Did you read that Nikelodeon is having their fourth annual worldwide day of play?
Starting at noon there will be three hours of dead air time in which children will be encouraged to go outside and play, and not change the channel to one of the other hundred channels that are available. Call me jaded, but why won’t they just click to another channel?
While I think children should get up and go play outside, parents should be willing to step up and turn the television off themselves without a network telling them they should. It reminds me of tobacco companies telling people not to smoke.
And after the three hours of suffering through play, the children can tune in to Sponge Bob Square Pants.
So what do you think of it? Good idea? Silly?
I’d be a fool to rely on the television stations to monitor how much telly my kids watch. That’s my job.
Comment by t in hd — September 29, 2007 @ 3:17 am
I guess for the poor kids who hear nothing but what Nickolodeon tells them, it might be good to hear, at least. But how many kids could that be?
Comment by Brigitte — September 29, 2007 @ 7:09 am
“But how many kids could that be?”
More than we think.
It is a good thing for Nikelodeons PR. Possibly bringing awareness to some mother out there… Other than that it makes no difference.
Comment by DW — September 29, 2007 @ 11:04 am
Right. It’s a gesture. But I do think it’s a meaningful gesture. I mean, even though it isn’t exactly a DAY of play (three hours?!), they’re losing significant advertising revenues for a three hour block. Of course it isn’t perfect, but it is positive.
Comment by mel — September 29, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Well the end of Saturday morning cartoons was always our cue to go out and play. If the network wanted to do that every afternoon then fine but once a year is a little rediculous. What’s the point again? If they’re feeling guilty about all the couch potatoes they’re raising maybe they need to get jobs where they’re actually benefiting humanity. There are such things out there.
Comment by Lazy Organizer — October 11, 2007 @ 4:33 pm