Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Commercialism Corner

Commercialism Corner: Your one-stop shop for quick summaries and links to all the latest news about the commercialization of childhood.

Life Notes: Too Much, Too Soon for Kids – Susan Linn and Diane Levin discuss commercialism, sexualization and bullying--and why it's important to fight for change--in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/lifestyles/2011/may/01/tdflair04-how-parents-can-combat-the-effects-of-me-ar-1000642/

Obama Ducks Food Fight Over Children’s Ads – CCFC's Josh Golin tells SmartMoney that we need a way to enforce the new FTC food marketing standards if we hope for success. http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt/2011/05/02/obama-ducks-food-fight-over-children%E2%80%99s-ads/?mod=SMBlog

Marketing Food to Children – In this letter to the editor in response to the New York Times article on food marketing to kids, Corporate Accountability International’s director says Susan Linn has it right, and it’s time we demand the end of fast food marketing to kids. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/opinion/lweb02food.html

The Sad State of American Kids' Food Environments – This Time post describes the “toxic food environment” in which kids grow up. The author presents some ways to begin addressing the problem, including removing TVs from kids’ bedrooms to limit junk food ad exposure. http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/28/the-sad-state-of-american-kids-food-environments/

Kids Have Easy Access to Explicit Music But Have a Harder Time Getting Violent Video Games
– An FTC sting finds that while 13% of kids can buy an M-rated video game, 64% can buy music with a parental advisory. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/04/ftc-2011-sting-operation-music-retailers-is-worst-offender-but-games-were-most-compliant.html

Kids' 'Screen Time' Linked to Early Markers for Cardiovascular Disease – Here is a summary of the new study: “Six-year-olds who spent the most time watching television, using a computer or playing video games had narrower arteries in the back of their eyes — a marker of future cardiovascular risk, in a first-of-its-kind study reported in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.” http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-kids-screen-linked-early-markers.html

Media Multitasking? It’s More Like Multi-Distracting – Study finds multi-screen users are driven to distraction…and they have no idea. http://www.bc.edu/publications/chronicle/FeaturesNewsTopstories/2011/news/multitasking042811.html

1 comment:

  1. Anyone who buys tennis shoes for status, can be labelled, Sheep for the Media, and you help foster the use of media/commercial frenzy where recent events become violent. Look at the release of the new Michael Jordan tennis shoe. Doors were knocked down, pepper spray was used on consumers (you) and violence marred the release of a 'tennis shoe' ... are you understanding this! Its a 'tennis shoe', not a fantastic movie or a famous music star sighting. Its a 'tennis shoe'. Standing in line over night for a shoe, standing in line over night for an iphone? All of these are bizarre and imbalanced actions of media and commercials influencing you (the sheep) and you (the sheep) following like....guess what....'sheep'...stop the frenzy and get your priorities straight..>All is takes is a little thought and perhaps realizing that you are falling prey to a 'commercial' and for a product whose intention is to make more and more money. But hey, that's good old supply and demand...and you sure do give them the demand just by your actions. You have the power to stop the demand for absurd items that you DO NOT NEED. you may WANT, but do not NEED. This will reduce the shopping feeding frenzy, restore your self esteem and sense of self control, and with proper priorities you will show your children how to deal with issues in life with better and self-respecting priorities. Don't be a sheep.

    Posted by: Adrian Talon |

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