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August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
Previous months can be found in the Archives
August 2010
American Academy of Pediatrics: 'The media have become one of the leading sex educators in the U.S.'
In a policy statement released yesterday, the American Academy of Pediatrics weighs in on Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media, and calls for a national task force on children, adolescents, and the media, and advocates for comprehensive sex education.
Although much of the policy statement focuses on negative impacts of TV and media on the sexual behavior of children and teenagers – "more than 75% of prime-time programs contain sexual content, yet only 14% of sexual incidents mention any risks or responsibilities of sexual activity" – and increased sexual content and sexual suggestiveness in music, movies, television shows, teen magazines, the Internet, social networking web sites, and advertisements – lead author Victor C. Strasburger, MD also sees opportunity for positive impact, noting "The media can be powerful vehicles for sexual health education."
To read the policy statement, click on the link above.
Responses to our Election Survey
ACCM sent out a pre-election survey to the major parties - The Australian Labor Party, The Liberal Party, The Greens, The National Party and Family First. Questions read as following:
2010 ELECTION SURVEY: CHILDREN AND MEDIA
Can you please outline
- your party’s policy or position on each of the following issues, and
- with regard to each of these issues, the steps that your party intends to take, or would support, within the next three years
- The provision of evidence–based information and strategies for parents of young children which promotes positive media use and supports healthy development
- The sexualisation of children in and by the media
- The marketing of unhealthy foods to children
- The exposure of children to “glamorised” depictions of violence in all media
- The targeting of young children with promotions for M classified movies and programs
- The legalisation of R18+ level computer games
So far we have received responses from the ALP, the Coalition and Family First which can be read in PDF format:
July 2010
Schwarzenegger vs. violent games
The US Supreme Court is to decide whether free speech rights are more important than helping parents keep violent material away from children.The justices have agreed to consider reinstating California’s ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors, a law the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco threw out last year on grounds that it violated the constitutional rights of minors.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, said he was pleased the high court would review the appeals court decision, saying, "We have a responsibility to our kids and our communities to protect against the effects of games that depict ultra-violent actions, just as we already do with
movies".
In the amicus curiae brief filed to the Supreme Court this month, the State of California makes its argument about why it should be a crime to sell a child a very violent game. Much of the brief is about the research on violent video game effects.
Read the brief in PDF format
Read an article on this issue in PDF format by John P. Murray, Ph.D,
Research Fellow in Psychology,
Washington College; and
Emeritus Professor of Developmental Psychology School of Family Studies and Human Services Kansas State University. The article originally appeared in the newsletter of the American Psychological Association.
Media violence a factor in youth violence: New government report
On Friday 16 July 2010, the House Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth publicly launched its report on the inquiry into the impact of violence on young Australians entitled Avoid the Harm - Stay Calm. Two recommendations from the report are relevant to the issue of the contribution of media violence to increasing youth violence:
Recommendation 10 - "that the Attorney-General’s Department examine the need for change to current classification categories of film and TV in relation to violent content. Consideration should be given to the potential impacts on children and young people of exposure to media violence with a view to better aligning classification categories with key developmental stages occurring in childhood and adolescence".
This is something that ACCM has been advocating for some time.
Recommendation 11 - "that the Australian Communications and Media Authority establish a ‘Mediasmart’ website aimed at providing children, young people and their parents with up-to-date, comprehensive and age-appropriate information to assist them to make informed, discerning and responsible choices in relation to media content, including exposure to media violence".
The ACCM website on which you are reading this was set up with government funding to do just what is suggested in this recommendation. However, our organisation now struggles to maintain our website with no ongoing funding for website management. Surely it would be better to adequately fund and publicize an existing site, than to set up yet another site?
More information, including the full report
Excessive video gaming and television linked to attention problems
A study by psychologists at Iowa State University found that kids who exceeded the recommended two hours per day of screen time were 1 1/2 to two times more likely to have attention problems in the classroom.The researchers, whose paper is published in the journal Pediatrics, assessed elementary school children using reports from parents and kids about their video game and television habits, as well as teacher reports of attention problems. College students provided self-reports of total screen time and attention problems. The associations of screen media and attention problems were similar across media type (television or video games) and age (middle childhood or late adolescent/early adult).
Swing, E., Gentile, D. A., Anderson, C. A., & Walsh, D. A. (2010). Television and video game exposure and the development of attention problems. Pediatrics, 126, 214-221.
June 2010
Parents need to catch up on internet use
A new international survey shows that two-thirds of Australian children have had bad interactions online, including exposure to nudity, violence, cyber predators and cyber bullying.
The Norton Online Family Report has taken a snapshot of the online habits of 7000 adults and 2800 children across 14 countries. It investigated knowledge gaps between children and parents, online codes of conduct, and perceived digital dangers and experiences. Global findings reveal 60 per cent of children have had negative online experiences, from exposure to nudity and violence, to having a stranger try to meet them in person.
Of the Australian children surveyed, 63 per cent said they’d had negative experiences online, varying from exposure to nudity and violence to strangers approaching them on social networking sites. Nearly a quarter of Australian children have been exposed to nudity or violence and almost one in 10 have been subjected to cyber bullying.
Despite the survey figures for Australian children, only 6 per cent of parents thought their children might have been bullied online, while just 11 per cent thought they might have been exposed to violence or nudity. 25 per cent of children said their parents had no idea what they did online.
Read the report in PDF format
ACCM patron Susan Greenfield touring Australia
Baroness Susan Greenfield has been named as the 2010 Australian Society for Medical Research medallist. The medal is awarded each year to a distinguished individual in the medical research community for their scientific achievements and for their advocacy in raising awareness of medical research. She will speak at gala dinners in all Australian state capitals and give a televised address at the National Press Club on June 9 when she is to be presented with the ASMR medal. More details
May 2010
New research - Long term risks of early television exposure
A study from child experts at the Université de Montréal, the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center and the University of Michigan, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, has found that television exposure at age two forecasts negative consequences for kids, ranging from poor school adjustment to unhealthy habits.
“We found every additional hour of TV exposure among toddlers corresponded to a future decrease in classroom engagement and success at math, increased victimization by classmates, have a more sedentary lifestyle, higher consumption of junk food and, ultimately, higher body mass index,” says lead author Dr. Linda S. Pagani, a psychosocial professor at the Université de Montréal and researcher at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center.
The goal of the study was to determine the impact of TV exposure at age 2 on future academic success, lifestyle choices and general well being among children. “Between the ages of two and four, even incremental exposure to television delayed development,” says Dr. Pagani. More information
Classification Board warns parents to note consumer advice about Robin Hood
The Classification Board classified the forthcoming film Robin Hood M (Mature) with consumer advice for ‘Violence and infrequent sexual references’. The Director of the Classification Board, Donald McDonald, has reminded consumers that they should be aware that films classified M are not recommended for persons under 15 years of age.
Mr McDonald once again urges all consumers to pay close attention to the consumer advice provided by the Board. By law, the Classification Board must include consumer advice when it classifies a film or computer game higher than G to assist viewers or players make informed choices for themselves or those in their care. “The consumer advice for this film should be considered, particularly by parents, before determining whether this film is appropriate” Mr McDonald said.
The full media release is available on the Classification Board website
March 2010
Classification Board warns parents about Kick-Ass
The Classification Board has classified the Kick-Ass MA 15+ (Mature Accompanied) with consumer advice for ‘Strong violence, coarse language and sexual references’. The Director of the Classification Board, Donald McDonald, has reminded consumers that they should be aware that films classified MA 15+ are considered unsuitable for persons under 15 years of age.
“Kick-Ass contains violence, coarse language and sexual references that are all strong in impact” Mr McDonald said.
“As one of the main characters in this film is a 12 year old girl, parents may be mistaken in thinking this is a film suitable for children. It is not suitable for persons under the age of 15 years.”
Read the full media release on the Classification Board website.
Under 12s: be wary of Wonderland
The Classification Board has classified the forthcoming film Alice in Wonderland as PG (Parental Guidance) with consumer advice of ‘Fantasy violence and scary scenes’. The Director of the Classification Board, Donald McDonald, has reminded consumers that they should be aware that films classified PG may contain material which some children find confusing or upsetting. For this reason, PG films are not recommended for viewing by persons under 15 without guidance from parents or guardians.
To read the full media release from the Classification Board click here
To read the ACCM Know before you go review of Alice in Wonderland on this website, click here
February 2010
House debate: sexualisation of girls in the media
Federal member for Kingston Amanda Rishworth has introduced her Private Member's Motion into the House on Monday evening 8 Feb. To date 4 other members have spoken on the motion and debate has been adjourned.
Full text and debate can be found at http://www.openaustralia.org/debates/?id=2010-02-08.118.2
January 2010
New report from Kaiser Foundation shows dramatic increase in children's media use
A national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that with technology allowing nearly 24-hour media access as children and teens go about their daily lives, the amount of time young people spend with entertainment media has risen dramatically, especially among minority youth. Today, 8-18 year-olds devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes (7:38) to using entertainment media across a typical day (more than 53 hours a week). And because they spend so much of that time 'media multitasking' (using more than one medium at a time), they actually manage to pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes (10:45) worth of media content into those 7½ hours.
Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds is the third in a series of large-scale, nationally representative surveys by the Foundation about young people's media use. It includes data from all three waves of the study (1999, 2004, and 2009), and is among the largest and most comprehensive publicly available sources of information about media use among American youth.
To read more and download the report go to http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm
December 2009
R18+ Classification for computer games discussion paper released
Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor today encouraged people to share their views
on whether an R 18+ classification category for computer games should be included in the
Australian National Classification Scheme.“I urge everyone with an interest in this issue to contribute to the discussion so the
Government can ensure all community views are considered,” Mr O’Connor said.
Mr O’Connor stressed that neither he nor the Government had formed a view on whether the
Classification Scheme should include an R18+ Classification for computer games
The discussion paper is available at www.ag.gov.au/gamesclassification.
November 2009
Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award for ACCM
The Australian Council on Children and the Media is to receive an award and Certificate of Merit for its project Choosing Fright-Free, Fight-free Media: a program for parents of young children in the Australian Crime and
Violence Prevention Awards for 2009. The program includes a DVD, A3 poster
and A4 flyer package to support and encourage parents to reduce exposure of under sevens to media violence. The program also includes the Know before you Go (KBYG) movie review service, which supplies parents with detailed information about the content of all new G, PG and some M movies, and an assessment of age suitability.
TV exposure and increases in aggression among 3 year olds
Manganello and Taylor writing in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine have found that three-year-old children exposed to more
TV, both directly and indirectly, are at increased risk for
exhibiting aggressive behavior. They suggest that further research is essential
to determine whether pediatric recommendations
concerning TV and children should include limits
for general household TV use as well as actual viewing by children.
Manganello, J & Taylor, C (2009) Television Exposure as a Risk Factor for Aggressive Behavior Among 3-Year-Old Children Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(11):1037-1045.
October 2009
Proposed National Strategy on Body Image released
The Minister for Youth, Kate Ellis, accepted an advisory report to help the Australian Government tackle negative body image on 27 October 2009.
The Proposed National Strategy on Body Image, which includes a voluntary Industry Code of Conduct, was developed by the National Advisory Group on Body Image established by Ms Ellis earlier this year.
To read more and download the report go to http://www.youth.gov.au/bodyimage.html
New study - High volume video gamers have more difficulty staying attentive
A new study by Iowa State psychologists Kira Bailey, Rob West and Craig Anderson has found that high volume action video game players -- those who play around 40 hours per week -- actually had more difficulty keeping focused on tasks requiring longer, more proactive attention than those who played video games less than a couple of hours a week.
Our thinking right now is the sort of real world effect that you might be seeing is that these are individuals who would really have difficulty trying to maintain their attention independently over time. So if they're engaged in some activity that doesn't really capture their attention -- like maybe a classroom lecture, or studying in a quiet space -- they're going to have difficulty maintaining attention on their own." Rob West
To see the Iowa State University news item about the study go to http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2009/oct/attention
To read about the study in the journal, Psychophysiology, go to http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122631858/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
New policy statements on children and the media from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Music, movies, television, and video games can have adverse effects on the behavior of children and teens, so pediatricians should find out what their patients watch and listen to, according to two policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics. To read these statements, click on the links below.
AAP "Policy statement -- Impact of music, music lyrics, and music videos on children and youth" Pediatrics 2009; 124: 1488-94.
AAP "Policy statement -- Media violence" Pediatrics 2009; 124: 1495-1503.
Get Up and Grow: Limit TV for under twos
Children should not be watching television until they turn two, and television time should be limited to an hour a day for children aged two to five according to new federal guidelines that warn that screen time can adversely affect language development and shorten children's attention span.
The recommendations are contained in the new Get Up and Grow guidelines for healthy eating and exercise in early childhood, devised by Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital as part of the federal government's anti-obesity drive.
To read a blog about the guidelines on the US based Center for Media and Child Health website go to http://cmch.typepad.com/cmch/ for October 26 2009.
To read an article about the guidelines by Natasha Bita in The Australian go to http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,26196393-601,00.html
To read an article in Brisbane's Courier Mail which includes links to relevant research, go to http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25076989-5018793,00.html
To read about the Get Up and Grow project on the Early Childhood Australia website go to http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/get_up_and_grow.html
To see the policy paper on which the TV viewing guidelines are based go to http://www.rch.org.au/emplibrary/ccch/PB_16_template_final_web.pdf
To read Patricia Edgar's article about this issue in The Age go to
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/childhood-policy-straight-out-of-fantasyland-20091019-h38f.html
To find out about the French ban on television for children under 3 go to http://ecochildsplay.blogspot.com/2009/09/french-ban-tv-for-children-under-three.html
Recent articles about the affects of screen time on young children include:
Zimmerman, F et al (2009) Teaching by listening: The importance of adult-child conversations to language development. Pediatrics, 124; pp342-349
Schmidt, M et al (2009) Television viewing in infancy and child cognition at 3 years of age in a US cohort. Pediatrics, 123, e370-375
Hastings, E. et al (2009) Young Children's Video/Computer Game Use: Relations with School Performance and Behavior. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30, 638-649.
Christakis, D (2009) The effects of infant media usage: what do we know and what should we
learn? Acta Paediatrica
Baroness Susan Greenfield in Adelaide
ACCM patron, Baroness Susan Greenfield is in Adelaide for the opening of RiAus, the first international affiliate of London's world renowned Royal Institution of Great Britain. Baroness Greenfield CBE is Director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. She will give a public lecture entitled A brain for life- The 21st century mind on Saturday 10 October at the Science Exchange, Exchange Place Adelaide.
To read more about the RiAus opening go to http://www.riaustralia.org.au/science/home.jsp
To read more about Susan Greenfield go to http://www.rigb.org/contentControl?action=displayContent&id=00000001145
To hear Susan Greenfield talking about The dangers of social networking on the ABC website go to http://www.abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2009/10/09/2709586.htm
Audio of a lecture given by Baroness Greenfield at the Royal Institution of Great Britain and entitled A brain for life: The 21st century mind can be found at http://www.rigb.org/contentControl?action=displayEvent&id=925
An article from The Australian last year quoted Susan Greenfield as saying,
"If we keep going the way we are, we will simply be letting our children sleepwalk into a new world (of technology) without even trying to understand the consequences .. I'm sure parents want to know how long in front of the screen, and at what age, does what, and I think governments owe it to their citizens to tell them these things." (Greenfield, S The Australian, 14 June 2008). To read more of this article, go to http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23858718-23289,00.html
To hear what Susan Greenfield had to say on the ABC Radio National All in the mind programme go to http://blogs.abc.net.au/allinthemind/2008/10/computers-and-y.html
September 2009
We need a New Deal for children - Don Edgar
Speaking at the ARACY Conference in Melbourne Don Edgar called for a "New Deal" for children to make them more central to public and private sector decision-making, including such disciplines as town planning.
He claimed that ways in which we are failing children include a "so-called Education Revolution which is disconnected from the greatest educator of all -- the mass media"
To read Don Edgar's speech go to http://114.76.100.85:8080/PatriciaEdgarAndDonEdgar/selectedarticles/sa_aracy0909.aspx
To read an article on this speech by Stephen Lunn in The Australian go to http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26068670-5013404,00.html
New survey - Australian parents' concerns about food ads
An article published in the latest Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health reports the results of a telephone survey of 400 parents on their views and concerns about food marketing to children.
Researchers including Bridget Kelly from the Cancer Council of NSW found that parents were most concerned about food being positioned at supermarket checkouts, and were less aware of food marketing to children through print, radio and premium offers. The majority of parents (91%) did not trust the industry to protect children from food marketing. Most parents
(81%) believed that the government should restrict the use of non-broadcast media marketing of unhealthy food to children.
To read the article in PDF format, click here.
August 2009
Free TV Code of Practice amendment
Free TV Australia is currently conducting a review of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.
The Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice covers matters prescribed in section 123 of the Broadcasting Services Act and other matters relating to program content that are of concern to the community including:
• Program classifications;
• Accuracy, fairness and respect for privacy in news and current affairs;
• Advertising time on television; and
• Placement of commercials and program promotions and complaints handling.
The closing date for public comment is 5pm on Friday 25 September 2009. For more details go to the free TV website at http://www.freetv.com.au/Content_Common/pg-2009-Code-Review.seo
May 2009
Mobile phones: Uses and abuses
Whether we like it or not mobile phones are becoming a greater part of children's lives at younger and younger ages. The following links provide a glimpse of recent information on this topic:
The NSW Commission for Children and Young People recently conducted a survey of children in years 6 and 9 about how mobile phones fit into their lives. Their report can be found at
http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/uploads/documents/ATC_MobileMe1.pdf
An article from The Age by Tom Reilly on the subject of children and mobile phone addiction can be found at
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/are-kids-becoming-phone-addicts/2009/04/25/1240684317712.html
The Great Cellphone Debate: What’s the Right Age? - an article from the US based organisation, Common Sense Media can be found at:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/great-cellphone-debate-what%E2%80%99s-right-age?utm_source=newsletter4.30.09&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feature2
The New South Wales Government has launched a campaign to warn parents and children about the dangers of sending suggestive or sexual images on mobile phones. A report about this on the ABC news website can be read at
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/03/2559287.htm
April 2009
The challenge of a children's channel
A designated children's channel now appears to be a certainty. In their response to the 2020 Summit, the federal Government states:
The Government is committed to supporting a dedicated ABC Children’s Channel. This will give all Australian children ready access to advertising-free, child-appropriate content to support the
development of our children, as discussed at the Summit. (P193)
To read an ABC news item on the subject go to:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/22/2549866.htm
To read an article on the subject by Paul Kalina in The Age, go to:
http://www.theage.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2009/04/01/1238261628098.html
In a letter to The Age Green Guide, ACCM Barbara Biggins wrote:
Dear Editor
Patricia Edgar, former Director of the Australian Children's TV Foundation, is right to call for a rethink on policy on children’s TV in the context of proposals for a digital children's channel (GG 2/4, 16/4)
Such a channel could well have value as a safe place for children to find programs specifically made for them.
However, it is by no means clear that sufficient funding will be made available so that content is created by those who really know and care about children, and is solely for their enjoyment and benefit. We don't need another channel that provides more outlets for commercialized and toy-linked programs.
So far as we are aware, no research has been done on the impact such a channel will have on family viewing patterns. Surely it is not in children’s interests for be banished to their bedrooms to watch their programs, while parents watch theirs elsewhere ?
Further, unless the government reaffirms commitment to child-friendly viewing on all channels at the times children are most likely to be watching, we are likely to see a dramatic dilution of such content and children will be the nett losers.
Whatever the patterns, there is a need for accompanying programs of support for parents about how much and when is healthy viewing. No proposal so far appears to have included such a plan.
Improved access to quality age-specific programming for children is much needed, but balancing this with what is beneficial for children and families overall needs much more thought.
The full government response to the 2020 Summit can be found at
http://www.australia2020.gov.au/docs/government_response/2020_summit_response_8_creative.pdf
Scientists speak out on mobile phone cancer link
According to an ABC
Lateline story
Over half the world now pays to have a mobile phone. But any research into a link between mobiles phones and brain cancer looks like 'unfinished business' especially with children. Some countries like France and even Finland, the home of Nokia, are changing policies on mobile phones and two leading Australian scientists have spoken out.
To read more go to the Lateline website http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2008/s2533725.htm
Parents Jury names cereal offenders
The Australian-based Parents Jury have investigated member nominations, and have named Nutri-Grain, Milo and Cocoa Bombs as the Cereal Offenders that are heavy on marketing spin and light on good nutrition.
They have also awarded a Badge of Honour to Weet-Bix Kids for being a healthy children’s cereal that does indeed live up to its marketing claims.
For more details see the website http://www.parentsjury.org.au/tpj_browse.asp?ContainerID=fdcereals
Watchmen: these superheroes aren't for the young
The movie Watchmen, currently showing in cinemas, is classified MA15+. This means it has strong content and is considered unsuitable for viewing by children under 15 years. The classification has legal force and persons under 15 years are not permitted to attend the film unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
ACCM cautions parents about taking their underage children to this very violent movie. Because of its superhero content and possible attraction for young boys, the ACCM has reviewed the film.Its child development consultant finds that
"The film Watchmen is not suitable for children under eighteen years of age.
It is a most explicitly brutal, graphically violent and psychologically disturbing film. It contains frequent and extreme graphic violence and blood and gore, mass murder, realistically simulated sex scenes and nudity, sexual assault, themes, child murder, coarse language, and some scary and gruesome images."
Examples include:
- One scene contains images of a pregnant woman (eights months) being ruthlessly and deliberately gunned down, we see her being shot and lying dead, with the gunman showing no signs of remorse.
- One scene contains images of boiling oil being poured over a man's head, we see his face melting and distorting from the extreme heat of the oil.
- One sequence has images of a crime scene with a blood covered bench top and a cupboard full of blood covered knives and meat cleavers. A very young girl's underwear is found along with burnt clothing in a furnace. We see several large vicious dogs fighting over the dismembered remains of a young girl; a half eaten leg bone with the girl's shoe still attached. The entire scene infers that a very young girl had been abused, murdered and dismembered with her remains fed to dogs.
- Sexual violence includes attempted violent rape
Even seasoned film critics have been scathing about the violence in the film.
The Australian's Evan Williams said, in part:
"The violence is sickening, but I think we are expected to enjoy it because the victims and perpetrators aren't ordinary mortals. They are superheroes who can withstand the most appalling physical abuse and recover to retaliate in kind. .."
"This violent, pretentious and incoherent film was reportedly made on a budget of $US120million ($185 million). It bears the trademarks of two key studios, Warner Bros and Paramount, that ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Zack Snyder's previous film was the Spartan battle saga, 300, also based on a graphic novel. I read the director's cut of Watchmen runs for more than three hours. Is this the future of cinema?" (The Weekend Australian, Review March 14)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25166101-15803,00.html
Parents wishing to read a more detailed review of this film can go to the US based Screen It site at
http://www.screenit.com/movies/2009/watchmen.html
March 2009
Use your government bonus to support a healthy media environment for children
Some of you may be wondering how best to invest your government “National Building and Jobs Plan” bonus (part of the “Rudd stimulus package”). Here’s a suggestion. Join the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM—incorporating Young Media Australia) and ask your friends and relatives to do the same. It only costs $55.00 for an annual membership. And/ or make a tax deductible donation. You will join the growing numbers of parents and professionals who understand that media issues are important for our children’s well-being, and help us to continue as we ‘strive for a media environment that supports the health, safety and wellbeing of Australian children’
For more details click here
Professor Craig Anderson in Australia
Internationally respected for his work on aggression and violent computer games, Distinguished Research Professor Craig Anderson of Iowa State University will be in Sydney on March 16. He will be interviewed on Nine’s Today show around 8am, and on ABC Radio National at 9.15am.
In Adelaide Prof Anderson can be heard on ABC 891 at 9.30am on March 19, and will meet with the Australian Council on Children and the Media (incorporating YMA) to discuss the push for R18+ games. At 12 noon on the same day he will be at the School of Education, Flinders University. His presentation, Video Game Effects on Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour will end at 1pm.
Fighting for our kids - public forum
The Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, holds a series of monthly public forums at the BMW Edge Theatre, Federation Square, Melbourne, with topics "on the public mind". Past guests have included Julie Gale and Noni Hazlehurst on the effects of raising children in a toxic society, Christine Nixon (outgoing VIC Police Chief Commissioner) on the challenges of leadership, Julian Burnside QC on human rights, and many more.
On Wednesday 11th of March at 7.30am, Dr Freier is hosting another topic centred around children's affairs: "Fighting for our Kids" with guests Dr Patricia Edgar and Professor Rob Moodie. There is a Q&A forum following the discussion of the panel, where members of the public are invited to participate by asking questions.
For further information contact:
Lek Koswig . Assistant to the Director
Anglican Media Melbourne
209 Flinders Lane
Melbourne, VIC 3000
p. 61 3 9653 4269
f. 61 3 9653 5237
lkoswig@melbourne.anglican.com.au
http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/
February 2009
Violent media stop us helping others - research report
Violent video games and movies make people numb to the pain and suffering of others, according to a research report published in the March 2009 issue of Psychological Science. The report details the findings of two studies conducted by University of Michigan professor Brad Bushman and Iowa State University professor Craig Anderson.
To read the media release about this report go to http://www.physorg.com/news154282508.html
To read the report in PDF format go to http://sitemaker.umich.edu/brad.bushman/files/ba09.pdf
Helping children cope with distressing images of bushfires
YMA urges parents to limit their children’s exposure to the dramatic footage being shown on TV news and current affairs programs of the bushfires in Victoria.
To read the YMA media release about this in PDF format click here
For more information go to the following topics
Or call the national freecall Young Media Australia Helpline (1800 700 357) which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For additional information, please visit the website www.parentingideas.com.au. Michael Grose, one of Australia’s leading parenting educators, has written a resource to assist parents to deal with helping their kids cope with the media coverage of this particular event.
Please note: If people want to make a contribution to the emergency and recovery efforts in Victoria, but are unsure how to do so, go to the Our Community website www.ourcommunity.com.au/bushfirehelp where a ‘one-stop-shop’ has been set up to describe the different ways we can help.
Safer Internet Day 10 February 2009
Safer Internet Day is an annual international event which aims to raise awareness about safe and responsible use of new technologies, To read more go to http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/sid.htm
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is marking Safer Internet Day 2009 with a series of internet safety events and activities across Australia. This year's activities focus on the international Safer Internet Day themes of cyberbullying and safe social networking. The full media release can be viewed at
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311614
January 2009
TV & video games increase the risk of depression in teens
US researchers have found that teenagers who spend a lot of time watching TV or playing video games are at higher risk of developing depression as young adults. Researchers looked at the viewing habits of 4142 healthy adolescents and followed them up seven years later, by which time 308 had developed depression. The study, published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, found that each additional hour of daily television viewing significantly increased the risk of depression.
A YMA spokesperson welcomed this research, saying that in childhood close links with parents and low links with media together promote good psychological health. High levels of viewing at any age, (exposing children to high levels of real-life violence and disturbing scenes), put children and teenagers at risk of developing a "mean and scary view of the world".
To read more about the research in the Sydney Morning Herald go to http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/03/1233423223262.html
The US press release about the study can be found at http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/548581/
New article - How should food advertising to children be regulated?
Handsley E, Mehta K, Coveney J, Nehmy C (2009) Regulatory axes on food advertising to children on television Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2009, 6:1 (22 January 2009)
This article describes and evaluates some of the criteria on the basis of which food advertising to children on television could be regulated, including controls that revolve around the type of television programme, the type of product, the target audience and the time of day. Each of these criteria potentially functions as a conceptual device or "axis" around which regulation rotates. The article considers examples from a variety of jurisdictions around the world, including Sweden and Quebec. The article argues that restrictions centring on the time of day when a substantial proportion of children are expected to be watching television are likely to be the easiest for consumers to understand, and the most effective in limiting children's exposure to advertising.
http://www.anzhealthpolicy.com/content/6/1/1/abstract
Previous months can be found in the Archives.
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