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<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>Hello! Many of you may have read this
or similar articles about the refund Baby Einstein is offering because of false
claims that their videos are educational. However I thought it worth
repeating since all of you working with young children and
parents often deal with media literacy issues. This case may provide you
with good information when discussing educational videos with parents of
children three years old and younger.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>Read the full article below or at the New
York Times website: <A
href="http://tiny.cc/vWRxa">http://tiny.cc/vWRxa</A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>A few key points from the
article:</SPAN></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>Despite their ubiquity, and the fact that
many babies are transfixed by the videos, the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends no screen time at all for children under 2.</SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>“The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby
Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their
videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a
letter from the lawyers said, calling those claims “false because research
shows that television viewing is potentially harmful for very young
children.”</SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>The letter also described studies showing
that television exposure at ages 1 through 3 is associated with attention
problems at age 7.</SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>...the Baby Einstein company will refund
$15.99 for up to four “Baby Einstein” DVDs per household, bought between June
5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company. </SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>... the current offer, allowing parents to
exchange their video for a different title, receive a discount coupon, or get
$15.99 each for up to four returned DVDs, requires no receipt, and extends
until next March 10. </SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>“My impression is that parents really
believe these videos are good for their children, or at the very least, not
really bad for them,” Ms. Rideout said. “To me, the most important thing is
reminding parents that getting down on the floor to play with children is the
most educational thing they can do.”</SPAN></LI></UL>
<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>More resources on media
literacy:</SPAN></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>Resources from Slavica Jovanovic's media
literacy workshop present at Reading for Healthy Families: <A
href="http://tiny.cc/XpNH8">http://tiny.cc/XpNH8</A></SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>American Academy of Pediatrics: <A
href="http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;104/2/341">http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;104/2/341</A></SPAN></LI>
<LI><SPAN class=982414715-26102009>University of Michigan Health System: <A
href="http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm">http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm</A></SPAN></LI></UL>
<DIV><SPAN class=982414715-26102009></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV align=center>Katie Anderson, Library Development Services</DIV>
<DIV align=center>* Youth Services Consultant * Oregon Center for the Book
Coordinator *</DIV>
<DIV align=center>Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301</DIV>
<DIV align=center><A
href="mailto:katie.anderson@state.or.us">katie.anderson@state.or.us</A>,
503-378-2528</DIV>
<DIV>
<H1><NYT_HEADLINE type=" " version="1.0">No Einstein in Your Crib? Get a Refund
</H1>
<H1><FONT size=3>By </FONT><A title="More Articles by Tamar Lewin"
href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/tamar_lewin/index.html?inline=nyt-per"><FONT
size=3>TAMAR LEWIN</FONT></A></H1></NYT_BYLINE>
<DIV class=timestamp>Published: October 23, 2009 </DIV>
<DIV id=articleBody><NYT_TEXT>
<P>Parent alert: the <A title="company Web site."
href="http://corporate.disney.go.com/responsibility/index.html"></A><A
title="More information about Disney, Walt, Co"
href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/disney_walt_company/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Walt
Disney Company</A> is now offering refunds for all those <A
title="Baby Einstein Web site" href="http://www.babyeinstein.com/home/">“Baby
Einstein”</A> videos that did not make children into geniuses.</P>
<P>They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds
appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.</P>
<P>“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby
videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow
suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of <A
title="campaign’s Web site."
href="http://www.commercialexploitation.org/">Campaign for a Commercial-Free
Childhood</A>, which has been pushing the issue for years.</P>
<P>Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, was one of the earliest players in what
became a huge electronic media market for babies and toddlers. Acquired by
Disney in 2001, the company expanded to a full line of books, toys, flashcards
and apparel, along with DVDs including “Baby Mozart,” “Baby <A
title="More articles about William Shakespeare."
href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/william_shakespeare/index.html?inline=nyt-per">Shakespeare</A>”
and “Baby <A title="More articles about Galileo Galelei."
href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/galileo_galilei/index.html?inline=nyt-per">Galileo</A>.”
</P>
<P>The videos — simple productions featuring music, puppets, bright colors, and
not many words — became a staple of baby life: According to a 2003 study, a
third of all American babies from 6 months to 2 years old had at least one “Baby
Einstein” video. </P>
<P>Despite their ubiquity, and the fact that many babies are transfixed by the
videos, the <A title="academy Web site." href="http://www.aap.org/"></A><A
title="More articles about American Academy of Pediatrics"
href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/a/american_academy_of_pediatrics/index.html?inline=nyt-org">American
Academy of Pediatrics</A> recommends no screen time at all for children under
2.</P>
<P>In 2006, Ms. Linn’s group went to the Federal Trade Commission to complain
about the educational claims made by Disney and another company, Brainy Baby. As
a result, the companies dropped the word “educational” from their marketing. But
the group didn’t think that was enough. </P>
<P>“Disney was never held accountable, and parents were never given any
compensation. So we shared our information and research with a team of public
health lawyers,” Ms. Linn said.</P>
<P>Last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for unfair and deceptive
practices unless Disney agreed to refund the full purchase price to all who
bought the videos since 2004. “The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby Einstein
marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are
educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a letter from the
lawyers said, calling those claims “false because research shows that television
viewing is potentially harmful for very young children.”</P>
<P>The letter cited estimates from The Washington Post and Business Week that
Baby Einstein controlled 90 percent of the baby media market, and sold $200
million worth of products annually. </P>
<P>The letter also described studies showing that television exposure at ages 1
through 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7.</P>
<P>In response, the Baby Einstein company will refund $15.99 for up to four
“Baby Einstein” DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5,
2009, and returned to the company. </P>
<P>Lawyers in the matter refused to comment on the settlement.</P>
<P>Last month, Baby Einstein announced the new refunds — or “enhanced consumer
satisfaction guarantee” — but made no mention of the lawyers’ demands. </P>
<P>"Fostering parent-child interaction always has and always will come first at
The Baby Einstein Company, and we know that there is an ongoing discussion about
how that interaction is best promoted,” Susan McLain, vice president and general
manager, said in the statement. “We remain committed to providing a wide range
of options to help parents create the most engaging and enriching experience for
themselves and their babies.”</P>
<P>The founder and president of Brainy Baby, Dennis Fedoruk, said in an e-mail
message that he was unaware of Baby Einstein’s refund announcement and could not
offer further comment.</P>
<P>An outside public relations representative for Baby Einstein said there was
nothing new about the refund offer. </P>
<P>“We’ve had a customer satisfaction guarantee for a long time,” she said,
referring a reporter to the company Web site. However, Baby Einstein’s general
“money-back” guarantee is only valid for 60 days from purchase and requires a
receipt. </P>
<P>In contrast, the current <A title="the refund coupon."
href="http://babyeinstein.com/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.html">offer</A>,
allowing parents to exchange their video for a different title, receive a
discount coupon, or get $15.99 each for up to four returned DVDs, requires no
receipt, and extends until next March 10. </P>
<P>“When attention got focused on this issue a few years ago, a lot of companies
became more cautious about what they claimed,” said Vicky Rideout, vice
president of the <A title="foundation Web site"
href="http://www.kff.org/">Kaiser Family Foundation.</A> “But even if the word
‘education’ isn’t there, there’s a clear implication of educational benefits in
a lot of the marketing.” </P>
<P>The Baby Einstein Web site, for example, still describes its videos with
phrases like “reinforces number recognition using simple patterns” or
“introduces circles, ovals, triangles, squares and rectangles.”</P>
<P>“My impression is that parents really believe these videos are good for their
children, or at the very least, not really bad for them,” Ms. Rideout said. “To
me, the most important thing is reminding parents that getting down on the floor
to play with children is the most educational thing they can
do.”</P><NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_TEXT>
<DIV class="nextArticleLink clearfix"><SPAN>A version of this article appeared
in print on October 24, 2009, on page A1 of the New York edition.</SPAN>
</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>