chapter 12: media and children
Worldview of Media Directed at Children
•A homogeneous world •A stereotyped world •A violent world •An absolute world •A material world •A youthful world
Legal Definition of Indecency (electronic media)
•Any depiction or description of: •"sexual or excretory activities or organs" in a manner that is deemed •"patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium." •Doesn't have to meet 3-prong test for obscenity •Government intervention justified because of pervasiveness of radio/tv and its accessibility to children. •FCC allowed to impose sanctions on indecent speech or images, but not required to.
Legal Definition of Profanity (electronic media)
•FCC defines it as "language so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance." •Indecency's little cousin •In reality, not much legal difference between the two.
What about the government?
•Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates television and radio content.
AAP Recommendations, cont.
•For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media. •Make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health. •Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms. •Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.
American Academy of Pediatrics (Recommendations on Media Use for Children)
•For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. •For children 18 to 24 months choose high-quality programming, and watch it with the children to help them understand what they're seeing. •For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. •Co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
FCC Policies on TV Content for Children
•Limits commercial time during children's programming •10.5 minutes per hour for weekends •12 minutes per hour for weekdays •No paid advertising for merchandise tied into a program's characters during that program •Must broadcast minimum of 3 hours of educational programs per week for children
Current FCC Policy
•Obscenity: •prohibited on cable, satellite and broadcast TV and radio. •Indecency and profanity: •Prohibited on broadcast radio and TV between 6am and 10pm (basically to protect children) •No prohibition for cable or satellite because only available by subscription •Enforcement: •usually based on consumer complaints •FCC can revoke license, impose fine, or issue warning
Legal Definition of Obscenity
•Three-prong test: •The work depicts or describes "specified" sexual conduct in a patently offensive manner. •An average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interests. •The work lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific (SLAPS) value.
