Food-Marketing Debate Heats Up

FOOD MARKETING DEBATE HEATS UP
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The issue of marketing “junk food” to kids is getting hot. Fueling the debate is the dramatic increase in childhood obesity, which government and industry agree is a growing national health problem. In the next few weeks, the Federal Trade Commission will issue subpoenas to 44 companies, including food manufacturers and marketers. The subpoenas are intended to gather information for a forthcoming FTC report to Congress on how companies market so-called junk foods to kids—an industry estimated at $10 billion to $15 billion. Meanwhile, a government/industry task force on childhood obesity and food marketing is feverishly trying to come up with recommendations on best practices by early summer. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who serves on the task force, says that, if the group fails to establish suitable guidelines for industry self-regulation, the FCC may have to weigh in. Congress may be eyeing the issue hungrily, too. According to a top staffer on the House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee, Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) plans to hold hearings on the media’s marketing of junk food to children. Whether the subcommittee will hold hearings before or after the task force makes its recommendations to Congress is still unclear.
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