CHILDREN AND THE MEDIA

Example of Children and the Media

Advertising

i an looking at childrens adverts in the media and how they are made to appeal to children.


I found some information from a presentation called:
ASA School and Colleges Resource No4
Children and Advertising:

Common issues surrounding children and advertising are:

-Making children desire things they cannot afford or would not be able to use.
-Pester Power: encouraging children to pester their parents for advertised products or services.
-Showing children in unsafe or dangerous situations that other kids might emulate.
-Making children feel inferior.
-Showing children in a sexual way i.e. wearing make up and glamorous clothes.
-Advertising soft drinks and high fat/ sugar foods to children.

Methodology

I have made a questionnaire, in which i have found out results that i can apply to my question and findings. 100% of the people who took part, claimed that family/parents purchased '18' classified games for them. I am now going to expand my research further, by preparing a questionnaire for parents asking them how bad they think violent video games are, and if they would agree to buy a game for their children, what is the reason for it.

Amy L.

Children And Censorship

Have so far only used secondary research in order to find something within the topic of children and censorship.

Websites:
www.northallertoncoll.org.uk/media/cesnorship.htm
www.bbc.co.uk

Articles:
Daily Mail: "Film Censorship Is Up To You - Parents Told" by Alison Boshoff
Daily Telegraph: "Censorship Is Not Our Role, Says Film Board" by Tom Leonard

Books:
The Effect Of Video Games On Children - The Myth Unmasked by Barrie Gunter
Young Offenders & The Media - Viewing Habits And References by Ann Hagell & Tim Newburn

Along with these three methods used I have also written out a questionnaire as part of my primary research, and will be directing it towards under 18s. I will then create another questionnaire of a similar nature for parents.
I will then be arranging interviews with varied age groups. As well as this I hope to engage with a focus group of a few people of different ages to gain varied opinions. I have also posted a response on a message board and have contacted BBFC so will be checking regularly for responses.

Violent Video Games.

I am investigating the effects of violent video games on children. I have found that questionaire's are a useful source to find out information with class members to see if the moral panic of video games has increased through the years.

I have also found some very useful websites, which have links to the effect of violent TV as well as many other issues:

www.sciencedirect.com/science
www.blackwell-synergy.com
www.ericdigests.org

I also aim to carry out an interview with a shop assistant in a video game shop to see their most popular violent game, then i aim to research how many copies of this is sold in the UK and try to investigate what makes children want to play violent games.

Amy L.

methods used.

I am finding out whether there is a gender bias in video games. I found that on Facebook there was loads of groups based around video games and differetn areas, good and bad. I joined one of the groups and am posting comments trying to get another few on my question.

Ive used questionaires a lot. I have written two questionaires. One aimed at children wich i hall give out to chidlren in my area, and another questionaire aimed at adults asking them wht types of games they used to play an what they think about the video gaming industy.

Ive used the internet to look at gaming websites such as GAME. I am trying to talk to the head of GAME and designers of certain games. For example i want to talk to some on who has designed a video game aimed at males, such as a war game. Aswell as a game that is aimed at girls such a viva pinata.

Rosie

Disney

children and the media; disney infuences.


'disney plots show an obsessive interest in orphans-Tarzan,Bambi, the lion king, Cinderella. the theme of loss of family and removal from home is the motor of conflict in almost all of his stories. it is the most elemental childhood fear- the withdrawal of love and protection and the sudden need to cope with an apparently meaningless world alone.'

the sunday times, HOW DISNEY MAKES MAGIC WEEK ONE CREATING CHARACTER, disney family values; the Triumph of niceness, by Bryan Appleyard.

'walt disney invented many of the rules that make comic animation work, so its clear that disney characters would always translate effortlessly into game art. it is interesting to see such well known characters in the round when we are using them as flat 2d drawings.'

Dave Morris and Leo Hartas GAME ART, collins, 2003

Natalie Palmer