Center on Media and Child Health

March Newsletters: TV in Bedrooms and Techno Time-Outs

The monthly CMCH e-newsletters are now available for March.  To subscribe, see www.cmch.tv/newsletter.asp

• Parents' Issue
• Teachers' Issue
• Researchers' Issue

High-Tech Tots: Call for Book Chapters

Calling all media researchers!  The newest volume in the Research in Global Child Advocacy Series will be titled High-Tech Tots: Childhood in a Digital World. Editors Ilene R. Berson and Michael J. Berson have issued a Call for Chapters (click to download HighTechTots.pdf).  Proposals are due by May 15th. 

This volume will examine the interface between young children and information and communication technology (ICT) from a global perspective. There are three primary areas of emphasis:

• ICT as a teaching and learning tool across cultures and countries to promote the social and cognitive development of young children;
• Research on developmentally appropriate education on cybersafety and cybercitizenship; and
• Studies on the influence of digital technologies on young children, including exposure to inappropriate content and participation in online social networks.

TV Dinners

63% of homes have the television on during meals.  Research has shown a number of concerns about this practice such as:

• People eat more junk food and fewer fruits and vegetables while watching TV
• People eat more food while watching TV than while listening to music

Dr. Michael Rich, Director of CMCH, was interviewed for a podcast on this topic where he discusses what the research shows and explores options for parents.

Boston Regulating Video Games?

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure to limit the sales of violent video games to minors.  Several other states including Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Michigan and California, have attempted similar measures but have all been denied because of Constitutional conflicts.

Dr. Michael Rich, Director of CMCH, was interviewed for a newscast and a podcast on this topic.

Best Advice? Ban Bedroom TVs

An article in the NY Times suggests that children should not have TV sets in their bedrooms.  The author points out studies that have connected children having bedroom TVs with negative effects on sleep, overweight, smoking uptake, and school functioning.  The CMCH Database of Research contains 24 studies that have examined some aspect of having televisions in kids' bedrooms.

The article suggests that these effects are because parents simply are not sure what kinds of shows or how long their kids are watching on these private televisions.

The article also mentions new research by Epstein et al where researchers put monitors on household televisions, which resulted in a reduction of hours kids spent in front of the TV and a decrease in Body Mass Index.