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Media Facts

Facts about the media that is targeted at children.

Did you know?

• 99 % of homes in the U.S. have one TV and 88% have more than one.
• 64% of children in the U.S. watch TV for at least one hour per day.
• In a typical day, the average amount of time children spend watching TV is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
• In 60% of U.S. homes, the TV is on during mealtimes - breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• In an average preschooler's home, the TV is on for more than half of his/her waking hours.
• In almost 1/2 of homes in the U.S., there are no rules about TV - what shows can be watched, when the TV has to be turned off, etc...
• The average American child grows up with 3 TVs, 3 tape players, 3 radios, 2 VCRs, 2 CD players, 1 computer, 1 video game player.
• More than 9 out of 10 food ads on Saturday morning television are for sugary cereals and candy bars, salty canned foods, fatty fast foods and chips and other nutritionally flawed foods.
• While the level of violence in prime-time television is about 5 violent acts per hour, the level of violence in children's Saturday morning programming is about 32 violent acts per hour.
• Children who watch a large number of aggressive programs also tend to hold attitudes and values that favor the use of aggression to resolve conflicts.
• The average child sees more than 20,000 TV commercials in one year.

Facts, figures and Information provided by Kids & Media, a report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and Advocates for Children & Youth TV Campaign.