Like tobacco companies scolding against underage smoking and alcohol makers counseling "responsible drinking," there is cognitive dissonance in hearing Nickelodeon telling kids to turn off their TVs and go out to play: "You must watch us to find out how to not watch us." But there you have it.
Nickelodeon will celebrate its third "Let's Just Play Worldwide Day of Play" by going off the air for three hours (noon-3 pm ET/PT) on Saturday, Oct. 1, to encourage kids to spend the afternoon being active. "Let's Just Play" is Nickelodeon's "pro-social commitment" to encourage kids to participate in "active, healthy, and playful lifestyles" through daily on-air messages and activities, a welcome action against the rise in childhood obesity, reduction of PE in schools and in after-school programs, and the over-scheduled and sedentary lifestyles of many of today's children.
TEENick stars including Jamie Lynn Spears, Emma Roberts, Romeo, Drake Bell and Josh Peck will join this year's "Worldwide Day of Play" celebration by hosting interstitial segments after the network returns on-air. They will announce several winners of the "Let's Just Play Giveaway," which offers kids around the country the opportunity to take action and enter for a chance to win $5,000 to improve their school or community programs' fitness resources. Nick will distribute a total of more than $1 million from September 2005 to June 2006 via the "Giveaway." Kids can enter for a chance to win at nick.com, everythingnick.com, or by filling out and sending in the application in the October issue of Nickelodeon Magazine.
The TEENick stars will also introduce mini-documentaries showcasing recipients of the 2004 "Let's Just Play" Grants Program, including James Martin Middle School in Charlotte, NC; Prosperity Heights Elementary School in St. Paul, MN; The Arthritis Foundation in Philadelphia, PA; Nome Elementary School in Nome, AL; and Grimes Elementary School in Burlington, IA.
Article comments
1 - DJRadiohead
Right on, EO. Tobacco companies encouraging kids not to smoke always makes me laugh.
This reminds me of the drug ads on TV right now, too. If you can ignore the 13 lethal side effects of our drug, ask your doctor for a bottle of it.
2 - DJRadiohead
"Let's Just Play" as long as you have your SpongeBob SquarePants t-ball set or your Dora The Explorer kit.
3 - Eric Olsen
thnks DJR, I am cynical of the motivations, but ultimately the motivations don't matter as much as having the program in the first place, which can only do good. Going off the air for three hours really is putting their money where their mouth is
4 - DJRadiohead
I grant you that... there is more action behind their words than a lot of other "killer industries."
5 - Eric Olsen
can you imagine a tobacco company not selling cigs for three hours? or an alcohol company
6 - Eric Olsen
"take a butt break: go outside, run around"
7 - DJRadiohead
They don't pull their products during the Great American Smoke Out, do they?
Tobacco policy in this country is impossible to comprehend.
8 - Eric Olsen
it isn't quite the same thing since neither tobacco nor alcohol companies are actual retailers, but still ...
9 - DJRadiohead
You're right... the two are not completely analagous 'but still...'
I just hope those three hours don't cut off Jimmy Neutron. That would be a shame.
10 - Eric Olsen
cutting off Jimmy would suck hard indeed
11 - Eric Berlin
What a marvelously bizarre concept: Big Brother (or Little in this case, perhaps) giving the addicted/enslaved lil ones permission to unplug the IV for a few hours.
Signed,
Life long television addict!
12 - Joanie
It was like their fun little Family Night at the Table bit on Monday.
At least they're trying to be socially conscious. That's what we're calling it these days, right?
13 - Eric Olsen
i believe, ultimately, they are trying to preclude some kind of massive governmental regulation against children's programming, but at least their methods are positive
14 - Joanie
You know, my son and I both love Nick shows. But we also know how to turn off the TV on our own.
I guess there are those who don't though...
15 - Eric Olsen
it does have drug-like qualities and, epecially with little kids, it can be a lot easier to leave it on than to turn it off and get into a new "mindspace" - it's something we should always keep in mind and campaigns like this probably do help at least some people