ABSTRACT
Clearly, media has become an important learning tool for children, as well as a primary means of socialization for many. Children look to the media, particularly television, for role models. They also learn styles of dress, ways to act, and certain attitudes from the characters in the programs they watch. The entertainment industry has rallied, to an extent, and has created guidelines for writers who are interested in learning more about content issues involved with creating quality programs for children. From 18 months to approximately three years of age, most children have become full-fledged television viewers. Children of this age are likely to begin to imitate behaviors they see and hear on television and in the movies. Between three and five years of age, children are beginning to discover meaning in the content of the programming they watch. In addition to the amount of viewing, adolescents' tastes differ markedly from those of younger children.
