and Flinders University.
The information gathered will be used to write a submission to the
Review of the TV Food Advertising Regulations. This is a great opportunity
to share your views and make your voice count on this important
issue.
When? Thursday July 27th 2006
Where? Glandore Community Centre, Glandore Building, 25 Naldera
St, Glandore.
RSVP by 20 July to Paula Nash on 8161 6152.
May 2006
The
Media Family: New Kaiser Foundation Report
Electronic media is a central focus of many very young children's
lives, used by parents to help manage busy schedules, keep the peace,
and facilitate family routines such as eating, relaxing, and falling
asleep, according to a new national study released on May 24, 2006
by the (US) Kaiser Family Foundation. Many parents also express
satisfaction with the educational benefits of TV and how it can
teach positive behaviors. The report, "The Media Family: Electronic
Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Their
Parents," is based on a national survey of 1,051 parents with children
age 6 months to 6 years old and a series of focus groups across
America.
According to the study, in a typical day more than eight in ten
(83%) children under the age of six use screen media, with those
children averaging about two hours a day (1:57). Media use increases
with age, from 61% of babies one year or younger who watch screen
media in a typical day (for an average of 1:20) to 90% of 4 to 6
year-olds (for an average of 2:03).
In many homes, parents have created an environment where the TV
is a nearly constant presence, from the living room to the dining
room and the bedroom. One in three (33%) children this age has a
TV in their bedroom (19% of children ages 1 year or younger, 29%
of children ages 2-3 years, and 43% of those ages 4-6 years). The
most common reasons parents give for putting a TV in their child's
bedroom is to free up other TVs in the house so the parent or other
family members can watch their own shows (55%), to keep the child
occupied so the parent can do things around the house (39%), to
help the child fall asleep (30%), and as a reward for good behavior
(26%). As one mother who participated in a focus group in Irvine,
CA said, "Media makes life easier. We're all happier. He isn't throwing
tantrums. I can get some work done."
A third (32%) of children this age live in homes where the television
is on all (13%) or most (19%) of the time and a similar proportion
(30%) live in homes where the TV is on during meals all (16%) or
most (14%) of the time. As a focus group mother from Columbus, OH
explained "The TV is on all the time. We have five TVs. At least
three of those are usually on -- her bedroom, the living room, and
my bedroom."
Children whose parents have established these heavy TV environments
spend more time watching than other children: for example, those
who live in households where the TV is on all or most of the time
spend an average of 25 minutes more per day watching TV (1:16 vs.
0:51), and those with a TV in their bedroom spend an average of
30 minutes more per day watching (1:19 vs. 0:49).
For more information, visit http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia052406pkg.cfm
New
Appointment to CRB
Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock announced the appointment of Ann
Stark as a member of the Classification Review Board
The Classification Review Board is responsible for reviewing Classification
Board decisions regarding film, publications and computer games
on behalf of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.
Ms Stark's appointment will bring child psychology expertise to
the Classification Review Board's deliberations and helps ensure
membership of the Classification Review Board is broadly representative
of the Australian community.
In making classification decisions, Classification Board and Classification
Review Board members are required to apply the Classification Act,
the National Classification Code and Classification Guidelines to
reflect as objectively as possible what are considered to be the
standards of reasonable adults in the community.
Ann Stark, 53, is a clinical psychologist and mother of two children,
residing in Hobart. Ms Stark currently works in private practice
specialising in family therapy. She has served as an expert reporter
in the Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court on issues relating
to the welfare of children, and lectures at the University of Tasmania
in counselling, family therapy and developmental issues. She has
extensive involvement in a number of community organisations.
"I am pleased that Ms Stark has agreed to serve on the Review Board,
particularly considering her many years of experience working as
a psychologist in the area of child welfare," Mr Ruddock said.
The appointment is effective immediately and will conclude in April
2009.
For further information, visit The
Office of Film and Literature Classification.
ACMA
to study impact of media on children
Last week’s Federal budget provided $200, 000 for a 12 month
review of research on the impact of media on children and families.
It is unclear at this stage what the precise brief for the
review is, but the project appears to be part of ACMA’s research
gathering for its review of the C and P standards announced late
last year.
For further information, visit http://www.parentsjury.org.au/tpj_news.asp?ContainerID=1864
The
2006 Little Big Shots - The Melbourne International Children's Film
Festival
Screening at ACMI from June 7-12, Little Big Shots is an inspiring,
meaningful and fun-filled festival of the best in Australian and
international children’s features, shorts, animations, documentaries
and, amazingly, child-produced films.
Perfect for children aged 5 to 15, Little Big Shots is all about
making kids laugh, whoop, think and create.
The festival runs over three school days and the June long weekend.
All Little Big Shots sessions are just $5, for everyone.
Bookings for the festival can be made in person at the ACMI box
office, by calling (03) 8663 2583 or online at acmi.net.au/ticketing.htm
For enquiries contact:
Marcella Bidinost on (03) 9697 9411 or marcella@littlebigshots.com.au
April 2006
Pressure
grows for action on food ads
The debate over the role of food advertising in influencing children’s
preferences increases with several articles in the Sydney Morning
Herald and The Age over the past week, incl those by Jo Chandler
and Julian Lee. See.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/04/28/1146198353436.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/04/28/1146198353439.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/05/02/1146335739915.html
March 2006
TV
and videogames: Major public health issue
A Special issue of Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2006 carries a thought provoking editorial by Dimitri Chistakis
and Frederick Zimmerman from University of Washington (Seattle,
USA). They claim that exposure can increase obesity, tobacco and
alcohol use, risky sexual behaviors, violence and social isolation.
"We're conducting a large uncontrolled experiment on our children
and waiting to see what the results will be" (Christakis).
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Vol. 160, 2006,
445-446
February 2006
SA
Young Filmmakers Award
Young Filmmaker's Human Rights Award: Call for Entries
The Minister for Youth is proud to announce the Young Filmmaker's
Human Rights Award.
Open to South Australians between the age of 12 and 25, entrants
are invited to submit a film that deals with human rights - either
from a youth perspective or detailing the impact human rights has
on young people.
First prize is $3000 cash with winners announced during the South
Australian Screen Awards held on April 21, 2006 by the Media Resource
Centre.
ENTRIES CLOSE: extended to Thursday March 9 2006
To download the entry form and guidelines visit the MRC
website
Contact Email: info@mrc.org.au
BTN
wins Awards
Two years after being axed, long-running children's television
program Behind The News has won two international awards.
The current affairs series was dropped by the ABC in September 2003
as part of a $26.1 million budget cut, angering many in the community.
Twelve months later it was reinstated into the ABC's 2005 schedule.
The series, which has been running for more than 30 years, has now
received international awards.
In Germany this week, the show's DVD How the News is Made won a Basel Karlsruhe Forum Contest Kids Jury Award, which was selected
by the kids' jury for the best school or youth TV program.
And at the 26th general conference of the Commonwealth Broadcasting
Association (CBA), held in Delhi last week, Behind The News received the highly commended award in the children's program category.
TV
time not linked to reading/active play
US researchers, Elizabeth Vandewater et al report, in Pediatrics
Vol 117(2) Feb 2006 pp181-191, that time spent in viewing television
by children in age range 0-10 years, both with and without parents
and siblings present, was strongly negatively related to time spent
interacting with parents or siblings. Further, among children aged
7-12, TV time was negatively linked with time spent doing homework,
and among children younger than 5, was negatively related to creative
play time. However, there was no relationship between TV time, and
time spent reading (or being read to) and time spent in active play.
January 2006
ACMA
to review Children's TV standards
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has decided to
undertake a full review of the Children’s Television Standards.
‘The objective of the children's television standards is to
ensure that children have access to a variety of quality television
programs made specifically for them’, said Lyn Maddock, Acting
ACMA Chair. ‘With the development of new media in recent years,
and the social changes that have accompanied that, ACMA wants to
ensure that children’s television needs are still being met
in the most appropriate way.’
Initially, ACMA will conduct a program of research in 2006 that
will inform the review and assist in the development of a discussion
paper. The discussion paper is expected to be released for public
comment later that year and its release will be widely advertised
at that time.
Violent
video games alter brain response
University of Missouri-Columbia researcher Bruce Bartholow has
found that those who play a lot of violent video games show diminished
brain response to images of real life violence, such as gun attacks,
but not to other emotionally disturbing pictures. The reduction
in response is correlated with aggressive behaviour. His work is
seen as going some way to demonstrate a causal link between playing
violent computer games and subsequent aggression.
The research is to be published in the Journal of Experimental Social
Psychology shortly. Brief report available at:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8449
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