About Us
Coalition for Quality Children's Media
A Collaboration of More than 17 Million Concerned Adults
KIDS FIRST! Endorsements and Recommendations
Adult-Approved and Kid-Recommended
KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
The World's Largest Children's Film Festival
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics
Smart Kids Make Smart Consumers
KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions
#1 Rated Radio Show on Voice America Kids Network
KIDS FIRST! Top 100 Kids Film List
Universal appeal, Exemplary Messages, Outstanding Production
Coalition for Quality Children's Media
Mission
Our goals are to: A. Teach children to
become critical media users; B. Help adults recognize the importance
of teaching critical viewing skills to children; C. Help children
identify and be aware of outstanding media programming;
D. Develop programs for children with special needs such as
low-income, hospitalized or at-risk children. |
The Coalition for Quality Children's Media is a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media.
KIDS FIRST! evaluates, rates and endorses children's films, DVDs, CDs, TV shows and games using volunteer, community-based juries of adults and children from diverse backgrounds and offers a variety of means to showcase and enhance consumer awareness of approved products.
KIDS FIRST! is supported by teachers, librarians, media professionals, lobbyists, policymakers, child advocates, educators, parents and families nationwide. Support comes from national nonprofit organizations that include the National Education Association, REEL Fathers, National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Council of Women’s Organizations, with a cumulative membership of over 17 million.
CQCM Board and Staff
CQCM Members
CQCM By-laws
IRS 990 Filing for 2011
CQCM W-9 jpg format W-9 pdf format (higher resolution)
Programs
KIDS FIRST!
KIDS FIRST! evaluates, rates and endorses children's media using community-based juries comprised of child development professionals and teachers as well as parents and children from diverse geographic, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. A KIDS FIRST! endorsement is given to titles (films, DVDs, TV shows, apps, games) meeting the KIDS FIRST! baseline criteria, approved by adults and recommended by child jurors.
Product reviews reach an audience of more than 27 million through the KIDS FIRST! web site, newsletter, social media as well as through our media partners including: HDNet Movies kidScene, AOL Kids, Workingmother.com, GRANDMagazine.com, Amazon.com, Parenthood.com, LA Parent, Bay Area Parent, Boston Parent, Colorado Parent, Parent Guide Tampa, and 50 other publications.
KIDS FIRST! is a voluntary initiative, only titles that are submitted are evaluated, rated and endorsed. To submit a title for consideration, please visit our submit a title page.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics
KIDS FIRST! has always involved kids in reviewing media products. In 2010, kids were offered an opportunity to become an official KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. To join, kids enter a national competition where they submit a review, both written and videotapes, of one of the official films. Their video reviews are posted on our voting website where public voting determines the finalists and a panel of celebrity judges determine the winners. The competition is open to kids ages 7 to 14 who reside in the U.S. The winners serve a one year term as an official KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. The 2010 and 2011 campaigns generated more than 11 Million votes!
The KIDS FIRST! Film Critics serve a busy and exciting one-year term. They review two to four films a month, produce a weekly radio show and attend red carpet events, press junkets and lots of advance screenings. They interview celebrities both and off the red carpet and review most new film releases rated PG-13 or younger.
The 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics search campaign is underway now through December 31, 2012. For more infomation, visit the detail page. To receive updated information about when it starts and what films are involved, subscribe to our weekly e-zine, KIDS FIRST! News.
You can view the most recent reviews on the KIDS FIRST! homepage and AOL Kids. Or, go to Voice America Kids to listen to the radio show. It's live every Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET and 24 hours after that, the archive is available to listen to at any time.
KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
Now in its thirteenth year, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival showcases new and classic children's films and videos from studios as well as independent and youth filmmakers. To qualify, a film must meet the KIDS FIRST! criteria of no gratuitous violence, no racial or cultural bias, no inappropriate sexual behavior, no replicable unsafe behavior and no condescension towards children. The Festival partners with more than 50 venues who host screenings year round. In 2010, we launched the online KIDS FIRST! Film Festival where anyone can view short films from the festival. Annually, KIDS FIRST! films will be seen by more than 5,000 viewers nationwide.
Submit a Title for Endorsement or Film Festival
Host a Festival
Sponsors
View our Short Films
KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions
Rated the # 1 show on Voice America Kids network, our weekly radio features the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics reviewing the newest film and DVD releases, interviewing talent and chatting with cool people doing interesting things in children's media. The reporters for the show are youth, ages 7-15 who are current KIDS FIRST! Film Critics. Our executive producers work continuously with the kids to help them develop the skills needed to perform as an entertainment reporter. Voice America Kids is part of the Voice America Network, internet radio with 4+ million listeners a month. Go to Voice America Kids to listen to the latest episode of the show or archived episodes.
KIDS FIRST! Best Awards
KIDS FIRST! Best awards are given to films that have played at our film festivals throughout the previous year and rated the highest in their category. KIDS FIRST! Best Awards
You can view this year's shorts winners online at KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.
Announcing 2012 Winners
2012 Nominees
KIDS FIRST! Top 100 Kids Films
Annually, KIDS FIRST! creates a Top 100 Kids Film List of films that we believe have universal appeal, exhibit outstanding attributes in terms of their production values and portray values and have qualities that make them as applicable today as the day they were first released. To qualify, a film must also be currently in distribution.
We know that media has the power to influence children, negatively or positively. The films on this list portray the values and ethics that we, as a culture wish to instill in our children. The idea behind this list is to provide a parent or caregiver with as much information as possible about the age appropriateness of a film, a brief synopsis, the key artists involved and any special audience issues it may address.
All Top 100 films are available on Amazon.com at www.amazon.com/KidsFirst!Top100 or on the KIDS FIRST! site here.
KIDS FIRST! Travel
KIDS FIRST! Travel is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media. In operation since 2006, the travel agency provides on-line booking of travel and commission earned help support the projects of the organization.
Privacy
KIDS FIRST! / Coalition for Quality Children's Media's privacy policy is here.
