Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Media Issues

Where the Girls Aren't: in Kids' Films

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:07:43 -0500

The "G" in family movie ratings clearly doesn't stand for "girl-power." Researchers at the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Southern California studied 101 kids' flicks and found that male roles predominate: three of four characters are male, and fewer than one in three of speaking roles overall belongs to a female. There's evidence that exposure to television is a "significant and positive" predictor of sex role acceptance and attitudes among children and adults. The study was study sponsored by the nonprofit Dads and Daughters and its See Jane program.

Sex on TV: More Sex, Less Safety since 1998

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 15:24:01 -0600

About 70 percent of all network television shows contain some sexual content, showing an average of five sexual scenes per hour, and the number of scenes containing such content has increased 96 percent since 1998. The rate of references to safer sex issues is down slightly from 2002, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation report.

Not Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Anymore

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:58:11 -0500

Increased competition from kid-oriented cable networks like Nickelodeon and uncertainty about continued levels of public funding make these difficult times for the producers of children's programming at PBS. Rob Capriccioso spoke with some media experts about the challenge PBS faces, and how it can continue to provide top-notch educational programming.

Common Sense Media

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:05:36 -0600

Common Sense Media is the leading nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids� media lives. Our mission is to give parents, educators, and kids a choiceand a voice about the media they consume. We believe in sanity, not censorship. We provide trustworthy information, practicaltools, and a respected public voice that help create a healthier media environment for children and youth.

First Things First

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 10:46:38 -0600

Are today's teenagers indifferent to such keystone First Amendment rights as freedom of speech and freedom of the press? A recent report from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation raised concerns that they might be. Caitlin Johnson, however, isn't so sure.

The Future of the First Amendment

Mon, 07 Feb 2005 13:56:55 -0600

How important is a free press to a democracy anyway? Only about half of America's high school students think newspapers should be allowed to run stories without government approval. In a study funded by the Knight Foundation, researchers at the University of Connecticut questioned more than 100,000 high school students, nearly 8,000 teachers, and more than 500 administrators and principals. Nearly three-fourths of high school students either do not know how they feel about the First Amendment or admit they take it for granted, and more than one-third of students surveyed say the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees. The more students study the First Amendment, use news media in the classroom, and are involved in student journalism, the greater their appreciation of First Amendment rights.

Children Now says FCC Chairperson Should Make Protection of Children a

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 15:27:05 -0500

In the wake of Michael Powell's resignation, Children Now of California called on President Bush to appoint a new Federal Communications Committee (FCC) chairperson who will make protecting children's interests a top priority. Among the issues the new chair will face are determining whether digital broadcasters will be allowed to target children with interactive advertisements and collect personal

The Revised FCC Children's Television Rules

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 09:14:06 -0600

In exchange for use of the public airwaves, the Children's Television
Act of 1990 required that each television licensee offer programming to
serve the "educational and informational needs" of children. In the
years since, the FCC has clarified and added rules. The November 2004
revisions include changes to the "three-hour rule" that requires
stations to air three hours of specifically designed educational and

Media Tips for Nonprofits

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 13:42:22 -0600

Transcript of live chat (3/24/2004)

If you think that good work speaks for itself, think again. Every community-based organization could use the funding, potential allies, Board members or fresh volunteers that good publicity can bring. But good publicity doesn�t just happen�it takes careful planning and persistence.

News from Linda Ellerbee

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:54:55 -0500

After 11 years as the grown-up host of Nick News, Linda Ellerbee knows a lot about how to take on tough issues in ways that inform and engage kids. The long-time journalist shares her views with Rob Capriccioso.

Will Children Lose Out in Media Mergers?

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 17:57:50 -0600

New rules on media ownership approved by the Federal Communications Commission will allow more media mergers and acquisitions. Norris Dickard, director of public policy at the Benton Foundation, suggests children may be big losers in a deregulated media marketplace.

Why Media Ownership Matters to Kids

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:32:13 -0500

This spring, the Federal Communications Commission will decide whether to change regulations that limit corporations' ownership of mass media outlets. Eleven-year-old Natasha Kirtchuk thinks relaxing the rules would be bad for kids. But at a recent forum, Kirtchuk was told she was too young to speak. So here is what she would have said, from Children's Pressline in New York City.

Using Technology to Meet the Needs of Low-Income People

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 11:04:04 -0600

The Center on Law and Social Policy's 2002 report describes how legal services programs have used new technologies�including Web sites, e-mail, video conferencing and case management software�to inform and assist their clients. The report calls on the legal justice community to tackle such issues as Internet access, electronic consumer and government transactions, and infrastructure "redlining."

Helping Kids Interpret Media

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 14:59:37 -0600

The PBS Parents site has a new section, Growing with Media, where parents can get age-appropriate tips for monitoring computer time for preschoolers or using the Internet to best advantages for homework.

Children Now: Fall Colors

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 09:22:01 -0500

The "family hour" from 8 to 9 p.m. is the most popular time for children to watch television, yet it remains the least diverse of any prime time hour, according to the report. This sends a strong mess