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Television Advertising and its Effect on Children

The purpose of this paper is to discuss television advertising and its effect on children, particularly in light of the fact that children have a difficult time differentiating between advertising and programming, much of which today is of a violent nature. In addition, the research will review what kinds of protections there are for children versus the rights of advertisers and television stations, and what have been the positions of consumer groups and governmental agencies with respect to television advertising and children. Television, both from a programming and advertising point of view, is having a dramatic, and some believe negative, impact on child development. Therefore, it is important to look at steps parents can take to respond to the barrage of advertising stimulation received by their youngsters.

The average preschooler watches thirty hours of television a week (Rosemond 26). This is more time than is spent in unstructured play time. By age sixteen, that child will have watched 16,000 hours of television versus only 12,000 spent in school (Rosemond 26). These numbers are frightening when it comes to the development of a child. In conjunction with the time spent in front of the television set, is the impact from advertising, those slick, hard-sell ten to sixty second sales spots designed to induce the viewer to purchase a product. In children's advertising, the advertiser is aiming in two directions: at the children and at mothers likely to be watching the programs designed ostensibly for children (Key 167). The kids from age three up must be induced to put the pressure on their parents to make purchases. "Children under twelve purchase very little on their own, but if handled properly by advertising, they can drive their parents up a wall for denying their little darlings those nationally advertised products which are the birthright of every American child" (Key 167).

During recent years many individua...

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Television Advertising and its Effect on Children. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 07:46, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1681999.html