The Newsstand - KIDS FIRST!® News 2006

Welcome to KIDS FIRST!® NEWS. All articles are by Coalition for Quality Children's Media unless otherwise noted.

Dear Friends,

Are you feeling stressed yet? I just love the holidays. I started sneaking Christmas music through my earphones while working even before Thanksgiving. Now I can pull the earphone plug and share the music with all with my family without ridicule. So far this year I am feeling amazingly unstressed, perhaps due to the unseasonably warm weather. Instead of madly rushing about doing Christmas-y things, we are out hiking and enjoying the sun. This Christmas my family is trying something quite radical. We are going to try our best to stay away from too many electronic gadgets as gifts. Do you know how hard it is to shop for a 13-year-old without focusing on electronics that will pull him away from the family? Well, I think we can do it, and in the long run, I believe we will all be happier for it. If you are looking for some great interactive family entertainment for the holidays, please check out my article below. This film has provided our family with many hours of entertainment over the year.

As always, I welcome your input. If you have comments on titles we have endorsed; notices of media awards, publications, and products; or suggestions for articles, please drop me a line.

Christine Pollock, Editor

Dear Readers,

Whew, it's that time of year again. As the weather turns cold and the nights get long, DVDs are a great way to entertain us and to open our minds up to ideas about other people and other cultures. When we select titles for our KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals or to offer for sale in our KIDS FIRST! Web Store, we look for titles that offer a window to the world, that are uplifting, humorous, meaningful, and represent the best of what's available for kids and families. I'm pleased to report that after screening several hundred titles, we have some outstanding films to offer you for your holiday shopping and for viewing at our Film Festivals in the first quarter of 2007. There's a short list of Web Store titles below and more online at kidsfirstmedia.com.

For our 2007 festivals, we've got some great titles from the studios such as Eloise in Hollywood from Starz Home Entertainment, starring our favorite new star Mary Mouser; the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Last Unicorn from Lionsgate; Flicka from Fox Home Entertainment;, and Hip Hop Kidz: It's a Beautiful Thing from Genius Products. Our indie producers have a plethora of goodies coming your way including Karma Cafe, Baranov's Castle, Big Top Winkle, and Legend of the Sasquatch. For complete descriptions of each of these, visit our new festival titles page at http://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirst/html/titles/festf.htm. Remember that you can find out what's playing at a theater near you by visiting kidsfirst.org/fest.

Producers, remember that our deadlines for our second quarter 2007 festivals are fast approaching. December 15 is our early deadline, January 15 our regular deadline and February 15 our late deadline. To submit your films, visit http://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirst/html/submit.htm.

Here's wishing everyone a blissful Holiday season.

Much love,

Ranny Levy
Founder and President, KIDS FIRST!®

NEW KIDS FIRST!® JUROR

Congratulations to our new graduate, Heidi Amsley!

Amsley did a summer 4-H film program through her library and believes being a juror will provide her with guidelines for a successful program. Others in her area are also interested in the Juror Club for Kids - so Amsley feels this can serve as a pilot program - she can answer questions they may have.

ONLINE JUROR TRAINING PROGRAM

Concerned about what kids watch? Want to do something about it? Become a KIDS FIRST!® juror. It's easy. Take our online training. It will take you about four hours to complete and we will provide you with your own personal trainer. The $40 fee is 100% reimbursable once you evaluate six titles for KIDS FIRST!®. You may keep any movie you approve. What a wonderful way for teachers, librarians, parents, and daycare providers to build their own quality media library while helping evaluate movies for others. KIDS FIRST! Independent Producer members get an additional benefit of one waived submission fee, once they complete the training and evaluate their first 6 titles. To register or get more information, please visit our KIDS FIRST!® juror's page.

KIDS FIRST!® WEB STORE FEATURES
**************************************************

Adventure Patrol: Snow Daze. From extreme snowboarding and skiing to igloo and quinzie construction, this title takes kids into the Absorka Mountains of Wyoming on a big-powder adventure. Series' host, Zeke, teaches kids that learning is big fun. Adult Juror Comments: Well done. Good pace. Lots of action that kids will appreciate. Lots of safety issues addressed. Instead of being a "how to" guide, this gives examples. Excellent motivation for participating in winter sports. Encourages self esteem and self motivation. Very intriguing. Kid Juror Comments: Very enjoyable."It teaches how to survive in the cold, has good action and made us laugh." Emphasizes safety and encourages kids to "do their best and feel good about it." Favorite part: building an igloo, cross-country skiing and the silly Olympics." The mountain is cool." "My friends would love the snowboarding part." DVD 35 min.; $9.95; Age: 5-12. Big Bright World, Inc.

Chanuka & Passover at Bubbe's. Kids of all ages will find pure enjoyment celebrating Chanuka & Passover at Bubbe's (beloved grandmother). Join in a joyful romp with a host of colorful muppet-like characters. There is Anton the bully, who insists on having things his way; Rhino, who "horns" in before he understands the situation;, Chester, who tries too hard;, practical Zachary; and adorable Muffin. While this delightful group prepares for the holiday feast, we witness the past as Bubbe relates the story of Chanuka - the fight between the Greeks and the Maccabees - the miracle of the burning oil - the importance of religious freedom for all people. Special DVD exclusives: "Sing along at Bubbe's," traditional games, recipes, prayers and songs. And while Bubbe prepares for her annual Passover Seder, they are surprised by a talking Haggadah and are magically whisked back to Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs. There, they experience the trials of captivity and ultimately, a triumphant escape to freedom. Adult Juror Comments: Provides an excellent introduction to the stories of Chanuka and Passover. Promotes cultural awareness for non-Jewish and Jewish children alike. Well-written and well-produced. Kid Juror Comments: Both Jewish and non-Jewish children enjoyed the puppets and learning about Chanuka. The kids were easily able to follow the story line and asked lots of questions afterwards. DVD 75 min.; $9.95; Ages 3-11. Monterey Media.

Danger Rangers: Mission 547 The Safety Rules. Introducing The Danger Rangers brought to you by an Emmy & Oscar winning creative team headed by Howard Kazanjian (Star Wars). Empowering safety information is taught to children as they are entertained by the lovable animal superheroes' adventures, comedy and songs. The Danger Rangers mission is to make the world a safer place by stopping one potential hazard at a time. Along the way, the characters encounter unsafe actions, dangerous settings and risky behaviors which they correct. Safety tips are folded directly into the action-driven stories, gags, and songs. Adult Juror Comments: Top notch. Covers a lot of ground in a short time. Subtle humor adults will enjoy with the kids. Crisp animation with bold colors and lots of action. Upbeat music with creative lyrics. Important emergency and safety information invitingly packaged. Kid Juror Comments: Some kids LOVED it, watched repeatedly, all the way through the credits."I knew this was going to be good as soon as I heard the music." Some were so enthusiastic they wanted to call 911 right away. All of them got the message that safety is important. DVD 28 min.; $9.95; Ages 3-9. Educational Adventures.

Kwanza For Young People (and Everyone Else! ). Introduces the listener to Kwanza's seven principles using a collection of original songs sung by both children and adults. Conveys positive messages in simple, illustrative and inclusive language. Adult Juror Comments: Upbeat, fun production. Good teaching tool with catchy tunes."It doesn't just teach about the holiday but about general decency for everyone." Stresses community and self-empowerment. Contains religious content. Kid Juror Comments: Delighted. "I liked all the music, especially the song called, Umoja." "My mom likes music like this, too." "My sister has a drum. We can play the drums and sing along." "It teaches good lessons about kindness and getting along with others." Audio 27 min.; $8.95; Ages 6-12. Charphelia Records.

The Night Before Christmas and More Christmas Stories. Clement Clark Moore's timeless tale, told by Anthony Edwards, is at the heart of this collection of holiday stories. Also includes "Max's Christmas" and "Morris's Disappearing Bag" by Rosemary Wells and "Owl Moon" by Caldecott Medalist author Jane Yolen. Adult Juror Comments: Wonderful anthology of warmhearted holiday favorites, each with a family theme. Narrated by popular actors. Simple and easy to understand for young children. Vocabulary is age-appropriate. Easily viewed in segments. Kid Juror Comments: Children enjoyed having stories they recognized read to them."They had a nice family and Max is really cute." "I want to see them disappear again." Children talked about what it would be like to see Santa Claus, or to have a "disappearing bag." DVD 27 min.; $9.95; Ages 3-8. New Video Group, Inc.

Veggie Tales: The Toy That Saved Christmas. It looks like the worst Christmas ever until brave little Buzz-Saw Louie doll takes matters into his own hands. Teaches children messages about the true meaning of Christmas. Adult Juror Comments: Offers easy-to-understand message about the value of giving. Lessons employ positive role models. Encourages problem-solving. Animation is unique and inviting. Contains some stereotyping. Christian overtones. Kid Juror Comments: Sang along with the songs and found the animation inviting."At first I was sad when I thought Christmas would be ruined, but then I was happy when the penguins and the toy saved Christmas." "I liked the song about 'It's okay to be different.'" DVD 30 min.; $9.95; Ages 3-8. Big Idea Productions Inc.

ANN'S AVENUE ALERTS by Ann Church
***************************************************************************************************************

KIDS FIRST! Across the Country
Belcourt Theater, Nashville Tennessee

Voted by the Nashville Scene as BEST PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS WHEN IT'S RAINING!

The 75 year old Belcourt Theatre provides premiere entertainment in the heart of Nashville's Hillsboro Village. Like many old theaters, The Belcourt has existed in many incarnations - each of which has furnished a home for some of the city's best and most unusual performing arts.

Opening in 1925 as the Hillsboro Theatre, The Belcourt originally operated as a silent movie house, boasting the most modern projection equipment and the largest stage in the city. As the community grew, The Belcourt adapted to the new needs of the neighborhood by providing a regular home for two highly successful performance groups. The Children's Theatre of Nashville, the longest running children's theatre of its kind, and the venerable Grand Ole Opry both shared The Belcourt stage during the 30's.

Today, The Belcourt hosts a variety of live and film events, including a private screening of An Inconvenient Truth for the Gore Family and a personal appearance by Tim McGraw and his wife, Faith Hill at a private screening of the newly released Flicka.

Every Saturday morning, KIDS' COURT! The Belcourt screens films from KIDS FIRST! to entertain the whole neighborhood. Check out their December screenings at www.belcourt.org. What a great way to spend a raining Saturday morning!

The Belcourt Theater
2102 Belcourt Avenue
Nashville, TN 37212
(615) 383-9140
www.belcourt.org

If you know of another great location that should be screening KIDS FIRST! titles, drop me a email, and I will send you a free copy of my latest favorite KIDS FIRST! festival title.

Ann Church

SELECTIONS FROM KIDS FIRST!® FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL 2006
****************************************************************************************************************
For a complete list of all Festival titles currently being shown, visit our website.

Barnyard. L. 90 min.
Moo-ve over, all you pretenders, here are the original party animals - the critters of Barnyard! This laugh-filled, tuneful animated adventure stars Otis (voiced by Kevin James), a carefree party cow. To the consternation of his respected father. Ben (voiced by Sam Elliott), Otis is happy to spend his days singing, dancing, and playing tricks on humans. But all good things must come to an end, and when Otis is suddenly forced into his father's position of responsibility, the animal antics multiply as he struggles to find the courage and talent to be a true leader. Wild, wacky, and "udderly" hilarious, here's a herd of animated pranksters that'll keep you laughing out loud! Ages: 3-8. Paramount Home Entertainment.

Shrek. L. 89 min.
Shrek is about to have his life turned topsy turvy when Lord Farquaad relocates a plethora of fairy tale characters to his swamp. Shrek makes a deal with Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona and bring her to Farquaad so he can get his swamp back. Ages: 7-15. Paramount Home Entertainment.

Madagascar. L. 86 min.
At New York's Central Park Zoo, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe, and a hippo are best friends and stars of the show. But when one of the animals goes missing from their cage, the other three break free to look for him, only to find themselves reunited . . . on a ship en route to Africa. When their vessel is hijacked, the friends learn firsthand what life can be like in the wild. Ages: 4-10. Paramount Home Entertainment.

Pollyworld. L. 68 min.
Polly Pocket™ makes her movie debut in POLLYWORLD™. Join Polly™ as she hits the world's most fabulicious™ amusement park full of monster good rides, the ultimate shopping experience, and music to the max to compete with her classmates. With Polly's totally fab best friends behind her, there's nothing a little girl power can't overcome! Ages: 5-8. Universal Studios Home Video.

Koala Brothers - Outback Christmas. L. 48 min.
The Koala Brothers invite everyone to spend Christmas Day with them. But when they get a letter from their friend Penny, the little penguin, saying that she won't be able to join them, they decide to embark on their biggest journey ever to bring her back to the Outback from Antarctica. With the help of strange looking penguins on skis, Frank and Buster finally track down Penny's house and give her the news that they've come all the way from the Australian outback to fetch her and bring her back to their homestead for a Christmas to remember. Finally, Frank, Buster and Penny make it all the way from Antarctica, and thanks to Ned, they are able to join their friends for the best Christmas ever! English and Spanish. Ages: 4-8. Lionsgate Family Entertainment.

Care Bears - The Nutcracker. L. 61 min.
Get ready to enjoy your favorite holiday treat, only sweeter. Join the Care Bears as they bring to life the classic tale of the nutcracker, as only these bears can. You'll make friends with Anna, her brother Peter, and even the Nutcracker himself. But when the Evil Vizier threatens, you and your new sugar plum friends must band together to save Toyland. Don't miss this heartwarming confection the whole family will enjoy even more than candy itself. English and Spanish. Ages: 2-5. Lionsgate Family Entertainment.

NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS
***************************************************
Please welcome these new or renewing members and visit their web sites.

Big Idea, Inc. produces VeggieTales and 3-2-1 Penguins DVDs, CDs, games, books, and other licensed items for children.

Braincandy creates award winning developmental DVD's, music CD's, books and toys all designed to help very young children learn to think more creatively and independently.

Gorilla Pictures is a motion picture company which produces, finances and distributes films for the International marketplace. The Gorilla Team has a diverse set of talents enabling them to assemble top stars and stories of high appeal to audiences globally.

Image Factory is an amazing new teaching system designed to ease language-learning while nurturing a positive, fun-to-learn environment for your child. Currently, "My Best English" videos are shown in the classrooms at several public elementary schools as well as at many preschools in southern California.

Little Notes Unlimited provides audio CDs that preschools, daycares, kindergartens, and parents will find extremely useful in teaching family values to young children.

MEMBER NEWS
****************************************************

Congratulations to the Purgatory House Team
Purgatory House (see our July issue) was picked up by one of the largest DVD distributors in North America, Image Entertainment. Blockbuster has ordered over 10,000 copies.! The DVD is also expected to be available at Hollywood Video, Circuit City, Barnes and Noble, Netflix, and of course on their website (at a bigger savings). The official release date is January 16th, but pre-orders are being taken now. They add, "It's very exciting. Thank you (to KIDS FIRST!®) for believing in this little grassroots film, and taking a chance on us. Thank you for believing in Celeste's story. We will never forget the part you played in this special journey. - the cast and crew of Purgatory House."

MEDIA NEWS
********************************************|

Call For NAPPA Entries
Let 3.5 million parents hear about your product! Enter your parenting or baby product in the 2007 NAPPA Parenting Resources competition - Gold Award winners are featured on the Web and in 25+ regional parenting magazines in top metro markets nationwide. Both Gold and Honors winners are featured for a year and beyond on Parenthood.com. Entry deadline is January 15, 2007. Categories include: "How to" DVDs and parent-interactive DVDs for infants and toddlers; maternity and baby products, time-saving gadgets, safety products, Websites, etc. that make parenting easier and more fun! Entry forms available at www.NAPPA.Parenthood.com or call the National Parenting Publications Awards at 617-522-1515 x23. (Deadlines for the NAPPA Children's Products division (toys, books, music, software/video games, DVDs, etc.) start June 30, 2007.

Wiggles Singer Steps Down
Greg Page, the lead singer of the hugely popular children's group The Wiggles, announced that he will stop performing after being diagnosed with a chronic condition that causes dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Read More

Holiday Highlights from PBS

Clifford's Puppy Days - PBS KIDS, Wednesdays, December 13 & 20, 2006 (check local listings)."The Big, Big Present”-- The kittens accidentally break the Menorah. Their sticky attempts to fix it result in a special, if unusual, Menorah that becomes part of their annual celebration. “Hanukah Plunder Blunder”-- Zo can't resist sneaking in and opening all eight of his presents on the first night of Hanukah. He soon realizes that he's spoiled his own fun by taking the surprise out of each night. Flo comes to the rescue by allowing him to share in her new gifts. *NEW* “Heroes and Friends”--Clifford tries to be a "hero" to impress his beloved Emily Elizabeth. He soon learns that being called "my best friend in the whole world" can be just as rewarding as being called a "hero." “The Cookie Crumbles”--When Mrs. Z presents the kids with candy canes, they decide to make cookies to thank her. But as their cookie list grows and their standards rise, they become fed up with frosting and each other. With Clifford's help, they remember that Christmas is about celebrating being together.

Arthur's Perfect Christmas - PBS KIDS GO! , Monday, December 25, 2006 (check local listings). Everyone’s favorite aardvark gives kids a new spin on seasonal traditions in this one-hour special, showing children many ways to celebrate the holidays. Plans are underway in Elwood City for the best holidays ever as Arthur, D.W. , their family and friends make preparations for perfect gifts, perfect parties and perfect family traditions for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and even “Baxter Day” (Buster and his mom’s special celebration). The only problem is, just like in real life, perfection is hard to attain and things start to fall apart.

Cyberchase - PBS KIDS GO! , Friday, December 29, 2006 (check local listings). It's Starlight Night, the annual holiday when all the stars in Cyberspace are refreshed for the new year. But Hacker concocts a scheme to darken the stars of cyberspace forever. He sends Buzz and Delete to stop all production of the new star circuits and take inventor Archimedes away to the Northern Frontier. With the ceremony only hours away, the kids and Digit must find a simple way to make the complex circuits and rescue Archimedes - all before Hacker turns out the lights in cyberspace!

Maya & Miguel - PBS KIDS GO! , Monday, December 25, 2006 (check local listings). It's Christmas and the Santos family is getting ready for the festivities. Maya, in her enthusiasm, manages to mess up things for Miguel: she spills juice on his book report, volunteers him to hang a piñata in class (a task which makes him take a humiliating fall), volunteers him to wear a too-big Santa suit and follow her around wishing their neighbors happy holidays (his pants fall down in front of everyone), and smudges a painting he was making as a gift to his parents. Frustrated, Miguel angrily declares that he wishes he never had a sister. The next day, he awakens to find his wish has come true; Maya doesn't exist, and nobody's ever heard of her. Paco (who has inexplicably become incredibly articulate) follows him around, commenting as Miguel takes in how the world has changed. At first, it seems like all his Maya-made troubles are over, but then Miguel sees how the lack of Maya's influence has adversely affected the world: Maggie and Chrissy aren't friends because they had a difference of opinion (which Maya had previously helped them overcome), Mr. Nguyen isn't their teacher because he felt unappreciated (Maya had made him feel appreciated), Jimmy McCorkle became a bully, etc. Finally realizing how much worse everything is without Maya, Miguel regrets he ever made the wish, and wishes it all to be reversed. Poof! The world goes back to normal. Maya is back, Miguel's painting is still ruined, and Miguel couldn't be happier to have a twin sister.

Teletubbies in the Snow. - PBS KIDS, Monday, December 25 through Friday, December 30, 2006 (check local listings). One day in Teletubbyland, it began to snow. It snows and snows until everything is covered, even the Teletubbies' favorite things! Join in the fun as Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po build a snow tubby and take a peek into how children around the world celebrate Christmas.

FAMILY AND PARENTING NEWS
********************************************
U.S. Food Companies May Reduce Junk Food TV Ads
Top US food manufacturers and advertisers have proposed guidelines to control the promotion of junk food to children through a voluntary tightening of standards and new requirements on advertising to kids on television and in video games. Read More

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MTBA) Monitors Advertising
In a spectacular victory for Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, the MTBA has agreed to stop advertising explicitly violent video games on its trains and buses. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is a national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and concerned parents who counter the harmful effects of marketing to children through action, advocacy, education, research, and collaboration among organizations and individuals who care about children.

******************************************

Which Adventure Will You Choose? by Christine L. Pollock

Sometimes, family movie nights can be stressful. It’s hard to find a film that will entertain a six-year-old, and nine-year-old, a 12-year-old, and parents. Last year, through the KIDS FIRST!® jury program, our family discovered a treasure which fit the criteria. Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman, from Lean Forward Media, LLC, is an interactive DVD that lets viewers decide which way the story turns.

Michelle Crames, founder and CEO of Lean Forward Media LLC, realized that the Choose Your Own Adventure books would be perfect in DVD format with Learn Forward Media's patent pending “Up2U” technology that enables viewers to literally control the storyline with their DVD remote control. Lean Forward Media’s mission is to “entertain, engage, and educate.” They don’t want children to passively watch TV. They want them to “lean forward” and participate. Crames realizes that children get little choice in life. This new technology enables children to make their choices in a safe setting.

When my husband and I settled down to watch The Abominable Snowman with our boys, we did not realize it would be hours of entertainment for the entire family. The instructions on the DVD were very clear so we all knew what we were doing in regards to using our remote for making choices. The characters were engaging and the storyline hooked us in record time. The boys made their decisions at various points during the film, then went back to see what would have happened if they have chosen something else. To my great delight, it went beyond the TV screen and our family evening into the boys’ schoolwork and leisure reading. As they did writing assignments for school, they started questioning what would have happened if the main character had done this instead of that. In their personal reading, the children discover the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. My family is not alone in their admiration of this title. One mother wrote to Crames telling of the impact the title had on her autistic child. He is very rigid and needed to learn some flexibility. This title allowed him to make choices in an environment he was comfortable with. His parents and others watching the movie with him could talk with him about his decisions.

I have to admit that when I view this movie with my children, I did not think beyond the fact that it was a very fun activity for the family. The animation was crisp and the different storylines intriguing. I did not stop to think about the educational and social benefits of the film. After being to directed to the web site, www.choosemovie.com/guide.php, I realized that this film really gives a parent terrific insight into how their children make decisions. It opens a path to discussions on decision making in various areas -- from crisis periods to talking to strangers to dealing with other important life issues. Families who want to go beyond the entertaining story can also choose to watch the documentary on the DVD. There are many helpful resources for parents and teachers on the film's web site, www.choosemovie.com.

To my children's delight, the entertainment does not stop with The Abominable Snowman. Two more titles are ready to go from talented writers who also wrote Barbie Fairytopia and Scooby Doo. Keep your eyes open for The Lost Jewels and The Mystery of the Nile. Keep checking our KIDS FIRST!® News for updates on the products. If you have any feedback from The Abominable Snowman specifically, please feel free to contact Michelle Crames to let her know what you think.

*******************************************
CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES

Dr. Toy's Tips on Use of Video by Stevanne Auerbach, PhD. /Dr.Toy www.drtoy.com Smart Play /Smart Toys (www.educationalinsights.com)

Vacation Time. This is the perfect time to provide transition from concentration and focus of schoolwork to more relaxing atmosphere. The transition is a great interlude to change into play clothes, take a rest, have a snack and, of course, catch a ‘second wind’ for the next round of fun and learning at home. By adding videos, simple fun projects and quiet music you can help your child to relax and to unwind. After-school and vacation time should be relaxed and free of pressure. A great KIDS FIRST title for fun relaxation is Yoga Kids 3: Silly to Calm.

Craft - Snowman Pin

Idea from children's book author, Linda Stanek, who invites librarians, teachers, parents, and students, to participate in the Becoming a Book project. More details.

Complements the KIDS FIRST!® title Choose your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman

Materials: 3 white, two-holed buttons, small, medium and large; small piece of cardboard; black permanent marker; 2 tiny sticks; glue; scrap of yarn, approximately 3 inches long; 1 pin back

For instructions, go to craft page.

KIDS FIRST!® Film and Video Festival Schedule
********************************************************************
Films from our KIDS FIRST!® Film Festivals travel around the country where more than 100 local venues host screenings of them throughout the year. More than 10,000 screenings will take place in these venues annually. To find out what is being played in a venue near you, go to www.kidsfirst.org/fest.

Other Events

November 19-24 Canada's National Media Education Week. The first of its kind in Canada, this week will highlight the importance of media literacy and Web literacy as key learning areas in the information age. Read More.

January 12-14: Memphis, Tennessee. Activists, media makers, educators, journalists, policymakers and concerned citizens will gather in Memphis this January to mobilize for better media. The National Conference for Media Reform, sponsored by Free Press, is for "anyone who is concerned about the state of our media and committed to working for change." This is an outstanding conference with top speakers, including Bill Moyers, Amy Goodman, Ben Bagdikian and others. Expect thousands of people committed to democracy and the need for a media system that supports rather than restricts free speech.

January 19: Hempstead, NY [Long Island]. Reclaim the First Amendment: A Conference on Constitutional Theories of Media Reform, cosponsored by the Free Expression Policy Project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and by conference host Hofstra University. Free and open to the public, reservations requested.

February 1-4, 2007. Raleigh Studios, Hollywood. The 12th Annual International Family Film Festival is leaving the suburbs of Los Angeles and moving down the road to Hollywood. Read More

March 24-28, 2007. Johannesburg, South Africa. 5th World Summit on Media for Children 2007, Media as a Tool for Global Peace and Democracy. The Children and Broadcasting Foundation for Africa (CBFA) is to host the 5th World Summit on Media for Children. The event is expected to bring together around one thousand delegates plus some 300 teenagers. Unlike past Summits on Media for Children, the youngsters will be taking official part in the main plenary sessions.

March 30. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn. The theme of the 5th Annual Northeast Media Literacy Conference is "The Mass Media, Children, and Values." Description: "The growing media literacy movement has helped children and youth to become more media literate for many years now, with a major emphasis upon accessing, analyzing, and evaluating the many complex messages presented through the mass media, particularly advertising in its many forms and formats. The rapid spread of new technology devices and techniques have had a great impact upon the types and extent of mass media exposure in today’s youth culture, including cell phones, voice and text messaging, ipods, blogs, MySpace, Facebook, ebay, video games, etc. But what impact has all of this mass media exposure and technology had on children and youth in terms of their thinking, choices, priorities, actions….and their values?"

June 23-27. St. Louis, Missouri. The biannual National Media Education Conference (NMEC), hosted by the Alliance for a Media Literate America, is the largest, oldest and most comprehensive professional conference for teachers, academics, youth advocates, health professionals and media activists to learn about media literacy education. The first annual Media Literacy Education Research Summit is a pre-conference event held June 23 and 24, immediately prior to the NMEC. The Summit will host an international group of experts from a diverse array of fields who will convene to review the existing research evidence about the efficacy of media literacy education and to develop a research agenda for the future.

SPECIAL OFFERS:

KIDS FIRST!® Cares
Through the combined efforts of Corporations for Character, KIDS FIRST!® , and your generous donation, we can fulfill our mission to provide positive, encouraging movies into each of more than one million children's hospital beds. This effort will provide entertainment for children while they are confined in a hospital. To support KIDS FIRST!® Cares, visit kidsfirstcares.org. All credit card transactions are secure.

********************************************************************
Become a Coalition for Quality Children's Media Member
If you've found our e-zine and web site helpful, please consider becoming a member of KIDS FIRST!® Members help underwrite the various projects of this organization. The Coalition for Quality Children's Media relies on the generous support of its members and donors to support its programs. An individual/family membership is only $25/year. An organizational membership is $100/year. An independent producer membership is $200. To join, go to: http://www.kidsfirst.org or contact our office at 505.989.8076 or KIDS FIRST!®.

VISIT OUR MEMBERS' SITES ******************
Please visit our website for an up-to-date list of Coalition members by visiting http://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirst/html/whomem.htm.

IF YOU FIND THIS NEWSLETTER USEFUL . . . FORWARD IT TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY ****************

This newsletter may be reprinted with permission.
Copyright 2002 by Coalition for Quality Children's Media, http://www.kidsfirst.org

ABOUT CQCM AND KIDS FIRST!®
******************************************
KIDS FIRST!® is the not-for-profit Coalition for Quality Children's Media's initiative that evaluates and rates children's media - videotapes, CD-ROM's and television - using a highly acclaimed method that has been praised by parents and educators alike. It utilizes professionally designed criteria and evaluation tools and engages a volunteer jury comprising child development professionals, teachers and parents nationwide and children of diverse geographic, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. KIDS FIRST!® endorsed titles appeal to people around the world and include many programs on topics important to children's development. KIDS FIRST!® -endorsed titles are available on CQCM's award-winning Internet site, in the KIDS FIRST!® Film and Video Festival and in reviews we provide to more than 75 publications.

CQCM evaluates feature films, television programs, videos, CD-ROM, DVDs and audio recordings. For an application form and application deadlines, visit our website at http://www.kidsfirst.org, call our office (505.989.8076).
Coalition for Quality Children's Media, 112 W. San Francisco St. , Suite 305A, Santa Fe, NM 87501.