Editor's Corner

With the holiday season offically here, there is no doubt that media will be central to our every day lives and clinical practices. Between advertising and the push for kids to get the latest and greatest technological everything, parents will be overwhelmed and looking for advice. And, the recent toy recall situation will not be making the situation any easier.

What I find ironic is that for many of us we'll be using media to warn about media! But, that is the way of our world today.

For guidance, Children's Hospital Boston Center on Media and Child Health has an excellent online guide to holiday high-tech gift ideas for the world of media with CHILD as the focus:

Creative: Think creatively about who the child is and what makes him or her truly happy.

Homework: Study the nature, content, and age-appropriateness of gifts, especially media products, before buying.

Imagination: Provide a child’s growing mind with gifts to stimulate their imagination, creative growth and development.

Learning: Look for gifts that encourage problem-solving, creativity and positive social interaction.

Donate: Give the gift of giving.

The links contain much more information but you get the idea! Your patients and families may also be interested to learn that even Santa has been researched. According to Brandy King at CMCH,three studies have investigated how television advertising influences Christmas wish lists:

Buizjen & Valkenburg found that children who watched more TV commercials requested more advertised products.  52% of children asked for at least one brand's product they saw on TV. 

O'Cass & Clarke found that 45% of presents were requests for specific brands of products.  Boys tended to include illustrations of the products they hoped to receive.

Pine & Nash found that the more TV children watched, the more items they requested.  They also found that children who watched TV alone were more likely to ask for brand name products than those who watched with others.  

So, other than a family holiday TV favorite (such as the Grinch!), perhaps this would be a good time to keep the TV off!

Don't forget to check out the COCM Member Media hits link in the Highlight's Box on the right - as usual, our group has been very busy. But, I suspect some of you are being camera shy and just not telling me what you are up to. The group wants to know what you are up to - really! So, in '08, make it a resolution to drop me an email from time to time with your media hits.

Happy Holidays and see you next year!

Dr. Gwenn
COCM Website Editor-In-Chief