CQCM Newsletter 2006, January 16

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

"Great," he replied, "The kids in my class called me 'Smarty'--in a good way -- because I knew all the answers."

"Well, that's 'cuz you read the Bible a lot, right?" I asked. It seemed logical to me.

"I do, but that's not why I got them right. I got these answers because I watched all those NEST DVDs."

KIDS FIRST! strikes again!! We reviewed a bunch of the NEST titles before Christmas, and they are already working their magic. Once again I see the benefits of being a KIDS FIRST! juror. Speaking of which, a hearty "Congratulations" to Kathleen Holton--our latest KIDS FIRST! juror!. If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about our juror training program, please visit our KIDS FIRST!® juror's page.

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.

Dear Friends,

What strange weather we've had. First, all the snow, more than Santa Fe has seen in years, and now, single digit temps here while New Yorkers are basking in balmy weather. What an interesting way to start the year.

Congratulations to all our producers whose titles have been accepted for our first quarter Festival screenings, which start today and run through April 15. We have accepted 68 titles for the first quarter and are thrilled about the quality of the films we have to share with you. The list includes studio titles such as Flicka, Everyone's Hero, Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks, The Last Unicorn - 25th Anniversary Edition, Dora the Explorer: Musical School Days, Jollybean Mystery, and Eloise in Hollywood. Our independent titles include some outstanding features such as The Tillamook Treasure, Viola, The Last Atomic Bomb, Legend of the Sasquatch, and The Adventures of Megabyte Man. A third of this quarter's titles are indie shorts such as Portable Living Room, Hot Summer Daze, The Red Balloon, Whale Sharks of Hollbox, In Winter Still, and Miss Cool. For a list of all accepted Q1 titles, please visit our new title page.

Wherever you are and whatever your weather, you are close to one of our KIDS FIRST! Film Festival venues. Use our online search engine at http://www.kidsfirst.org/fest to find screenings near you. We're off to a grand start with celebrity appearances at two venues this week. Yesterday, on Martin Luther King's Birthday, the Hip Hop Kidz performed at the Long Island Children's Museum prior to screening their film (see pictures on left). This weekend, Mary Matilyn Mouser appears at the USA KIdfilm Festival in conjunction with the premiere screening of Starz Home Entertainment's new Eloise in Hollywood. Check it out 12:30 Saturday, January 20 at the AMC NorthPark.

As Chris mentioned, we have just finished evaluating a large collection of films from Nest Family Entertainment. I was most familiar with their Biblical storytelling films. Much to my surprise, they also have a large collection of films about inventors and historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Florence Nightingale. This weekend, when my grandson was visiting for an overnight, I tried to ply him away from Fairy Odd Parents and Max & Ruby to watch some of the Nest titles. I have to admit that he, like most 5-year-olds, is influenced strongly by cover art and familiar titles. It took a bit of coaching but at last, I got him to watch Benjamin Franklin: Scientist and Inventor and The Wright Brothers. He loved both and told me, "Granny Ranny, I have to watch both of these again so I can learn everything." We're finishing the evaluations of all of these this week and will be posting them to our website so be sure to visit our new endorsements page to find them. You'll be glad you did.

Lastly, I gave you the wrong url for our travel website last week. My apologies. Here is the correct one: http://www.ytbtravel.com/kidsfirst. Remember, this uses the same search engine as Travelocity, so book through KIDS FIRST! and make a donation without having to write a check.

Best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy January.

Love,

Kathleen says: I am proud to be a Music Teacher (K-8) and Show Choir Director at the Seven Hills Public Charter School in Worcester, Massachusetts. I have been teaching for 30 years and love it. I was recognized as the "Distiguished Educator of Music" for the state of Massachusetts in 2002.

Our Show Choir has performed at over 200 performances over the last 8 years which included a national television performance with Sir Elton John and the Boston Pops. We also performed on national television at the Democratic National Convention.

This year, our school added "Elective Classes" for our Jr. Academy students. They are enjoying using the "Kid's Choice" program to review "Musicals". In addition, we are interviewing the "Movie Critic" for our local newspaper and we have attended some local musicals and did reviews on those. The students love the titles so much that we are performing our own musical this spring ("Aladdin, Jr.") on the stage at a local college. We are anxious to get new titles to review.

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

So Smart: Letters. Learn vocabulary with simple stories; adorable, bright, bold animation; and original music. The 2-disc DVD includes interactive games that can be played on TV with your remote control, printable story cards and bonus "Sleepytime" classical music CD. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: Letters are displayed individually and in the usual order. Excellent sound, animation and editing. Simplicity appeals to young children. Offers potential for learning beyond what it presents such as playing memory games with the children. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Children loved the "walking" shapes. Kids smiled and talked back to the video throughout the screening. Even one and two-year-olds can benefit. Some got up and danced to music. DVD. 30 mins. Ages 1-3. The Baby School Company. Inc.

So Smart: First Words. Learn vocabulary with simple stories; adorable, bright, bold animation; and original music. The 2-disc DVD includes interactive games that can be played on TV with your remote control, printable Story Cards and bonus "Sleepytime" classical music CD. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: Slow and simple. Beautifully constructed with perfectly suited vocabulary and images. Interactive game shows similar content in a different format, good for parent and child interactions."Best infant program I've seen." KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Very interested. Pointed at pictures and attempted words. Danced to the music and giggled at animal pictures. Great when used in short user sessions to keep kids' interest high. DVD. 120 mins. Ages: Infant-3. So Smart! Productions.

Baby Babble DVD. Exposes children to early developing sounds and words, as well as introducing them to simple sign language. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: Uses images of bright-colored toys with narrator to teach word development. Accompanied by original music. Interspersed is a head short of a woman saying different words and making facial gestures with sounds. Doesn't repeat sequences, which would enhance its educational value. Very good tutorial at the end that delivers an excellent message to new parents about language development for babies. The end part is definitely geared for adults, not for babies. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Short clips are well timed. A baby watching starts to lose interest just as the clip is changing and her attention is captured again. About fifteen minutes was the total attention span though. They relate to the words offered - eat, more, drink, book, up down, colors. One-year-olds enjoyed watching the toys on screen. DVD. 45 min.; $15.99; Age: Adult. Talking Child LLC.

My Baby Can Talk: First Signs. A series of videos that bridges the gap between the time a baby can communicate with his or her hands and the time a baby can speak. By giving parents and babies the ability to communicate without words, these videos reduce frustration and encourage rewarding interactions. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: High quality presentation. Very well laid out. Bold colors and soft textures, beautiful music, bright examples. Calming and not overwhelming. Planned to the most minute detail. Excellent tutorial instructs parents on how to help the learning process, and to have reasonable expectations. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Loved it and asked to see it again. Repeated the signs and got up and acted like animals. The little ones danced while older ones talked about the pictures. Liked the repetition, music, pace. Some really loved the booklet that came with the DVD showing the signs. DVD. 45 min.; $15.96; Age: infant - 3. Baby Hands Productions.

Merlin and the Dragons. Young Arthur doesn't understand why pulling a sword from a stone qualifies him for kingship. Merlin, the magician, guides him with inspiring stories and prophetic dreams that prepare him to become a magnificent king. Narrated by Kevin Kline. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: A wonderful slant on the classic story of King Arthur and his mentor, the incredible magician Merlin. Excellent role models for self-esteem, courage and trustworthiness. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Compelling and complex. Kids enjoyed the animation, though some scenes were scary for the youngest viewers. The older children were fascinated with it and talked about it later. DVD. 27 min.; $9.94; Age: 5-12. Lightyear Entertainment.

*** = Titles receiving the highest scores are given a three-star rating.
** = Titles that meet or exceed the criteria receive a two-star rating.
* = Titles that meet the baseline criteria but require some extra consideration on the part of the viewer receive a one-star rating.

Video/DVD-Ages 2-5

*** One Wee World Celebrates in Mexico. Take an enchanting journey with your hosts, Ambassador Tracy and her animated friend, Ambassador Kiki to Mexico. A cultural celebration of Mexico's music, landscape, folklore, dance, food, toys, and so much more. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: Lively! Good cinematography showing a wide range of activities in Mexico. From music to chocolate, cute interstitial animations. Not much narrative or explanation, relies on imagery and sound. Excellent way to incorporate cultural diversity into your home or school. Good combinations of Spanish and English vocabulary."I loved the music and the native characters that participate in this film. I even learned a little bit about my own culture." KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Kids loved this. They were attentive from beginning to end. Enjoyed the dancing, waterfalls, and talked about them afterwards. Some of the Spanish-speaking kids particularly loved it. They danced and sang along."I knew the songs. I like Mexican dances." "Offers a wonderful way for our Mexican families and preschoolers to share their culture with others." One young girl said, " want to be a dancer like the pretty girls." (She was referring to the folklorico dancers. One little boy wanted to take it home to show it to his mom. Good length, good variety. Ages 2-5. One Wee World.

*** The Organwise Guys: Calci's Big Race. Calci trains for the "Bone Marrow-Thon." She knows that eating calcium-rich foods combined with physical activity will help her stay strong so she can make it to the finish line. Part of an obesity prevention program. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: These unique puppets make learning nutrition fun and interesting with music, goofy characters, and a child-centered storyline. In this episode, the Organwise Guys cheer on their friend, Calci as she makes herself strong through proper diet in order to run a race. This doesn't deliver a heavy nutrition message, yet it delivers its point clearly."Calcium helps build strength." It also clearly defines which food are a source of calcium, including ice cream. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Kids seem to really enjoy the Organwise guys and the storyline."I liked how they were getting ready for the race. It was funny when the dog went after her." They discussed some of the nutritional information afterwards, and talked about what nutritious foods they eat."I liked learning about ice cream." They sang along with the songs and danced occasionally. They asked questions about what other foods have calcium. Ages 5-8. The Organwise Guys.

Video/DVD-Ages 5-12

** Internet Safety. Follow the zany adventures of Safe Side Superchick and her goofy sidekicks as they learn about internet safety and staying smart, cool and safe. Includes a viewing guide, Hot Tips Mini-poster, and a Safe Side Wristband. Music Videos. Spanish. English. KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: Useful basic Internet safety tips and definitely goofy. Tries a bit too hard to be funny. Many good tips, like don't open attachments or downloads. Makes some generalizations that are not realistic. I.e. It advises staying out of chat rooms. Many children doing research or pursuing their own interests will end up in chat rooms. It would be good to advise them how to deal with them rather than just say, don't go there. Also, the focus on predators shows a stereotyped, greasy elder man smoking a cigarette whereas predators can be male, female, young or good-looking. This is best for Internet newbies. KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments: Kids tended to really enjoy it."It was so funny." "I loved Danger Dude and Safe Side Super Chick - she reminded me of Lizzy McGuire." "Helped me learn about the Internet" "Some of it is really silly. Sometimes it seems like it is more geared for preschool." "Mr. Walsh and the other people are trying to let us know about the danger of predators. I've heard about this before. My school has training on this and it's presented in a way more suitable for kids my age." Ages 6-10. The Safe Side.

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

Barney: You Can Be Anything. L. 45 Mins.
Classical Barney with singing, dancing, and playing along pulled together pleasingly under a "what-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow- up" banner. Firefighters, rock stars, and veterinarians and a couple of surprising occupations are offered up. The "I Love You" song caps off the show. 45 min.; Age 2-5. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Clifford the Big Red Dog: Doghouse Adventures. L. 100 mins.
Clifford's big doghouse is where the fun begins on Birdwell Island. It's the place Clifford, Emily Elizabeth, and their friends meet and make plans for adventures -- big and small. Laughing, playing, and sharing great times together, they dig up treasures, perform in a band, explore the local carnival, and make a new friend. Episodes include: "Clifford Cleans His Doghouse," "Doggie Garden," "Screaming for Ice Cream," "Jetta's Project," "Then Came Bob," "Clothes Don't Make the Dog," "Limelight Fright," "Clifford's Cookie Craving," "Guess Who's Coming to Birdwell." English, Spanish dubbed. Ages 4-8. Lionsgate Family Home Entertainment.

Flicka. L. 98 mins.
In this contemporary motion picture adaptation of Mary O'Hara's beloved novel, My Friend Flicka, 16-year-old Katy McLaughlin (Alison Lohman) dreams of fulfilling her family legacy by working on her father's ranch in modern-day Wyoming. But Katy's father wants more for her, insisting that Katy go to college. Katy finds a wild mustang, which she names Flicka, and sets out to make her a riding horse. But Flicka and Katy are more alike than she could have imagined. Like Katy, Flicka has a disdain for authority and is not about to give up her freedom without a fight. Ages 8-15. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

The Last Unicorn, The 25th Anniversary Edition. L. 92 mins.
Brought to life by the luminary voice talents of Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, Angela Lansbury, and Rene Auberjonois, this animated treasure tells of a lonely unicorn who sets out on an extraordinary quest to find her lost siblings. A handsome prince falls in love with her and challenges the evil foe who holds her captive. They soon discover that real magic comes from believing in the impossible. Featuring songs performed by America. Based on the novel by Hugo-award winning author, Peter S. Beagle. Ages 8-12. Lionsgate Family Home Entertainment.

Strawberry Shortcake: The Sweet Dreams Movie. L. 75 mins.
If you believe in your dreams, anything is possible. Strawberry Shortcake has a dream of fresh new fields of berry bushes, enough for everyone. But, when the greedy Peculiar Purple Pieman rolls into Strawberry Land, he decides to steal Strawberry's dream and everyone else's dreams, too! In order to stop the Purple Pieman and his evil plan, Strawberry and her friends must travel to the Land of Dreams. Along the way, these special friends learn the value of working together to make dreams come true. Ages 4-8. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Thomas & Friends: Milkshake Muddle. L. mins.
Join Thomas and the newest engines on The Island of Sodor in these six thrilling episodes! Meet Mighty Mac, a very unusual engine with two faces and Neville, an enthusiastic Steamie who's everyone's friend. Get onboard for big adventures. Ages 2-5.

NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS
***************************************************

Please welcome these new or renewing members and visit their web sites.

Educational Adventures. Educational Adventures is a unique educational entertainment company whose products are design to empower as well as to entertain and educate children via the mediums of television, books, Internet, DVD's and music.

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

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Releases Two Volumes of It¹s a Big Big World
Debuting January 30, each volume will feature five episodes, fun songs, ³Did You Know² animal facts, and, as a special way to teach kids environmental awareness, each DVD will contain a packet of tree seeds for kids to plant.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Announces the Return of the Popular Cat in the Hat!
On January 23, 2007, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: The Cat¹s Family and Friends arrives on DVD. The DVD features QuickStart, which allows continuous play of the DVD, making it easier for little ones to watch.

Sesame Workshop Releases Elmo's World: What Makes You Happy?
Hitting shelves February 6, 2007, join Elmo in this highly entertaining video as he explores the different things that make him happy including friends, singing and dancing . This new DVD features live action, animation and song, with special appearances by Kristin Chenoweth, Bill Irwin, and Michael Jeter.

Congratulations Dr. Toy!
Seven female toy business executives have been named winners of the 2007 Wonder Women of Toys Awards, presented by professional organization Women In Toys and Playthings magazine. This year’s Entrepreneur award honoree is Stevanne Auerbach, a.k.a. Dr. Toy.

MEDIA NEWS and CONTESTS
********************************************

MyNuMo and Johnson & Johnson’s ACUVUE launch “What’s Your Vision?” Contest to benefit Lollipop Theater Network.
Deadline January 28th. Children ages 13-18 are invited to express their vision for a better world through creation of unique mobile content. For each entry received during the contest, ACUVUE will donate $1 to Lollipop (up to $10,000) and MyNuMo will donate 10 cents each time a contest entry is downloaded.The Grand Prize Winner will win a trip for two to Los Angeles to have lunch with Lollipop celebrity supporters, Taylor Dooley (The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl) and Matthew Underwood (Zoey 101). Visit www.mynumo.com to create and upload personal mobile content. There is no charge to enter the contest. You can also upload Lollipop original content for purchase, also benefiting the organization. Just email Jessie Kernan. No age limitation!

National Student Television Awards - Deadline February 16th
All entries must have been originally broadcast, cablecast or webcast within the National Awards Eligibility Period from February 1, 2006 to January 31, 2007. Applicants must be currently enrolled as a full time student as of the application deadline (Feb 16, 2007). The seven Award for Excellence categories include (1) News, (2) Arts & Entertainment/Cultural Affairs, (3) Documentary, (4) Sports, (5) Hubbard Family Public Affairs/Community Service/Public Service, (6) Technical Achievement, and (7) Writing. For more information visit: www.nationalstudent.tv

Microsoft's Windows Vista Lets People Watch Internet Programming on Home Television Sets
Via Windows Vista, Starz' Internet SVOD service Vongo subscribers will be able to download movies onto their PC or laptop using Vongo and then view the titles on any connected TV in the home. Vongo subscribers have unlimited access to more than 1,000 movies and 2,500 total video selections as well as live streaming Starz TV channel, in addition to select PPV titles.

Wal-Mart's Mandates a 5% Reduction in Product Packaging Worldwide by 2013
Those who viewed An Inconvenient Truth will appreciate this. A trial run conducted last year with the Bentonville behemoth's private toy label Kid Connection that convinced the company to move forward with the inventory-wide initiative. Read More

PBS Kids Launches Second Season of Franny's Feet (13 x 30')
The animated preschool series opens its second season on February 3, 2007 (check local listings for times). Franny's Feet, produced by Decode Entertainment in association with Thirteen/WNET New York, debuted in the US on PBS KIDS in summer 2006.

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

African-American History Highlighted in Film by Christine L. Pollock

What does African-American history month mean to you? My husband and I asked this question to our boys, ages seven, 10, and 13. "It's about when the slaves got free," said our seven-year-old. "It's a time to remember how unfair it was like when they had to sit in different parts of a bus," added the 10-year-old. Our 13-year-old chimed in, "Yes, and it is a time to remember some of the great people who started to change the way people are treated -- in a peaceful manner, like Martin Luther King Jr."

I went to the KIDS FIRST!®website to see what titles I might show the children to enrich their knowledge base on African-American history. What we watched was sobering, enlightening, and inspirational. The first film we viewed blew us away. We agreed as a family that it's one of the best films we have ever viewed. It is entitled Emmanuel's Gift. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Emmanuel's Gift tells the story of a disabled orphan in Ghana, West Africa, whose father abandoned him, village dismissed him, and country thought him better off dead. This is the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who had nothing, but gave everything--and changed a nation forever (Check out the Emmanuel's Gift movie trailer here). I know, this is somewhat controversial for

African-American history month since Yeboah isn't American. However, our family had a fabulous, deep discussion on the parallels between Emmanuel and Martin Luther King Jr. It was extremely inspirational, and gave our children a new respect for the past and a hope for the future and an appreciation for what they already have here in America.

Another title we all enjoyed was The Journey of Henry Box Brown. This is the true tale of the slave, Henry Brown, a man who mailed himself in a wooden box from a plantation in Richmond, VA to freedom in Philadelphia, PA in 1848. The gently animated storybook film was made for younger children. It had my children laughing, clapping, and dancing, yet also thinking about the struggles of the African-Americans. (Check out the The Journey of Henry Box Brown movie trailer here).

Older children who know the basic history lessons might want to delve the mysterious pasts of some famous African-Americans. Many had no knowledge of their past because of slavery, separation, and lack of literacy. African American Lives contains a compelling combination of storytelling and science as this

unprecedented four-hour series on PBS takes Alex Haley's Roots saga to a whole new level. The series profiles some of the most accomplished African-Americans of our time, using genealogy and DNA to trace their roots down through American history and back to Africa.

As John Buddy Pierce, analyst/consultant for UBS Securities and KIDS FIRST!®News reader says, "It goes beyond our African-American heritage. Having a month to focus on black history and focus on African-American people and their achievements is really good because in schools today lessons are saturated with war and lessons on being politically correct. It's hard to remember some of the basic lessons. This month focuses history of America through African-Americans -- lessons that cover even the little things that often go unnoticed, like John Hopps, the African-American who invented the pacemaker. Even beyond the black history emphasis, its good to focus on education." Times are changing rapidly and it's hard to keep up with past history while so many things are happening to make history. Films such as these offerings from KIDS FIRST!® keep the past alive and interesting.

*******************************************
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)

Balance - It's important to have balance in play. Not too much of anything. Try to find a good balance between active play, educational products to help them learn, and creativity to help them use their imagination. They will benefit if they try new things and learn many skills. A good variety of products that provide a blend and balance are really optimal for children.

Craft - Racism and M&Ms. This activity complements the main article in this magazine,

Materials: M&Ms and a blindfold

KIDS FIRST!® Film 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.

January 28th Deadline. MyNuMo and Johnson & Johnson’s ACUVUE launch “What’s Your Vision?” Contest to benefit Lollipop Theater Network. Children ages 13-18 are invited to express their vision for a better world through creation of unique mobile content. Read More.

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

February 16th Deadline. National Student Television Awards. All entries must have been originally broadcast, cablecast or webcast within the National Awards Eligibility Period from February 1, 2006 to January 31, 2007. Applicants must be currently enrolled as a full time student as of the application deadline (Feb 16, 2007) 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.

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, go to www.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!®.

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-ROMs 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 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.

The Newsstand - KIDS FIRST!® News 2007