“In Norway, we think Tv commercials are as dangerous as violence or a distorted view of sex. This is why we focus attention on commercial interference and its negative impact on children”: Ingvil Conradi Andersen, from the Norwegian Media Authority, who was one of the speakers at the “Children and TV” workshop, listed a number of measures that the northern country took “in such a delicate area that directly affects our children’s growth”. “We prohibited commercials that interrupt children programs and any form of sponsorship, including hidden ones, of such programs”. In 2001 Holland set up the Nicam system, in agreement with the government and the mass media industry: “There’s a strong social worry about the impact of TV and other media on children. We monitor explained Margo de Waal, director of Nicam products designed for TV, cinema, DVD, videogames and mobile phones: dangers are hidden everywhere now that technology is spreading. We classify products by age groups and specify whether they are suitable or not. But all through this process we have to refer to the parents’ role”. Piermarco Aroldi, from Milan’s Università Cattolica, explained that “nowadays, the traditional problem areas of TV, such as violence and sex, are aggravated by new subjects, such as human dignity, dangerous or antisocial behaviour, abuse, fear, commercial exploitation”. This is why the “program rating criteria” must involve the viewers and above all the families.
