Anticipated Outcomes and Specific Conference Follow Up
This program will bring decision and opinion makers to the dais to examine and recommend specific solutions for creating a more positive media world for kids and families. To ensure that the conference leads to significant progress in this field, we anticipate a number of key outcomes:
- A major health report/meta-study to be distributed to key audiences.
- The creation of an ongoing, multi-year dialogue on kids and media issues among key leaders and influencers (this is step one).
- Specific recommendations that will provide quality media experiences for kids and families, as well as a healthier media environment overall.
- The creation of working groups that will reconvene around topics and ideas that generate traction.
- Documenting specific progress made on each of this year's key topics at the Second Annual Conference in 2008.
Ultimately, the conference and its follow-up steps represent an important new model for creating the first significant ongoing public dialogue on this topic. The goal is clear: Ahealthy and educationally dynamic media world can play an important role in the lives of kids and families. This will require quality programming by media creators; active participation by consumers; a thoughtful approach to media consumption by experts in child development, medicine, and public health; and clarity by parents on what is available and "appropriate" for children of all ages.
