CCFC NEWS - Winter, 2007
CCFC's Susan Linn Discusses Sak's "Snowpeople" on
NPR's Marketplace
This holiday season, Sak's Fifth Avenue released
Snowpeople, a picture book for young children. In the
book, the "snowpeople" express their individuality . . . by
shopping for luxury clothes at Saks. CCFC's Susan Linn
recently discussed the book - and the troubling trend of
inculcating brands and the habits of consumption into
children at younger and younger ages - in a commentary for
NPR's Marketplace. You can listen to the commentary
at
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/12/18/lessons_of_snowpeople_not_cool.
CCFC's Consuming Kids Summit: Early Bird
Registration Closes January 15th
Time is running out on early bird registration for CCFC's
Consuming Kids Summit: The Sexualization of Children and
Other Commercial Calamities in Boston on April 3-5,
2008. Save $50 by registering before January 15. For more
information, including the latest summit news and
presenters, please visit: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/events.htm.
McDonald's Report Card Advertising: An Update
McDonald's has responded to our members who urged them to
stop advertising on elementary school report cards with an
email message that claims that they are "evaluating the
program." Considering the ads are a clear violation of
McDonald's pledge to stop advertising in elementary schools,
it's not clear what exactly they are evaluating.
We intend to continue to highlight McDonald's violations
of its pledge, but we need your help. If you spot any
McDonald's marketing in your child's elementary school -
including visits by Ronald McDonald, sponsored "educational"
materials, coupon giveaways or any other form of advertising
- please let us know by emailing
ccfc@jbcc.harvard.edu. And if you haven't yet urged
McDonald's to end its report card advertising, please take a
moment to do so by visiting
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/621/t/4886/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21959.
 Mapping
School Food: A Policy Guide: A New Resource from the Public
Health Advocacy Institute
Improving the school food environment can be a difficult
task, and understanding school food law and policy can be a
barrier to getting started. That's why this new guide from
the Public Health Advocacy Institute is so invaluable. Mapping
School Food was written to help legislators, advocates,
parents, teachers and anyone interested in improving school
food navigate school food law and policy.
Mapping School Food is an innovative guide that
describes school food policy from the perspective of
different personnel in the school system. It also provides
tools to help advocates find answers, resolve conflicts, and
build consensus for improving school food in their
community. Download your free copy today at
http://www.phaionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/mappingschoolfood.pdf.
Action Alert: Help Stop Media Consolidation
This week, the Federal Communications Commission approved
new rules that will unleash a flood of media consolidation
across America. Media consolidation is bad for
democracy. It is also bad news for families already under
siege by a barrage of advertising from Big Media. The new
rules are a boon to many of the companies, such as Viacom
and Disney, that profit from child-targeted marketing. The
rules are also liable to silence many of the independent
voices in the media that are more likely to ask tough
questions about the commercialization of childhood.
Congress has the power to throw out these rules and Free
Press is organizing a campaign to pressure them to do so. To
learn more, please visit
http://www.stopbigmedia.com/.
The Presidential Candidates on Kids Media and
Marketing Issues
Common Sense Media recently submitted a questionnaire to
the major presidential campaigns asking the candidates to
give their positions on the biggest kid-and-media issues
facing parents today. The candidates were asked about a
wide-range of issues from childhood obesity to violent video
games to advertising targeted at kids. Candidates Obama,
Edwards, Richardson, Romney and Clinton all responded to the
survey. You can read and compare their answers at
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/news/specials/presidentialquestionnaire.
Activists Stop Wal-Mart's "Who Needs Credit Cards"
Underwear for Girls
More proof of the growing resistance to the corporate
exploitation of children. Last week, an outraged shopper
noticed that Wal-Mart was selling - in its junior department
- pink underwear emblazoned with the message, "Who Needs
Credit Cards." She posted a photo to the blog
Feministing.com, which in turn encouraged it's readers
to contact Wal-Mart. After the story spread throughout the
blogisphere,
Wal-Mart pulled the underwear from its stores. A victory
for online activists - and for anyone concerned about the
toxic messages marketed to girls.
Support CCFC's Year-End Campaign
We rely on you because we will not compromise our
commitment to children by accepting corporate
funding. Between now and January 1, 2008, all donations of
$125 will be matched! But any amount is appreciated. To make
your tax-deductible donation, please visit
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/donate. |
