People all over the world use the media everyday. Playing on the computer, watching TV, reading the newspaper, talking on the phone or listening to the radio are all uses of media. Media is a way to communicate. Through the media, you can find out about important news, listen to your favorite music or watch your favorite TV show. But there are also negative sides of the media that can be especially harmful to teens like you.

Listed below are some of the ways that certain types of media can negatively affect your life.

• School
• Obesity
• Advertising and Commercials
• Stereotypes
• Violence
• Sex
• Tips on Using Media Safely

School

Studies show that if teens watch too much TV –- a type of media -– they will do poorly in school. Some TV shows are good, such as Sesame Street, which you probably watched as a child. Other TV shows, such as the ones you probably watch now, are less educational, so watching them takes time away from your schoolwork. According to Common Sense Media, kids who watch a lot of TV have smaller vocabularies and lower test scores in school. Also, these kids do not read as well as kids who watch less TV.

Another study shows kids who watch a lot of TV tend to obtain a lower level of education. This means that the people with the highest degrees watched less TV as kids and teenagers.

A third study shows that different forms of media can have different effects on schoolwork. Third graders who had TVs in their bedrooms did worse on their schoolwork than their peers who did not have TVs in their bedroom. Third graders with computers in their bedrooms did better than their peers without computers in their bedrooms. Even though this study was done with third graders, the results can apply to older kids as well.

Academic performance, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Obesity

Did you know that if you watch more than two hours of TV each day, you have a higher chance of being obese when you grow up? It makes sense if you think about it. If you are sitting in front of the TV or computer, you are probably not moving around and exercising. Getting enough exercise is key to staying healthy and preventing obesity. Also, the commercials that you see on TV are usually for fast food, sugary cereal or junk food—all of which have a high "kid appeal" but little nutritional value. Teens and preteens are the target for companies that produce these products. They try to make their product "cool" so that you will ask your parents to buy it for you. Commercials for kids or teens that advertise healthy products are not common. Most of those commercials are during shows that your parents watch, and even then, they are few and far between.

In general, people also tend to eat more when watching TV than sitting at the dinner table because the TV distracts them from paying attention to their stomachs. People may be full but not realize it, or they might unconsciously eat more when they see a commercial for something that looks appetizing.

Children’s TV habits linked to adult obesity, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

TV ads market junk food to kids, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Advertising and Commercials

Advertisements are everywhere — TV commercials, pop-up ads on the computer, magazines ads and billboards — and they have a huge impact on what people buy. Even though it is mostly adults who spend the money, commercials are often aimed at kids. If the advertising for a product is successful, kids will ask their parents to buy the product. Marketers have obviously found success in advertising to kids; children ages 12 and under convince their parents to spend more than $500 million a year. Some teens are able to buy the products they see advertised on their own. This makes it even easier for marketers because they do not have to appeal to kids and their parents. If marketers win over their target audience, they will make money.

Often, companies hire celebrities to sell their products. Other times, companies use fun "mascots" such as the characters on cereal boxes or catchy phrases or songs to market their product. The important thing to remember is the difference between what you want and what you need. Most marketers know you do not need their products, but they advertise in a way that makes you believe you want and need it.

Commercialism, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Stereotypes

Unfortunately, most of the media you are exposed to do not show people in a realistic way. Characters on TV are often shown with "perfect" bodies that most people do not have. Women are shown as too thin and men are shown with larger-than-life muscles. Photographs in magazines or billboards are edited on the computer to erase flaws and imperfections. Even if you know that what you see is not normal or not real, it can still impact you. Many teens want to be like the characters they see on TV. Also, some forms of media do not show the real diversity of the world. According to Common Sense Media, 74 percent of the characters on TV are Caucasian, and 64 percent of video game characters are males. These statistics show how the media portrays the world inaccurately. It is important to keep this in mind.

Body image/gender and racial stereotypes, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Violence

The media teaches kids that violence is acceptable. Take a video game, for example. In a video game, the way to beat an opponent is to punch, kick or knock him out. In some video games, you might even kill your opponent. Similarly, sometimes in movies, the good guy wins when he violently defeats his enemy. Situations like these teach you that violence is an acceptable way to win, even though you know that this is not true.

A study showed that 4-year olds have a greater chance of being bullies when they are older if they watch a lot of violent TV. Seeing violent behavior on TV or through other forms of media can also make teens act more violently.

Media violence and kids, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

Study: Kids who watch TV more likely to bully, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Sex

A study done by the RAND Corporation shows that teens are twice as likely to have sex or engage in sexual acts if they see similar sexual behavior in the media. Many objects in the media that involve sex target teens. Reality TV shows and teen dramas often portray the "cool kids" as the ones who are having sex. This message reaches teens.

If your parents knew about the Rand Corporation’s research, they might not want you to watch a lot of the shows that you like on TV. However, you are a responsible teenager. Tell your parents that you understand that TV does not portray real life. Explain to your parents that you know the show is purely for entertainment. Also, educate yourself about STDs and birth control if you choose to engage in sexual acts. As long as you are educated and can separate fiction from real life, these statistics do not have to apply to you.

Teens who watch sex on TV are twice as likely to have sex themselves, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

Sex and dating, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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Tips on Using Media Safely

After reading all this, you might think that the media is scary. Your job is not to hide from the media because it is not possible. Your job is to learn how to safely use the media.

Here are some tips to help you do that:

• Separate media from meals. Do not eat in front of the TV. Turn the TV off and focus on the people around you.
  
• Do not watch TV while doing homework.
  
• Set aside a part of your day for non-educational media, such as TV, and keep the rest of your day separate. Do not go over your limit. Common Sense Media suggests that you do not spend more than one or two hours in front of a screen — TV, computer and movies — each day.
  
• Limit media in your room. Keep TVs and computers in common spaces, such as the family room or den.
  
• Make sure visitors are aware of your family’s media rules. For example, the babysitter should know when you and your siblings can use media.
  
• Once your media limit is up, find an activity that excercises your brain or body. One suggestion is to spend one minute doing something mentally or physically active for each minute you are exposed to the media
  
• When you see an advertisement, think about whom it is targeting, whether or not it is successful and realistic, and what makes it appealing.
  
• When you see something in the media, think about how realistic it is.
  
• Be able to separate fiction from reality in the media and use your judgment.

You have been around the media your entire life. You’ve had more media exposure than your parents had when they were growing up. Hopefully, after reading this article, you are more educated about how the media can affect your life. Use this knowledge to stay safe and healthy. Remember: Just because you are growing up in a world run by media does not mean you have to be one of the media’s statistics!

For more tips for your family, check out:

Common sense tips for a healthy media diet, Common Sense Media, Accessed July 2007

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