Press Releases

From the Children Now Newsroom

Reports & Research

California Report Card, 2010

The Impact of Industry Self-Regulation on the Nutritional Quality of Foods Advertised on Television to Children, 2009

California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being, 2008

California County Data Book, 2007

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

Big Media, Little Kids 2, 2007

The Promise of Preschool, 2006

An estimated 137,000 positions are available within the afterschool workforce in California. While mostly part-time and seasonal employees, the number of afterschool workers comprise nearly 75% of the elementary teacher workforce or more than all police and firefighters in California combined.

Between 2001 and 2007, California’s rates of childhood asthma have increased from 14% to 16%.

In 2007, approximately 11% of California’s adolescents reported having tried drugs. This represents a 3% decline since 2003.

Obesity rates among California adolescents, ages 12-17, have remained relatively flat since 2001.

California’s Nurse-Family Partnership program improves pregnancy outcomes, boosts children’s health and developmental outcomes, and increases parents’ economic self-sufficiency.

53% of the state’s public school children participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals Program.

A new study of children found that watching TV was more harmful to children’s health than other sedentary activities like using a computer. In the study, the more TV children watched, the higher their blood pressure rose, regardless of their weight.

Maternal depression has adverse affects on children’s development. Children whose mothers are depressed when they are young are likely to experience persistent depression themselves. Consequently, screening for maternal depression at well-child clinics and other locations visited by at-risk women is needed.

For infants, maintaining good oral health is important, because primary teeth enable them to eat solid food, aid in speech development and serve as placeholders for permanent teeth.

Coalition Urges FCC to Prioritize Children's Needs in Media Ownership Review

Oct 25, 2006

The Children’s Media Policy Coalition urged the Federal Communications Commission to protect children’s interests first and foremost before making any changes to media ownership rules.

In comments filed Monday, the coalition argued that any relaxation of existing rules must be accompanied by a requirement that the FCC also analyze the impact of any proposed media mergers on kids served by the market. The coalition is concerned the relaxation of ownership rules will reduce competition, stifling innovation and increasing commercialism in children’s programming.

Research shows that children are particularly vulnerable to the influences of commercialism. The coalition urged the FCC to consider the effects of consolidation on advertising aimed at children, as well as the content of children’s programs.

The coalition also argued that the FCC should limit local broadcasters to one license in a given market in order to ensure sufficient original programming for children.

Citing a 2003 Children Now research study, which shows that media consolidation diminishes the diversity and availability of programming for the child audience, the coalition argued that young viewers must have access to diverse viewpoints in the television programming they so readily consume.

« Back to Newsroom

« View all Press Releases