The Federal Communications Commission has been involved in children's
television issues for more than 45 years. As early as 1960 the Commission
recognized that, as part of their obligation as trustees of the public airwaves,
television broadcasters must provide programming that serves the particular
needs of children. In the 1990 Children's Television Act, Congress directed the
Commission to take specific steps to ensure that television broadcasters serve
the child audience. As Congress stated, "it is difficult to think of an interest
more substantial than the promotion of the welfare of children who watch so much
television and rely upon it for so much of the information they receive."
The FCC has adopted children's television rules related to two areas: (1) the
obligation of television broadcasters to provide educational and informational
programming for children and (2) the requirement that television broadcasters,
cable operators, and satellite providers protect children from excessive and
inappropriate commercial messages. The Commission’s children's television rules
apply to digital as well as analog television stations. The Commission has also
imposed limits on the display of Internet addresses used for advertising during
television programs directed to children.
Children today spend many hours each day watching television and are
influenced by the programming and advertising they see. As the incidence of
childhood obesity rises, there is an opportunity for the Commission to use its
experience and expertise in children's television issues to examine the impact
of the media on this growing health concern. Beginning in 2006, members of the
Commission participated in a Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity, which
included representatives from the media, advertising, food, and beverage
industries, along with consumer advocacy groups and healthcare and academic
experts. The Task Force met in an effort to build consensus regarding voluntary
steps and goals that the public and private sectors can take to combat childhood
obesity.
Did You Know:
Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem that increases
morbidity and mortality and that has substantial economic and social costs.
The Institute of Medicine has found that one-third of American children are
either obese or at risk for obesity. (Institute of Medicine, Progress
in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?, 2006)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found, based on data
from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1976-1980 and
2003-2006), that the prevalence of obesity among children ages 2 to 5 has
more than doubled, from 5.0% to 12.4%. Among children ages 6 to 11, the
prevalence of obesity has also more than doubled, from 6.5% to 17.0%. Among
adolescents ages 12 to 19, the prevalence of obesity has more than tripled,
from 5.0% to 17.6%. (CDC website, Childhood Overweight and Obesity)
By the time the average child is 18 years old, he or she has spent
between 10,000 and 15,000 hours watching television and has been exposed to
more than 200,000 commercials. (U.S. Congress, Children's Television Act of
1990)
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, most children under age 6
cannot distinguish between programming content and advertising. (Kaiser
Family Foundation, The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity, Feb. 2004)
An Institute of Medicine report finds that “current food and beverage
marketing practices puts children's long-term health at risk. If America's
children and youth are to develop eating habits that help them avoid early
onset of diet-related chronic diseases, they have to reduce their intake of
high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks, fast foods, and sweetened drinks, which
make up a high proportion of the products marketed to them.” (Institute
of Medicine, Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?,
2006)
The Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative is a voluntary
program through which 15 food and beverage companies have pledged to promote
healthy dietary choices and lifestyles among American children through their
advertisements. The 15 participating companies are estimated to be
responsible for more than two-thirds of the money spent on children’s food
and beverage advertising on television in 2004. (Better Business Bureau
website, Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative)
