Media Matters Campaign

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the national organization for education and support of more than 60,000 pediatricians and pediatric specialists, has been involved in the research and policy on effects of the media on children and youth for decades. In 1983, the Task Force on Children and Television studied the impact of TV and suggested ways to emphasize and improve the educational content. Subsequently, the AAP Committee on Communications, later called the Committee on Public Education, created (and revised as needed) several policy statements concerned with the impact of media exposure.

In 1997, the AAP launched Media Matters, a national public education campaign to raise awareness and teach pediatricians, parents, children, and youth about mass media influence on health, including television, movies, popular music, the Internet, computer and video games, and advertising. Media Matters used a “train the trainer” approach, giving pediatricians knowledge and specific tools for educating children, youth, and families about media. In addition, pediatricians received information about the various health risks posed by media exposure, and they were encouraged to identify the possible role of media exposure in conditions such as obesity, aggressive behavior, substance use, or academic difficulties. A cornerstone of Media Matters is encouraging media education and promoting media literacy within families and communities, specifically learning and incorporating the ability to analyze media through critical viewing and thinking.

Pediatricians involve themselves in Media Matters through regional or national workshops and helpful resource kits. “Media Education in the Practice Setting” provides a written overview of the pediatrician's role in media and guidelines integrating media education into patient encounters. The material provides suggestions for healthy media use habits, echoing existing recommendations found in the AAP policy statements. “Media History,” a checkoff form for parents about children's media use, allows pediatricians to focus on problem media habits and provide recommendations when necessary. Pediatricians often speak at schools, community events, and professional conferences or to the news media or government representatives, important venues for the dissemination of information about media education.

Media Matters includes other features supporting the public education goal of helping pediatricians, parents, children, and adolescents gain awareness about the influence of media on health:

• Campaign materials (“Media Education in the Practice Setting” and the “Media History” form)
• Public education brochures (“Understanding the Impact of Media on Children and Teens,” as well as brochures for parents on media ratings, the Internet, and television) and fact sheets
• Scholarly articles on children, adolescents, and media
• Testimony on children, adolescents, and media
• The Holroyd-Sherry Award recognizing a physician's contribution to media as a public health issue
• A network of “Media Matters Team” pediatricians available for educating others in the field
• Support for the Los Angeles-based Media Resource Team (since 1994), providing consultation with the media industry regarding accurate portrayal of pediatric health issues
• Support for national initiatives, including National TV-Turnoff Week
• Media Matters website
• Links to other media education websites
• Letter-writing templates
• Leadership education conferences and workshops (funding dependent)
• Current AAP policy statements on a variety of topics, including
  • Children, adolescents, and the Internet
  • Children, adolescents, and television
  • Gender stereotypes and body image in the media
  • Media education
  • Media

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