Guest: Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Host: Editor

Announcer
This is PodTech.net with content from KPIX television and Common Sense Media dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of children and families. For more information go to commonsensemedia.org.

Editor
We all know characters smoke in the movies but will it lead to the audience lighting up as well? that's the concern of health officials especially when it comes to young moviegoers. Here to discuss, is our media expert Jim Steyer, good morning Sir.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Hi! Joe.

Editor
I've got a couple of studies that have come out this week, once is that 9-12-year-olds who are barred from watching R-rated movies also had lower risks of smoking and drinking.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
That's exactly right and you know what's interesting is a 55% of 9-12-year-olds are allowed to watch R-rated movies, so what are the parents thinking in that case. But, it's clear that smoking in media, in movies in particular but also on television, video games etcetera, it's a public health issue because the data is now very clear that, if kids watch their favorite characters smoke in a movie or on television shows, they're likely to imitate that behavior. So, parents you really need to understand this. It is a classic example where a media message or image, I mean here you're saying it just average people lighting up, but when you see Julia Roberts light up or you see your favorite Ashton Cutcher light up, kids light up because they think it's cool.

Editor
So, that study reinforces that and then the other study takes it a step further and says that among the kids who are allowed to watch R-rated movies, those who watch with the parent are less likely to start smoking than those who watch by themselves.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Right, it shows the value of being an educated parent and involve in your kids media consumption. If you sit there and watch a movie with your kids and you talk about the fact that, wow, look at that character smoking, I wonder how much the tobacco company paid the movie company to put that scene there because remember this is product placement...

Editor
You think that's why they're still doing this, they know the effect.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Well, sometimes it's written into the script because it seems contextual but sometimes it's because they're receiving money from tobacco companies to put that Marlboro in the scene, so it's a blend of the two, its contextual but its also because they were getting paid and they're getting money in order to put the cigarettes in the movies which is why the researchers are so upset about it.

Editor
Well, it validates what you always say, "Watch with your kids."

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Absolutely.

Editor
And here's a study that shows that it actually makes a difference. Let's talk about statistics more than 2,000 teens start smoking everyday.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Right, 2,000 teens start smoking everyday and look at the relationship to movies, 60% of movies today, it's interesting because in life 60% of people certainly here in the Bay Area, California aren't smoking but in movies, the lead characters are smoking 60% of time and 80% of PG films features smoking PG-13 and remember, those are movies that target kids 8 to 12, or those are targeting who are threeyearold kids and think about that for a second.

Editor
80%.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
80%, and then if you think about the 2,000 teenagers smoking a day, the data from the study says 1,000 of them are significantly influenced by the movies. Bottomline is you've got to be aware of this. You know if you go and look at how we read everything on Common Sense Media, we've read for violence and sexuality and commercialism, but always include stuff about drugs, alcohol and tobacco usage in the movie because it's a very big but often times overlooked aspect of the media messages, and fundamentally what it says is this, if you care about your kids' health, you've got to look at the movies and television and video games in websites they're using because they are getting very clear messages, in this case, very clear messages that smoking can be cool that some of their favorite actors and actresses think smoking is cool and that's a message that you don't want your kids to get if you want to keep them smoke-free, that's a really interesting set of studies and it also is one where parental involvement on a modest scale will pay major dividends with your kids.

Editor
Jim Steyer, kids and the media expert, thanks for being here this morning.

Jim Steyer - Common Sense Media
Good to see you Joe.