News & Events
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(17/12/09)
Getting religion
right is crucial for BBC to meet its public duty, says Church of England
A proper portrayal of
religion that reflects and explores the factors giving people’s lives
purpose should form an explicit part of the BBC’s requirement to
“sustain citizenship and civil society”, says the Church in response to a BBC Trrust consultation.
The Church calls for
the BBC Trust to consider amending their television channels’ service
licences “to give explicit recognition to the fact that religious issues
are a matter of general public interest and not just the concern of the
religious”. It also says that the BBC’s Public Purpose of “reflecting Britain to the world and the world to Britain” should explicitly recognise the significance of religion as part of news and current affairs output, and should be supported by adequate specialist knowledge within the Corporation. The
Church acknowledges the recent stability in hours devoted to religious
programming across the three television channels, noting the continuing
provision of a small number of weekly religious television programmes
and the BBC’s live coverage of some major public religious events in
particular. The Church cites BBC radio’s continued broadcast
of worship services, but notes with concern the fall in the number of
acts of worship currently screened on television. It argues that, “while BBC radio continues to excel at broadcasting worship services, it is regrettable that television has not explored new ways of introducing audiences to the authentic experience of religious communities in worship.” The Church’s full
submission to the BBC Trust Consultation can be found at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/ (09/11/09) The violence portrayed in children's programmes such as Scooby-Doo and Batman should be more realistic. Children's television should be given cinema-style ratings that encourage parents to choose programmes where characters sustain realistic injuries, according to Dr Karen Pfeffer, a senior lecturer at Lincoln University and an international mentor for the World Health Organisation. Full story in The Guardian The BBC has launched its media literacy website - a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all users, regardless of their levels of ability. Amongst other things, the site focuses on issues of critical evaluation once online, posing questions such as what happens to the information you submit about yourself and how can we determine the validity or impartiality of information we might find on the internet. The site is divided into 3 main sections: using, understanding and creating media. ___________________________
Ofcom has published two interim reports on media literacy among children and adults. Full reports are due in Spring 2010. One in three UK adults would be interested in learning more about digital technology. Interest in learning more also mostly relates to using the internet. Few adults prefer formal methods of learning. (28/09/09)
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adopted a new recommendation to increase the protection of minors when they use the internet and online media services.
This includes when these services are accessed through mobile phones. Most of the recommendations are addressed to member countries, which in turn are asked to collaborate with the industry The Assembly appeals to the online media industry to develop and apply codes of conduct with regard to privacy protection, equal opportunities, commercial activities targeted at minors and content potentially harmful to them.
(26/08/09)
Charity adverts banned as 'racist'
Two posters from the charity Kids Company have been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which has branded them 'racist'. The ASA said that the posters were likely to reinforce negative stereotypes of Afro-Carribbean youths and that Kids Company can not use the adverts in their current form again. (17/08/09) 'Screenagers' Use Computers and Video Games for up to Ten Hours a DayYoungsters have turned into 'screenagers' who spend nearly ten hours a day glued to TVs, computers, phones and video games. Research by npower among 3,000 7-16 year olds found that much of the time they are texting, playing games consoles, surfing the internet, scrolling through their iPods or staring at screens during school lessons. But the average child still watches TV for 19 hours a week. (01/07/09) 'Sexualised' Nun and Priest Ad Banned by Advertising Standards AuthorityA newspaper advertising campaign for ice-cream featuring a young nun and priest about to share a kiss has been banned after 10 complaints that it was offensive. The ad, with the strapline "Kiss temptation", was run by ice-cream brand Antonio Federici Gelato Italiano in Delicious and Sainsbury's magazines, featuring a nun in full habit and a priest with rosary beads holding a pot of ice-cream. (30/06/09) Digital Manifesto for Child Safety Online
The Children‟s Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) has published a new Digital manifesto featuring 42 recommendations to the UK Government, industry and others to provide better protection to children online. In preparation for a general election, CHIS is sending the document to all the major political parties and asking them to commit themselves to supporting the policies and recommendations contained in the document. More than 12 months after publication of Safer Children in a Digital World – The Report of the Byron Review, this manifesto updates aspects of it but it is also intended to help guide the work on implementation that is now underway. The members of CHIS are Action for Children, The Children‟s Society, ECPAT UK, NCB, Children England, NSPCC, Stop It Now UK and Ireland, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Child Trafficking for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) and the National Children's Bureau. The Digital Manifesto can be downloaded from the Action for Children website. (30/03/09) Pupil TV habits concern teachers Big Brother was singled out as a bad example by two thirds of teachers. More teachers thought TV had a greater influence on children's behaviour than computers and video games. (05/03/09) On Top of the Digital World
BBC2’s The Learning Zone at 4am Thursday 19 March
This is a 60-minute programme of clips designed to stimulate discussion and debate on the potential of new media .
The programme covers issues such as cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyber entrepreneurship, obtaining personal information online, intellectual property rights and games age-rating. It explores how these play a part in young people’s lives. .
(09/02/09) A More Accountable Press, published by the Media Standards Trust finds that the existing system of press self-regulation, as currently constituted, including the Press Complaints Commission, is unable to deal with the serious and growing threats to press standards and press freedom. The report, published in consultation with an independent group of 12 leading figures from the press and civil society, found that the current system is insufficiently effective, largely unaccountable, opaque, and failing to reflect the radically changed media environment. Research conducted by YouGov found that 75% of the public think newspapers publish stories they know to be inaccurate. 70% of people believe there are far too many instances in which newspapers invade people’s privacy. 7% of people trusted newspapers to behave responsibly, a figure lower than that for banks. It also found increased public support for government intervention in the press as a result of falling levels of trust. (02/02/09) The Children’s Society has published a wide-ranging report, The Good Childhood Inquiry on the position of children in Britain today. One section of the report deals with children’s lifestyles and has a section on the role and influence of the media. Among the inquiry’s recommendations: government should ban firms from advertising to British children under 12; ban adverts for alcohol or unhealthy food on television before 9 pm. The media should: rethink the amount of violence they put out, the unbalanced impression they give of the risks that children face from strangers and the exaggerated picture they portray of young people threatening our social stability. Advertisers should stop encouraging premature sexualisation, heavy drinking and overeating. (28/11/08) Broadcasters fail to fully represent the range of Muslim voices in Britain said the head of Channel 4 news and current affairs, Dorothy Byrne, at the News Xchange 2008 conference in Valencia on the representation of Islam in the news media.
The Guardian reported Byrne as saying that "I think there is a strong tendency for broadcasters to go and interview young men outside mosques to find out what Muslims think. In our survey, we found that 48% of British Muslims do not actually attend mosques. Therefore you wouldn't get an accurate picture of what people think."
British broadcasters "have a tendency to go to just one or two organisations for comment ... one is the Muslim Council of Britain. In our survey ,when we asked Muslims who they thought represented them only 11% of British Muslims thought the Muslim Council of Britain represented them, compared with 19% of people who thought their member of parliament represented them."
Byrne said that the research highlighted how little the public, and even some Muslims, knew about the diversity of Islam in Britain.
As a result, Channel 4 had decided to address very specific issues when making programmes about Islam to avoid generalisations. _____________________________
Know IT All For Parents is an interactive CD-ROM resource on child online safety aimed at parents and carers. It now includes updated sections on Cyber bullying and Social Networking. It also boasts translations in Welsh of the content overview. The CD is free to order, and with the support of Becta 500,000 copies of this new version are now available. Alternatively you can watch the online version on the Childnet website. (14/10/08) Fewer children exposed to junk food ads Fewer children are being exposed to junk food advertising on TV and child-themed advertising spend has decreased by 41 per cent since the beginning of 2003, the Department of Health announced. This fall is most notable in TV advertising which fell sharply in 2007 with a drop of 46 per cent compared to 2003. In particular, there was less child-focussed advertising for confectionery, fast food restaurants, non-alcoholic drinks and cereals. Child-themed advertising spend fell overall (from £103 million in 2003 to £61 million in 2007) - despite an increase in the annual spend on food and drink ads. However, this varied across all media:
Ofcom to investigate effects of TV on preschool childrenAccording to the Daily Mail, Ofcom is to look into evidence that TV channels aimed at pre-school children are damaging child development.Ofcom has asked its French counterpart (the CSA) to send research on the issue, after France banned TV networks from promoting the proclaimed 'educational benefits' on shows at aimed at under threes The French are alarmed that parents are using dedicated baby channels as a form of baby-sitting. Researchers found that watching television impacted on the development of children under three. A study showed it delayed language learning, encouraged passivity, reduced concentration, increased agitation and caused sleep disorders. Ofcom said: 'The CSA has made Ofcom aware of its concerns regarding TV programming aimed at very young children. 'Ofcom takes the protection of minors extremely seriously and notes that Baby First TV provides information to parents about how best to allow their children to interact with its programming and advises against long periods of viewing for young children. 'Ofcom is an evidence based regulator and at present there has been no evidence supplied to Ofcom that proves such content is harmful to minors. 'However, Ofcom has asked the CSA for any research which supports their concerns and will consider in detail any research it can provide.' (29/09/08) Child Internet Safety Council set up The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) has been set up to to help protect children from "harmful" web content, such as cyber-bullying and violent video games.
The new watchdog aims to teach children about web dangers, target harmful net content and establish a code of conduct for sites featuring material uploaded by users.
The Council will create a child internet safety strategy to be published next year.
________________________ Consultation on classifying video games The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has initiated a consultation aimed at improving the current rating methods for the classification of video games. The consultation will run until 20 November 2008. It is hoped that a new, legally enforceable system of age classification will help to make sure that video games are played by the appropriate age group, giving parents, retailers and consumers the guidance they need to make informed choices. The consultation document can be downloaded here, and replies should be sent to Video Games Classification Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH or e-mail to gamesclassification@culture.gov.uk (11/07/08) BBC's digital social networking site for children has 1000,000 usersMyCBBC, the BBC's digital social networking site for young children, has 100,000 registered users in just four months. MyCBBC is designed for six- to 12-year-olds It invites them to design their own "dens" with furniture and accessories. It also offers material related to BBC children's programmes so they can customise their page. According to a report in the Guardian Marc Goodchild, the head of interactive and on-demand for BBC Children's, said the focus for MyCBBC was media and technology literacy. "I certainly don't think we should be monopolising this area, but we are trying to help set standards," he added. Introducing more creative features for children will be a priority, he added, making more connections between the service and other BBC content and allowing them to output some of their work, so pictures could be printed and sound clips sent to their MP3 player. The challenge, Goodchild said, was to allow children to use and share more content while keeping their identity hidden. "We also want to reduce the barrier to entry," he added, "The conundrum is: Do we allow kids not just to post CBBC content? We could be more open, but how do you police that?" (02/04/08) Children using adult internet social networking sites
According to Ofcom "Nearly half of all children who have access to the internet have their own personal profile on a social networking site, according to Ofcom research.
As well as widespread use amongst 8-17 year olds (49 per cent of internet users in that age group), the report also reveals that over a fifth (22 per cent) of adult internet users aged 16+ have their own online profile.
The research also shows how social networking sites are stretching the traditional meaning of 'friends'. Some users say that they derive enjoyment from 'collecting' lists of people with whom they have an online connection but often have never met."
The full report Social Networking is available from Ofcom
(27/03/08)
Review on children, the internet and video games calls for video games ratings to be improved
According to a report, Safer Children in a Digital World, by Dr Tanya Byron, video game ratings need to be made easier for parents and children to understand. The review also wants the government to set up a UK Council for Child Internet Safety. It will report to the Prime Minister and be responsible for drawing up a national strategy for online safety.
The statutory age at which games have to be rated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) should be reduced to 12.
The review also recommends that the BBFC symbols for DVDs appear on all games sold in shops.
She also recommends that new PCs be sold with software that will help prevent children seeing harmful online content.
The governement announced that it has accepted all the report's recommendations. (20/02/08)
Online media companies develop code of conduct to protect children Media companies including the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Five, Google, Yahoo and the social-networking site, Bebo, among others, have signed up to a new code of conduct.
This is designed to give parents more information about the suitability for children of audiovisual content available on the internet and mobile phones.
The new media literacy commitment has been developed by the members of the Broadband Stakeholder Group and Ofcom. The code is available under the title Audiovisual Content Information: Good Practice Principles
Content providers are required to "signpost" material that is considered "harmful or offensive" to the general public, or that may be unsuitable for children and young people. For example, a warning box may pop up as soon as a child clicks on to an unsuitable site, or a television programme watched online may be preceded by an announcement that it contains violent scenes.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has expanded its ThinkUKnow website with a new cyber café for children between the ages of eight and ten.
The cyber café includes advice about using email, online forums and text messaging which has been extensively tested on pre-teen children. The site also features quizzes and games to teach children how to use the internet safely and responsibly. CEOP intends to expand the ThinkUKnow site with a section aimed at children aged between five and seven years old in early 2008. (11/12/07)
Research planned into impact of commercialisation The UK Government has published (December 11, 2007) an ambitious Children's Plan in which it speaks of the commercial pressures on children and the need for media literacy. The government pledges that it "will commission an independent assessment of the overall impact of the commercial world on children’s wellbeing. We will ask the assessors to look into the changing nature and extent of children’s commercial engagement, the impact on their wellbeing and the views of parents and children.
In particular, the assessment will investigate particular areas where exposure to commercialism might be causing harm to children. We hope that this increased evidence base will lead to a stronger consensus about what is acceptable practice for a socially responsible commercial community." (10/12/07)
Government to look into effect of TV ads on children
Ministers have ordered an investigation into the impact of television and advertising on children after parents voiced fears that childhood is being commercialised, according to Julie Henry in the Daily Telegraph.
See also the comments " Yes, we can act against the corruption of children's lives" in The Guardian by Jackie Astley
(16/07/07) The Image of Women in Advertising The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adopted a resolution on the image of women in advertising a a recommendation calling for an in-depth study of the issue. All too often, advertising shows women in situations which are humiliating and degrading, or even violent and offensive to human dignity. Moreover, by presenting slim women as beauty idols, advertising can cause serious damage to the health of young girls. After debating the various issues, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution aimed at the adoption of legal, self-regulatory and educational measures concerning the image of women in advertising. They also passed a recommendation calling for the conduct of an in-depth study of the image of women and men in advertising. Parliamentarians called for the preparation of a European code of good conduct and the introduction of a European prize for advertising which breaks most effectively with sexist stereotypes. (21/06/07) Sexually Explicit Magazines: Top Shelf Campaign
Claire Curtis-Thomas, MP for Crosby, has launched a campaign to protect young children from exposure to sexually explicit material.
Magazines such as Zoo or Nuts and newspapers like the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport are often easily available in newsagents, and sit alongside comics or within easy reach of children.
If you want to take action to call for these kinds of publications to be put out of each of children, write to your MP and the manager of your newsagents.To learn more about the campaign visit: http://www.topshelfcampaign.co.uk (11/05/07)
A discussion at the British Library on April 30th between Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith leaders, chaired by Lord Bragg, condemned the media for contributing to prejudice through its "dangerous" failure to report on religious dialogue, preferring instead to emphasise rifts between communities, creating a world in which people need to become spectacularly violent or rude in order to gain a hearing for their cause. Lord Bragg voiced disappointment at how faith is sidelined in public debate in the media. He pointed out that mainstream radio programmes were not interested in broadcasting the discussion "What does it mean to live with faith in 2007?", held at the British Library on Monday, to herald the opening of its exhibition Sacred: Discover what we share which showcases the world's greatest collection of Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy books. The panel comprised: Most Reverend Kevin McDonald, Catholic Archbishop of Southwark; Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth; Moulana Mohammad Shahid Raza, Director of the Imams and Mosques Council UK and founder trustee of the British Muslim Forum; and Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.Podcasts of the discussion in full can be heard via the British Library website: http://www.bl.uk/podcast |
(21/12/09)
‘Zip it, Block it, Flag it’ -New 'Green Cross Code' for Internet SafetyAn coalition of Government, industry and charities has launched the first UK internet safety strategy, to help children and young people stay safe online.The first ever internet safety strategy, ‘Click Clever Click Safe’ , was drawn up by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS). Young people now have much greater online access than ever before, with research showing that 99 per cent of 8-17 year olds have access to the web. New research published today also shows that 18 per cent of young people said they had come across harmful or inappropriate content online, with 33 per cent of children said their parents don’t really know what they do on the internet. Parents will now be able to access a one-stop shop website for internet safety advice hosted by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and from September 2011 online safety will be a compulsory part of the curriculum from age 5. (16/11/09) Cyberbullying still a problemThe true extent of cyberbullying among young people in the UK is revealed today by Beatbullying in the publication of its report, ‘Virtual Violence: Protecting Children from Cyberbullying’. In particular, the report highlights the number of extreme cases where a young person is persistently and systematically cyberbullied, even receiving death threats online.To launch Anti-Bullying Week (16-21 Nov) – with this year's theme of staying safe in cyberspace - Beatbullying is also revealing the websites where cyberbullying is most prevalent. Almost one in three (30%) of 11 to 16-year-olds who have been cyberbullied had experienced the problem on Bebo. Read more ___________________
Together we can make the net safer for childrenSign the NSPCC Safety.Net Petition |
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(30/04/07) Ofcom has criticised TV soaps for showing too much violence and has reminded broadcasters of their obligations to respect the 'watershed'. TV Soaps too Violent, Ofcom says (BBC 23.04.07) See also Ofcom
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Christian and Muslim schoolchildren learned about the media and the way it portrays faith during an interactive conference held at the BBC’s offices in Birmingham on 14 March 2007. Year Six (aged 10-11) pupils joined with media professionals in an event organized by the Christian Muslim Forum. Read more
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(21/02/07) The American Psychological Association has brought out a hard hitting report on The Sexualisation of Girls in which it calls for for schoolbased media literacy training programmes as a way of combating the influence of sexualization. Read More...
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(20/02/07) Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman has produced a report which argues that TV watching by young children is harming their health. Sociologist Frank Furedi, however, points out that children's Tv watching is declining and that waht is needed is a sensible approach to children and TV. More...
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Ofcom is starting a new project on the future of children's programming. Read more... (30/01/07) Children’s Express, the unique youth news agency charity set up in 1995, has re-launched as Headliners at a ceremony at BAFTA on Piccadilly on 30th January. Read more
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Compass: The Commercialization of Childhood The think tank Compass has produced (12/12/06) a hard hitting report, The Commercialization of Childhood, which documents how far children are being targeted by marketing and advertising and calls for a campaign to counter the excesses of this trend. Read more
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