Report: Parents, Kids Argue Over Video Gaming Habits
National Media Organization's 12th Annual Video Game Report Card FindsParents, Retailers and Gaming Industry Complacent About Video Games Usage and
Ratings
Who: David Walsh, Ph.D., founder and president of the National
Institute on Media and the Family.
Dana Markow, Ph.D., vice president of Youth & Education Research,
Harris Interactive
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
What: The 12th Annual MediaWise(R) Video Game Report Card issued by the
National Institute on Media and the Family. This year's report
includes poll results from Harris Interactive about the attitudes
of parents and children regarding video game usage, habits and
ratings. The report will issue grades to parents, retailers, the
gaming industry and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
for preventing violent and sexually explicit video games from
getting into the hands of children and teens. The report also
includes this year's list of suggested video games for parents, as
well as games to avoid.
Where: SR-253, Senate Russell Office Building (Senate Commerce Committee
hearing room)
Washington, D.C.
When: Tuesday, December 4, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. EST.
Why: This year was another big year for video games as popular games
like Halo and Guitar Hero released sequels that shattered previous
records and Microsoft introduced a screen time timer for the Xbox
360. But 2007 also saw controversy with Rockstar's Manhunt 2
initially receiving an AO rating (Adults-Only) and its later
version being hacked to show explicitly violent content.
The report card comes days after the release of a study from the
Entertainment Software Association that showed the U.S.
entertainment software industry's economic impact on the U.S.
economy was $3.8 billion. This report also comes after two earlier
studies by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal
Trade Commission that examined the effects, and marketing, of
violent entertainment on America's families.
The 12th Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card shows that
retailers, parents and the gaming industry have become complacent
when using and enforcing the ratings. The report finds that few
parents use and understand the ratings when making game choices
for their children. The report also finds parents and their
children, especially those 8-12 years old, have repeated arguments
over when and how much time kids can play video games.
About the National Institute on Media and the Family
The National Institute on Media and the Family is an independentnon-partisan, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization. The Institute's missionis to maximize the benefits and minimize the harm of media on the health anddevelopment of children and families. For more information, visithttp://www.mediawise.org.
Contact: Darin Broton
(o) 952-851-7286
(c) 651-497-9622SOURCE National Institute on Media and the Family
