The Media Research Gap: What We Do and Don't Know about Media's Impact on Children 4/4/2003
From: Erin Geisler, 512-475-8071 (office) or 512-422-1886 (mobile) E-mail: egeisler@mail.utexas.edu News Advisory: WHAT: The Children's Digital Media Center (http://www.Digital-Kids.net) is hosting a symposium featuring child development specialists studying the effects of electronic media on children. A panel of experts will discuss the lack of research in this field and the need for federal support to determine the consequences and use of a range of media. WHO: Special guests Senators Sam Brownback and Joseph Lieberman Featured experts: -- Daniel Anderson, Ph.D., the University of Massachusetts -- Sandra Calvert, Ph.D., Children's Digital Media Center at Georgetown University -- Amy Jordan, Ph.D., Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania -- Gary Knell, president and CEO, Sesame Workshop -- John Murray, Ph.D., Kansas State University -- Michael Rich, M.D., Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health -- Donald Roberts, Ph.D., Stanford University -- Dorothy Singer, Ph.D., Yale University Family TV Research and Consultation Center -- Moderated by Ellen Wartella, Ph.D., Children's Digital Media Center and the College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin WHY: Today's American children live in a media-saturated environment: -- 99 percent of children live in homes with a television -- 97 percent of children live in homes with a VCR -- 78 percent of children live in households with a subscription to basic cable -- 70 percent of children have a video game player at home -- 70 percent of children have a computer at home -- 45 percent of children have Internet access in their homes -- On average, children spend 6-8 hours per day using media Yet we have very little data on the actual impact of these media on children's cognitive, social, and physical development. WHEN: 1 - 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 9 1 p.m. Introductions 1:15 p.m. Remarks by Sens. Brownback and Lieberman 1:30 - 3 p.m. Panel Discussion, Q&A WHERE: National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW First Amendment Lounge ------ Editor's Note: Ellen Wartella and Sandra Calvert will be available for interviews prior to and following the event. Call Erin Geisler at 512-475-8071. |