children experience both real and media environments in which violence appears to be natural and the most effective solution to life's problems. Where violence is not a feature of daily life, media portrayals may make it appear to be thrilling, especially when presented out of context. ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE THE MEDIA The UNESCO study is a major contribution to the growing body of evidence that violence in the media does have a harmful impact on children, recognizing that this effect can vary by gender and by the kind of surroundings in which children are living. Many countries of the world have taken steps to introduce regulations, or to pressure the media to adopt forms of self-regulation, to curb the level and amount of violence to which children are exposed on television. The United States has made it mandatory that V-chips be included in all new television sets sold in the country. These allow parents to program their television sets to screen out broadcasts rated above a certain level for violent or erotic material. Canada has introduced a code of ethics for broadcasters that is now a condition of licensing by the Canadian Ratio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). There are problems with these approaches, however. Government regulations raise concerns about state censorship, and voluntary codes of ethics are unsatisfactory in a medium driven by ratings and fierce competition for advertising revenue. Moreover, the V-chip is unlikely to defeat any determined 12-year-old intent on watching a t.v. program when parents are absent. Among experts, a new consensus has been emerging that emphasizes media education, at home and in school, to promote critical thinking by youth in relation to all information and images they receive through the media. AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH: FOSTERING CRITICAL USE OF THE MEDIA Canada's Media Awareness Network provides resources to parents, teachers, community leaders, and students thems...
