Published on Thursday, November 14, 2002 by CommonDreams.org http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1114-02.htm by Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman Did you see the cover story of Newsweek magazine last week? The cover story is titled, "Why TV is Good for Kids." What are we to expect from Newsweek next week? Why Soda Pop is Good for Kids. Why Sedentary Living is Good for Kids. Why Obesity is Good for Kids. Some things are good for kids. Reading is good for kids. Love and caring is good for kids. Teaching is good for kids. Running, playing basketball and baseball and tennis and swimming are good for kids. But don't try and insult us by telling us that sitting in front of a TV is good for kids. Why, against all common sense, is Newsweek going to try and convince us that television is good for kids? Well, one reason might be: Newsweek is owned by the Washington Post Company, which owns a sprawling cable company and six broadcast stations around the country. Of course, nowhere in the article does Newsweek tell us this. And how does Newsweek try and convince us that TV is good for kids? They trot out an expert, Daniel Anderson, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, who claims that TV is good for kids. But what Newsweek doesn't tell us is Anderson is a paid consultant to a variety of television networks and advertising interests. His clients include: NBC, CBS, Universal Pictures, Sony, General Mills, the Leo Burnett ad agency, Nickelodeon and the National Association of Broadcasters. The article says that TV is a good thing because kids learn from television and parents are "looking for TV to help them do a better job of raising kids." But Frank Vespe, executive director of the TV TurnOff Network (www.tvturnoff.org), points out that the article misses a crucial issue: the average American school child spends more time in front of the television each year -- about 1,023 hours -- than in the classroom -- about 900 hours. "This amount of television -- more than twice what anyone thinks is a healthy amount -- has negative consequences for health, education, and family time," Vespe said. This amount of television watching actually hurts children. Vespe points to studies documenting how kids gain weight from watching TV, and that TV reinforces sex roles and stereotyping. Voracious TV-watching kids turn into voracious TV-watching adults. The average American watches four hours a day, 1460 hours a year, about two full months, 24 hours a day, every year. Newsweek did run a one-page counterpoint ("No It's Not") to its "TV Is Good for Kids" eight pager. The "No It's Not" counterarticle is written by a mom who points out that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children younger than two and a maximum of two hours a day of "screen time" -- TV, computers or videogames -- for older kids. We rang up the author of the "Why TV Is Good for Kids" article, Daniel McGinn. McGinn immediately points out that at the end of his article, he did write that the expert, Anderson, advised on a handful of television shows during their conception. "People who help create television shows get paid to do so," McGinn tells us. Well, yes, but Anderson gets paid to do much more. According to his own bio, Anderson has been paid by NBC and by General Mills to consult "on television viewing behavior." And he's been paid by the Leo Burnett ad agency to consult on "children's cognitive processing of television." That's a touch more than helping to "create television shows." We asked Newsweek's McGinn why he didn't inform his readers that Newsweek is owned by the Washington Post which owns a cable company and six broadcast news outlets. "Newsweek is owned by the Washington Post," he says. "I'm not sure what the Washington Post owns today." You mean you don't know that the Washington Post Company owns television outlets? It's right on the company's web site: WDIV in Detroit, KPRC in Houston, WPLG in Miami, WKMP in Orlando, KSAT in San Antonio and WJXT in Jacksonville. The Post also owns Cable ONE, the owner and operator of cable television systems serving subscribers across the country. Earlier, McGinn left a message on our machine saying he was willing to talk with us "at whatever length." At this point, though, McGinn decides the conversation has gone on long enough. "Who do you write for?" he asks. We tell him. "Have a great day, bud." And he hangs up.
oh lordy. are we gonna wage war on Harlequinn romance novels next? My kids watch PBS and Noggin(a Nickolodeon branch-station). On those channels they watch shows about learning, the alphabet, counting, dancing, art, moral lessons like cooperation and sharing. Another thing that I like, is that after 9-11, PBS's shows all dealt with things like fear and grief. Sesame Street had an episode where the store caught on fire and the NYC firefighters came and put it out. Then they helped Elmo deal with his fears about fire, danger, and all the excitement surrounding such things. A favorite of my daughters' is Dora the Explorer which asks for kids to be proactive...such as dancing to the music, pauses so they can answer questions and point to certain things. and my daughters dont vegetate...half the time they are caught up playing with their toys,Leap Pads, or looking at books. The TV becomes background noise...until a favorite song comes on and they dance and sing with it. The TV get's shut off at certain times and I make my kids go outside and play. Instead of bitching about the evils of TV...why not remedy in your household what the real issue is. Your kids wont watch all that much TV unless they have nothing else to do or if you actively force them to do something else. My kids play outside everyday unless their is inclement weather...they stay out there for atleast 2 or 3 hours...sometimes longer if the day is lovely...they eat outside,drink outside, a few times..they have even fallen asleep on a shady patch of grass for their naps. They love it. They have ample supplies of books and art items...I make sure my dining room has room for them to do projects. If the weather sucks, they have toy-stocked bedrooms or we get into the car and go somewhere. People use the TV as a baby-sitter or distraction so that they can do things. That's their fault not television's. blaming tv for fat,lazy,sheep-minded kids is like blaming alcohol or marijuana for addicts. You don't blame the substance or tool...you blame the abusers. Fat,lazy,sheep-minded kids come from lazy parents who dont wanna monitor or be active in what their kids do. TV in my household is a privelege, an educational tool, and a treat. If my kids break rules...they lose their treats. I wish parents would quit blaming everything else but themselves for how their kids learn,behave, and turn out as adults. You have alot of control in what your kids learn and do..whether you realize that or not.
Otter may I suggest a really good book to you? It is called parenting well in a media age. It's new and has really good information in it. I am reading it right now.
My brother and I have always had access to the TV. As Otter pointed out there are many educational programs for young children, and other less educational but otherwise harmless fun. Our parents were responsible about what we watched. Less so in recent years, but we are smart enough to handle it ourselves (being 15 and 18). We are perfectly healthy, intelligent individuals with a good balance between being regular TV viewers and slaves to the box. So I agree with Otter, TV is not necessarily an evil corrupting force. It just needs to be used appropriatly and montitored by intelligent responsible parents. Perhaps the problems have come because those kinds of parents are thin on the ground these days. Oh and TV doesn't make kids fat, feeding them c**p does. This is by no means unaviodable. Just don't buy that food and if they ask for it say no. You are the grown up here.
This was not intended to be a personal attack on anyone's parenting style. The real question. How can you expect parents to make educated decisions if they themselves are victims to the mis-information the media gives them. As parents we naturally depend on society to a certain degree to provide us with updated information that helps us make choices that have to do with the full spectrum of our lives, from parenting to our diet, etc. In this current age though, in an industry driven culture and a media age, we are learning we cannot always trust the information given to us by the media. Some people are realizing this, others are not. That's where I was intending to take this discussion. Come on. An 8 page article about why TV is good for kids, with the advice of a hired "expert" who only has one point of view and obvious conflicts of interest. No published counter point at all. The thread is titled "Why Newsweek is bad for kids" not Why TV is Bad for Kids. Cynical Otter, again it wasn't a personal attack on how you raise your kids. It sounds to me like you are very conscious of what is good for kids and what isn't. Your children are blessed to have such a mother. We have recently unplugged the television and put it out of sight. When it's not in the environment at all, its a lot easier for parents to get the crayon's out, or turn on the hose and make a mud puddle to play in. In response to your guys' responses though, I'd like to ask if you think that television is good for kids? If it is, is there a line drawn in the sand of when it's not good? How many hours a day is healthy compared to harmful? What is the criteria you base your evaluation of television shows on? Meaning, what qualities about a show make it ok for your children to view? Or not OK for that matter? Do you think the current media in our country serve your needs as a parent? How about your needs as a citizen to be actively involved in shaping the world coming from an informed mind? Just all questions I think about in my mind from time to time. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts. Much love, -BZ
lol.Sorry. I didnt take it as a personal attack..sorry if it seemed that way. I just get a bit disgruntled when I see things like this. It reminds me of the parents suing McDonald's because their kids are obese or burning Harry Potter books because they could teach the kids "pagan" beliefs. I'm just a member of the sect that choses to ignore what many would consider bad. My kids are only exposed to what I allow them to be...and if they are indeed exposed to something possibly detrimental, that's my fault and my responsibility to clean up the mess. If I buy my kids Burger King and my daughters get sick from the grease...I don't blame the fast food industry. I knowingly gave my child greasy food. Same with TV, while I monitor their watching, my youngest has gotten the remote and changed it to something less desireable for them to watch...and they have gotten scared.I don't blame the programming or the TV...I left the remote where she could get it and I wasnt watching her properly. I just see too many parents these days, passing the buck. Not that many parents on these forums do...most are 100% involved in everything concerning their kids...which is good.
I'm debating at the moment whether to take the television completely out of my household. Current events? Newspaper, Radio and the Internet. There seems to be more negative than positive results of television watching for children and adults. Read a book.
*sigh* Why is it that people seem to think that because something has negative attributes that it has no positive? There are good things about watching telivision. It can be educational. It shows people different places and kinds of life. And you know what? Sometimes, just sometimes, watching TV can be fun. I know there are other ways to learn and have fun, but there are other ways to talk to people than using a teliphone. Is that bad, too? The problems with TV aren't caused by watching TV at all, the problem is caused by watching TV constantly. So watching it once in awhile and then keeping it in the closet the rest of the time is just as good a solution as any.
to each his own but he wont not benefit from not having it. He may see some cartoons at someone elses house but at mine he's gonna be using his mind.
just because your parents do something does not make it right for you to do with yoru kids. Parents are too lazy to parent or to learn how to change for the better of their families
I agree that that the concept of television could be used for A LOT more benefit than it currently is. More scary than the television's airwaves, are the corporations that populate them. I'm still interested in the questions I posed earlier. Anyone want to share their input or do we want to just ignore these important questions?
i dont mean to sound condescending when i say this, so PLEASE no one think this at all. but nothing is inherently good or bad. TV can be good but it can also be used for bad. it depends on each individual situation. when i was a kid i watched a lot of tv (my opinion) but the shows i actually WATCHED & remembered was like the X files. i know i watched all those pbs shows & tgif shit, but none of it stuck b/c (this might be related) i had add. i would see one thing & then just keep thinking about that & ignore the next 2 hours of shows while i thought or i just got bored & read books. & back then, it was ok. today, i dont think i would want myself to do that b/c now i watch tv like i used to when i was younger (you know, when you are still naive) & i see exactly what is there. commericials annoy me, esp. ones that portray our american greed as soemthing "normal & funny" like the one about a car & a couple who kept waking up earlier & earlier to drive it to work. i felt sick b/c there MUST be someone who finds that funny when i see the selfishness & greed. it is my opinion a majority of shows are based on fucked up people (Becker) & thats the norm. SO SAD! my kids will watch entertainment, but it will be like MASH dvds & movies like shawshank redemption, men of honor, matrix series, etc. shows & movies w/ morals & values that i agree w/. oh & there is NO WAY IN HELL THAT MY KIDS WILL EVER WATCH MTV. so in the right enviroment w/ the right parenting & the right shows (you get my drift) tv can be used for good. unfortunately, evil corporations are using it for bad to spread their messages of hate & intolerance & greed & apathy, etc, etc. just be responsible parents & your kids will be fine! peace & love kim
