Television is still the primary way that children are introduced and engaged with media. Today’s popular programs, spanning both the commercial and public television networks, are very wide-ranging.
From Jessie on Disney Channel, I watched “No Money, Mo’ Problems” and “The Runaway Bride of Frankenstein” which aired this past fall. The first is about the ongoing romantic relationship between Jessie, 22, and her boyfriend, Brooks, 25 and ends with Brooks proposing to Jessie. The second Halloween-inspired episode chronicles Brooks’ attempts to get the kids to like him, and Jessie finally accepts Brooks’ proposal.
http://deadline.com/2013/03/jessie-renewed-third-season-disney-channel-463695/
With hardly any educational value at all, the show is more for entertainment’s sake, though kids might learn positive messages about friendship and unconventional family life. The harmful aspect of this show is its projection of stereotypical, stock characters with an Indian boy genius, dumb blonde girl, immature girl-obsessed boy, a bossy African American girl, and a materialistic mother, and an unattractive but kind butler. This program somewhat fits the developmental needs and abilities of its audience. Knowledge of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment, and the Frankenstein plot would be critical to understand these episode’s humor/absurdity. Kids might not be developmentally able to conceptualize romantic love, but they see its dramatic nature (ie: kiss in the elevator as the water sprinkler alarm goes off). I thought some content might frighten younger viewers, especially Jessie’s daydream scene with Brooks as Frankenstein scaring the town. Its set is designed in an eye-catching, over-the-top manner and the scenes move rather quickly to keep audiences interest. Children would feel empowered by the characters’ lives unbound by authority, money, or school.
From PBS, I watched (from 2014) “The Friend Who Wasn’t There” and “Surprise!” on the show Arthur.
https://www.tumblr.com/search/arthur%20tv
This is targeted toward a younger audience with much more positive messages and positive role models than Jessie (and none of the sexual themes/innuendos). It teaches valuable social lessons especially targeting siblings and friends. The messages in these were: 1) use your imagination despite new gadgets, toys, and money and 2) be nice to siblings even if they have been mean to you. Arthur isn’t “dumbed down” like other educational kids shows I have watched. Children enjoy the show because its problems are real-life situations they have experienced. In terms of content, it is very salient to kids, using bright colors, animated and personified animal characters, and familiar concepts like bowling parties and imaginary friends. The first episode even had a Wizard of Oz reference that older audiences could appreciate. The second episode encouraged children to develop their perspective-taking when Francine said, “I remembered how I felt when she pranked me.” In between each Arthur episode is a short live-action segment; in this one, kids in a classroom “traveled” to different times and places by dressing in costumes and singing educational chants, like ancient Egypt, Rome with Julius Caesar, and South Africa with Nelson Mandela. Children would enjoy this imagination activity with their own home time machine.