Families
Resources

• Family Guide for Using Media. In this 1999 guide, the U.S. bishops consider the increased accessibility of the Internet, computer networks, and related media, and their subsequent impact on people. Parents and others are encouraged to affirm Christian values when evaluating and making use of the tools of this expanding arena. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-324, 8-panel brochure.
  
  
• Our Sunday Visitor's Family Guide to Movies and Videos. Edited by Henry Herx, this 1999 872-page volume includes more than 8,000 reviews of films released since 1966 by the U.S. Catholic bishops' Office of Film and Broadcasting. Order from Our Sunday Visitor Publishing (phone: 800-348-2440; website: www.osv.com).
  
  
• Your Family and Cyberspace. Addressed to parents, this concise 2000 document from the bishops' Committee on Communications provides a brief summary of the popular areas of the Internet and outlines concerns and opportunities regarding its use. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-381, 12 pp.

• American Library Association, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611; phone: 800-545-2433, fax: 312-440-9374; website: www.ala.org/parents/. The American Library Association's Resources for Parents, Teens and Kids web pages include links to "700+ Amazing, Spectacular, Mysterious, Wonderful Web Sites for Kids and the Adults Who Care About Them," as well as links to other indexes of kid- and teen-friendly websites. In addition, there are links for parents and families to notable books, book reviews, and other helpful resources.
  
  
• Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 450 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10123; phone: 212-371-3191; fax: 212-371-3394; website: www.catholicleague.org. The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. It strives to defend the right of Catholics—lay and clergy alike—to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. The Catholic League is known for speaking out against incidences of anti-Catholicism in the media and other public forums.
  
  
• Coalition for Quality Children's Media/Kids First, 112 West San Francisco Street, Ste. 305A, Santa Fe, NM 87501; phone: 505-989-8076; fax: 505-986-8477; website: www.cqcm.org/kidsfirst/start.html. The Coalition for Quality Children's Media is guided by the principle that violent and biased media affect children profoundly. Its mission is (1) to teach children critical viewing skills and enable them to make their own good media choices, and (2) to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's programs. Kids First! is a program of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, which evaluates and rates children's films, videos, DVDs, audio recordings, software, and television. Its reviews are available online in a searchable database.
  
  • Children Now, 1212 Broadway, 5th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612; phone: 510-763-2444; fax: 510-763-1974; website: www.children now.org. Children Now is an advocacy group that utilizes research and mass communications to make the well being of children a top priority across the nation. Its Children and the Media project works to improve the quality of news and entertainment media both for children and about children's issues. Among resources that can be found on its website are reports about the portrayal of violence, gender, and race in the media; links to other media advocacy and literacy organizations; and other reports and publications.
  
  
• Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022; phone: 866-334-6272 (ext.111); website: www.caru.org. The Children's Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus reviews advertising and promotional material directed at children in all media. CARU's website offers ideas for activities parents can do with their children to help them think critically about the advertising they see and hear.
  
  
• GetNetWise, 1634 Eye Street NW, Ste. 1107, Washington, DC 20006; phone: 202-638-4370; fax: 202-637-0968; website: www.getnetwise.org. GetNetWise is a public service developed by Internet industry corporations and public interest organizations to help ensure that families have safe, constructive, and educational or entertaining online experiences.
  
  
• KIDSNET, 6856 Eastern Avenue NW, Ste. 208, Washington, DC 20012; phone: 202-291-1400; fax 202-882-7315; e-mail: kidsnet@kids net.org; website: www.kidsnet.org/index.html. KIDSNET helps children, families, and educators intelligently access the educational opportunities available from television, radio, and multimedia sources. They develop study guides to be used in conjunction with their monthly online media guide, which lists appropriate programming for children and families. KIDSNET also offers suggestions for related books, activities, and other additional resources.
  
  
• Morality in Media, 475 Riverside Drive, Ste. 239, New York, NY 10115; phone: 212-870-3222; fax: 212-870-2765; e-mail: mim@moralityinmedia.org; website: www.moralityinmedia.org/. Morality in Media works to combat obscenity and uphold decency standards in the media. It maintains the National Obscenity Law Center, a clearinghouse of legal materials on obscenity law, and conducts public information programs to educate and involve concerned citizens.
  
  
• The National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families (NCPCF), 800 Compton Rd., Ste. 9224, Cincinnati, OH 45231; phone: 513-521-6227, fax: 513-521-6337; website: www.nationalcoalition.org. NCPCF is dedicated to protecting people from the harms of pornography and the sexual messages of today's culture by working to educate the general public about the effects of our sex-saturated society on communities, individuals, children, and families. NCPCF also helps concerned citizens effect change within their communities and provides assistance to those whose lives have been negatively impacted by pornography and its messages.
  
  
• National Institute on Media and the Family, 606 24th Avenue South, Ste. 606, Minneapolis, MN 55454; phone: 888-672-KIDS or 612-672-5437; fax 612-672-4113; website: www.mediafamily.org. The National Institute on Media and the Family is a resource for research, education, and information about the impact of media on children and families. It was created to provide information to parents and other adults about media products and their likely impact on children so that parents can make informed choices. The institute provides online practical tools to help parents assess their family's consumption of media, tips for reducing violence by monitoring media habits, and regular newsletters. Likewise, they offer resources for teachers to help create "media-wise kids."
  
  
• Parental Guide, Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 14057, Washington, DC 20044-4057; website: www.parentalguide.org. The movie, electronic game, music, cable, and broadcast television industries have each voluntarily developed clear and informative parental advisory systems to provide families with advance information on the content of entertainment products. This site provides "one-stop shopping" to each of these parental advisory systems.
  
  
• Parents Television Council (PTC), 707 Wilshire Boulevard, #1950, Los Angeles, CA 90017; phone: 213-629-9255; website: www.parentstv.org. The PTC's primary mission is to bring responsibility to the entertainment industry in answer to America's demand for positive, family-oriented television programming. The PTC does this by fostering changes in TV programming to make the early hours of prime time "family-friendly" and suitable for viewers of all ages. The PTC also assists parents by publishing an annual Family Guide to Prime Time Television. The guide offers clear descriptions of every prime time show and evaluates the amount of sex, foul language, and violence.
  
  
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops/Office of Film and Broadcasting, 1011 First Ave., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10022; phone: 212-644-1880; website: www.usccb.org/fb/index.htm. The Office for Film and Broadcasting is re-sponsible for reviewing and rating theatrical motion pictures, and previewing and evaluating television programming, as well as providing the Catholic public with information about the role of the entertainment and news media in influencing societal and personal values. Each week, the office's capsule reviews of new movie releases are available by calling the toll-free movieline at 800-311-4222. Reviews and ratings of new movies and evaluations of television and video programming are also available in many diocesan newspapers.

• Overview of Renewing the Mind of the Media. A summary of the bishops' 1998 statement. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-241 (English) and No. 5-816 (Spanish), 6-panel brochure.
  
  
• Pornography and Violence in the Communications Media. Issued by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 1989, this document explores the rapid spread of pornography, its effects on individuals and families, the cause of the problem, and ways to confront it. No longer in print, it is available at www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontificalcouncilspccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_ 07051989_pornography_en.html.
  
  
• Renewing the Mind of the Media: A Statement on Overcoming the Exploitation of Sex and Violence in Communication from the U.S. Catholic Bishops. Addressing the "gratuitous violence and misuse of sexuality" in the media, the U.S. bishops offer this 1998 position paper to provide a starting point for further reflection by dioceses, parishes, and others. The document considers both pornography and violence in light of the Church's teachings regarding the human body. It describes three levels of concern with respect to the media and suggests ideas for action. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-286 (English) and No. 5-805 (Spanish), 40 pp.
  
  
• Renewing the Mind of the Media Videotape. A companion piece to provide a starting point for further reflection and action. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-332, 12 minutes.

• National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families. (See information above under Families/Organizations.)
  
  
• Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP), 800 Compton Rd., Ste. 9224, Cincinnati, OH 45231; phone: 513-521-6227; fax: 513-521-6337. RAAP is a national interfaith alliance of religious leaders from more than fifty faith groups and interfaith organizations who are concerned about the harms of pornography to children and families. The group is co-chaired by Cardinal William Keeler, archbishop of Baltimore, and Rev. Jerry Kirk, CEO and board chairman for the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.

• Aetatis Novae (A New Era). Issued by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, this 1992 pastoral instruction on social communications commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Communio et Progressio (website: www.usccb.org/comm/aetatis.shtml).
  
  
• Communio et Progressio (On Communications and Progress). Issued by the Pontifical Co-mmission for the Means of Social Communica-tion, this 1971 pastoral instruction applies the Vatican II decree Inter Mirifica (website: www.usccb.org/comm/communio.shtml).
  
  
• Ethics in Advertising. Published in 1997 by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, this document is intended to stimulate discussion about issues such as the protection of children from exploitation in advertising, truth in advertising, and others (website: www.usccb.org/comm/ethad.shtml).
  
  
• Ethics in Communications. Issued by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2000, this document identifies three areas of ethical concern: what is the message content of media, how communicating is done, and who will and will not have access to information by way of the media (website: www.usccb.org/comm/ethcomm.shtml).
  
  
• Inter Mirifica (On the Instruments of Social Communications). One of the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Council. Issued in 1963 (website: www.usccb.org/comm/mirifica.shtml).
  
  
• World Communications Day Messages. The Second Vatican Council established World Communications Day in its decree Inter Mirifica, and it has become an annual celebration since 1967. The Holy Father annually issues a message to mark the day. The messages may be found online at www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_ councils/pccs/index.htm.

• Center for Media Education, 2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; phone: 202-331-7833; website: www.cme.org. The Center for Media Education is dedicated to creating a quality electronic media culture for children and youth, their families, and the community. CME's research focuses on the potential—and the peril—for children and youth of the rapidly evolving digital media age.
  
  
• Down the Tube: An Inside Account of the Failure of American Television. By William F. Baker and George Dessart (Basic Books, 10 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022-5299; 1998).
  
  
• Media Access Project (MAP), 1625 K Street NW, Ste. 1118, Washington, DC 20006; phone: 202-232-4300; fax: 202-466-7656; e-mail: info@mediaaccess.org; website: www.media access.org. Media Access Project is a non-profit, public interest law firm that promotes the public's First Amendment right to hear and be heard on the electronic media of today and tomorrow. MAP's efforts are devoted to maintaining diversity of employment, programming, and media ownership, and to promoting access to diverse sources of information on the Internet, broadcast, cable and satellite, and other electronic mass media.
  
  
• Media Matters/American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098; phone: 847-434-4000; fax: 847-434-8000; e-mail: media matters@aap.org; website: www.aap.org/advocacy/mediamatters.htm. Media Matters is a national public education campaign of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Issues of concern include the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs; aggression and violence; sex and sexual exploitation; obesity and poor nutrition. Media Matters advocates for media education and offers ways to mitigate problems by teaching how to analyze the media through critical thinking and viewing. The website offers background readings, studies, and advocacy resources.
  
  
• People for Better TV, 818 18th Street NW, Ste. 505, Washington, DC 20006; phone: 888-374-7288; website: www.bettertv.org. People for Better TV is a coalition of more than 100 groups formed to educate and empower the public to get something in return for broadcasters' free use of the electronic spectrum.

• Insights and Answers on Media Bias. This 1999 brochure by the bishops' Committee for Communications is designed to educate against religious prejudice in the media. Order from USCCB Publishing, No. 5-325, 5-panel brochure.
  
  
• The Other Parent: How The Media Shapes Kids' Lives. By James P. Steyer (Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster, 2002).

• Center for Media Literacy, 3101 Ocean Park Boulevard, Ste. 200, Santa Monica, CA 90405; phone: 800-228-4630 or (310) 581-0260; fax: 310-581-0270; website: www.medialit.org. The Center for Media Literacy is dedicated to literacy in all media forms, print and electronic. It offers a wide variety of books, videos, curricula, and other materials for teaching and learning about the media and their impact on our lives. Its website offers numerous articles and readings in media issues and literacy as well as a large resource catalog from which to order.
  
  
• Media Awareness Network (MNet), 1500 Merivale Road, Third Floor, Ottawa, ON K2E 6Z5; phone: 613-224-7721 or 800-896-3342; fax: 613-224-1958; e-mail: info@media-aware ness.ca; website: www.media-awareness.ca. The Media Awareness Network is a Canadian non-profit media education organization that provides a wealth of online resources for parents and educators to support media education in the home, school, and community. MNet has chosen the Internet as its primary source of publishing, and its website is one of the largest educational sites in Canada. It provides both curriculum-related media and web literacy teaching materials for schools, and media awareness resources for community organizations.
  
  
• Media Resource Center, Diocese of New Ulm, 1400 6th Street N, New Ulm, MN 56073-2099; phone: 507-359-2966; website: www.dnu.org/word/media.html. The Office of Communication of the Diocese of New Ulm manages and maintains a resource library including videos, audio cassettes, learning lists, periodicals, and books. A large, cross-referenced catalog is available, as is use of the service, through the Media Resource Center's "More is Less" Membership.
  
  
• Ontario Media Literacy, website: www.angelfire.com/ms/MediaLiteracy/. Developed by teachers from Ontario, Canada, this website is a rich resource for teachers interested in incorporating media literacy strategies into classroom lessons. It offers monthly commentaries on media issues and strategies to use them in the classroom, links to other media literacy sites, a media literacy book and resource center, and other materials. Perhaps its greatest value is its well-developed lesson plans for all educational levels, K-12.
  
  
• Pauline Center for Media Studies, 50 St. Pauls Ave., Boston, MA 02130-3443; phone: 617-522-8911; fax: 617-541-9805; e-mail: mediastudies@pauline.org; website: www.daughtersofstpaul.com/mediastudies/index.html. The Pauline Center for Media Studies is a project of the U.S.-Toronto Province of the Daughters of St. Paul. The Center was founded to promote media literacy education in schools and faith communities. Among its activities, the center encourages the development of critical thinking skills about entertainment and information media, creates seminars and workshops on media issues, and collaborates with the media education efforts of individuals and groups who share similar goals.

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