Disney Channel's Negative Effects On Young Children
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Today children are a huge market force and target audience for marketing and advertisements. The messages and products targeting children have an enormous impact on their physical and cognitive development. According to the BLS American Time Use Survey, the average child watches around 16,000 television advertisements per year in the US. Furthermore, advertisements target emotions and train children to choose products not for the actual value of the product, but for the celebrity that’s on the packaging and the popularity that supposedly comes with it. Certain advertisements are designed to make children feel less than popular if they don’t own the product. Media, corporations, and establishments often employ unethical marketing tactics…show more content… Disney Channel has a plethora of educational advertisements from the importance of washing your hands and sneezing into your sleeve to prevent spreading germs to recycling. Their advertisements educate children about bullying and buckling their seatbelts. Aside from their extremely profitable merchandising strategy, the Disney Channel uses a unique marketing strategy, which appeals to both children and their parents. They focus on a pro-social message and appeals towards an anti-consumerism philosophy. For example, Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is an engaging educational program for toddlers, young children 2-5 years old, and their parents. The short program teaches basic knowledge including vocabulary, simple math, color recognition and solving picture puzzles. In the program, Mickey encourages the viewers and congratulates them on their answer. The program aims to help prepare preschoolers for school by encouraging them to think about moral issues at a young age, presenting lessons about appropriate behavior in social settings. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is an interactive and engaging program, which educates children and helps prepare them for society. Additionally, Disney Channel also runs campaigns for a greener world called “Disney Friends for Change: Project Green”. This initiative encourages viewers to take action in the campaign for environmental issues such as recycling and planting…show more content… Additionally, the federal government has passed legislation to protect children’s online privacy called the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Members of Congress have introduced bills to limit advertising time on children’s programming and mandate educational content of those programs. These rules focus on being sure that the content, words and pictures, do not mislead children. The rules work to prevent deceiving or manipulating children with persuasive intent. Advertising to children should be carefully restricted and regulated towards a positive standard for programming for