TELEVISION'S POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN

ACCORDING to new research, ‘Copycat Kids?’, published by the ITC, television has a secondary, but powerful, influence on children.
The report showed that sport, pop music, computer games, ‘hanging out’ with friends and the media, especially television, are the main components of youth culture.
‘Copycat Kids?’ identifies some of the qualities of television advertising which increase the likelihood of children imitating the things they see. The researchers spoke to children, parents, teachers and childcare professionals about the kinds of behaviour and attitudes which children might have learnt from television advertising, as well as from sources including peers, parents and other media.
ITC’s Director of Advertising, Stephen Locke, said: “Viewers contact the ITC fairly regularly, concerned that particular advertisements might have a negative effect on children seeing them. Children learn by copying what they see and most of the time that’s healthy and positive. Very occasionally they copy something harmful in a commercial, after all, they see them again and again. The ITC have clear rules and sanctions covering this area, and is always prepared to act on cases where significant risk of harm is identified.”
Whilst acknowledging the importance of free speech, most respondents agreed that independent regulation of advertising on television was desirable, particularly since parents had increasing difficulty in monitoring what their children watched, even if they attempted to do so.
The issue was recently discussed by the Voice of the Viewer and Listener at their annual conference on November 1 when the conference's keynote speech was given by Film and Broadcasting Minister Janet Anderson.