small screen News Digest of Australian Council on Children and the Media (trading as Young Media Australia) ISSN: 0817-8224 No. 250 February 2009 Kids free 2B Kids : double achievement “offensive or exploitative depictions in- NAME CHANGE FOR YMA Julie Gale, Kids Free 2B Kids founder and volving a person who is or who appears to The Board of the Australian Council on Director has been honoured in the 2009 be a child under 18 years”, which should Centre for Achievement for Women (CLW) rightly be RC? Children and the Media, which has used Awards for “raising awareness about the its registered business name “Young issue of the early sexualisation of children Julie, as did many other organizations, Media Australia” as its public name for in advertising and the media by creating a (such as the Australian Council on Chil- many years, has decided that it will now sustained public debate to shift perceptions dren and the Media) made a major sub- be known as the “Australian Council on that this issue is about the mental health of mission to the Senate Inquiry into the Children and the Media (incorporating children and young teens.” Julie founded inquiry into the sexualisation of children Young Media Australia). Kids free 2B Kids in early 2007. and young people in contemporary media, which reported way back in June 2008. In The role of the organisation will be the normal course of events, Governments unchanged, but the Board believes are supposed to provide a response to Par- that the change will provide increased liament within 3 months. So why the wait? understanding of the nature, function It could be interpreted that Senator Conroy, and role of the ACCM. Minister for Communications, who has carriage of these matters, believes there’s no hurry, because existing electronic com- munications regulation, and changes to the ACMA finds breaches AANA Code on Advertising to Children, The Australian Communications and Me- have fixed the problems? dia Authority has found that TCN Chan- nel Nine Pty Ltd breached the Commer- Craig Anderson in Australia cial Television Industry Code of Practice 2004 in a segment of National Nine News broadcast on 19 March 2008. The item dealt with changes to the baby bonus scheme proposed for parents with gambling and addiction problems. Active on many issues related to the early sexualisation of young girls, Julie has, over ACMA received a complaint that the li- the past few months, worked to alert poli- censee used racist overtones towards ticians and regulators about the content of Aboriginal people by using the term ‘dead- many R1 classified “teen porn” magazines. beat parents’ directly followed by footage of Aboriginal communities ACMA found These publications focus on the delights that the segment gave undue emphasis of sex with “young teens” while claim- to race in a number of ways, including ing that the models are all over 18 years connecting the opening ‘deadbeat par- (under18s cannot be used in such mags). ents’ with footage of Aboriginal com- Having found, in local delies, newsagents munities, using words conveying that and petrol stations, magazines that seemed Aboriginal people have drinking and incorrectly classified, Julie submitted them gambling problems and treating Aborigi- to the Classification Board. The Director of nal people in the footage less sensitively the Board has responded to her claim that Internationally respected for his work on than other parents featured in the item. many appeared to be breaking the law. He aggression and violent computer games, http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STAND- said that from over 30 issues of magazines Distinguished Research Professor Craig ARD/pc=PC_311643 labeled R1, the Board has found that 11 is- Anderson of Iowa State University will be sues should be Refused Classification (RC); in Sydney on March 16. He will be inter- ACMA also found that Channel Seven a further 4 issues contained R2 content and viewed on Nine’s Today show around 8am, Sydney Pty Ltd breached the same Code are now classed as unclassified. A further and on ABC Radio National at 9.15am. of Practice by failing to present factual 12 issues were found to be unclassified and material accurately in a segment broadcast were issued with call-in notices. None have In Adelaide Prof Anderson can be heard on during Today Tonight on 7 July 2006, and complied with the notice. ABC 891 at 9.30am on March 19, and will its associated promotions. meet with the Australian Council on Chil- So adults are having “freedom to see, hear dren and the Media to discuss the push for http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STAND- and read” but who’s policing the bit about R18+ games. ARD/pc=PC_311645

KF2BK : DOUBLE ACHIEVEMENT GUEST EDITORIAL: NEW NAME FOR YMA PATRICIA EDGAR ON ‘THE ABC’S CRAIG ANDERSON IN AUSTRALIA CYNICAL PROPOSAL FOR KIDS’ TV’ ACMA FINDS BREACHES small screen February 2009 p2

EDITORIAL

The ABC’s cynical proposal for Kids’ TV Some of the ingredients of a new service could no. 250 February 2009 Patricia Edgar include: - a virtual world – small screen The managing director of the ABC Mark Scott developed with sound Editor: Barbara Biggins OAM now says the ABC’s plan for an ad free kids’ educational principles; Compiler: Caroline Donald channel will help the government convince - an interactive games Editorial Board: Barbara Biggins, people to make the switch to digital television. platform with games; Jane Roberts, Judy Bundy, - a YouTube equivalent Elizabeth Handsley. History repeats itself. Children’s programming where kids post and small screen is published at the was used as the bait to entice the public to buy a exchange their own beginning of each month and television set in the first place. When the market productions; reports on the events of the was saturated with sets, Australian kids’ TV - a video library for previous month 11 issues per disappeared from the screens. Cable television kids to download and watch at their convenience year (Dec/Jan double issue) distributors used the same ploy. All-day kids’ including Australian drama series for all child Published by programming was promoted to help sell parents age groups.; Young Media Australia on cable services. - a major early childhood program to be PO Box 447 developed as an integrated resource alongside Glenelg 5045 Just what would the public get from this proposed the new national early childhood curriculum . South Australia channel? The ABC argues it would carry 50% [email protected] Australian content and no commercials (if you The ABC could be given responsibility for this www.youngmedia.org.au new service as an outcome of the review that is Tel: +61 8 8376 2111 disregard the promotions for merchandise and Fax: +61 8 8376 2122 ABC Enterprises). They claim new programming currently underway, with strict conditions for Helpline: 1800 700 357 would be produced. But program production is funding that require they meet the educational an expensive business and no quality children’s programming needs of the national curriculum YMA is a national, non-profit drama can now be made without overseas and children’s cultural needs through diverse community organisation. quality programming. Its mission is to promote a finance which carries editorial controls. quality media environment for Australian children. Nigel Pickard a prominent UK children’s Children spend half their leisure time with producer, was recently invited to Australia to media; they are learning values and skills but No part of this publication they are also wasting their brain power on may be reproduced without speak to Government in support of the ABC permission of the Editor. Digital Channel. As a business man he supported vacuous content which does little to stimulate the project and undoubtedly will be one of the first their development and creativity. Contributions are welcome. partners to line up with the ABC to co-produce programs. But he did point to the UK regulator, The Minister for Communication Policy Stephen Ofcom’s finding that first-release indigenous Conroy’s broadband plans, his digital revolution, programs by British producers amount to 1% of his oversight of ACMA, his review of the ABC are Young Media Australia’s transmission time on digital children’s channels. all as central to the education revolution as Julia services are supported All other programming is repeats and animation, Gillard’s and Kevin Rudd’s plans are for reform by a grant from the largely from the US. of the education system for early childhood. Media and education policy must come together The South Australian Australia and the ABC are not equipped to do under a coordinated government initiative for Attorney General’s better than the UK and the BBC. This proposed these issues to be resolved. Department digital channel is not a solution to contemporary Australian children’s media needs. Dr Patricia Edgar is the Chair of The World Summit on Media for Children Foundation Young Media Australia’s A complete rethink is needed. Children are and co-author of The New Child: In search of smarter grown-ups, Wilkinson Publishing, and Web Page and leading the digital revolution as they move away from television to spend more and more time with Television, Digital media & Children’s Learning: Broadband access games, the internet, peer to peer communication http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears/index. are supported by its and self-generated content on sites like YouTube html Internet Service Provider and Facebook.

Internode Government policy and funding initiatives Australians still spend more time with TV need to capitalize on the remarkable motivation than the Internet children have to engage with new media. Latest Roy Morgan Research figures show that Publication and The ABC as our public broadcaster should be TV remains the most-used medium, with Aus- printing of small screen leading innovation in children’s programming tralians spending on average 21.5 hours per is sponsored by a rather than taking an expedient course that week in front of their televisions. Radio remains donation from will leave Australia further behind in servicing the second most popular medium with people Nickelodeon children’s communication needs. listening for an average of 14.2 hours per week, while the Internet comes third with an average A new children’s media service could be of 10.7 hours per week. established to make a powerful contribution to the education, both formal and informal, of http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-re- Australian children. leases/2009/853/

Clips ‘n’ Cuts small screen no. 250 February 2009 small screen February 2009 p4 small screen February 2009 p5 small screen February 2009 p6 small screen February 2009 p7 NEW PUBLICATIONS

ADVERTISING Nixon, CL; et al (2008) video. Buijzen, M; et al (2008) Effectiveness of antismoking public Infant Behavior & Development, Vol. 31, No. Parent versus child reports of parental service announcements on children’s 4, Pp262-280 advertising mediation: Exploring the intent to smoke. meaning of agreement. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Vol. 22, INTERNET Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, No. 4, Pp496-503 ENIS (2008) December 2008, Pp509-525 Children on virtual worlds: What Vazquez, IA; et al (2008) parents should know. Isaksen, KJ; Roper, S (2008) Physical activity, sedentary leisure, European Network & Information Security The impact of branding on low-income short sleeping and childhood Agency www.enisa.europa.eu adolescents: A vicious cycle? overweight. Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 25, No. 11, Psicothema, Vol. 20, No. 4, Pp516-520 Hildmann, H; et al (2008) Pp1063-1087 A mobile phone based virtual pet to Hardy, LL; et al (2009) teach social norms and behavior to Handsley, Elizabeth; et al (2009) Sedentariness, small-screen recreation, children. Regulatory axes on food advertising to and fitness in youth. Digital 2008: Second IEEE international children on television American Journal of Preventive Medicine, conference on digital game and intelligent toy Australia & New Zealand Health Policy, Vol. Vol. 36, No. 2, Pp120-125 enhanced learning, proceedings, Pp15-17 6, No. 1. Radnitz, C; et al (2009) Trettin, LD; et al (2008) Palmer, Sue (2009) Food cues in children’s television Teaching teens to “Get net smart for Pink makes me see red! programs. good health”: Comparing interventions www.commercialfreechildhood.org/ Appetite, Vol. 52, No. 1, Pp230-233 for an Internet training program. news/2009/1/pinkmakesme.html Journal of the Medical Library Association, Thompson, JK (2009) Vol. 96, No. 4, Pp370-374 Glazer, A & Mitchell, J (2008) Special Issue: Mass media, body image, How parents are being misled: A and eating behaviors. MEDIA EFFECTS - EDUCATION campaign report on children’s food Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Skouteris, H & McHardy, K (2008) marketing. Vol. 28, No. 1, Pp127-132 Television viewing habits and time use British Heart Foundation, www.bhf.org.uk in Australian preschool children. MEDIA EFFECTS - SOCIAL Journal of Children & Media, Vol. 3, No. 1, Lopez, Marina F (2007) Pinkleton, BE; et al(2008) Pp80-89 Content analysis about toy’s Effects of a peer-led media literacy advertisement during Christmas curriculum on adolescents’ knowledge Barr, R & Wyss, N (2008) campaign. and attitudes toward sexual behavior Reenactment of televised content by Communicar, No. 29, Pp135-142 and media portrayals of sex. 2-year-olds: Toddlers use language Health Communication, Vol. 23, No. 5, learned from television to solve a Godoy, MDD (2007) Pp462-472 difficult imitation problem. The adolescent look: violence, sex and Infant Behavior & Development, Vol. 31, No. television. Espinar, E (2007) 4, Pp696-703 Communicar, No. 29, Pp182 Gender stereotypes in audiovisual products for children. VIOLENCE Karupaiah, Tilakavati; et al (2008) Communicar, No. 29, Pp129-134 Ferguson, Christopher J (2008) What’s on Malaysian television? A The school shooting/violent video survey on food advertising targeting August, K; et al (2007) game link: Causal relationship or moral children. Are you ready for the future of media? panic?. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, www.deloitte.com/us/realitycheck J. Investig. Psych. Offender Prof. Vol. 5, Vol. 17, No. 3, Pp483-491 Pp25-37 Hughes, Esther & Pople, Larissa (2006) Sargent, JD; et al (2009) Good childhood? A question for our Wittmann, M; et al (2008) Comparing the effects of entertainment times. How impulsiveness, trait anger, and media and tobacco marketing on youth www.goodchildhood.org.uk extracurricular activities might affect smoking. aggression in school children. Tobacco Control, Vol. 18, No. 1, Pp47-53 Carmona, JBR (2007) Personality & Individual Differences, Vol. 45, Children, TV and gender. Guide for No. 7, Pp618-623 COMPUTER & VIDEO GAMES the production of non-sexist content Cherney, Isabelle D (2008) programming for children. Ybarra, ML; et al (2008) Mom, let me play more computer Communicar, No. 29, Pp190 Linkages between Internet and other games: They improve my mental media violence with seriously violent rotation skills. Chandra, A, Martino, SC; et al (2008) behavior by youth. Sex Roles, Vol. 59, Pp776-786 Does watching sex on television predict Pediatrics, Vol. 122, No. 5, Pp929-937 teen pregnancy? Findings from a MEDIA EFFECTS - HEALTH national longitudinal survey of youth. Coyne, SM; et al (2008) Chapman, Simon (2008) Pediatrics, Vol. 122, No. 5, Pp1047-1054 Adolescent perceptions of indirect What should be done about smoking in forms of relational aggression: Sex of movies? Strouse, GA & Troseth, GL (2008) perpetrator effects. Tobacco Control, Vol. 17, No. 6, Pp363-367 “Don’t try this at home”: toddler’s Aggressive Behavior, Vol. 34, No. 6, imitation of new skills from people on Pp577-583 Membership rates $Aus (inc GST) YOUNG MEDIA AUSTRALIA 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 YMA 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

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WORLD NEWS ACMA reports There was overwhelming support (75%) ads, print media and on packaging about for the proposal that state governments what is best for their kids. ACMASphere for Feb 09 (p13) reports introduce catering guidelines food provi- on the 376 complaints to commercial TV sion at entertainment and sport venues Sophisticated marketing techniques are stations between July 08 and Sep 08. It’s used to manipulate parents into thinking striking to note that the largest number of http://parentsjury.org.au/tpj_browse.asp? that they are buying healthy food for their complaints (165) were about classification ContainerID=eatingout children. issues. Of these, 18 complaints related to commercials, 55 to light entertainment, 40 Violent media stop us helping others - For more information, go to http://www.bhf.org.uk/news_and_cam- to program promos, and 15 to reality shows. research report The next highest category of complaint (70) paigning/our_campaigns/food4thought_ campaign/food_marketing_report.aspx related to commercial placement. Violent video games and movies make people numb to the pain and suffering of http://www.acma.gov.au/ others, according to a research report pub- KIDS’ TV lished in the March 2009 issue of Psycholog- Healthy Menus, Healthy Venues ical Science. The report details the findings A selection of children’s programs screened Opinion Poll - Key Results of two studies conducted by University of Michigan professor Brad Bushman and on TV during the period In 2009, The Parents Jury is advocating Iowa State University professor Craig ABC for healthier food and drink options for Anderson. Miss BG; Captain Flamingo; Yo Gabba Gabba!; children at restaurants, cafes, family en- Thomas and Friends; Sesame Street; Play tertainment and sporting venues in their The report can be found at School; Bear in the Big Blue House; The Koala Healthy Menus, Healthy Venues campaign. http://sitemaker.umich.edu/brad.bush- Brothers; The Large Family; Young Dracula; man/files/ba09.pdf Serious Amazon; Chuggington; Parallax. A members’ poll in December 2008 found that 60% of respondents were dissatisfied Parents misled by food marketers SEVEN with the food available to children when Raggs; Go Go Stop; Larry the Lawn Mower. eating out of the home. They named cin- A report from the British Heart Foundation emas as the worst offenders for providing reveals how food manufacturers are using NINE unhealthy food to children, with swim- legal loopholes and playing on parent’s Hi-5; The shak. ming pools/recreation venues rated the fears and aspirations to market junk food second worst. for children. TEN Toasted TV; Puzzle Play; Totally wild; Viva Pinata. Nearly half of respondents said they avoid The report, which was prepared by The venues that don’t offer healthier options Food Commission on behalf of the BHF, NICKELODEON and when choosing a restaurant, parents is the first of its kind and investigates how Crush Night; True Jackson, VP; iCarly; prioritise healthy age-appropriate chil- children’s breakfast foods and lunchbox Wolverine; Naked Brothers Band; TEENick; dren’s options over the presence of play- snacks are marketed to parents Nick Podcasts; Nicktoons Network. ground facilities or speedy service. Marketers are sidestepping the regulations DISNEY CHANNEL Respondents are irritated most by a lack to advertise foods high in fat, salt and sug- Wizard of Waverly Place; The Emporer’s New of fresh made-to-order items at entertain- ar intended for children directly to parents. School; The Replacements; Cory in the House; As ment and sport venues and the emphasis Research confirmed that parents are being the Bell Rings. on cheap and unhealthy ‘value meals’ . bombarded with messages in television