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Pediatricians suggest limits on TV viewing by children
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Watching TV can affect brain growth, physical health
BY ERIC E1DLER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ,
CHICAGO - Children under 2 shouldn't watch
television at all, not even "Sesame Street," the
, American Academy of Pediatrics recommends.
And older children shouldn't be allowed to have
televisions or cpmputers in their bedrooms, the
55,000-member academy said in a report in this
month's issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The academy said research shows direct interac
tion with parents and other care-givers is necessary
for babies' and toddlers' healthy brain growth and
the development of social, emotional and cognitive
skills.
Watching tele-"
vision may inter
fere with that
interaction, the
report said.
TV viewing
also can affect the
physical health of
young people, the
.-. academy said, and .
pediatricians
should take a "media history" of patients to go
along with the traditional medical history.
The medical organization is giving its members
a questionnaire for young patients, asking about
their time spent on movies, computer games and
the Internet. The pediatrician could then counsel
parents about areas of concern, the report said.
"The importance is to get the message out to
people that TV ind media consumption has signif
icant health effects on children," said Dr. Miriam
Baron, chairwoman of the academy's committee on
public education, who helped write the study. She
suggested children be encouraged to play outside,
read books or work with puzzles or games.
And while tots under 2 shouldn't be watching
TV, she added, "If it's a 3-year-old and 'Sesame
w ' I ?
Street' is on and parents want that half-hour of
peace, there's nothing wrong with that."
A spokesman for the Public Broadcasting Ser
vice, which shows "Sesame Street" in the United
States and recently announced a S40 million invest
ment to create six animated programs for pre
schoolers, said he didn't believe broadcasters and
.pediatricians were at odds over the issue.
The broadcaster encourages youngsters to
watch TV with their parents, to be selective in their
viewing and to seek out other activities - like read
ing books - that reinforce what they see on televi
sion, said spokesman Harry Forbes.
However, the U.S. marketer of the popular
show "Teletub
bies," which is
specifically
geared to
youngsters
under 2, took
offense.
The report is
"a bunch of
malarkey"
because it does- .
n't take into -
account how parents raise their children, said mar
keter Keiin Viselman.
More than 1,000 studies have concluded that
exposure to media violence can increase the risk of
aggressive behavior in some children and adoles
cents, the academy said.
The academy also pointed to the high sexual
content of televis&ft shows, the glamorization of
tobacco and alcohol use, and the tendency of peo
ple who watch a lot of television to be overweight.
The academy noted that the average American
child spends 21 hours a week watching television. It
said that demonstrates the need for media educa
tion programs in schools that could teach children
to look at the messages they get from the media
with more critical eyes.
I I
"The importance is to get the
message out to people that TV and
media consumption has significant
health effects on children."
Time Warner to help
rescue Apollo Theater
BY JUDIE GLAVE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - Media and
entertainment conglomerate
Time Warner Inc. has stepped in
to help rescue Harlem's famed
Apollo Theater.
The agreement with the
Empire State Development
Corp.. which owns the Apollo,
calls for Time Warner to put
some $500,000 into the finan
cially troubled theater, Time
Warner spokesman Ed Adler
said Thursday.
Under the agreement reached
with the state, U.S. Rep. Charles
Rangel will step down as chair
man but will remain a member
of the board that controls the
landmark theater, Adler said.
Rangel will be replaced by actor
Ossie Davis.
The board, which will con
sider the deal at its meeting
Monday, will also be expanded
to 19. It will include 10 new peo
ple named by Time Warner,
hiany from the entertainment
. industry, Adler said.
The agreement may also
bring an end to a lawsuit filed by
.former state Attorney General
Dennis Vacco last November,
accusing six members of the
Apollo board of mismanaging
the landmark theater.
The theater, which opened in
1914, drew top acts during its
1930s and 1940s heyday, includ
ing Count Basie, Duke Ellington
and Ella Fitzgerald. It was
turned into a movie theater in
the 1970s, and reopened for live
shows in 1983.
"Thm PJ'?" mm claymotion to dopkt lifm in tho profo<H.
The PJ's' wins animation Emmy
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES - The Fox
Television series "The PJ V' creat
ed by Eddie Murphy, and HBO's
"Animated Epics: The Canterbury
Tales" won animation Emmys for
individual achievement.
Three animation categories are
determined by a panel of judges
from the Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences' animation and
performers peer groups. The win
ners were announced Wednesday.
Ja'Net DuBois was honored in
the voice-over performance cate
gory for her role as Mrs. Avery on
:ThePJs."
Ashley Potter and Les Mills
won the individual achievement in
animation award for their work on
"Animated Epics: The Canterbury
Tales: Leaving London."
Joanna Quitvn earned the
Emmy for outstanding animator
and production for the same
series.
File Photo
Research shows direct interaction with parents and other care-givers is necessary for babies' and
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