Millions to Hit the 'Off' Button for TV-Turnoff Week
This week, 8 million people are expected to spend less time hovering over the remote control except to turn it off.
Nearly all households with young children have at least one television and the amount of time spent daily with screen media has been rising. This week, 8 million people are expected to spend less time hovering over the remote control except to turn it off.
TV-Turnoff Week, now in its 12th year, kicked off Monday to redirect youths' eyes from the television and game screen to the books and raise awareness about the negative impact of excessive television.
The average U.S. home keeps the TV on for 7 hours and 40 minutes, according to a facts sheet by the TV-Turnoff Network. The amount of television that the average American watches per day is over four hours and two hours on screen media such as computers and games.
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The grassroots project has involved the participation of more than 24 million people since 1995. And, according to the network, it works. Participants include local schools, clubs, religious congregations and communities.
Focus on the Family released some tips for parents who worry about media influence on their kids. Some pointers include talking with kids about their favorite parts of pop culture and reading popular books with the children.
Much of the concern also comes once the annual week ends. TV Watch, a coalition that promotes the use of tools like parental controls, offers parents an alternative to the off button that may not comply with most kids.
"When the TV comes back on, parents can control what their family sees before it hits the TV screen," said Jim Dyke, TV Watch executive director, according to MichNews. "Generations of parents relied on the off button or changed the channel when they saw programs that weren't right for their family. Now parents have even more options, like the v-chip, ratings, cable or satellite blocking programs, to limit what comes up on your TV."
TV-Turnoff Network, formerly TV-Free America, is a nonprofit organization that encourages children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities. Founded in 1994, TV-Turnoff Network is endorsed or supported by more than 65 national organizations.
For more information on TV-Turnoff Week, visit www.tvturnoff.org.
