Media & Education

Harnessing Media's Unique Scale & Reach to Help Children Learn

Reports & Research

Educationally/Insufficient? An Analysis of the Availability & Educational Quality of Children’s E/I Programming, 2008

The Effects of Interactive Media on Preschoolers’ Learning, 2007

 
 

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Facts & Figures

Since 1996, television broadcasters have been required to air at least three hours of children’s educational programming per week. They are also required to label those programs with an educational/informational icon so parents can identify them.

A Children Now study found that only one in eight TV episodes labeled “educational/informational” is highly educational. In contrast, nearly twice as many were found to have only minimal educational value.

In 1990, Congress passed the Children’s Television Act to ensure broadcast TV stations provide programming specifically designed to serve the educational needs of children—in return for the free use of publicly-owned airwaves.

 
 

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Policy Priorities

Respond quickly to public complaints about the adequacy of TV broadcasters’ compliance with the Children’s Television Act.

Actively monitor TV broadcasters’ compliance with the Children’s Television Act.

Strengthen the guidelines for what constitutes “educational/informational” TV.

 
 

Many adults today have childhood memories of learning the letter of the day from Sesame Street or how a bill becomes a law from Schoolhouse Rock. For those who grew up watching these classic educational programs, there is little question about media’s ability to support children’s educational and socio-emotional development.

Media’s unique scale and reach—from TV to the internet—has tremendous potential to help children learn. Children Now ensures that children’s best interests are served by our country’s educational media policies. Our work focuses on the following areas:

Use of Media & Technology in Education

Children’s Educational TV

Media Ownership Consolidation:
Impact on Children’s Programming