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'Thirty seconds of darkness' --
Children rated second --
Letter to Irish Independent
March 8, 2007
 
 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Family and Media Association An educational resource for Families and the community at large concerned about the impact the media has on their lives. Highlights the implications for Christian values in programme content, especially those relating to the family, critically assesses standards of honesty, decency, fairness and truthfulness in the media and makes these assessments available to the public through its publication, media report, public seminars and the internet; makes available relevant research relating to the links between media content and psychsocial development, facilitates effective dialogue between the media and the public by informing both media and public about issues relating to both ; promotes public understanding of the functioning and power of the media, assesses and enhances the value of the media to the individual, the family and the community.

 

'Thirty seconds of darkness' --
Children rated second

The Minister for Children, Brian Lenihan’s approach to regulating television alcohol advertising is nothing short of cynical. Speaking to Newstalk’s Eamon Keane last week, the minister expressed his reluctance to ban alcohol advertising as this would discriminate against Irish television stations.

Children, he pointed out, would be exposed to advertising on other stations anyway and these other stations would then be at an advantage over the Irish ones.

But this approach, as usual, puts children’s interests firmly into second place, an all too familiar position, whether they’re competing with commercial interests or adults’ desire for absolute choice in viewing material.  

We must do what we can to protect children from the effects of alcohol advertising. Better to light one candle than curse the ‘thirty seconds of darkness.’