us: Smarter kids through television: debunking myths old and new
The digital divide used to separate rich from poor; now it separates parents from their children. Whether it’s infants watching the new 24-hour “Baby’s First TV” channel, or teenagers instant messaging while they watch last night’s “Daily Show” on their iPods, television is an enormous presence in the lives of kids today. The average American child spends three to five hours a day watching it. And they start their viewing careers much earlier than ever before: In 1961, the average child began to watch television at age 3; today it is 9 months.
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