FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2006 |
Contact:
Darin Broton, 952-851-7286
Jason Sprenger. 952-851-1602
Tunheim Partners |
Parents Can No Longer
Ignore Their Children's Video Game Habits
11th Annual MediaWise® Video Game Report Card
Commends Big Box Retailers and
Game Console Manufacturers, Says Parents Must Do Better
and
More Research Needed on Effects of Games
Washington, D.C. - The National Institute on
Media and the Family, the nation's leading resource
on the effects of media and video games on children,
today released its 11th Annual MediaWise Video Game
Report Card in Washington, D.C. This year's MediaWise
Video Game Report Card highlights major improvements
in big box retailer enforcement and policies; commends
responsible retailers and game console makers for video
game safeguards; and recommends additional research
on positive and negative effects and uses of video games
related to school performance, children's health and
behavioral development.
Joined by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), David Walsh,
Ph.D., president and founder of the National Institute
on Media and the Family, presented the 11th Annual MediaWise
Video Game Report Card which issued grades to parents,
retailers, video game console manufacturers and the
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). While improvements
have been made by the video game industry and retailers,
parental involvement received an "Incomplete"
as surveys showed too few parents following the ESRB's
ratings and parental controls on gaming consoles.
"While retailers like Target and Best Buy and game
console manufacturers like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo
have made great strides in educating parents on the
rating system and installing parental controls on their
products, many parents have not followed or used these
tools to prevent their kids from playing inappropriate
video games," Dr. Walsh said. "We parents
need to pay more attention to the games our kids are
playing and how much time they are spending playing
games."
Studies continue to show that prolonged game play
can adversely affect a child's physical health and
school performance as well as social and behavioral
skills. A new study has found almost half of all "heavy
gamers" are six- to 17-years-old. Children who
spend more time playing video games are heavier, and
are more likely to be classified as overweight or
obese. The amount of time a child plays video games
is correlated with poorer grades in school and attention
problems.
"If there is a simple message we can give to parents,
it is this -- 'watch what your kids watch, play what
your kids play,'" continued Dr. Walsh.
Other areas of special concern highlighted in the 11th
Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card include: a retailer
survey that shows specialty game retailers failed to
prevent kids from purchasing M-rated video games; the
surprisingly easy access to M-rated video games through
major retailers' online Web sites; and further evidence
linking childhood obesity to the amount of time a child
plays video games. Similar to previous years, the Annual
MediaWise Video Game Report Card provides parents a
list of recommended video games and games to avoid.
The National Institute on Media and the Family is an
independent, non-partisan, non-sectarian, nonprofit
organization. The Institute's mission is to maximize
the benefits and minimize the harm mass media have on
children through research and education. For more information,
visit www.mediawise.org on the Web or call 1-888-672-5437.
The
National Institute on Media and the Family is an independent
non-partisan, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization.
The Institute's mission is to maximize the benefits
and minimize the harm mass media have on children
through research and education. For more information,
visit www.mediafamily.org.
###
|
