National Assoc for Media Literacy Education: Amy Jussel, Resource Roundup

July 8, 2013 Gearing up for speaking at my first ever National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) conference this coming weekend, I’m taming butterflies as I’m honored to be on a powerhouse panel with academic rockstars like Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: How Electronic Media – From Baby Videos to Educational Software – Affects Your Young Child. I’m eager … [Read more...]

Dialing for Disorders: Let’s Move To Prevent Them By July 12!

June 29, 2010 As a kids' health advocate (inside and out) I’ve been covering the "HUGE" conversation pertaining to media’s responsibility and accountability in how the portrayal of being overweight in our appearance-obsessed culture is handled. (Huge: Part One, Part Two) Now it’s time to weigh in on the policy piece. (I'm not referring to RWJF's annual "F as in Fat" … [Read more...]

A Huge Conversation: Media Literacy Talking Points (Pt 2)

June 27, 2010 In Part Two of this HUGE conversation (premiering tomorrow on ABC Family, my Part One is here) we'll try to unpack some of the core questions that SHOULD be top of mind to embrace the media literacy side of the body image, obesity, nutrition and kids' health dialog. I’ll start with the universal disclaimer that I am NOT a medico, eating disorder pro or body … [Read more...]

Commodification of Kids: The Backlash Has Begun

April 16, 2010 About a year ago, TruthOut featured a poignant article called "Commodifying Kids, The Forgotten Crisis" by academic Henry A. Giroux, and though I read it with lots of head bobbing agreement on the tipping point of toxicity, I have to strongly DISagree with the "forgotten" notion. This issue is not the LEAST bit forgotten...it's on fire, baby and it's gaining … [Read more...]

New Years Media Messages: Packaging Boyhood Meets The Hangover

Dec. 29, 2009 Last night I watched ‘The Hangover’ rated R, which I’d heard described by several YOUNG teens (meaning unable to buy a ticket unless sneaking in via diff. multiplex theater) as ‘hilarious,'  and ‘over the top’ and wanted to see where the kid appeal was coming from and try to ‘relate’ to why this movie was a ‘favorite’ on many a Facebook page. I'm not here to … [Read more...]