Common Sense Media
Organization Overview
Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the media lives of children and families. We exist because media and entertainment profoundly impact the social, emotional and physical development of our nation's children. Common Sense provides trustworthy information and tools as well as an independent forum so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume.
The Common Sense Media Guide, located on our website has been widely recognized as the nation's most comprehensive one-stop resource for kids and family media choices. The Guide provides expert reviews, ratings, recommended lists, and viewing tips on more than 4,000 movies, TV shows, music, video games, websites, and books. All of our content is based on criteria developed by some of the nation's leading child development and media experts. We also provide an interactive forum where adults and young people can offer their own views and reviews. In addition, Common Sense publishes a popular weekly on-line newsletter, the Common Sense Alert, which offers timely reviews of the most recent media releases, as well as important news, and research updates.
Common Sense Media also reaches more deeply into communities across the U.S. to provide simple, easy-to-use media education resources designed to inspire a new generation of critical thinkers. Our Community Outreach staff offers media awareness and parent education workshops, toolkits and other resources to non-profits and community-based organizations. These partners range from early childhood providers to K-12 schools to youth development programs to health practitioners and home visiting programs.
Technical Support for HEAC Grantees
Common Sense Media is supporting the HEAC Program in three distinct ways.
- The following information is available on the Common Sense Media Guide:
- Downloadable parent tips on how to talk to kids about marketing and advertising;
- Content alerts for commercialism/consumerism in all the reviews for TV shows, music, video games, websites, and books.
- Monthly article dedicated to role of marketing in children's eating/living habits; and
- Up-to-date news and research on media as a public health issue.
- In 2007, Common Sense Media will launch an advertising campaign (print, TV, outdoor) on media as a public health issue, spotlighting how marketing/advertising can impact children's eating habits and physical activity.
- Common Sense will provide training, materials, and TA to the HEAC sites as well as other community-based organizations throughout the state. The training and materials (a "workshop-in-a-box", magnets, posters, tip sheets, etc.) are designed to build the capacity of community providers to raise awareness about the influence of media on kids' development and offer parents practical guidance on what to do about it. Materials that can be used to teach youth ages 10-14 media literacy skills are also available. To learn more about these materials, visit: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources/community_toolkits/index.php.
Contact Information
Website: www.commonsensemedia.org
