Put the Future of Children FIRST!

        Electronic media, particularly television, have long been criticized for their potential impact on children. One area for concern is how early media exposure influences development and academic achievement. Although it is clear that well-designed, age-appropriate, educational television can be beneficial to children of preschool age, studies on infants and toddlers suggest that these young children may better understand and learn from real-life experiences than they do from video. Moreover, some research suggests that exposure to television during the first few years of life may be associated with poorer development.
      With respect to children over seven, I us emphasize the importance of content in mediating the effect of television on skills and academic achievement. Early exposure to age-appropriate programs designed around an educational curriculum is associated with academic enhancement, whereas exposure to pure entertainment, and violent content in particular, is associated with poorer development and lower academic achievement.
     Producers and parents can take steps to maximize the positive effects of media and minimize the negative effects. Children's television viewing can inform guidelines for producers of children's media to enhance learning. Parents can select well-designed, age-appropriate programs and view the programs with their children to maximize the positive effects of educational media.
       I simply want to inform policymakers, educators, parents, and others who work with young children about the impact of media, particularly television, on preschool children, and what society can do to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs.