Discovery Kids Joins Movement Against Junk Food Targeting Children

DISCOVERY KIDS JOINS MOVEMENT AGAINST JUNK FOOD TARGETING CHILDREN
[SOURCE: Rep Ed Markey (D-MA)]
Discovery Kids, a branch of the Discovery Communications family of cable networks, has decided to stop licensing its name and characters for use in connection with unhealthy food and beverage products. Rep. Markey said, “I commend Discovery Kids for taking this step to help protect children from unhealthy junk food ads and look forward to reviewing the details of their proposal. By helping kids discover the world beyond junk food, Discovery Kids is making an important statement about the responsibility that media companies have to join the fight against childhood obesity. Two years ago the Institute of Medicine linked the current unhealthy trend toward poor nutrition and childhood obesity to the prevalence of television advertisements for fast food, junk food, sugared cereals, and other foods wholly lacking in nutritional value. Ideally, children's television can be an electronic oasis of educational and informational fare for kids in the otherwise vast wasteland of commercial television. While some food marketers have started to set standards for junk food ads, media companies like Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network should follow the lead of Disney and Discovery Kids and take similar steps to assist in combating this public health problem.”
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3043&Itemid=141

* FCC Chairman Martin
"I want to join Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) and FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Deborah Taylor Tate in congratulating Discovery Communications on their decision to license the Discovery Kids name and characters for use only in connection with healthy food and beverage products. I appreciate Discovery's commitment to children's health evident in their participation in the Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity. I also appreciate Discovery's example of voluntary commitment, high standards and good corporate citizenship."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275942A1.doc

* Commissioner Copps
"It's good news that the Discovery Kids brand will be used to promote only nutritious, wholesome foods. This is the kind of commitment we hope more media companies will soon make. It will take tough and concerted action by both food and media businesses if we are really serious about putting an end to junk food ads aimed at our kids."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275940A1.doc

* Commissioner Tate
"Almost daily, another company does the right thing and pledges to America's families that their brand and characters will only be used for healthier foods and more active lifestyles," said Commissioner Tate. "Today I want to applaud Discovery Kids for being at the forefront of this effort. Like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, parents can trust brands such as Discovery Kids, which have made a commitment to promoting healthy, nutritious foods."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275926A1.doc