Dead Air Fights Childhood Obesity

When I was a kid Saturday mornings were all about watching TV. "Saved by the Bell," "Hang Time," "Recess," I couldn’t wait to watch these shows when I woke up. This Saturday Nickelodeon will be airing three hours of a blank television screen in an effort to get kids to go out and play. After the dead air, the network will air the “Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge” which shows what kids have been doing to stay healthy and fit.

Nickelodeon’s participation in the fourth annual worldwide day of play is the network’s response to the growing problem of childhood obesity. To accomplish this goal, Nickelodeon teamed up with the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

Obviously, Nickelodeon is doing its best to promote a kid-friendly image. It’s sending the message that not only does the network want to entertain kids, but it wants them to grow up to be healthy and strong adults. It’s an excellent way for the network to generate positive publicity and portray the image of the caring television network.

Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that the program doesn’t even begin until noon. By noon a lot of kids are already away from the television and out doing things. Saturday mornings are typically when the most appealing shows air. If Nickelodeon really wanted to tackle the issue of obesity, why not have kids turn off their TVs during more popular viewing hours? Or, why not have all the programming for that day be related to health and fitness?

In the end, it doesn’t matter how I view the situation. I’m not a parent and I’m not a kid. Honestly, if I turned on Nickelodeon and saw what they were doing this Saturday, I would most likely commend the network for doing something so unique and proactive to fight obesity. Kudos to Nickelodeon for taking the initiative to fight childhood obesity while boosting their own image.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/28/timetoplay.ap/index.html