small screen News Digest of Australian Council on Children and the Media (trading as Young Media Australia) ISSN: 0817-8224

No. 238 Dec 2007/Jan 2008 Managing the media: do parents find it Parents’ concerns about each type of media Virtual playgrounds for the young showed 30% had concerns about TV; 28% easy? re games and 24% about mobile use. Only According to Brooks Barnes, writing in According to a recently released report, 14% of parents thought TV had many posi- the New York Times, (http://www.ny- “The vast majority of parents say that their tive benefits, compared to 53% for the in- times.com/2007/12/31/business/31virtual. children’s television viewing, gaming, ternet, 20% for mobiles and 4% for games. html) some of the Web’s fastest growing internet use and mobile phone use is easy businesses are virtual worlds for children. to manage”. The full report can be found at: http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/ Although Second Life and other virtual This summary statement appears in the main/lib101058/media_and_society_re- worlds for adults have fallen short of com- Australian Communications and Media port_2007.pdf mercial expectations, children’s sites such Authority (ACMA) report Media and Commu- as Club Penguin and Webkinz are prov- nications in Australian Families 2007: report Activists unite against children’s ing much more popular. For example, of the Media and Society Project published in Club Penguin where members pay $5.95 a Sydney in December. The finding above channel month to care for penguin characters and was part of a community research project On 22 January 2008, The Sydney Morn- play with them, attracts seven times more in which 751 Australian families with chil- ing Herald published an article by traffic than Second Life. Money is made by dren 8-17 yrs were surveyed about their Patricia Edgar and Barbara Biggins which such sites through charging subscriptions use of, and attitudes to, media. argued that there are better ways to meet and fees for onsite activities and/or by children’s needs for relevant, quality and advertising. The broad finding above does not fit with non-exploitative media for children than the experience of organisations such as by spending $82million on a new Children’s entertainment companies, spot- Young Media Australia, especially in children’s digital TV channel. ting a business opportunity, are working relation to young children (the study did fast to develop new sites. These include not look at under 8s), and also given many The article received attention from a several sites based on Disney movies and parents’ concerns about the marketing as- number of sources. Jenny Buckland, Chief a string of worlds developed by Nickelo- sociated with all those media. Executive, Australian Children’s Televi- deon. Toy manufacturers such as Lego and The picture of “easy management” is not sion Foundation and Kim Dalton, direc- Mattel are also involved. so clear cut when the figures behind the tor of ABC Television responded to the summary are examined. article in a letter published in The Sydney The appeal of virtual worlds for children Morning Herald on 25 January, argu- includes the ability to be in charge of In relation to individual media, only 36% ing that as children all over the world decision making and shopping with digital of parents said TV was very easy to man- turn away from free-to-air television, money. age; 40% said the same in relation to mo- digital channels are “the future of home- bile phones, 39% for video games, and 37% grown, culturally relevant programs”. Parents and advocacy groups are becoming for the internet. Only when those parents The ScreenHub news bulletin (http:// increasingly concerned about the growth who found it “fairly easy” to manage www.screenhub.com.au) for 25 January of virtual worlds for increasingly younger media were added in, did the combined reported: children. Some sites are now aimed at pre- percentage rise to 65% of all parents. So schoolers, with pictures being used to con- around 35% of parents of children over 8 Patricia Edgar and Barbara Biggins are trol actions so that reading is not needed. yrs (assuming a small % of “no opinion”) the two most terrifying activists in child- Privacy and safety are a growing concern, found it fairly or very difficult to manage rens’ TV. Edgar is the legendary ex-leader although many companies have introduced media. Interestingly, that percentage rose of the ACTF, while Biggins runs a lobby controls which protect children. with family income. group from South Australia called Young Media Australia. They are incensed by the Nevetheless, exposure to advertising for When asked to rank which media were way that the ABC promotes merchandise on movies and other products, enticement to hardest to manage, 26% parents said TV, kids’ programs...... The ABC is unamused spend real money to participate on some 30% mobiles, 29% games and 32% inter- and reckons they are just plain wrong. sites and increasing screentime being net. spent by children in worlds constructed Links to the article and respons- Other findings of interest were that- par by the media and marketing industries are es, and more details of YMA’s ents were more likely to have rules about a considerable concern, according to the argument against a children’s digital the amount of time spent, or when, media Campaign for a Commercial Free channel can be found on the YMA website at were used (74% for TV and 64% for games) Childhood http://www.youngmedia.org.au/what- than about content, (45% had rules for TV http://www.commercialexploitation.org/ snew/inthenews.htm#jan08_02 content and 48% for games.)

MANAGING MEDIA EASY FOR PARENTS? EDITORIAL: ARCHBISHOP CALLS VIRTUAL PLAYGROUNDS FOR NATIONAL INQUIRY FOR THE YOUNG ACTIVISTS UNITE ON CHILDREN’S CHANNEL TV & HYPERTENSION GROWING UP IN A MATERIAL WORLD small screen Dec 07/Jan 08 p2

EDITORIAL Archbishop calls for national inquiry on consumerism and children

no. 238 Dec 07/Jan 08 Our guest editor is Dr Philip is extremely hard to resist, both by children Freier, the Anglican Archbishop and parents. Even the most careful parents small screen of Melbourne. This is an edited find it extremely difficult to steer their children Editor: Barbara Biggins OAM version of an article which was away from these unhealthy influences. Compiler: Caroline Donald published in The Age on 17 Editorial Board: Barbara Biggins, December 2007. There was much talk about the economy Jane Roberts, Judy Bundy, and economic management during the Elizabeth Handsley. Our society is far too lax about the widespread election campaign, but very little said about the kind of society we want to be. small screen is published at the exploitation of childhood and teenagers beginning of each month and through advertising and consumerist Rightly, there is a growing concern about reports on the events of the expectations that are resulting in serious climate change, but what about society change? previous month 11 issues per levels of depression among young people. year (Dec/Jan double issue) One barometer of the health of our Published by In the lead-up to the federal election, society is the mental health and wellbeing Young Media Australia I called for a national inquiry into this of our children and young people. All PO Box 447 disturbing situation, and now that our new the signs are that this is under threat. Glenelg 5045 Government is in place, I renew that call. South Australia Children have a right to their childhood, [email protected] I remind our national leaders that there has but we are stealing it, particularly because www.youngmedia.org.au been a fourfold increase in depression among our society encourages the media, the Tel: +61 8 8376 2111 young people in the past 30 years in this advertising world and the internet to Fax: +61 8 8376 2122 country, with an estimated 100,000 young Helpline: 1800 700 357 pressurise children and young people to be people now suffering depression. I am told that obsessed with body image, fashion and sex. YMA is a national, non-profit 20,000 prescriptions are written annually for community organisation. antidepressants for children and young people. We need a national inquiry because we need the Its mission is to promote a evidence not just to alert us to the problem - we quality media environment for As many as one in five are suffering from some know there is a problem - but to help us maximise Australian children. sort of eating disorder, with children as young the healthy nurture and training of young minds as 12 vomiting and fasting to lose weight. And No part of this publication from childhood to adulthood. We need to with what has been called the “pornification” may be reproduced without understand the causes behind what is happening permission of the Editor. of the public space, we have created a culture to our young people, and to understand what that is toxic to children, sexualising them before Contributions are welcome. we, as responsible adults, can do about it. they are physically or psychologically ready. The terms of reference must be far-reaching, In some suburbs, children are confronted daily because we need to investigate all the issues Young Media Australia’s by huge billboards advertising brothels as we anecdotally blame for the anxiety and services are supported they travel to and from school. As they watch depression suffered by our young people. For television, read newspapers or the advertising by grants from the a start, I would hope an inquiry would examine material that pours through the letterbox, they the way that advertisers are able to market The South Australian see endless idealised, airbrushed images that to children with seemingly little restriction. Attorney General’s project unrealistic body shape expectations. Department In the shops, they are tempted by make-up, Let’s all be concerned about the toxic effect underwear and clothes designed to convince of contemporary society on our children. and little girls that, long before they reach puberty, The Telstra Foundation they need to project themselves as “hot”. Dr Philip Freier Archbishop of Melbourne. All this creates a level of peer pressure that

Young Media Australia’s TV watching & hypertension Web Page and Acknowledging the strong link between tel- problem in view of the dangers of raised blood Broadband access evision viewing and obesity in children and pressure for cardiovascular health. are supported by its adolescents, researchers from the Univer- Internet Service Provider sity of California set out to identify whether The researchers do not identify any causal fac- TV watching is associated with hypertension tors, but suggest that food intake during TV Internode (elevated blood pressure) in obese children. watching, the types of foods advertised, a sed- entary lifestyle and psychological stress may A total of 546 subjects aged 4 to 17 years play a part. Publication and who were already being seen at pediat- printing of small screen ric centres for their obesity, were evaluated. The researchers suggest that the results of this is supported by a research indicate a need for increased physician donation from Children watching 2 to 4 hours of television dai- and parental compliance with AAP guidelines ly were two and a half times more likely to have for TV viewing. Nickelodeon elevated blood pressure than those watching less than 2 hours. Children watching 4 or more hours Pardee, P et al (2007) Television viewing & hy- were 3.3 times more likely to have elevated blood pertension in obese children. American Journal of pressure. This was seen as a serious Preventive Medicine, Vol. 33, No. 6, Pp439-443. Clips ‘n’ Cuts small screen no. 238 Dec 07/Jan 08 small screen Dec 07/ Jan 08 p4 small screen Dec 07/ Jan 08 p5 small screen Dec 07/ Jan 08 p6 small screen Dec 07/ Jan 08 p7 NEW PUBLICATIONS

ADVERTISING imitation from television by 6-to 18- idealization, and viewer aggression. month-olds. Sex Roles, Vol. 57, No. 9-10, Pp725-732 Te’Eni-Harari, T et al (2007) Developmental Science, Vol. 10, No. 6, Information processing of advertising Pp910-921 Barradas, DT et al (2007) among young people: the elaboration Parental influences on youth television likelihood as applied to youth. MEDIA EFFECTS - PHYSICAL viewing. Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 47, No. Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 151, No. 4, Pp369- 3, Pp326-340 Gomez, LF et al (2007) 373 Television viewing and its association ADVERTISING - FOOD with overweight in Columbian children: Ekstrom, K; Tufte, B (eds) (2007) results from the 2005 National Nutrition Children, media & consumption: On the Roberts, M et al (2007) Survey: A cross sectional study. edge. A thematic content analysis of International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition Nordicom. children’s food advertising. & Physical Activity, Vol. 4, No. 41, ARTN Liebau, C. P (2007) International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 26, 41 UT No. 3, Pp357-367 Prude: How the sex-obsessed culture damages girls (and America too!) Rosenberg, DE et al (2007) Delva, J et al (2007) Center Street Covariation of adolescent physical The epidemiology of overweight and activity and dietary behaviours over 12 related lifestyle behaviors. months. MEDIA EDUCATION American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 41, No. 5, Vol. 33, No. 4, Suppl. S, Pp S178-S186 Patten, CA et al (2007) Pp472-478 Frequency and type of use of a home- Powell, LM et al (2007) based, Internet intervention for Adolescent exposure to food advertising Zimmerman, FJ et al (2007) adolescent smoking cessation. on television. Associations between media viewing Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 41, No. 5, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and language development in children Pp437-443 Vol. 33, No. 4, Suppl. S, Pp S251-S256 under age 2 years. Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 151, No. 4, TELEVISION COMPUTERS & INTERNET Pp 364-368 Funnell, Anthony (2007) Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 41, No. 6, MEDIA EFFECTS - PSYCHOLOGICAL The state of children’s television. Suppl. S, Lei, L et al (2007) Transcript of radio program “Media Report” Williams, KR; Guerra, NG (2007) Adolescents’ paternal attachment and on ABC radio national 6 December, 2007 Prevalence and predictors of Internet Internet use. bullying. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, Vol. 10, No. 5, VIOLENCE Pp S14-S21 Pp633-639 Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 41, No. 6, Kowalski, RM; Limber, SP (2007) Lee, SJ; et al (2007) Suppl. S, Electronic bullying among middle Children’s Internet use in a family David-Ferdon, C; Hertz, MF (2007) school students. context: Influence on family Electronic media, violence, and Pp S22-S30 relationships and parental mediation. adolescents: An emerging public health Cyberpsychology & Behavior, Vol. 10, No. 5, Ybarra, ML et al (2007) problem. Pp640-644 Examining the overlap in Internet Pp S1-S5 harassment and school bullying: Chiou, WB et al (2007) Huesmann, LR (2007) Implications for school intervention. Adolescents’ reply intent for sexual The impact of electronic media violence: Pp S42-S50 disclosure in cyberspace: Gender Scientific theory and research. differences and effects of anonymity Agatston, PW et al (2007) Pp S6-S13 and topic intimacy. Students’ perspectives on cyber Cyberpsychology & Behavior, Vol. 10, No. 5, bullying. Worthen, MR (2007) Pp725-728 Pp S59-S60 Education policy implications from the expert panel on electronic media and Hofer, T et al (2007) youth violence. COMPUTER & VIDEO GAMES Infants’ perception of goal-directed Pp S61-S63 Walsh, David; Gentile, Douglas (2007) actions on video. 12th annual MediaWise video game British Journal of Developmental Psychology, Vol. 25, No. Part 3, Pp485-498 report card. CONFERENCES National Institute on Media and the Family, MEDIA EFFECTS - SOCIAL Dill, KE; Thill, KP (2007) Consuming Kids: Video game characters and the Peterson, SH et al (2007) socialization of gender roles: Young Images of sexual stereotypes in rap The Sexualization of Children people’s perceptions mirror sexist media videos and the health of African depictions. American female adolescents. & other Commercial Calamities Sex Roles, Vol. 57, No. 11-12, Pp 851-864 Journal of Women’s Health, Vol. 16, No. 8, Pp1157-1164 April 3-5, 2008 MEDIA EFFECTS - GENERAL Wheelock College, Boston , MA Greenwood, DN (2007) Barr, R et al (2007) Are female action heroes risky role http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org// Age-related changes in deferred models? 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WORLD NEWS

ASB research tests community which shows what it sees as an alarming • the popularity of the Internet, agreement decline in reading among teenage and combined with concerns about adult Americans despite progress in The Australian Advertising Standards safety reading ability at elementary schools. To Bureau claims that its recently published Read or Not To Read collates and analyzes NUT see their charter as an important research to determine whether its data from numerous sources to present a contribution to the current debate on the decisions are in line with community consistent picture of American reading. commercialisation of childhood which standards on advertising is a world first. sets out key measures to protect children Research with focus groups and an Findings include that Americans are from the damaging effects of this growing online survey indicated that most Board spending less time reading and that problem. decisions reflected prevailing community comprehension skills are declining. opinions. Teenagers and young adults spend less http://www.teachers.org.uk time reading than other age groups - There were two sections of the only 7-10 minutes per day as compared Code on which the Board and to 2-2.5 hours watching TV. Even when KIDS’ TV community opinion differed. reading occurs in this age group, other The community is more broadminded media are frequently used at the same A selection of children’s programs than the Board about “politically time and this multitasking suggests less screened on TV during the period incorrect “ statements when used with focussed engagement. humour. However, the community is ABC less broadminded than the Board in their These declines sre seen as having serious Sesame Street; Lunar Jim; Fifi and the attitude to sex, sexuality and nudity. civic, social, cultural and economic Flowertots; Peppa Pig; Play School; implications. Bambaloo; Oliver’s Adventures; Creature These findings will be taken into account Features; Chalk Zone; Atomic Betty; Kids in when making future decisions about http://www.arts.gov the Garden; Gerald McBoing Boing; Maisy; complaints. The Saddle Club; Pigeon Boy; Being Ian;The Growing up in a material world Koala Brothers’ Ebb and Flo; Planet Cook; http://www.adstandards.com.au/ The UK National Union of The Hydronauts; Albie. Teachers(NUT) has published a charter UK govt. advertising effects probe SEVEN on commercialisation entitled Growing up Raggs; Go Go Stop; Girl TV. As part of a 10-year plan for children, in a material world. This follows a survey NINE the UK government is launching an of young people aged 8-15 in May and Here’s Humphrey; The Shak. inquiry into the possible harmful effects June 2007. TEN of advertising on children. The inquiry, to Toasted TV; Puzzle Play; Totally Wild. be carried out by child psychologists and Findings from this survey included NICKELODEON academics will look at the cumulative • support for banning the sale of The Naked Brothers Band; Life with Derek; impact of advertising including effects unhealthy foods in schools All That; Avatar; The Angry Beavers; Ned’s such as sexualisation, alcohol and binge • concern about online marketing of Declassified; Zoey 101; Yu-Gi-Oh!; Magical drinking, anxiety and eating disorders. foods Do-Re-Mi; Mew Mew Power; The Fairly • a feeling that the advertising and Odd Parents. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/ marketing industry put too much CARTOON NETWORK childrensplan/ pressure on young people to look Camp Lazlo; Squirrel Boy; Codename: Kids perfect Next Door; What’s New, Scooby-Doo?; US reading decline national problem. • a prevalence of bullying of children Naruto; Ben 10; Dragon Bali Z; Teen Titans; The US based National Endowment who did not have the latest products for the Arts has published a new study The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.