Advocacy Letter - Media Violence
Emily Jane Jose
1417 Inuit Trail, Mississauga
Ontario L5N 7R9 (647-970-2362)
The Honourable Leslie Hugo Von Schober
Member of the Provincial Parliament
Ontario, Canada
Dear MPP,
I am writing to you regarding the need for a specific policy or measure on media violence. Exposure to violence in media, including television, movies, music, and video games, represents a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents. Reported shootings in schools around the world are very alarming and should prompt us to action. Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed.
American children between 8 and 18 years of age spend an average of 6 hours and 21 minutes each day using entertainment media (television, commercial or self-recorded video, movies, video games, print, radio, recorded music, computers, and the Internet). Children between 0 and 6 years of age spend an average of almost 2 hours each day using screen media (television, movies, computers) (Rideout, VJ et al, 2003). Televisions are also commonly present in bedrooms, with 19% of infants, 29% of 2- to 3-year-olds, 43% of 4- to 6-year-olds, and 68% of children 8 years and older having a television in their bedrooms. The effects of having a television in a child's bedroom are only beginning to be studied, but the early indications are alarming. Children with a television in their bedroom increase their television-viewing time by approximately 1 hour per day (Roberts, DF et al, 2005). Their risk of obesity increases 31%, and their risk of smoking doubles. In addition, if children have a television in their bedroom, parents are less able to monitor what is seen; parents are less able to have consistent rules for children's media use; children participate in fewer alternative activities such as reading, hobbies, and games; and children perform more poorly in school (Borzekowski, DL et al, 2005).
A
1417 Inuit Trail, Mississauga
Ontario L5N 7R9 (647-970-2362)
The Honourable Leslie Hugo Von Schober
Member of the Provincial Parliament
Ontario, Canada
Dear MPP,
I am writing to you regarding the need for a specific policy or measure on media violence. Exposure to violence in media, including television, movies, music, and video games, represents a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents. Reported shootings in schools around the world are very alarming and should prompt us to action. Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed.
American children between 8 and 18 years of age spend an average of 6 hours and 21 minutes each day using entertainment media (television, commercial or self-recorded video, movies, video games, print, radio, recorded music, computers, and the Internet). Children between 0 and 6 years of age spend an average of almost 2 hours each day using screen media (television, movies, computers) (Rideout, VJ et al, 2003). Televisions are also commonly present in bedrooms, with 19% of infants, 29% of 2- to 3-year-olds, 43% of 4- to 6-year-olds, and 68% of children 8 years and older having a television in their bedrooms. The effects of having a television in a child's bedroom are only beginning to be studied, but the early indications are alarming. Children with a television in their bedroom increase their television-viewing time by approximately 1 hour per day (Roberts, DF et al, 2005). Their risk of obesity increases 31%, and their risk of smoking doubles. In addition, if children have a television in their bedroom, parents are less able to monitor what is seen; parents are less able to have consistent rules for children's media use; children participate in fewer alternative activities such as reading, hobbies, and games; and children perform more poorly in school (Borzekowski, DL et al, 2005).
A