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Taming the Tube:Effects of TV on

ChildrenDebbie Richardson, M.S.

Oklahoma Cooperative ExtensionChild Development Assistant Specialist

April 2005

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Television

News TV Shows Reality Shows Music Videos Commercials - $41.8 billion spent on

advertising in 2002 Sports Other – Movies, Cartoons, etc.

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The Age of Television

TV’s are larger, have more realistic color and images than ever

before

248 million TV sets in U.S. households

98% of households have at least one tv

Extreme Cable - access to dozens, even hundreds, of channels

and video movies – 1,937 broadcasting networks and stations

Violence and childhood obesity in the U.S. has increased

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The average American child:

Spends: 28 hours a week with TV 30 hours a week in a classroom 39 minutes a week talking one–on–one with a parent

By high school graduation: Spends18,000 hours in front of a TV set, and only

13,000 hours in a classroom Observes 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders

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The influence of media on children

Dramatically influences children at all ages.

Children are physically passive, yet mentally alert when watching TV.

Repetition – violence becomes so familiar that it becomes normal

Reduced boundaries between adult and child knowledge.

Both quantity and quality matter.

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Heavy viewers of TV

Kids watching 4 or more hours Kids watching 4 or more hours per day…per day… Put in less effort on school work Have poorer reading skills Play less well with friends Have fewer hobbies and activities More likely to be overweight

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Television & Child Development

Vulnerability in the younger years Importance of early nutrition and eating habits In early years children are sensitive to

stimulation and modeling, and cannot filter out the negative

Infants and toddlers need response and reinforced stimulation – two things TV cannot provide

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Television & Child Development

Walking, talking, & thinking are realized and learned through real interactions with people

Sensory, emotional, & physical deprivation and/or overstimulation can occur with television

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Birth to 18 months

Lights, color, and sound of the television are appealing

Can recognize characters but cannot understand content

Parent-child interaction during this time is crucial

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18 months to 3 years

By 3, most have a “favorite” program Children can begin extracting meaning

from what they watch Likely to imitate behaviors seen on TV Learn new words and language skills

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Three to Six Year Olds

Play is essential – experience is the teacher Exploration facilitates understanding how the

world works Television does not offer opportunities for

active play and interactive exploration Can recognize “good” and “bad” characters Most likely to act aggressively after watching

aggressive characters

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Six to Eight

TV time drops because of school attendance and activities

Usually want to watch non-educational television

Effects of media violence are especially critical in this time

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Nine to Twelve

Believe that what they see is a reflection of “real” life

Develop television heroes/role models Self-esteem & identity are influenced

greatly Critical age for television influence on

body image

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Effects on Body Image & Gender Identity

Boys– Violence is acceptable – Body dissatisfaction– Treatment of women

Girls– Ideal Weight & Image– Gender Roles – stereotypes– Effects on self-esteem

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Does the television still have hope? Government action

– The 1990 Children's Television Act was the first congressional act that specifically regulated children's television.

– Imposed an obligation on broadcasters to serve the educational and informational needs of children.

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Parental involvement– Attention to content and ratings– Regular communication about content– Limit setting & monitoring– Providing alternative activities

Educational programming– Children who regularly watch curriculum-education

based programs have better problem-solving skills, language abilities, and social skills.

– Examples of programs used in research proven to be beneficial

• Blue’s Clues, Dora the Explorer, Arthur, and Clifford

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Issues to be concerned about

Media violence and the affects on children and the society as a whole

Increasing rates of childhood obesity, contributed to television viewing

Likelihood of inappropriate content becoming more common instead of less

Busier lives which means less monitoring of television watching

Others?

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Tips for Taming the Tube

Avoid using TV as a babysitter Know what kids are watching Set guidelines about what they can watch Decide in advance what is “good TV” No TV during meals Encourage alternative activities Create a TV coupon system Have control of your own TV viewing – be a

role model

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Ratings & V-chips

Both are advances in improving childrens’ exposure to negative television

Both are now standard Similar v-chips are available for

DVD/VHS movies – language is taken out

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Ratings for audience appropriateness– TV-G– TV-PG– TV-14– TV-MA

Ratings for content– L – language– V – violence– AS – adult situations– N – nudity– S – Sexual Content

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Resources

Websites Books Initiatives/Advocacy TV-Turnoff Week,

– April 25 - May 1, 2005

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“This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that we humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise, it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great, perhaps decisive battle to be fought, against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television can be useful.”

Edward R. Murrow, Television Reporter