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City Officials Gather for Media Violence Summit
by Michael Karpman
 City leaders and other key stakeholders gathered in Indianapolis last Tuesday to discuss the impact of media violence on children and youth and the role cities can play in helping parents protect their children. Hosted by NLC President Bart Peterson, mayor of Indianapolis, the Media Violence Summit brought together local elected officials, media and entertainment industry representatives, academic experts, parent organizations and youth to open a national dialogue that will engage communities across the country.
“In recent years, our communities have witnessed far too many incidents of extreme violence by and against children and youth,” said Peterson, who became concerned about media violence after the Columbine High School tragedy. Following that incident, Mayor Peterson signed a city ordinance restricting access to violent arcade games, which was struck down by a federal appeals court. Other localities and states have tried similar approaches and witnessed similar outcomes.
“To begin bringing people together, and to try to find common ground, is a more promising and productive approach than fighting battles in the courts,” said Peterson.
The summit coincided with the deadliest shooting attack in U.S. history, in which 33 people were killed at Virginia Tech the previous day.
“I think it would be particularly irresponsible to suggest that there is a message from yesterday that is a dominant lesson for today’s conference other than there are a lot of us who continue to be concerned about our violent culture,” said Peterson.
The summit was broadcast live on the Web. An archive of the webcast of the summit can be viewed here.
Disturbing Trends
Moderator Terence Smith, former PBS media correspondent and senior producer for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, kicked off the summit by introducing Robert Wehling, board chair of Common Sense Media and founder of the Family Friendly Programming Forum.
Wehling described how changing technology has dramatically increased the exposure of young people to violent images. The average American youth spends more than 45 hours per week exposed to media and will witness 40,000 killings and 200,000 violent incidents by the time they turn 18 years old.
“What’s new today is the 24-7, on-demand media environment in which kids are making their way through childhood and adolescence,” said Wehling. “Is violent media the sole cause of the problems we’re dealing with? Of course not. But… it’s got to have a desensitization effect — it’s got to be a contributor.”
According to Wehling, “We’re dealing with a fundamental cultural issue in our society that you in this room — neighborhood by neighborhood, and family by family — have to deal with. Those of you who are elected officials I think need to use your bully pulpit on a day-to-day basis to try to change things.”
Media Matters
A diverse panel responded with their perspectives. Savannah, Ga., Mayor Otis Johnson related that young people have always imitated what they see on television, but disputes are now being settled with guns instead of fists. Andrew Warshauer, an Indianapolis high school student, highlighted access to guns and the presence of parental figures as important factors influencing whether youth act out violence they see in the media.
For some young people, the violence in their neighborhoods has reached the point where video games can be viewed as a training tool for survival, according to Sgt. Timothy Knight of the Indianapolis Police Department.
In addition, research shows that exposure to any type of violence, real or virtual, affects children. “If a child is exposed to any behavior repeatedly, that’s how they learn,” said Jeff McIntyre of the American Psychological Association.
Noting a “national obsession with trying to be shocked,” Robby SaldaÑa, a high school senior from Grand Rapids, Mich., emphasized the central role of parents in explaining fictional violence to children and restricting access.
Risk Factor
There is a broad scientific consensus affirming a causal relationship between exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior, according to Dr. Ellen Wartella, executive vice chancellor, provost and psychology professor at the University of California-Riverside.
Wartella included media violence as one of several risk factors that can lead to violent behavior, along with poverty, drugs, guns or abusive parents. Among the effects of media violence on children are increases in aggressive thoughts and reactions, fear and anxiety and desensitization.
“Make no mistake about it: over time, exposure to media violence is a risk factor in aggression,” she said.
Wartella suggested that the media industry change the formula in which violence is portrayed as glamorized, sanitized and trivialized, and recommended providing parents with tools to teach their children about violence.
Industry Efforts
The media industry has implemented several initiatives to assist parents. Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), highlighted partnerships with federal, state and local government and organizations like the National PTA to raise awareness about the video game ratings system and efforts to strengthen enforcement of store policies.
“We have common goals and share the same concerns,” said Vance.
Crossan Andersen of the Entertainment Merchants Association discussed the launch of Ratings Awareness Month in June by a consortium of retailers.
“Parents in my view deserve help in making these decisions on behalf of their kids,” said Andersen. “I think that this group of mayors and councilpersons can provide it, and we stand ready to help.”
Closing out the panel was Cindi Tripodi of Pause Parent Play, an organization that walks visitors to its website (www.pauseparentplay.org) through ratings systems, how to use the V-Chip and other resources. The organization works with the YMCA and Girl Scouts of America to reach parents.
Federal Action
A pending FCC report will advise Congress on the constitutionality of regulating television violence as indecency. Asserting that violent speech is not absolutely protected by the First Amendment, former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani told participants the report will likely find that Congress can regulate television violence.
Tristani also expected the report to find that efforts to shield children are falling short.
“While I applaud progress that industry has made through self-regulation, too much violence in the media is still finding its way to our children and youth,” said Tristani.
The report may prompt the reintroduction of legislation by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) to regulate TV violence, including cable and satellite programming.
Helping Parents
The role of cities in raising parental and public awareness was the focus of the closing panel, which included Robert Wehling, Mayor Peterson, Kimberly Barnes O’Connor of the National PTA, and William Isler, president of Family Communications Inc.
“Media is pervasive,” said O’Connor. “There is a role for parents that technology is not going to be able to meet.”
Isler emphasized that the most powerful use of TV is after it’s turned off. “We need to do more to help our children mediate and understand the world in which they live,” he said.
Mayor Peterson agreed, stating that, “when violence is discussed with consequences, then it’s an educational tool.”
Also critical is the inclusion of youth voice. “Whatever we do as a community, we need to bring young people into the mix,” said Mayor Elizabeth Paterson of Mansfield, Conn.
In a closed session of local elected officials, summit participants discussed next steps communities could take. Some ideas included:
• Stimulating dialogue with PTAs, teachers, school district leaders, youth councils, civic and community groups, advertisers and retailers;
• Encouraging nonviolence through public service announcements, town hall meetings or media literacy campaigns;
• Celebrating positive choices made by young people;
• Highlighting the loss of federal funds for positive alternatives; and
• Dissemination of informational resources to local communities.
“We’re going to be influential in how people in our cities and towns look at these issues,” said Mayor Peterson. “We have an obligation to get out there and keep the conversation going.”
Details: A webcast of the summit is available at www.ncntv.org/events/070417/. NLC will offer additional resources for city officials this year based on the summit.
Media Violence DVD Available to NLC Members
As part of the Media Violence Summit, NLC has created a video that mayors, city council members and others can use to advance the conversation in their communities. Moderated by NLC President Bart Peterson, the short video contains a call to action as well as clips of violence as depicted on television, in films and in video games. (Note: the DVD contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all viewers.)
Accompanying the DVD is a short list of activities that can be undertaken by municipal leaders to engage community leaders, youth, local businesses and parents, and raise awareness about media violence and its impact on children and youth.
For a copy of the DVD, send your name, address, e-mail address and phone number to Amanda Straub at straub@nlc.org, or call (202) 626-3015.
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