Media Violence


Media Violence: Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification 3/2003 Search: “organizations against television violence” Result: 263,000 websites Sample: Coalition For Responsible Television (CRTV) (Watchdog organization) Note: Within 1 year this organization represented 4 million Canadians, from teachers, unions, municipalities, churches, health and youth organizations and professional associations. American Academy of Family Physicians The Academy has taken a stand against media violence and has joined other medical organizations in a statement about the problem: “ More than 1,000 studies “point overwhelmingly to a causal connection” between violent entertainment and the likelihood that children will become aggressive, mistrustful and emotionally desensitized to violence in real life. On July26, 2000, the Academy signed a statement decrying violence on TV and in films, music, computer games and video games that was issued by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Among the conclusions:“ The key to stopping violence among youth is communication, education, awareness and action on the part of parents, other role models and communities.” Search: “media against children’s violence” Result: 462,000 websites Note: Obtained Top 10 (most popular) sites, including one entitled “Advocacy Groups: Media Violence”and the following reports: (1) “SENATE REPORT CHARGES MEDIA VIOLENCE AFFECTS KIDS” Recommends Government, Parental Involvement Quote (in part) from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Republican staff: “The effect of media violence on our children is no longer open to debate…” -64- Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification-2- The 30-page document concluded that the media-dominate children’s lives are “exceedingly violent” and that such images lead to real-world violence. “ I hope this report … will further the discussion about the flood of media violence in this country and what should be done about it,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the panel’s chairman. He further stated that “more than 1,000 studies over the past 40 years that examined the effects of violence on children have not changed the predominant finding.” The 30-page report recommends that: . Congress begin a national media campaign to educate parents and create a national clearinghouse on children and entertainment violence (2) MEDIA VIOLENCE REPORT 1998 (RE9526), by the American Academy of Pediatrics: “ Over 1,000 studies – including a Surgeon General’s special report in 1972 and a National Institute of Mental Health report 10 years later – attest to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in children … Studies show that the more “real life” the violence portrayed, the greater the likelihood that it will be “learned”. Search: “children and television/media violence” Result: 1,875,000 websites Note: obtained the “Top 10 (most popular) sites, including: (1) American Psychiatric Association – Violence on Television (2) Children and Television Violence – (outlines how “our children are being attacked through movies, comics, video games, cartoons and fantasy stories”) Search: “federal communications commission 2001 report on children and television violence” Result: 16,300 websites This current FCC report is not currently available; however, this search yielded many other reports supporting the negative effects of violence in children’s television programming, including: (1) CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND TELEVISION (RE0043) Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification Search: “schools against violence” Result: 928,100 websites Note: Obtained “Top 10” (most popular) sites, including: (1) MC Hammer – “Old School Rappers against Violence” (2) “Working Against Violence Everywhere” (schools-based organization) (3) Education World: School Administrators – Guide Helps Schools Guard Against Violence (sponsored by Dept. of Education and the Department of Justice) Note: Regarding STATISTICS/PUBLIC TELEVISION “ United States is the only industrialized country to spend so little on public broadcasting. Canada spends $32.15 per person, Japan spends $17.71, and the United Kingdom spends $38.56. Compare this to the $1.09 the US spends, and you can see why resources are scarce for nonviolent, highly entertaining television.” -Source: ParentsPlace.com From ParentsPlace.com, under the heading, “How does media violence impact our kids?” Quote: “The entertainment industry has maintained a stance that there is no link between media and real-life violence. Yet, scientific studies that number in the hundreds have concluded that there is not only a direct connection, but children repeatedly exposed to this type of violence lose the ability to discriminate between real-life and entertainment violence, and tend to accept violence as an acceptable way to resolve even complex problems…” The search phrases regarding children’s media violence, schools against violence and similar topics regarding violence, yielded 3,544,300 websites, undoubtedly just a percentage of the total number of organizations and professionals dedicated to trying to curb children’s media violence, violence in schools, etc. Further research shows certain statistics and statements begin to overlap among these watchdog organizations. The common denominator among these websites and resources is, there is absolutely NO QUESTION that media violence adversely affects children, with more than 1,000 documented scientific studies to prove it. Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification Main messages from websites and organizations against media violence: 1. The impact of media violence is undeniable and critical; we have no idea what can be done to force the media to change this trend; 2. We hope government and/or parental action can change this trend; 3. We need more positive role models; 4. We need community input and education of non-violent behavior in schools; 5. We need to encourage more viewing of public television; 6. Pediatricians should strongly urge networks to avoid programming with the gratuitous depiction of weapons; 7. Pediatricians should urge musicians and music producers to exercise voluntary restraint by creating nonviolent lyrics and music videos; 8. Congress should begin a national media campaign to educate parents and create a national clearinghouse on children and entertainment violence. CONCLUSION: Media violence: We are experiencing a major, dangerous and ever-increasing violent society. The above websites and organizations are devoted to watch dogging and monitoring the problem, and compiling statistics and reports from various sources about the problem. They do not – cannot - offer solutions. The CAN DO! Project has the solutions to stem the tidal wave of media violence, with positive programming via powerful multimedia and education avenues. © Copyright 2003 by CAN DO! Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Media Violence: Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification
3/2003 Search: “organizations against television violence” Result: 263,000 websites

Sample: Coalition For Responsible Television (CRTV) (Watchdog organization)
Note: Within 1 year this organization represented 4 million Canadians, from teachers,
unions, municipalities, churches, health and youth organizations and professional associations.

American Academy of Family Physicians
The Academy has taken a stand against media violence and has joined other medical organizations in a statement about the problem:
“ More than 1,000 studies “point overwhelmingly to a causal connection” between violent entertainment and the likelihood that children will become aggressive, mistrustful and emotionally desensitized to violence in real life.
On July26, 2000, the Academy signed a statement decrying violence on TV and in films, music, computer games and video games that was issued by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Among the conclusions:“ The key to stopping violence among youth is communication, education, awareness and action on the part of parents, other role models and communities.”

Search: “media against children’s violence”
Result: 462,000 websites

Note: Obtained Top 10 (most popular) sites, including one entitled “Advocacy Groups: Media Violence”and the following reports:

(1) “SENATE REPORT CHARGES MEDIA VIOLENCE AFFECTS KIDS”
Recommends Government, Parental Involvement
Quote (in part) from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Republican staff: “The effect of media violence on our children is no longer open to debate…” -64-
Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification-2-

The 30-page document concluded that the media-dominate children’s lives are “exceedingly violent” and that such images lead to real-world violence.

“ I hope this report … will further the discussion about the flood of media violence in this country and what should be done about it,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the panel’s chairman. He further stated that “more than 1,000 studies over the past 40 years that examined the effects of violence on children have not changed the predominant finding.”

The 30-page report recommends that:
. Congress begin a national media campaign to educate parents and create a national clearinghouse on children and entertainment violence
(2) MEDIA VIOLENCE REPORT 1998 (RE9526), by the American Academy of Pediatrics:
“ Over 1,000 studies – including a Surgeon General’s special report in 1972 and a National Institute of Mental Health report 10 years later – attest to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in children … Studies show that the more “real life” the violence portrayed, the greater the likelihood that it will be “learned”.

Search: “children and television/media violence”
Result: 1,875,000 websites
Note: obtained the “Top 10 (most popular) sites, including:
(1) American Psychiatric Association – Violence on Television
(2) Children and Television Violence – (outlines how “our children are being attacked through movies, comics, video games, cartoons and fantasy stories”)

Search: “federal communications commission 2001 report on children and television violence”
Result: 16,300 websites
This current FCC report is not currently available; however, this search yielded many other reports supporting the negative effects of violence in children’s television programming, including:
(1) CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND TELEVISION (RE0043)

Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification

Search: “schools against violence”
Result: 928,100 websites
Note: Obtained “Top 10” (most popular) sites, including:
(1) MC Hammer – “Old School Rappers against Violence”
(2) “Working Against Violence Everywhere” (schools-based organization)
(3) Education World: School Administrators – Guide Helps Schools Guard Against Violence (sponsored by Dept. of Education and the Department of Justice)

Note: Regarding STATISTICS/PUBLIC TELEVISION
“ United States is the only industrialized country to spend so little on public broadcasting. Canada spends $32.15 per person, Japan spends $17.71, and the United Kingdom spends $38.56. Compare this to the $1.09 the US spends, and you can see why resources are scarce for nonviolent, highly entertaining television.” -Source: ParentsPlace.com

From ParentsPlace.com, under the heading, “How does media violence impact our kids?” Quote:

“The entertainment industry has maintained a stance that there is no link between media and real-life violence. Yet, scientific studies that number in the hundreds have concluded that there is not only a direct connection, but children repeatedly exposed to this type of violence lose the ability to discriminate between real-life and entertainment violence, and tend to accept violence as an acceptable way to resolve even complex problems…”

The search phrases regarding children’s media violence, schools against violence and similar topics regarding violence, yielded 3,544,300 websites, undoubtedly just a percentage of the total number of organizations and professionals dedicated to trying to curb children’s media violence, violence in schools, etc. Further research shows certain statistics and statements begin to overlap among these watchdog organizations. The common denominator among these websites and resources is, there is absolutely
NO QUESTION that media violence adversely affects children, with more than 1,000 documented scientific studies to prove it.

Websites/Organizations’ Statistical and Scientific Verification
Main messages from websites and organizations against media violence:

1. The impact of media violence is undeniable and critical; we have no idea      what can be done to force the media to change this trend;
2. We hope government and/or parental action can change this trend;
3. We need more positive role models;
4. We need community input and education of non-violent behavior in schools;
5. We need to encourage more viewing of public television;
6. Pediatricians should strongly urge networks to avoid programming
    with the gratuitous depiction of weapons;
7. Pediatricians should urge musicians and music producers to exercise voluntary     restraint by creating nonviolent lyrics and music videos;
8. Congress should begin a national media campaign to educate parents and      create a national clearinghouse on children and entertainment violence.

CONCLUSION:

Media violence: We are experiencing a major, dangerous and ever-increasing violent society. The above websites and organizations are devoted to watch dogging and monitoring the problem, and compiling statistics and reports from various sources about the problem. They do not – cannot - offer solutions.

The CAN DO! Project has the solutions to stem the tidal wave of media violence, with positive programming via powerful multimedia and education avenues.

Go back|Support Documents Page2 |Go forward