FAMILIES SHOULD DEVELOP MEDIA PLAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF MEDIA USAGE

Families Should Develop Media Plan to Take Control of Media Usage
New Report Offers 6-Point Strategy and Simple Techniques for Deciding What's Appropriate, When

Washington, DC---Families should develop a comprehensive media plan that will allow them to become savvy consumers who can take more control of their TV viewing, Internet and other media activities, according to a new report released today by National PTA and Cable in the Classroom.

The report, Navigating the Children's Media Landscape: A Parent's and Caregiver's Guide, by the American Institutes for Research, is a reference for parents and other primary caregivers to help them consider the effects media can have on their young children. It also offers realistic ideas and strategies to help parents and caregivers select and use media in ways appropriate for their children.

"We have long realized that, even more important than simply having the media and technology at your fingertips, is having the knowledge to use them wisely and effectively," said Peggy O'Brien, Ph.D., executive director of Cable in the Classroom.

For more than a decade, National PTA and Cable in the Classroom have collaborated to provide educational information and resources that help families take control of their TVs and other media. This report is part of Cable Puts You In Control, the cable industry's comprehensive multimedia educational campaign designed to help families better manage the flow of TV programming into their homes. [For more information, go to www.controlyourtv.org.]

According to the report, parents are often driven to make day-to-day media choices (which now include television, radio, newspapers, computers, Internet, computerized toys, video games, film, CDs, DVDs, phones, and PDAs) or to establish all-or-nothing policies. Parents can avoid hour-to-hour decision-making by creating a consistent and comprehensive strategy for their children's use of media.

"In this hectic world, with media changes and challenges coming at us thick and fast, it's understandable that the people responsible for raising and educating children – parents, teachers, caregivers, aunts, uncles, grandparents – often opt for the simplest possible way through the confusion," said O'Brien. "Many of us decide either to turn a blind eye to the potential educational benefit of media and demand that 'screen time' be off limits altogether, or we give up and make screen time limitless. There is a smarter and sounder solution."

As an alternative to blanket restrictions, ad hoc decisions, or unrestricted access to media (television, radio, newspapers, computers, internet, computerized toys, video games, film, CDs, DVDs), the report offers a consistent, balanced approach that ties media selection to a child's developmental stages. The approach is grounded in media literacy strategies to harness the best aspects of media and ensure that content and messages are appropriate to each child's capacity to process them.

"Despite sometimes challenging aspects, media can be powerful educational tools for our children if we understand the best way to use them," said Douglas Levin, principal author of the report and Senior Research Analyst at the American Institutes of Research. "But, as most parents will tell you, negotiating the media landscape can be downright daunting. The media literacy tools in this report give families a place to turn for help."

The report includes a guide that highlights each stage of a child's physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and linguistic development. The guide then links each stage to media strategies and recommends categories of choices that would be developmentally appropriate for each stage.

"With the various forms of media that children are exposed to each day, it can be difficult for parents to protect a child from inappropriate content without denying them the excellent learning opportunities that media can offer," said Linda Hodge, National PTA President. "With the help of this guide, concerned parents can make informed and thoughtful decisions about what media is appropriate for their child."
The report says that parents and caregivers should employ a comprehensive family media use strategy beginning with even the youngest children.

In developing a family media use strategy, parents and caregivers should:

• Identify your current family media practices;
• Consider the unique stages and needs of your children, using the developmental guide provided in the report;
• Educate yourself about the children's media landscape;
• Select media for your family with purpose;
• Encourage active, creative, and open-ended use of media; and
• Teach your children media literacy skills.
  "This is just the kind of information needed to help families make their own choices about responsible television viewing," said Robert Sachs, President & CEO, National Cable & Telecommunications Association. "With tools such as this one, the cable industry is furthering its commitment to educating consumers about media literacy, as well as parental control opportunities, to create a better media environment for our children."

For a copy of the report and more information on media literacy, go to: www.ciconline.org or see the attachment.