small screen News Digest of Australian Council on Children and the Media (incorporating Young Media Australia) ISSN: 0817-8224 No. 261 Fedruary 2010 ACCM:”Media violence: it’s a trigger for researcher Dr David Bickham attended in youth violence”. Harvard comes to Australia person delivering a paper on “Media and Evidence supporting these claims was Flinders University Professor of Law, the development of the child: an ecological presented on March 1, to the House of Elizabeth Handsley, hosted the Harvard- perspective”. Academics from ACCM also Representatives Inquiry into the impact of Australia “Symposium on media use and contributed. children’s wellbeing” on March 18/9. A violence on young Australians) meeting in Symposium organisers say further meet- Sydney, by Dr Wayne Warburton, academ- cross disciplinary group of academics and researchers from the US and Australia met ings and seminars will be held to continue ic and psychologist , speaking on behalf of the dialogue. the Australian Council for Children and for 2 days of groundbreaking, lively and the Media (ACCM). profitable discussions which explored the insights and contributions that a range of New research: violent video game play The ACCM had argued in its written disciplines could offer to issues around does make more aggressive kids submission that healthy use of media by children. A new study published in the March 2010 “Repeated exposure to media vio- issue of the Psychological Bulletin, an lence raises the risks that viewers and American Psychological Association game players will be more likely to journal, reports that “exposure to vio- choose violence to solve conflicts, to lent video games is a causal risk fac- become desensitized to violence and the tor for increased aggressive thoughts suffering of others, and to become fear- and behavior, and decreased empa- ful about the world they live in. These thy and prosocial behavior in youths” conclusions are supported by reliable Lead author of the group of cross-nation- data from a range of research method- al researchers, Distinguished Prof Craig ologies Media violence is one contribu- Anderson of Iowa State University, said tor to real life violence, and one we can do and should do more about” “We can now say with utmost confidence that regardless of research method—that Dr Warburton told the Inquiry that “Given is experimental, correlational, or longi- the research evidence, it is reasonable to Dr David Bickham from the Center on Media & tudinal—and regardless of the cultures assume that with a high exposure to Child Health with Professor Elizabeth Handsley at tested in this study [East and West], you violent media, people will tend to incorpo- the symposium. get the same effects … and the effects are rate a growing number of aggression-related that exposure to violent video games in- concepts and aggressive scripts for creases the likelihood of aggressive be- behaviour in their brain’s neural network. Dr Michael Rich, Director of the Harvard havior in both short-term and long-term In addition, the number of triggers for University’s Center on Media and Child contexts. Such exposure also increases these concepts and scripts will increase and Health, and Dafna Lemish, visiting scholar aggressive thinking and aggressive become more generalised, so that in some at CMCH, participated by video link from affect, and decreases prosocial behavior.” cases something as simple and as general Boston (Dr Rich being prevented from ...... Continued on P8 as a minor insult could trigger a media- travelling by recent spinal surgery). Center learned aggressive response.”

He concluded that “Government policy decisions, as well as the decisions of media Growing Up Fast & Furious outlets, parents, and others responsible for 19 March 2010, Sydney NSW the development of our children, should be more based on what we know about Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear three leading international media effects, rather than on common researchers. misconceptions, loud minority views, or pressure from the industries that produce Professor L. Rowell Huesmann, Professor Ed Donnerstein, and Distinguished media.” His evidence was well received Research Professor Craig Anderson will discuss their recent research on by the inquiry team. media violence. They will be joined by Australians Professor Louise Newman Previous public hearings of the House Dr Wayne Warburton, Dr Cordelia Fine and Professor Elizabeth Handsley. Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth in relation to this Last chance to register for this conference! inquiry, have been held in Melbourne and Registrations close on 12 March 2010 Canberra, and more are planned. http://www.youngmedia.org.au http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ fchy/youthviolence/index.htm

MEDIA VIOLENCE A TRIGGER FOR NEW VIDEO GAME RESEARCH WHAT GOES ON IN THE BRAIN YOUTH VIOLENCE DURING A 3D MOVIE? EDITORIAL: 55.000 SUBMISSIONS HARVARD COMES TO AUSTRALIA TO R18+ INQUIRY NEW INTERNET SAFETY PROGRAM small screen February 2010 p2

EDITORIAL

R18+ inquiry gets 55,000 submissions: Have Gaming sites everywhere en- gamers shot themselves in the foot? couraged their members to vote no. 261 February 2010 Yes. We understand that many The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor submitters have not strictly small screen has announced that the inquiry into the legali- complied with the template, sation of R18+ level games has received 55,000 but that all comments re- Editor: Barbara Biggins OAM Barbara Biggins Compiler: Caroline Donald submissions. ceived in response to the OAM Editorial Board: Barbara Biggins, Discussion Paper will be consid- Hon CEO Jane Roberts, Judy Bundy, We can safely suggest that 54,900 of these might ered except those submitted anony- Elizabeth Handsley. be from gamers, hellbent on getting access to mously. On the other hand, there was no encour- R18+ games. agement at the site to send full submissions. small screen is published at the beginning of each month and Let’s think about how long it should take to proc- We told the Dept back in December that the reports on the events of the ess all of these. Just say it takes 10 mins to check release of this paper in mid December, was be- previous month 11 issues per the names (are they real or avatars?), and to enter year (Dec/Jan double issue) ing done at an inconvenient time of the year for each answer to the Inquiry template questions, Published by parents who would be busy with family related then the total time for processing is around 5 Australian Council on activities and pressures, holidays, and then get- person years! Depending on how many work- Children and the Media ting children settled back into school in February. ers the Govt is prepared to devote to the task, (ACCM) The deadline was Feb 28, but in our view these PO Box 447 it could be many months before the total out- were the worst 10 weeks of the year in which to Glenelg 5045 come is known. We thought gamers wanted a call for public discussion on an issue that can South Australia decision in a hurry! significantly affect children’s health and wellbe- [email protected] ing. www.youngmedia.org.au ACCM told the Classification Policy Branch of Tel: +61 8 8376 2111 the Attorney General’s Department back in De- And what will the government do with the Fax: +61 8 8376 2122 cember last year, that the Inquiry’s process lent results? We ask why the government thought it Helpline: 1800 700 357 itself to skewed results. The Inquiry website a good idea to turn an inquiry like this (which, if ACCM is a national, non-profit supplied a template for “voting” yes or no to the properly dealt with, has some issues of real con- community organisation. question “Should Australia have an R18+ classifi- cern) into a popularity contest? Its mission is to promote a cation for computer games?”. This was followed quality media environment for by a brief questionnaire designed to show why Australian children. respondents answered the way they did. No part of this publication may be reproduced without What goes on in the brain during a 3D movie? in a theatre, looking at a giant screen, wearing permission of the Editor. 3D glasses, swimming in surround sound, and Contributions are welcome. The following question and answer come from the processing the 24 images that flip by per second? “Ask the Mediatrician” section of the Center on Media Your brain dutifully processes those stimuli— and Child Health website where Dr. Michael Rich, the and does little else. In fact, your pre-frontal ACCM’s services are Director of the Center at Children’s Hospital Boston, cortex, which is involved in impulse control, supported by grants Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public future thinking, and moral choices, is basically Health answers questions from parents. from the inactivated in this process. That’s part of why you “get lost” in the movie. South Australian Question: I took my sons to see Avatar over Government vacation, and while I sat there with giant 3D These facts can make for an immersive movie glasses on, I wondered if scientists know anything experience, which can be quite enjoyable—and about whether 3D affects how children process also quite overwhelming. For children, the extra the experience of a movie? processing that their brains have to do may make them more vulnerable to the content. In other Answer: This question gets at the heart of what’s ACCM’s Web Page and words, if something in the movie would have interesting and exciting about three-dimensional Broadband access scared them in 2D, it will likely be even scarier in (3D) movies. They absolutely affect your are supported by its 3D. But children’s fear is an issue to consider with children’s experience of movie, much as they Internet Service Provider any movie, so read up on the movie’s content affect yours. Why? Because the more heavily the before you go, whether it’s 2D or 3D. brain is involved with sensory motor processing, Internode the less energy it has for other tasks. Something else worth mentioning is that many people experience nausea during a 3D movie. To understand why that’s true, look at something That’s because the signals that your brain is a certain distance from yourself with just one eye, receiving from your eyes say that you are moving and then the other; it will appear to move. That’s in relation to your immediate surroundings, but Publication and because you are constantly synthesizing the two your inner ear (in charge of balance) is saying printing of small screen different two-dimensional (2D) images from your that you’re not moving. If the nausea is not so two eyes into a single 3D image. The way a 3D is supported by bad that you’d avoid 3D movies all together, one movie works is that two separate 2D images are way to reduce these feelings during a 3D movie is projected onscreen at the same time. The glasses to close your eyes or look away from the screen. you wear block out one image or the other so that This will remove the competing stimuli and help each eye sees only what was designed for it to reorient you in actual space. see, which helps your brain combine them into one 3D image. To read this and other questions on the CMCH website go to So what does your brain do when you’re sitting http://cmch.typepad.com/mediatrician/ Clips ‘n’ Cuts small screen no. 261 February 2010

The Advertiser, 13 February 2010

Weekend Australian, 20-21 February 2010

The Advertiser, 6 February 2010 small screen February 2010 p4

The Advertiser, saweekend, 12 February 2010

The Australian, 9 February 2010 The Australian, 5 February 2010 small screen February 2010 p5

The Australian, 17 February 2010

Extract from article

The Australian, 10 February 2010

Weekend Australian, Review, 13-14 February 2010 small screen February 2010 p6

Weekend Australian, 20-21 February 2010

cont small screen February 2010 p7 NEW PUBLICATIONS

ADVERTISING Mathers, M; et al (2009) Anderson, Craig A. et al (2010) Thakor, MV & Goneau-Lessard, K (2009) Electronic media use and adolescent Violent video game effects on aggres- Development of a scale to measure health and well-being. sion, empathy, and prosocial behavior in skepticism of social advertising among Academic Pediatrics, Vol. 9, No. 5, Pp307- Eastern and Western countries: A meta- adolescents. 314 analytic review. Psychological Bulletin., Journal of Business Researchs, Vol. 62, No. Vol 136(2) 151-173. 12, Pp1342-1349 Russ, SA; et al (2009) Associations between media use and VIOLENCE Graydon, Shari (2010) health in US children. Manganello, JA; Taylor, CA (2009) Marketing pimps: A call to end media Academic Pediatrics, Vol. 9, No. 5, Pp300- Television exposure as a risk factor for exploitation. 306 aggressive behavior among 3-year-old Herizons, Winter 2010, Pp21-23 Henson, C; et al (2010) children. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Lingas, EO; et al (2009) Room for improvement: mixed portrayal Medicine, Vol. 163, No. 11, Pp1037-1045 Nutrition content of food and beverage of young people with mental illness on products on Web sites popular with Australian television news. Strenziok, M; et al (2009) children. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Lower lateral orbitofrontal cortex American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 99 Psychiatry, Epub ahead of print density associated with more frequent Suppl 3, Pp S587-S592 Buhi, ER; et al (2009) exposure to television and movie An observational study of how young violence in male adolescents. COMPUTERS & INTERNET people search for online sexual health Journal of Adolescent Health, DOI:10.1016/ Bell, D (2010) information. j.jadohealth.2009.11.196 Children and the Internet. Journal of american College Health, Vol. 58, British Journal of Educational Technology, No. 2, Pp101-111 Ybarra, ML; et al (2009) Vol. 41, No. 1, Pp144 Impact of asking sensitive questions about violence to children and MEDIA EFFECTS - SOCIAL Olagunju, Amos O (2009) adolescents. Abramson, MJ; et al (2009) Harmonizing the interests of Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 45, No. 5, Mobile telephone use is associated with free speech, obscenity, and child Pp499-507 changes in cognitive function in young pornography in cyberspace: The new adolescents. roles of parents, technology, and Ferguson, CJ; et al (2009) Bioelectromagnetics, Vol. 30, No. 8, Pp678- legislation for Internet safety. A multivariate analysis of youth 686 Scientific World Journal, Vol. 9, Pp1260- violence and aggression: The influence 1272 of family, peers, depression, and media Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; et al (2009) violence. Effect of electronic time monitors on Vanderbosch, H & van Cleemut, K (2009) Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 155, No. 6, Pp904- children’s television watching: Pilot Cyberbullying among youngsters: 908.e3 trial of a home-based intervention. profiles of bullies and victims. Preventive, Vol. 49, No. 5, Pp413-417 New Media & Society, Vol. 11, No. 8, Hoffner, Cynthia (2009) Pp1349-1371 Affective responses and exposure to Dorey, E; et al (2009) frightening films: The role of empathy Children and television watching: Schoenfeld, Elinor R; et al (2010) and different types of content. a qualitative study of New Zealand Using the Internet to educate Communication Research Reports, Vol. 26, parents’ perceptions and views. adolescents about osteoporosis: No. 4, Pp285-296 Child: Care, Health and Development, DOI: Application of a tailored web-education 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.01031.x system. Health Promotion Practice, Vol. 11, No. 1, Meizi, He; et al (2010) EVENTS Pp104-111 Screen-related sedentary behaviors: Children’s and parents’ attitudes, Kafai, Yasmin B (2010) motivations, and practices. World of whyville. Little Big Shots Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Games and Culture, Vol. 5, No. 1, Pp3-22 Vol. 42, No. 1, Pp17-25 International Film Festival MEDIA EFFECTS - HEALTH Fairclough, SJ; et al (2009) REGULATION for Kids Tickle, JJ; et al (2009) Associations between children’s Tobacco, alcohol, and other risk socioeconomic status, weight status, behaviors in film: How well do MPAA 9-14 June 2010 and sex, with screen-based sedentary ratings distinguish content? behaviors and sport participation. Journal of Health Communications, Vol. 14, International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Australian Centre for the No. 8, Pp300-306 Vol. 4, No. 4, Pp299-305 Moving Image (ACMI) and Liang, Tina; et al (2009) VIDEO GAMES ArtPlay, Melbourne Nutrition and body weights of Olson, CK; et al (2009) Canadian children watching television M-rated video games and aggressive http://www.littlebigshots.com.au/ and eating while watching television. or problem behavior among young Public Health Nutrition, Vol. 12, No. 12, adolescents. Applied Developmental Pp2457-2463 Science, Vol. 13, No. 4, Pp188-198 Membership rates $Aus (inc GST) AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND THE MEDIA Organisational Membership/Subscription Application National $210.00 Tax Invoice State $75.00 Individual $55.00 small screen subscription (for non-members) Name: ______In Australia $66.00 Organisation: ______Outside Australia $66.00 Address: ______New membership Renewal ______small screen subscription ______Donation (tax deductible $2 & over) ______Postcode:______Total

Fax: ______Payment by: cheque Email: ______credit card: Bankcard / Visa / Mastercard Expiry date: _____ Name on card: ______Donations to ACCM of $2 or more are tax deductible Card no: Tel: 61.8.8376.2111 Fax: 61.8.8376 2122 Helpline: 1800 700 357 l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l__l

Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.youngmedia.org.au Signature: ______

WORLD NEWS KIDS’ TV

New research; violent video game play does US website teaches “ad literacy” A selection of children’s programs screened on TV during the period make more aggressive kids The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ....continued from P1 the nation’s consumer protection agency, ABC 1 has launched a campaign to teach chil- Captain Flamingo; ; Sesame The research also included new lon- dren about advertising. The Admongo Street; Waybuloo; Baby Antonio’s gitudinal data which provided fur- campaign will help kids learn to ask three Circus; Play School; The WotWots; ther confirmation that playing - vio key critical thinking questions when they Chuggington; M.I. High; The Twisted lent video games is a causal risk encounter advertising: Whiskers Show; Planet Sketch; Escape factor for long-term harmful outcomes. From Scorpion Island; The Sleepover • Who is responsible for the ad? Club; Peppa Pig; Olivia; Grandpa In My The team used meta-analytic proce- • What is the ad actually saying? Pocket; The Super Hero Squad Show; dures—the statistical methods used to • What does the ad want me to do? analyse and combine results from previ- The Twisted Whiskers Show. ABC 2 ous, related literature—to test the effects The Admongo campaign features a game- Little Princess; Finley The Fire Engine; of violent video game play on the behav- based student website, information for Lunar Jim; Arthur; Wiggly Waffle; Zoo iors, thoughts and feelings of the indi- teachers and parents, sample ads for the Mix; Postman Pat; Franny’s Feet; Bob viduals, ranging from elementary school- classroom and a free curriculum. aged children to college undergraduates. The Builder; Waybuloo; The Magic Roundabout; Zigby; Tigga And Togga; http://www.admongo.gov/ Anderson, Craig A. et al (2010) Violent Pingu; Miffy And Friends; 64 Zoo Lane; video game effects on aggression,- em Captain Mack; Gazoon; Bibi Blocksberg. pathy, and prosocial behavior in Eastern Canadian site educates about “sexting” ABC 3 and Western countries: A meta-analytic A growing concern around the issue of ; Zombie Hotel; Edgar And Ellen; review. Psychological Bulletin., Vol 136(2) teen “sexting” - the sharing of nude photos CJ The DJ; Spliced!; Lizzie McGuire; 151-173. or sexual videos and chat by cellphone or Leon; Prank Patrol International; ; Jibber Jabber; Grossology; Gawayn; New internet safety program launched online. - has led to the launch of a website designed to teach young people about the Dragon Booster; BTN Extra; The Time Minister for Home Affairs Brendan safe use of text messaging. Compass; Michaela’s Wild Challenge; O’Connor has launched the ThinkUKnow Escape From Scorpion Island. program Australia wide at Ithaca Creek The website was set up by the Canadian NICKELODEON State School in Queensland, the first school Centre for Child Protection, in partnership ; Go, Diego, Go!; The to receive the presentation in Queensland. with Canadian Wireless Telecommunica- Swamp Creature; ; tions Association. It uses youthful graph- Spongebob Squarepants; Team ThinkUKnow Australia is an Australian ics and language to give teens information Umizoomi; Max and Ruby; The Fresh Federal Police (AFP) and Microsoft Aus- about all sorts of texting issues: unhealthy Beat Band; Ni Hao Kai-Lan; Drake and tralia initiative to educate parents, carers relationships, harassment, stress and try- Josh; iCarly; Brainsurge. and teachers about how to create a safe on- ing to determine when a line has been DISNEY CHANNEL line experience for today’s youth. crossed. Jonas; Cory in the House; The Emperor’s New School; A Kind of Magic; For further information on the ThinkU- The new website includes a Q & A page, As the Bell Rings; Wizards of Waverly Know initiative, to download free resourc- discussion and comment sections and in- Place; Phineas and Ferb; Sonny with a es or to register your school for a presenta- formation for teachers. It can be found at Chance; The Suite Life on Deck. tion, go to http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/ http://www.texted.ca