This is the first event of its kind in Brooklyn, and is being offered free to the public. With the rise of two-income households, more and more families use the media as a babysitter instead of a tool that can be used to bring families together and educate young people about their world. This event aims to start a dialogue whereby media and media consumption can help bring families together instead of divide them.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 68% of young people have a television in their bedroom; in a 2005 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 49% of youth had video game players in their bedrooms. The Family Media Scavenger Hunt aims to address the problem of youth consuming media without parental supervision or guidance. It is also intended to further educate parents as to their children's media habits.
Media literacy skills are critical for all young people, parents and educators. Media literacy is not a required curriculum component in New York as it is in some other American states, and the LAMP intends to address this need. Even if media literacy skills are taught in school, parents may still be left behind as to what types of media their children use and how they use it. With education and arts budgets being slashed, huge gaps in publicly funded schools are created which can be filled by enterprising nonprofits like the LAMP.
We are a young organization, operating with a minimal budget. Therefore our marketing resources are limited, as we cannot afford advertising space or high printing costs to spread the word and increase attendance. Furthermore, media literacy is a new concept to much of the public. In addition to selling ourselves and our event, we have to also define and sell media literacy itself to our audience.
This event is an opportunity to use media to bring families together rather than drive them apart. Because it is free, participants are not limited by budget or income level.
Kaiser Family Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Katherine Fry, James Bernard, Bill DeBlasio
Article on television in the bedroom: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_63115.html
Kaiser Family Foundation Report: "Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds": http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905pkg.cfm
Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on family media use: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_TV.htm
NY Times' David Pogue on media literacy: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/technology/personaltech/28pogue-email....
Facts and Tips from National Institute on Media and the Family: http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/index.shtml
Pew Internet & American Life Project Report on Teens and Social Media: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/230/report_display.asp
David Shaw on need for media literacy in schools: http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article631.html
Emily Long
Communications Director
The LAMP
emily [at] thelampnyc [dot] org
718-789-8170