The potential benefits that media offer are clear, from selected educational television programs to thought-provoking magazine articles, to the creativity and knowledge encouraged through computer use. However, pediatricians are increasingly aware of negative media influence on children and adolescents. Five recently published AAP statements summarize the available research about the effects of media on young people and encourage media education for parents and children as an approach to mitigating potentially harmful effects. 1-5 Many concerns about media exist, including those described in the following sections. This figure does not include time spent watching movies, listening to music or watching music videos, playing video or computer games, or surfing the Internet for recreational purposes.
Time spent with media often displaces involvement in creative, active, or social pursuits.
7-10 Violence appears in various forms of media entertainment, such as movies, video games, and television news. Research has shown that news reports of bombings, natural disasters, murders, and other violent crimes have the potential to traumatize young children. Popular movies are often showing the lead character or likeable characters using and enjoying tobacco and alcohol products. Although there is concern that overstimulation from high levels of media use might lead to attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity, there has been no research to date that demonstrates such a causal relationship. Media education is defined as the study and analysis of mass media.