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Kids are spending too much amount watching TV and on the internet, according to a new report
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) report shows that while some kids are spending the recommended daily allowance for watching television, once you figure in other electronic media, such as computers and gaming, they significantly exceed those recommendations.
According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, children over two should only be watching television between 1-2 hours a day.
Use of electronic media and communications: Early childhood to teenage years brings together the ACMA’s research on media use by 8-17 year olds and new findings about 3-4 and 7-8 year olds from the Australian Institute of Family Studies study Growing Up in Australia; The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.
According to the report, 94 percent of children aged between 8-11 are watching almost 2 hours of TV daily, while 61 percent are on the computer 30 minutes a day, and 53 percent are spending 25 minutes on gaming.
It also shows that 94 percent of kids aged between 12-14 are watching 2 hours of television, 83 percent are spending 1.30 hours on computers, while 42 percent have 25 minutes on gaming.
Three and four year olds are the only category that seems to fall into line with 94 percent watching between 1-2 hours television a day.
“The figures confirm everyday observations about pre-schoolers’ increasing use of computers in addition to television and DVD watching,” said Chris Chapman, Chairman of the ACMA. “The report is sure to inform further debate about the importance of digital media literacy as Australian parents mediate their children’s evolving relationship with digital media and communications.”
Some key findings in the report include:
Patterns of media use change as children move from early childhood to teenage years and as more media tools become available – however, the one constant is watching television, with the same average participation of 94 per cent for children and young people of all age groups.
For parents of 3-4s, managing television viewing by their child was very important: 94 per cent of these parents had rules specifically about television content, and 64 per cent had timing rules. In contrast to younger families, fewer parents of 8-17s had rules about television content, from 55 per cent for 8-11s to 25 per cent for 15-17s.
Children and young people in both studies were more likely to have a television rather than a computer or internet access in their bedrooms.
For more information visit the ACMA website,
here
