Markey Responds to 11 Pledges Limiting Junk Food Ads to Kids

Press Release

MARKEY RESPONDS TO 11 PLEDGES LIMITING JUNK FOOD ADS TO KIDS

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, responded to pledges made by 11 food marketers concerning television advertisements directed at children announced at a Federal Trade Commission workshop today.

Rep. Markey said, "These voluntary commitments made by the food and beverage industries are an important step forward. I believe they will contribute positively to efforts to address our nation's childhood obesity epidemic. I commend the 11 companies in particular for taking two key steps - eliminating the use of licensed characters to market unhealthy food and beverage products and limiting marketing to children 12 and younger to foods that meet specific nutritional guidelines, or eliminating marketing to kids altogether.

"However, the big unanswered question at this point is how stringent each company's nutritional guidelines are. I plan to reserve judgment until these guidelines can be carefully reviewed. My hope is that they meet or exceed those developed by Kellogg last month. Also, while these commitments represent an important step forward, it is equally important that they are faithfully implemented and enforced.

"Most importantly, I would like the media industries to come forward with their own set of voluntary commitments. Disney should be commended for taking the lead in the television industry, along with Sesame Workshop. But the rest of the television industry has got to take similar action. For instance, we haven't heard anything from Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network, and they have a responsibility to join other socially responsible corporations in taking steps to protect children.

"Children's television is supposed to be an oasis for kids in the vast wasteland of television. Food marketers setting standards is half the battle, but unless the media companies also set standards, junk food ads will keep popping up to pollute the oasis."

Last month, Rep. Markey held a hearing on "Images Kids See on the Screen" in his subcommittee about the impact images on television and in the movies have on young children, specifically related to the issues of obesity, violence and smoking. More information about that hearing is available here.

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