1. Politics of Hope Community Mobilization Against the Risks of Violent Entertainment? Stephen Kline, Kym Stewart Shane Halasz Simon Fraser University

2. Goal of this project  We want to see if we can help make our children’s lives safer and healthier by reducing the risks associated with TV watching, Internet use and playing with video games

3. Media Risk Reduction Website  Show lessons for each week to be completed in the classroom.  Show results of surveys and projects completed by students.  Provide resources for parents, students and teachers. Including reviews of current TV programs, books and toys. Educational videos produced by SFU students

4. Risky World  High tech society = increased environmental risks  Not a matter of personal choice  The more we know the better we can control them

5. Risks to health and well-being

6. Lifestyle risks  Voluntary Therefore governments are reluctant to regulate Therefore it falls upon parental consumer

7. Risk associated with new media  Began with the diffusion of TV after WWII  Window onto the world of knowledge  Vast wasteland

8. Health and safety risks associated with media  Sitting in front of a computer leads to a increased Risk of heart attack  Pokemon cartoon leading to Epileptic seizures

9. Costs and benefits  Homework  Surfing pornography  Cyber-stalking  Email bullying

10. 3 lifestyle risks  Risk to Education Poor grades  Risk to Health Lack of fitness  Risk of aggression and anti-social behaviour Bullying, being bullied, fighting, lack of social skills

11. Risks to education  Poor reading  Lower grades  Complex factors Child’s intelligence Family support Home environment

12. YRSB Reading Statistics  ‘A’ Students 31.3% were light viewers 17.1% were heavy viewers  ‘C’ Students 28.9% were light viewers 42.3% were heavy viewers

13. Risk to health  Obesity is higher among heavy TV viewers  Especially girls

14. YSRB obesity statistics  Overweight children 15.2% were light viewers 24.5% were heavy viewers

15. Correlation between media and obesity  exposed to more snack food and fast food commercials  tend to give up active leisure activities

16. Perpetual Media Panic: Kids Killing Kids

17. missing the mark! School shootings are 1% of all child killings 17,000 dying in car accidents 30% obesity rate

18. Surgeon General  “ Americans cannot afford to become complacent. Even though youth violence is less lethal today than it was in 1993, the percentage of adolescents involved in violent behavior remains alarmingly high”

19. Not just an American problem  2001 OSDUS Mental Health Report 12% of students reported assaulting someone during last year 10% reported carrying a weapon to school 25% of students were bullied at school 32% reported bullying others

20. Provincial Satisfaction Surveys Grade 4 Students  “At school, are you bullied, teased or picked on?” 16% ‘sometimes’ 13% ‘many time to all the time’  “Do you feel safe at school?” 10% ‘sometimes’ 4% ‘few time to at no time’

21. 7% solution; why focus on the relationship between media and violence  Light viewers 30.5 % aggressive  Heavy viewers 37.7% aggressive  Accounts for 1,700,000 fights

22. Debate  50 year debate Media industries – “No causal relationship” Kids know between fiction and reality Still children are exposed to 8,000 deaths and 100,000 violent acts by the time they reach 12 years of age.

23. Canadian studies  Media Quotient 57% of parents see their kids are being affected  Media Watch 70% of parents said media violence was their highest priority

24. Regulations

25. Adapting Tom Robinson’s Media Risk Reduction Strategy  Logic: If the more they watch the more they are at risk…Then ‘reducing the amount kids watch should reduce aggression on the playground’.

26. Design of Intervention  Eighteen 30-50 minute lessons  media time budgets kept  TV turn off week  Peer advocacy of alternatives  Parental newsletter- parental support

27. Results of Robinson’s approach  25% reduction of aggression on the playground  Decrease in fear and anxiety  Decreases in peer ratings of aggression  Slower weight gain  More active leisure

28. Think globally act locally  Increasing deregulation  Community based program Help to reduce risks associated with media  Well designed social communication campaign Help kids to cut down their media use for one week

29. Media as part of Children’s Lives  Media is embedded in children’s routines  Part of their social and family life

30. Media Environment  Media is not their preferred activities Rather be with friends or family Rely on media because of boredom

31. Part of Peer Culture  Media has become a shared experience Discussion of shows or games among peers Need to make non-media activities just as COOL as media activities

32. Home environment  Habits are developed within a family dynamic Media in the bedroom Laissez faire attitude

33. Key points for success  Parental involvement know the risks support with negotiation and modelling create alternatives  Media Education Create realistic goals and expectations Peer discussion and decision making Provides feedback and structures rewards  Working with other community resources to provide alternatives Health RCMP Recreation centers library

34. Lesson 1; Reflexivity  Media audit Time spent with the media  media audit for students and teachers  Optional media audit for parents  Inclass activities like media math to help reflect on time spent with the media

35. Lesson 2; Moral Education  To help the students understand and discuss the rules and limitations they deal with when playing ‘rough and tumble’ games. Using video clips of scenarios (playing versus bullying) Talk to the students about negotiating play rules and what happens when a play activity get too rough

36. Lesson 3; Scripting and Re- scripting  To help the students understand the terms characters and roles in the media and in real life. Using video clips or story discuss the options a character may have in dealing with a problem  Simpsons cartoon-Barts bullying incidences

37. Lesson 4; Heroes/Heroines and Villains  To make the students aware of the roles characters play on TV, in movies and on computer/video games Activities may include; art projects, story writing, surveys and parent-child interviews

38. Media Tune Out week  Challenge the students to Tune Out media for one week Prior to this week discuss other activities they can do Parental workshops will help to provide alternative activities and support for the families during this time

39. Final interviews  Children, teachers and parents will be interviewed on the media risk strategies Data will be collected and analyzed Changes will be made Further funding will be sought to continue the program