For the first time in human history, most children are born into homes where most of the stories do not come from the parents, schools, churches, communities, and in many places even from their native countries, but from a handful of conglomerates who have something to sell.

Recent California Legislation failed to stop the sale of soda on school campuses. The Senate Education Committee defeated the bill by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, by a 6-1 vote. It needed eight votes to pass. If SB1520 had become law, California would have been the most populous state to start phasing out junk food in schools. The b

There are several organizations now advocating for children and against advertising, one of American culture’s most powerful forces. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a Committee on Communications that has written a policy statement regarding Children, Adolescents, and Advertising. The National Organization for Women Foundation has also taken up the cause. Their concern is expressed in a “Love Your Body Campaign” that marks October 16, 2002 as a national day of action to speak out against ads and images of women that are offensive, harmful, and disrespectful. Commercial Alert, based out of Portland, Oregon has even written a Parents’ Bill of Rights that they are campaigning to have Congress turn into law. One question remains through all of this, what about parental responsibility? Should government be asked to step in and censor marketing and advertising aimed at American children or should parents be held accountable for what they allow their children to see?

Just like the sale of soda on school campuses, Channel One is responsible for impressive contributions to school budgets. At a time when government is being forced to continually trim the budget and cut school spending some officials see advertising as a way to strengthen the coffers and prevent extinction of some school programs. Does it make sense to take money from soft drink producers to enable a school to continue a strong physical education program? Could teaching them the benefits of good nutrition do more for their physical well being than selling them soda on campus and then teaching them how to exercise off the effects of that drink? Marion Nestle, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University, estimates that $13 billion a year is spent marketing to American children by food and drink industries alone. Food advertising makes up about half of all advertising aimed at kids. (2)

The National Institute on Media and the Family has compiled a fact sheet on children and Advertising that may surprise you with its data. Some of their enlightening statistics are:

"A struggle different than any before in the history of western culture is int

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