GRAND Magazine - March 2009 - 10

headeriNFLueNce iN YouR RecLAim s p ec i a l a dv e rto r i a l GRANDchiLD’s LiFe Stand Up to Irresponsible Media By patty leonard, president & ceo of Family values cinema and tim Winter, president of the parents television council “Lisa” became a fan of TV’s Sex and the City when she was 14 and quickly lost her virginity, “graduated” to ordering cosmopolitans at bars, and repeatedly cheating on her boyfriend, she told ABCNews.com. A fifteen-year-old faces felony child-porn charges for circulating nude cell phone pictures. Every day, guns in schools or gang violence claim more young lives, and many perpetrators blame their actions on what they see on TV. These tragic, heartbreaking accounts are, sadly, not unusual. Where Did We Go Wrong? Popular Media vs. Our Children’s Futures it may seem overly simplistic to say our media culture is to blame, but it is impossible to ignore the mounting evidence. three major recent studies document the connection between exposure to violence, sexuality, and risky behavior in the media and corresponding real-life violence, teen pregnancy, drug, tobacco and alcohol use, and childhood obesity. turn on the television any night and you’ll find multiple examples exalting casual extramarital sex or grisly, gory violence. Take Charge with Responsible Family Entertainment: Using the Media as a Positive Force in Children’s Lives Media is here to stay. and when it comes to their own tv sets, adults often feel powerless against it. But there are ways you can turn the tables, optimizing its positive value while minimizing its potential harm. Family values cinema® (Fvc) offers one great solution. created by long-time professionals committed to responsible entertainment, Fvc harnesses the media’s influence to enhance parenting goals. Fvc is a unique, family-oriented dvd-of-themonth subscription program that provides quality entertainment without the unwanted appearance of offensive content. through a triple-screening process, Fvc eliminates the never-ending search for age-appropriate films with family-wide appeal. accompanied by instructive discussion Guides, Fvc movies will allow grandparents and grandkids to share fun and rewarding quality time, while soaking up wisdom and positive values. Best of all, Fvc films are unbeatably priced! 10 GRAND JANUARY FEBRUARY 2008 For your free trial, visit www.familyvaluescinema.com/ Grand or call 1-800-768-9606 and mention GRAND! You can cancel anytime. advocacy is another way to impact the media our children are exposed to. the parents television council leads the fight by educating adults; putting pressure on the entertainment industry; pushing the Fcc to enforce broadcasting standards; mobilizing 1.3 million grassroots activists; and praising individuals and companies that act responsibly. the council’s web site, www.parentstv.org, offers abundant resources on supporting the cause and making sound viewing decisions. partnering in the quest for responsible media, Family values cinema and the parents television council offer trusted resources for making informed media consumption choices that profoundly impact our children’s future. Let us all do our job right. free trial ® TAGLINE MAY BE REMOVED BU REGISTRATION MARK MUST RE EXACTLY WHERE IT IS SHOWN. LOGO can be NO smaller than this size (2.5” W x 3.25” H) LARGE logo can be any size. BE SURE PROPORTIONS!

GRAND Magazine - March 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - March 2009