Finally, some good news for the future of TV watching/ratings!

By LISA STARK and ILANA VAN ALLEN

May 24, 2006 - Parents are surprisingly enthusiastic about
television, according to researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation,
which today released a new report on media and children.

"Parents are using media to help manage their households, to get
through really busy days and tight time schedules, to keep the kids
occupied so they can get something done," said study co-author Vicky
Rideout.

For Kimberly Velasco of Montgomery Village, Md., this could not be any
more true.

The mother of three told ABC News, "It's a help for me because I work
full time. When I come home, sometimes I have to get dinner ready or
get ready for the next day. It helps entertain the children when I
can't be there."

According to the new study, on an average day, 83 percent of children
under 6 years old use screen media - which includes television, video
games, DVDs and the computer - and 33 percent of them have a
television in their bedroom. Even very young children watch TV. More
than 40 percent of children 2 years old and under watch television
every day.

Research shows that the content of the media is what matters, according
to Zero to Three, an organization devoted to supporting the development
of young children. Efforts have been made to create quality media
content for very young children.

BabyFirstTV, the nation's first television network devoted solely to
programming for children under 3 years old, said it is filling that
void in television for babies. Says Sharon Rechter, co-founder and vice
president of business development for BabyFirstTV, "everything we do is
supported by leading experts, and we can really see that babies are
learning."

Parents are fairly evenly divided on whether TV helps kids learn - 38
percent say yes, 31percent say no.

But in focus groups the Kaiser Family Foundation study conducted, many
parents did say they believed that TV helped educate their young
children.

"It has really helped my daughter a lot as far as colors, shapes," said
LaKisha Hitch. "It builds up their confidence."

khalleron...

Especially since their parents are too busy to talk to them!

OK, I was raised in front of a TV, too - most boomers were, if we're
honest. And since I'm a well-educated, well-read, well-rounded
individual, it probably hasn't done me a great deal of harm, to be
honest.

Doesn't mean it's a *good* thing, though, or a substitute for actual
parental interaction.